How can you provide ongoing support to IT service desk agents after training?

1 Create a feedback system

One of the most important ways to support your IT service desk agents after training is to create a feedback system that allows you to monitor their progress, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and provide them with constructive and timely feedback. Feedback can come from various sources, such as customers, peers, managers, or self-assessment tools. You can use different methods to deliver feedback, such as face-to-face meetings, emails, phone calls, or online platforms. The key is to make feedback specific, actionable, and positive, and to follow up on the results.

2 Establish a mentoring program

Another way to support your IT service desk agents after training is to establish a mentoring program that pairs them with more experienced or senior agents who can guide them, coach them, and share best practices with them. Mentoring can help your agents develop their confidence, skills, and knowledge, as well as build relationships and networks within the organization. You can set up formal or informal mentoring arrangements, depending on your goals, resources, and preferences. You can also encourage your agents to seek mentors outside the organization, such as industry experts, online communities, or professional associations.

3 Provide refresher and advanced training

Training is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that needs to be updated and refreshed regularly. You can support your IT service desk agents after training by providing them with refresher and advanced training opportunities that help them keep up with the changing technologies, policies, and customer expectations. Refresher training can reinforce the core concepts and skills that your agents learned during the initial training, while advanced training can introduce them to new topics and challenges that require higher levels of expertise and problem-solving. You can use various formats and modes for training, such as online courses, webinars, workshops, or simulations.

5 Foster a learning culture

Finally, you can support your IT service desk agents after training by fostering a learning culture that values and promotes continuous learning and development. A learning culture is one that encourages your agents to seek new knowledge, skills, and experiences, to share their insights and feedback with others, and to learn from their mistakes and failures. You can foster a learning culture by providing your agents with access to relevant and diverse learning resources, such as books, articles, podcasts, videos, or blogs. You can also create opportunities for your agents to learn from each other, such as peer-to-peer learning, communities of practice, or knowledge sharing sessions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?