Some things you just outgrow
Whether it’s the training wheels on your bike, your house that doesn’t fit your growing family, or your car that doesn’t have cruise control. Some things in life you simply outgrow – and that’s fine. You change, your needs change.
What about the relationship with your service management tool? We see it all the time: people stuck with a solution that’s holding them back. So how do you know when to call it quits? Here’s 8 signs it’s time to let your service management solution down easy.
Your free buyer's guide8 signs you’ve outgrown the relationship with your service management solution
It’s too high maintenance
If you’re stuck with an older, on-premises service management solution, updates and upgrades cost a lot of money – especially if you need to pay a consultant to implement even the smallest changes. Not to mention all the time your team spends on testing. If your solution has turned into a money pit, it’s time to move on.
You’re repeating yourself over and over
“I’ve forgotten my password.” “The wifi isn’t working.“ “I can’t use my email.” How many times a week do you receive these same questions over and over? We’re guessing it’s a lot. Stop wasting your precious time. A lot of modern solutions offer a self-service portal where your end users can fix their own problems. Make all your standard solutions and FAQs available online and you’ll never again have to say the words “Have you tried turning it on and off?”
You don’t have time for yourself
Is your team always firefighting? Is their precious time spent on creating even a simple ticket? If your system lacks modern features or automation, it can put a real strain on your team. They’re frustrated because they’re performing tedious manual tasks with no room for challenging projects and innovation. And the rest of the organization just sees you as an expense. If you’re looking to add value to your business, consider if your tool isn’t holding you back.
You’re no longer compatible
What was right for you when you purchased your current system, isn’t always right for you now. Sure, you can run an update. But what if you’ve changed the way you work? Your system is probably full of fields and data you no longer use or need. And does your old system offer integrations with other tools? Or more advanced reporting capabilities? If not, stop creating workarounds to turn your system into something it’s not.
You’re always putting others first
Are you always implementing new, modern tools like CRM systems for other departments? But are you still working in that outdated tool? Doesn’t sound fair. After all, if you can do your work better, your entire organization will benefit. So, let’s try a little self-care. Or as RuPaul so eloquently puts it: If you can’t love yourself, how […] you gonna love somebody else?
You’ve stopped talking
You’ve spent the last hour solving a ticket, only to find out a colleague was working on the exact same issue. What a waste. Does your system show you which agent is working on what? Or what needs to be picked up when a colleague is sick? It should. Good workflows aren’t just important within your own team. If your IT team has arranged a PC for a new employee, you expect FM to have a desk ready. A modern service management system makes communication easy, not hard.
You don’t share your experiences
If your team has a habit of keeping their knowledge tucked away in shared drives, written docs, or human brains, it makes solving issues quickly extremely hard – especially if you’re a service desk newbie. Setting up a knowledge base helps your team work faster and more efficiently. And if you share these knowledge items in your portal, you can even help end users answer their own questions.
Your friends don’t like them
Ideally, your ITSM tool should offer the same user experience as any of the latest consumer apps. What if your current tool is difficult to use? Or has an outdated user interface? When your team can’t hit it off with the service management tool, you not only run the risk of slowing them down, but you also run a security risk. If it’s too much effort to record things neatly, this can be a real problem come audit time.
It’s too high maintenance
If you’re stuck with an older, on-premises service management solution, updates and upgrades cost a lot of money – especially if you need to pay a consultant to implement even the smallest changes. Not to mention all the time your team spends on testing. If your solution has turned into a money pit, it’s time to move on.
You’re repeating yourself over and over
“I’ve forgotten my password.” “The wifi isn’t working.“ “I can’t use my email.” How many times a week do you receive these same questions over and over? We’re guessing it’s a lot. Stop wasting your precious time. A lot of modern solutions offer a self-service portal where your end users can fix their own problems. Make all your standard solutions and FAQs available online and you’ll never again have to say the words “Have you tried turning it on and off?”
You don’t have time for yourself
Is your team always firefighting? Is their precious time spent on creating even a simple ticket? If your system lacks modern features or automation, it can put a real strain on your team. They’re frustrated because they’re performing tedious manual tasks with no room for challenging projects and innovation. And the rest of the organization just sees you as an expense. If you’re looking to add value to your business, consider if your tool isn’t holding you back.
You’re no longer compatible
What was right for you when you purchased your current system, isn’t always right for you now. Sure, you can run an update. But what if you’ve changed the way you work? Your system is probably full of fields and data you no longer use or need. And does your old system offer integrations with other tools? Or more advanced reporting capabilities? If not, stop creating workarounds to turn your system into something it’s not.
You’re always putting others first
Are you always implementing new, modern tools like CRM systems for other departments? But are you still working in that outdated tool? Doesn’t sound fair. After all, if you can do your work better, your entire organization will benefit. So, let’s try a little self-care. Or as RuPaul so eloquently puts it: If you can’t love yourself, how […] you gonna love somebody else?
You’ve stopped talking
You’ve spent the last hour solving a ticket, only to find out a colleague was working on the exact same issue. What a waste. Does your system show you which agent is working on what? Or what needs to be picked up when a colleague is sick? It should. Good workflows aren’t just important within your own team. If your IT team has arranged a PC for a new employee, you expect FM to have a desk ready. A modern service management system makes communication easy, not hard.
You don’t share your experiences
If your team has a habit of keeping their knowledge tucked away in shared drives, written docs, or human brains, it makes solving issues quickly extremely hard – especially if you’re a service desk newbie. Setting up a knowledge base helps your team work faster and more efficiently. And if you share these knowledge items in your portal, you can even help end users answer their own questions.
Your friends don’t like them
Ideally, your ITSM tool should offer the same user experience as any of the latest consumer apps. What if your current tool is difficult to use? Or has an outdated user interface? When your team can’t hit it off with the service management tool, you not only run the risk of slowing them down, but you also run a security risk. If it’s too much effort to record things neatly, this can be a real problem come audit time.
Do you recognize any of these examples?
Then it’s safe to say you deserve better. A lot better! And listen: we know it’s not going to be easy. You’ve invested a lot of time and effort in your current solution. But putting yourself first will be worth it. Don’t settle for less.
Looking for a better match? Let’s see if TOPdesk the one for you.
Get the buyer's guideWorried about moving on? 3 of your fears debunked
What if I have to invest too much time into getting a new system?
No necessarily. Of course, you’ll spend some time creating your must-have list and start the exciting journey of finding a new tool that best suits your needs. But seriously: some tools are up and running in just a few weeks. And because they’re modern and user-friendly, your team will get used to it in no time.
What if it’s a waste of money?
You’ve already invested so much in your current tool, so letting go can be hard. But just think of all the benefits a new tool can bring. You’ll earn your investment back in no time. Not to mention a happier organization.
What if it doesn’t get better than this?
We understand you don’t want to run any risks. But haven’t you already figured out that this relationship isn’t working for you? A lot of modern tools give you more independence, save you heaps of time, improve customer satisfaction and the list goes on.