“That’s Just one of those tag lines” or “Sounds familiar – but will never happen!”
These are some of the initial reactions when the above title is read. It might not even cause someone to have a reaction as they do not believe it’s actually sincere. But I am sticking to it. These are not just words, for Insentra, it is a PROMISE. A promise they intend to keep, and they share with everyone on the Insentra train.
During my final interview with my manager, I remember him asking me if I would be interested in signing up for training and certification programs, which would be of relevance to my role as the lead for the Service Desk. Who would say no to that? Honestly speaking, it was the main factor I went on with my application.
You see, in my long stretch in the IT/ Service Desk industry, career growth and development were never a factor. When I joined a team, all I would aim for is to be able to meet, if not exceed what is expected to me in the role. I would meet targets, over delivering often, but I would never look at moving up or focusing on such. This was not a priority for me.
But with Insentra I felt the support of our Leadership for the crew, for each and every person on the train. Wanting to be the best version of myself is encouraged and won’t be difficult at all. Being surrounded by talented and focused individuals would inspire anyone to strive harder and better.
I found the perfect time to enrol for an online training course in ITIL V4 Foundations late last year. I had to hold off on my certification for a couple of months as I wanted to wait until I could focus and prepare for it.
The big day came and yes, I DID IT.
I was really happy to make it through the whole training and certification. My mind was filled with ideas and improvements and I hope I can bring a lot, not only to the Manila Insentra Crew but to the whole Insentra Train, I have already started to discuss with my colleagues and leads.
However, for now I would like to share some key take-aways from the course:
“Start where you are” – in the course, there were seven guiding principles discussed. Out of those, what really resonated with me was “Start where you are”. This principle is the most basic, yet I think the most underrated. It could be both a bad and a good thing to be imaginative and creative. However, this principle aims to teach being analytical, factual and aware prior to making changes or initiating modifications. You need to know where the organization stands at the present moment, why the status quo has remained for a certain time and what are both the positive and negative impact of such. Never propose anything without taking into consideration all of the underlying factors of the organization’s current state or practices.
Service Desk – whilst there is increased automation and the global removal of technical debt, the focus of the Service Desk is to provide support for people and the business rather than simple technical issues. The Service Desk team should not only be technical but should have practical understanding of the wider organization or the empathetic link between the service provider and the users. The Service Desk should ensure great customer experience when a personal contact is needed. Gone are days when someone reaches out the Service Desk and the other person online is like a recording, uttering technical jargon and stuff. Service Desk, as the single point of contact for all issues should be able to interact on a more personal level rather than just mere professional tone. At the same time, they can provide resolutions or lead the user to someone who can provide the resolution for every issue reported. I know I will lead my service desk team differently now, with a focus on EQ.
Continuous Improvement – this is a role for everyone in the organization. Everyone should be keen on making others’ lives easier and better. However, one person or one group should be focused on getting these improvements done. It is recommended that an organization identifies who will work on the continuous improvement of the team. I know at Insentra the business has invested in our Vibe team (not called Human Resources for a reason), and the crew are exposed to a wide variety of fun and meaningful activities that keep the culture present everywhere.
There are a lot more guidelines, practices and principles on Service Management. I plan to start from where our team is at, but I can never do this alone.
Invest in your career now and choose a company which will fulfill their promise to be with you on your journey to growth and success, just like Insentra does for the crew on its TRAIN.
