We are happy to introduce our new Service Desk Manager, Judi Baker! The Service Desk is the nerve center of Seitel Systems – the hub of our operations where client calls are triaged and dispatched to our Service Desk technicians or escalated to our field engineers. Judi’s role as manager of the Service Desk department is to oversee its day-to-day operations, create and implement our vision for how we interact with customers, and nurture our technical staff as they grow their skills.
Judi comes to us with a background in the title & escrow industry, where she created and managed a central help desk serving over 1,000 employees in offices across four states. Her experience shows that the service desk process, based on an ITIL framework for IT Service Management, is similar whether it’s for a single company or for an organization like Seitel Systems serving numerous different businesses.
Judi explains, “We created a central help desk where internal employees reported their issues; from there we would try solve the issue in that first call or, if necessary, we’d escalate to either the software or hardware team. We kept very busy, working with end user issues and with infrastructure and network challenges in all the physical locations – 50 or 60 offices altogether.” She managed the tier 1 and tier 2 teams, developed cross-training opportunities and helped her team learn the necessary skills to resolve issues. It’s not unlike Seitel Systems’ process for meeting the IT needs of businesses across the Puget Sound from our central location.
Judi is no stranger to the fast-paced and sometimes stressful nature of the IT customer service world. What drew Judi to Seitel Systems was a combination of, “the humor in the office, the great dynamic of the team, the energy around making a difference with the Service Desk by creating a positive experience for our customer.”
She elaborates, “When someone calls the Service Desk, they may already be having a bad day – their IT issues are getting in the way of their success. We are helping people that may already be upset and frustrated when they call. The person who answers the phone can help with that frustration with a pleasant and positive demeanor and our technical abilities can make this a positive experience… and that is a successful day.”
Ultimately you want the customer to say, ‘Seitel Systems did it right today.’ It takes a team; it’s not just the Service Desk, but the engineers and everyone who has contact with our customers contributes to that positive and lasting impression.”
When asked about her favorite parts of the job, Judi’s passion for leadership comes through. “Cultivating individuals and helping them grow. Having an effect on the team and our customers in a positive way. To have current and past employees call and let you know they had a “win” in their life. Staying in touch with past team members because you enjoyed your time together and still have that “inside joke.” It’s rewarding when I make a positive impact on our team and our customers here at Seitel Systems.”
P.S. Don’t worry – Eric Swanson (our former Service Desk Manager) is still here! Among other responsibilities, he’s now heading up our new Cloud Services practice… more news about that in coming months!