One of the deliverables of the service management best practice effort is a single unique service desk for GS, IT and anyone else providing service at CERN.

The servide desk provides "1st line support" and will have 3 ‘ways’ to receive requests from users

1. Voice: Telephone
2. Electronic: Web based form or email
3. Physical (Eye to eye): Service Counter

Main requirements for the service desk are:

1. One phonenumber and email covering the scope of all provided services
2. No robot(voice asking ‘type 1 for an IT problem’…)
3. 24/7 Coverage, although this doesn’t mean there is support 24/7, someone speaking at least English and French will answer the phone and be able to register the request/problem, and initiate the process. The moment someone starts working on the problem is determined by service level definitions defined for each service independently.
4. One location (close to the entrance) for obvious reasons of efficiency, it seems best to consolidate 1st line support in one location and one homogeneous group of people. Local specialized service counters where people can go to obtain specific services continue to exist (e.g. Library, Registration in building 55, Hotel Reception etc..).
   Front office (service counter where people can go) and back office (taking calls, solving ‘quick cases’, completing and dispatching tickets, follow up on tickets) should be a single group of people for reasons of flexibility and efficiency

We have not yet been able to implement the 24/7 requirement. At this point, calls outside service desk opening hours are redirected to the right location for urgent matters. We have not given up hope to be able to provide a 24/7 service in the near future. This picture shows the architecture:

The following roles can be identified:

• SDM: (SDM job description) An operational role, continuously monitoring service desk operation, following up on tickets that need attention (exceeding service level thresholds).
  The SDM will monitoring service delivery, insure news and alerts are provided whenever there is a service interruption. The SDM will also play an important role in the continuous improvement processes.
• SMoD: (SMOD job description) a ‘face’ that is available during working hours to assist and help users in particular situations, or to arbitrate and help resolve complex problems. The SMoD will not have any operational responsibility (will not answer the generic helpline, will not enter tickets, etc..).
• 1St line support will normally not have deep knowledge of any of the service areas (know a lot about little), but have a wide scope (know a little about a lot). They are a priori not specialized or trained in a particular area. They will be good communicators in multiple languages, master the service desk tools, be responsible and friendly. service desk task description
• 2nd line support has deep knowledge of specific domains. For certain services 2nd line support is outsourced.