Myths, Pitfalls, and Realities of Desktop Application Support and Five Lessons to Learn Before Choosing a Solution

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1 WHITE PAPER Myths, Pitfalls, and Realities of Desktop Application Support and Five Lessons to Learn Before Choosing a Solution Desk top Ap pli ca tion Sup port (DAS) (noun) [desk-top ap-li-kay-shuhn suh-pohrt] Help Desk support surrounding the functionality of office productivity software. Examples: How do I add audio to my PowerPoint slides? I forgot one step in the mail merge process using Microsoft Word; do I have to start over? How do I add an automatic signature to my Lotus Notes or Microsoft Outlook outgoing mail account? INTRODUCTION Myths, Pitfalls, and Realities of Desktop Application Support There is little or no demand for desktop application support (DAS). Across industries, the true demand for DAS typically ranges between 5% and 15% of corporate Help Desk call volume. This includes all DAS issues that are supported underground by information workers across the enterprise. The Help Desk is the best choice for DAS. The lack of dedicated DAS has driven demand underground (i.e. shadow support, tapping a co-worker). Accordingly, most corporate Help Desks field minimal DAS calls (< 3% of Help Desk call volume) involving them in no more than 20% of DAS issues across the enterprise. We already outsource the Help Desk and they are handling DAS as part of the arrangement. Large outsourcing partners answer the phone with generalists, no different than most internal Help Desks. In fact, the very nature of such arrangements often invites sub-standard assistance, which reduces demand and drives support underground. DAS requires the kind of specialized application knowledge and familiarity that only comes from taking DAS calls all day long, not a mere best effort attempt at the occasional call. The incidence of underground support is impossible to quantify. Underground support is both measurable and controllable. Typically, information workers invest three hours working to solve a DAS issue on their own or with an in-house Help Desk. The cost of underground support is staggering. Given the average time spent to solve a DAS issue, the cost equates to approximately $48 to $196 per issue, depending on the salary level of the information worker requiring assistance. And this does not even account for the additional cost of involving a peer or colleague, who is often if not usually recruited to help. We send our corporate employees through training and so we don t need DAS. Training and DAS are related but separate. Training is effective at addressing common and repeated needs, but it is highly ineffective and inefficient at meeting specialized needs at unpredictable times, which is the nature of DAS demand. Many times, information workers complete training knowing that when the time comes to use a key feature or apply a technique, they may recognize the capability exists but will need assistance to properly execute.

2 I can hire full-time employees for the Help Desk to handle DAS and so much more. To adequately meet the DAS demands of a typical organization s information workforce, a Help Desk would incur significant and ongoing training costs and considerable staffing and management expense. 24x7 support requirements, upgrades and new products add to the inefficiency of an in-house approach. QUANTIFYING DESKTOP APPLICATION SUPPORT Five Lessons To Learn Before Choosing a Solution Lesson 1 The Iceberg In the common view of Desktop Application Support (DAS), little demand exists across the enterprise, as confirmed by a very small percentage of all Help Desk calls that relate to desktop applications. In this view, DAS calls typically account for less than 5% of Help Desk volume. Very often, the percentage is even less than 1%. Thus, the visible portion of the iceberg is very small. But just like an iceberg, what you see on the surface with DAS (that is, what most CIOs see when reviewing Help Desk metrics) is merely a fraction of what truly exists. The end-user reality surrounding DAS is that the demand does exist but is being absorbed by the organization in other forms: (1) Peer support (Joe asks Mary for help) (2) Abandoned support (Joe gets stuck and walks away from the task altogether) (3) Rework (Joe can t figure out how to make the software do what he needs so he re-tools his work to get around the problem) (4) Self-help (Joe wastes time consulting the software Help feature, scouring the Internet for help, reviewing a manual, etc.) The productivity impact of these underground support channels averages three hours per solution at a cost of $48 to $196 per solution (depending on salary). And this doesn t even account for the additional cost of the peer s time (i.e. Mary in the example above). For comparison, the average solution with a best-of-breeds software application support provider is less than $25. The true level of enterprise demand typically ranges from 5% to 15% of all Help Desk call volume, assuming all troubled end-users are reaching out to the Help Desk instead of consulting the underground channels noted above. When a company is migrating to a new software suite or version, or rolling out additional mobile devices, the surge in DAS demand can reach as much as 40% or more of Help Desk volume. LESSON 1 LEARNED: A low volume of calls for Desktop Application Support is not only undesirable but often an indication that insufficient support for desktop applications is damaging productivity. Lesson 2 A Contrast in Standard Models There is a significant contrast between supporting desktop applications under the standard Help Desk model versus employing a best-of-breeds sourcing approach for how to support. The standard Help Desk model employs a tiered support structure where, by design, only a relatively small percentage of issues (around 20%) are resolved on the first call, another roughly

3 35% require up to a couple days to turn around, and the remaining 45% either take longer than a few days, or sometimes never find resolution. The standard model staffs Help Desk agents for things like break/fix, network connectivity issues, hardware and software installs, etc. They are, by design, generalists that have little knowledge on desktop applications and mobile devices ( jack of all trades, master of none, to borrow a phrase). Additionally, the typical Help Desk is built on the premise of lean staffing, meaning nominal off-hours coverage, fewer bodies than required to meet peak calling periods, and frequent leave a message instances for troubled end-users. In sharp contrast, a best-of-breeds sourcing partner does not employ a tiered support structure, leading to 90% or more DAS issues being resolved on the first phone call, and virtually no issue outstanding beyond 24 hours (excluding certain time-intensive development projects). Unlike the typical Help Desk model, a best-of-breeds sourcing partner employs certified software specialists on the front lines that focus exclusive attention, day in and day out, on desktop application and mobile device support, wherein response time is critical, listening to music in queue is offensive, and leaving a voic is completely unacceptable. Additional contrast stems from that exclusive focus. A best-of-breeds sourcing partner solves the real problem, not merely the symptoms described by the end-user, in addition to identifying associated topics, delivering multiple solutions on the same call, and recommending future courses of action for training. In other words, the specialist, by virtue of experience and expertise, can both solve today s issue and reduce tomorrow s need for similar support. In the end, that means dramatically enhanced ROI for an organization s significant investment in desktop productivity software and mobile devices. LESSON 2 LEARNED: Desktop application support is fundamentally different than standard Help Desk support. Do not assume that the internal Help Desk (or the larger full-service outsourcer) adequately delivers DAS under a generalist model. Instead, recognize the advantages of specialization and the productivity gain possible through a best-of-breeds model. Lesson 3 Apples and Oranges and How Much They Really Cost The typically held view of specialized DAS is that it is expensive compared to average Help Desk metrics. The reasoning follows a general pattern Our average call lasts X minutes and costs $Y. The average call to a niche how to support provider is expensive when compared to our internal cost per call for Help Desk assistance. This is like comparing an apple to an orange. Fairness to the decision process itself dictates using the right terms and asking the right questions before concluding on the merits of one approach (in-house, off-shoring, etc.) over another (partnering with a best-of-breeds partner). To begin with, to compare costs-per-call is to miss completely the key distinction between a call and a solution. While a typical Help Desk call may focus on an isolated, solitary issue and the associated solution such as connecting to the web, desktop application support generally requires the delivery of multiple solutions on a single call. A spreadsheet call, for example, may require the correction of a complex formula, reconstruction of input fields, and several other solutions before a support session can be successfully ended. The end result is a much lower costper-solution delivered and one that no doubt required a much higher level of experience and expertise to address. Accordingly, while typical calls to a Help Desk may cost an average $80 per solution, a specialized partner can deliver solutions for a fraction of this cost. Moreover, aside from getting the terms right, it is inaccurate to compare the average Help Desk call with the average how to solution. A Help Desk handles a disproportionately high number of quick-fix issues (like password resets, which can average 30% or more of all Help Desk service requests). This skews down the average length and cost of a Help Desk call. But if that same Help

4 Desk examined average minutes spent on just one subset of its data named, desktop application and mobile device issues the numbers tell a very different story (see Table 1). LESSON 3 LEARNED: Do not compare apples and oranges. Instead of evaluating desktop application and mobile device how to support on the basis of cost-per-call, the nature of these multi-faceted questions and problems requires examination on a more accurate metric costper-solution. TABLE 1 Apples-to-Oranges Staffing Matrix Summary 1 st Level Analyst Certification 24x7 & After-hours staffing Advanced Level Support (e.g. macros, complex documents, formulas and projects, etc.) # of Off-the-Shelf software applications supported Cost Model Specialized Partner Adding FTEs Adding Temps Certified Computer Consultant Same Certified Computer Consultant Yes Generalist Junior level or administrator No Generalist Junior level or administrator , on average 18, on average Costs limited strictly to solution time (Costs based on actual use) Fixed rate, including benefits and overhead ($65,000/annually, on average*) Variable*; avg. hold time 2 minutes No Fixed rate, including overhead ($43,000/annually, on average*) Variable*; avg. hold time 6 minutes Response Time 2 ring response (avg.), No hold time Abandonment Rate Less than.01% 5%, on average 10+%, on average Peak Hold Time 2 ring response (avg.), 9 minutes + (during 15 minutes + (during No hold time migration) migration) Typical Time to Variable*; industry avg. Variable*; industry avg. 8 minutes Resolution is 30 minutes is 45 minutes Cost per call (typical) Less than $25 A savings of over $70 $89.05 $95.95 per call, on average* *Source: Based on recent industry averages and downtime analysis feedback from 30% of the Fortune 1000 Translation: Knowledge worker community receives best of breed support. The existing Help Desk staff isn t burdened learning and thereafter trying to support an application suite that is too expansive to be effectively covered, and changing with every new version. Instead, they remain more readily available for networking, break-fix and mission-critical proprietary application support i.e. their core competencies. Meanwhile, through a partnership with a specialized DAS provider, the Help Desk is able to deliver immediate, expert support across an expansive range of applications and mobile devices. The end result is enhanced service to the knowledge worker community and the avoidance of overhead and recurring training costs by the Help Desk.

5 Lesson 4 Milk and Cheerios Training and support are not the same. Training compliments support, like milk complements Cheerios, but training is not a viable substitute for support. Despite this fact, many IT managers will reason that, since all employees go through training when they are hired and perhaps even periodically thereafter, there is no need for real-time DAS. This is flawed for two primary reasons. To begin with, while training is effective at addressing common and repeated needs, it is highly ineffective and inefficient at meeting specialized needs at unpredictable times, which is the very nature of a DAS issue. So for example, if my company is rolling out a new application, it is smart to offer upfront training to teach end-users how to attach files, utilize distribution lists, make calendar entries, etc. i.e. those tasks that everyone will have to be comfortable performing from the start. But if I cannot figure out why my net present value calculation in Excel is yielding a negative number for the interest rate training is of no help to me, even if I was the star pupil at every class the company offered. Beyond that, even a well-trained knowledge worker is highly likely to forget what he/she learned when the time comes to use a key feature or apply a technique within the application or device. This is very similar to the student that studies, aces the exam, and then two months later, cannot remember any of the substance he/she was completely in command of for the test. LESSON 4 LEARNED: Solid desktop application training is no substitute for ongoing support. Only through delivering strong resources in both the training and support realms can an organization achieve a handsome return on its desktop application and/or mobile device investment. Lesson 5 The Circle of Value The presence or absence of quality desktop application and mobile device support feeds a recurring cycle of events that further reinforces the presence or absence of quality support. In other words, end-user satisfaction surrounding desktop application and mobile device support is low when support is poor. This leads to a low number of incoming calls to the Help Desk on how to questions and an increase in the need for support, as evidenced by end-users seeking support from peers or other time-consuming sources. This gap in support costs an average of three hours of lost productivity per how to issue (see Lesson #1 -The Iceberg). But an organization will never see this gap by merely looking at its Help Desk stats. The gap exists but remains hidden from plain view. On the other hand, when the gap in support is bridged with quality support, end-user satisfaction increases, as does the number of Help Desk calls on desktop applications and mobile devices. While seemingly paradoxical, this makes complete sense. When the availability of quality, prompt support becomes known and is then reinforced by experience, the demand shifts from peer support and time consuming attempts at self-support to the newly enhanced Help Desk offering of services. Bridging this gap results in both an immediate productivity gain (i.e. winning back the three hours per solution) and a future productivity gain. Typically, an IT manager may ask: Why would I go looking for additional calls? After all, I m trying to decrease Help Desk call volume. The more enlightened question is Why would I allow the organization to continue wasting $48 to $196 per how to solution when an alternative model could yield the same solutions for $25? In other words, if I m only looking at Help Desk stats, I think

6 every additional call that comes to the Help Desk costs $25. In reality, a Help Desk that wins back the how to calls saves the organization $23 to $171 per issue. LESSON 5 LEARNED: End-user satisfaction on DAS averages just 30% before bringing on a specialized partner and over 96% after implementing a best-of-breeds strategy. And a Help Desk convinced end-user satisfaction is running high needs to examine what satisfaction looks like on how to issues alone, not overall Help Desk satisfaction levels. The key is in reversing the cycle. APPENDIX: CASE STUDIES Amerada Hess Energy Company's Passion for Excellence leads to PC Helps casestudy web.asp Qualcomm PC Helps Solves the Desktop Application Software Challenge casestudy web.asp Sierra Southwest Cooperative Rising to the challenge and exceeding expectations for support casestudy final.asp For more information about PC Helps Support, LLC services, call (610) or visit the Web site at: