Who am I
Hi everyone, for those who I have not met, I’m Ben and I joined Luton in March 2024 for the exciting project of creating a brand-new Luton Service Desk and implementing our new IT Service Management Tool – Alemba.
Here’s some quick and interesting facts about me:
- I previously managed a global service desk for a SaaS business where I got to travel to our offices in Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand.
- I love my sport and fitness – last October I ran my first 100km ultra-marathon in the Peak District.
- I love adventure and travel – I’ve travelled over 35 countries, lived in Australia for a year, sky-dived, and worked on a banana farm.
- I love my family – recently became a father to my daughter, Lilah and it’s the hardest but most rewarding job in the world!
Why Luton?
I’m someone who loves a challenge and to learn something new. At my previous company, I had 7 different roles in 7 ½ years ranging from a Customer Success Specialist to a global manager. When I applied for this role, the thought of creating a brand-new team and implementing my own ITSM tool from scratch sounded exciting and a challenge that motivated me. I was also inspired reading Luton’s 2040 vision and after being in the private sector for many years, it appealed to me to make a real difference and impact the community in a positive way.
Service Desk Improvements
Since launching our very own Luton IT Service Desk on 1st September 2024, we have made significant changes to improve the customer experience:
- Launched our very own branded Luton Self-Service Portal where users can report and view incidents, submit requests from a range of service catalogue items, find FAQs, and chat to an analyst.
- Created workflows for various service requests with manager approvals to increase operational efficiency through automation.
- Added notifications for analysts, so they are made aware when a call is about to breach, is unsuspended, or a user has updated the ticket.
- Introduced our Change Management process into Alemba, enabling better tracking, visibility, and governance of changes across DDaT.
- Created our very own time recording process, so we can track how much time has been allocated to a project by analyst or skill.
- Launched CSAT, so we can now measure customer satisfaction across DDaT operations.
- We have implemented a Quality Assurance process where analysts are evaluated monthly on their ticket management. Constructive feedback is provided to support continuous improvement.
- We have developed an Online Booking System for new starters and laptop refreshes, enabling users to book appointments themselves. This self-service approach not only streamlines the process but also saves the council money by removing the need for manual contact and scheduling.
What’s next?
We are continually thinking about what’s next and how we can continue improving the user and analyst experience by listening to feedback and suggestions. Below are some of the plans we have for the near future:
- We plan to extend Alemba’s capabilities by integrating additional departments – including HR, Facilities, and Finance. This will streamline productivity and ensure that users benefit from a consistent portal experience across these teams, just as they currently do with DDaT.
- We’re excited to announce that Alemba has partnered with Lansweeper, our new asset management tool. With a live connector now in place, analysts will soon be able to view all our assets directly within Alemba, streamlining access and improving efficiency.
- We are developing an enhanced Application Request workflow that will allow users and analysts to identify whether an application requires a security assessment or needs to be reviewed by the Architectural Design Authority (ADA).
- Further functionality improvements such as auto closure for specific rules when suspended, auto unsuspension when a user updates a call, and indefinite suspension.
- An Alemba AI chatbot integrated with CoPilot, providing users with seamless support and enhanced automation features.
If you’re still reading, I hope you enjoyed my first blog post, and I didn’t bore you to sleep! Any suggestions or feedback regarding Alemba or the Service Desk, I’m happy to hear them so please do not hesitate to reach out.