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Help desk supervisor goals for providing service and support

Where does a help desk supervisor fit into the call center staffing plan and how can this position best support the management team and the support desk?

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The role of help desk supervisor is similar to that of any call center supervisor, except that help desk customers are generally employees. While the exact functions vary between organizations, help desk supervisors are generally responsible for assisting the management team with staff selection and training. The help desk supervisor's goals also include managing performance (quality evaluations and coaching) and administrative tasks (attendance, performance appraisals, quality reviews and salary administration) for all help desk agents. Help desk supervisors are responsible for meeting monthly performance and service level goals, including internal customer satisfaction, quality (appropriate documentation, work order accuracy, correct routing, prioritization and escalation), response and resolution time frames, and follow-up. Lastly, help desk supervisors must be subject matter experts who are available to assist and coach their staff. They must also handle escalated calls and keep management informed of any IT issues within the company.

In addition to all of their functional responsibilities, help desk supervisors must possess a strong understanding of how the call center operates. The help desk supervisor should work closely with the call center management team to ensure that support desk prioritization, response time frames and escalation procedures are properly aligned with organizational needs. The help desk supervisor should maintain open communication with the management team and stay on top of all system changes and new systems implemented in the call center. Finally, the help desk supervisor should ensure that a feedback mechanism, such as internal surveying, is in place to capture and address support issues.

Help desk supervisors can best support their team by ensuring that all help desk agents are properly trained and up to date on all support desk procedures, processes and systems. They should be available at all times to answer questions and assist their staff in resolving escalated or high-severity issues. Help desk supervisors must perform monthly quality evaluations of their staff and provide timely, frequent and consistent feedback to recognize performance strengths and provide coaching for improvement opportunities. They should strive to build and maintain a positive working environment that will attract, motivate and retain high-quality staff.

This was first published in July 2007

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