When a system isn’t broken, it can be hard to find the motivation to improve it. Given that 48% of IT leaders say their ticketing system needs improvement, however, it seems fair to suggest even those without a clear mandate should consider reevaluating their current system and software.
But how should you do that? And what should you be looking for?
Read on to learn exactly when, why and how the best IT leaders evaluate and improve their ticketing systems.
3 Principles for Evaluating Your Ticketing System
1. Assess regularly
From new technology to changing end-user needs, the possibilities and requirements of your ticketing system are constantly changing. Even if you don’t actively need an update, there are often ways to improve your system that will future proof your organization and improve performance.
Leaders should aim to evaluate their system once per year at a minimum. More frequent assessment will also help catch issues before they get out of hand and ensure you’re benefiting from important innovations.
2. Use data
Highly data-driven organizations are 3x more likely to report significant improvements in their decision making. While there will always be a place for the senior IT leaders’ expert instincts, a grounding in data will help you understand the reality on the ground.
How are techs performing? When, where and how are your systems being utilized? And which factors will produce the most significant improvements? The right data can unlock insights into all of these crucial questions.
3. Focus on value
Every change to your ticketing system must include a cost-benefit analysis: how much will a particular addition or change impact usage and efficiency? And how much will it cost?
While there is often a case for long-term investment in better equipment, it’s important to make an informed decision about the ROI of every choice you make.
5 Signs Your Ticketing System Needs to be Updated
1. Limited functionality
Ticketing systems range wildly in terms of their flexibility, usability and the number of configurations they enable. Are your techs able to do everything they want or need to do to work efficiently? Do end-users find the system difficult to use?
2. Problems scaling
It’s common for systems to struggle as demand increases, even if you hire more techs. Do you regularly have large ticket queues? Do your techs feel overwhelmed? And do your processes enable flexibility for future growth?
3. Low employee adoption rates
A best-in-class ticketing system is worth nothing if nobody uses it. But many organizations struggle to persuade end-users to actually submit tickets when they need support. Do you have low adoption rates? And do those that use the systems do so repeatedly?
4. Lack of integration
Both techs and end-users use a wide range of apps every day. Is your current ticketing system able to integrate with any of them to create a smoother workflow or increase efficiency? How much time is wasted on context switching while users toggle between apps?
5. Excessive costs
From the actual price of your help desk software subscription to the cost of slow resolution times, consider every financial effect of your ticketing systems. Does it justify these costs? If not, it might be time to think about….
4 Steps to Evaluate Your Ticketing System
1. Generate feedback from end-users and techs
Before making changes, you need to understand how users experience your existing system. The best way to do that is to generate qualitative data from both techs and end-users.
This can either be done in an informal, conversational way or via structured feedback forms. The goal is not to hit a specific threshold, but to access a wide range of perspectives to understand how ticketing is seen within the organizations - and what your existing system is like to use.
2. Assess the marketplace
Once you have a benchmark for your ticket system, it’s vital to understand what alternatives are available on the market. To do this:
- Search social media and Google for help desk software
- Ask industry peers for recommendations of the best IT help desk ticketing system
- Explore trade publications to learn about trends and benefits of new help desk software
3. Identify gaps or flaws in the system
Use a combination of feedback and performance data to assess where your existing system falls short. Then use your market research to outline how new solutions or services can plug gaps and enhance your ticketing.
4. Undertake a cost-benefit analysis
For each solution you identified in step 3, undertake a careful cost-benefit analysis to understand whether it is worth investing in. Consider:
- How expensive it will be
- How easy it will be to implement
- How long it will take to implement
- How (and how much) it will improve your ticketing system
It’s Time to Transform Your Ticketing with DeskDirector
From improved functionality and scalability to exclusive integrations with Microsoft and automation capabilities, DeskDirector is the ultimate solution to slow, inefficient ticketing systems.
Our platform not only helps you plug gaps your current software has created and resolve tickets 4x faster - it provides a seamless workflow that is intuitive for both techs and end-users, increasing ticketing adoption by 20%.
Want to upgrade your system?
