With 48% of IT leaders saying their help desk needs improvement,1 the case for implementing new ticketing software is clear to most IT teams. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get the green light for such a project.
Instead, you need to gain buy-in from a range of executives, all of whom have their own specific needs and business objectives. But how do you achieve that?
First of all, it will require you to field…
3 Questions Every Executive Will Ask About Your Proposed Help Desk Solution
1. “Why do we need this new software?”
Why they are asking
Most executives don’t have time to think about your ticketing system, which means the idea of replacing it has rarely occurred to them. Given that introducing new technology generally has a cost - both in terms of budget and time - there needs to be a strong reason to invest.
How to respond
A strong answer includes three factors:
- A clearly defined problem (“our current ticketing system is flawed in these ways”)
- A proposed solution (“this new software will help us fix those problems.”)
- And a series of expected benefits tied to KPIs
The key is to be concrete: executives want specific reasons your ticketing system needs to be updated. Ideally, you will be able to provide both quantitative (“our current system is only used by x% of employees) and qualitative (“our techs experience x, y and z) data.
2. “What will it require to implement?”
Why they are asking
Introducing new software can cause disruptions - especially when it is involved in something as important as IT ticketing. Executives want to know that you have thought through how the new ticketing software will be introduced and figured out a way to ensure it doesn’t interrupt daily operations.
How to respond
Outline a clear implementation plan that tells executives:
- How the ticketing software will be implemented and who will be involved
- What the process will involve
- How long the process will take
- How (if at all!) the implementation process will impact operations
Once again, concrete details are essential. While you may not be able to promise an exact duration for the implementation process, you should provide clear estimates that can be backed-up with solid reasoning.
Helpful hint: Pad your timeline estimate to allow for time to address any unexpected snags in the process.
3. “What ROI can we expect?”
Why they are asking
Executive decisions often boil down to one factor: maximizing profit. While each executive will have their own department-specific concerns, the ultimate question when evaluating any investment is whether it will help the company run more efficiently, retain staff, or drive more revenue.
How to respond
The most compelling answer will make the ROI calculation as clear as possible, outline:
- How much the new software will cost to procure and implement (factor in non-monetary costs like time)
- The expected financial impact on IT operations
If you can tie the impact of the software back to revenue, the answer will be more compelling. This might mean explaining that the new software will reduce the number of techs you need to hire by making the system more efficient; it might eliminate the need for a few other solutions in your tech stack; it might simply mean quantifying the improvement to your company’s daily IT usage.
5 Steps to Get Executive Buy-In for New Ticketing Software
1. Undertake research
Executives will want to know you have seriously considered your options. You should be able to demonstrate a strong knowledge of the various solutions on the market and the current ticketing system you are replacing.Key actions:
- Undertake a careful review of all currently available ticketing software options
- Request feedback from end-users and techs
2. Generate supporting data
Once you have chosen a ticketing software solution to propose, you need to articulate exactly why it is a worthwhile investment. 97% of executives want data to support their decision making process, so focus on generating concrete numbers.
Key actions:
- Quantify the need for new software using things like the adoption rate of ticketing and the current cost of inefficiencies.
- Use a combination of case studies from the company and informed projections to estimate the expected savings your new software will produce.
3. Create a solid implementation plan
You need to have a clear plan for implementing the software, onboarding users and measuring the success of your new solution. This should include reliable estimates about the cost, duration and impact of the implementation process.
Key actions:
- Develop a detailed implementation plan with clearly defined roles and responsibilities
- Make estimates of how long the process will take, how much it will cost and when executives cam expect to see positive results
4. Build a clear business case
Bring everything together to create a business case for the new ticketing software. You should outline why you need the software; how the new software will improve things; and when the new software will be fully operational.
Key actions:
- Create a document that outlines the reasons for choosing your new ticketing software
- Provide data to support each part of the argument
5. Tailor your case to each audience
Your business case should be tailored to each executive and their specific needs. For example, the COO will care about how it will improve everyday operations, whereas the CEO is most likely to care about the bottom line.The level of information and how it’s presented should also be considered: CEOs are likely to have less time, and therefore want a simpler, more direct business case, than other C-Suiters.
Key actions:
- Consider the business goals and needs of each executive
- Tailor the language in your business case to specifically speak to those factors
Build an Irresistible Business Case with DeskDirector
Convincing executives to sign-off on new software is never easy. But with DeskDirector, you can showcase a range of unique benefits, such as our Microsoft integrations that place robust ticketing within the Microsoft environment your employees use every day.
As a result, you can show executives that DeskDirector helps organizations increase ticketing adoption by 20% and resolve tickets 4x faster.
Want to learn more about our market-leading solution?
1. https://www.joetheitguy.com/itsm-in-2023/
