Phase 5: Launch your Service Desk
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Introduction
Once migration is complete, officially transition to Service Desk. A migration’s success will be greatly enhanced by the adoption and cooperation of the larger organization. Communicate the change to IT teams and employees, provide training, and ensure ongoing support.
Launch tasks
1. Utilize the Service Desk Getting Started Guides for new users.
To ensure a smooth transition to Service Desk, new users can leverage the comprehensive Getting Started Guides available in the SolarWinds Success Center. These guides are tailored to different user roles, providing step-by-step instructions and best practices to help everyone—from technicians to administrators—quickly familiarize themselves with the new platform. By following these resources, users can efficiently navigate the system, understand key features, and adopt workflows that align with their responsibilities. This not only accelerates the learning curve but also minimizes disruptions during the transition. See Getting Started Guides.
2. Schedule training sessions.
To maximize the effectiveness of your transition to Service Desk, SolarWinds highly recommends you schedule demo training sessions for your team. These sessions, whether conducted online or in person, provide hands-on experience and practical insights tailored to specific use cases and user roles. For example, technicians may benefit from training on ticket management and automation, while administrators might focus on configuring workflows and integrations. By offering role-specific training, you ensure that each user understands how to leverage the tool to meet their unique needs. These sessions also provide an opportunity for users to ask questions, address concerns, and build confidence in using the new platform. Investing in structured training not only accelerates adoption but also empowers your team to fully utilize the capabilities of Service Desk from day one.
3. Send welcome email to employees.
As part of this launch phase, it’s essential to communicate the transition to your new ITSM tool to all employees, not just agents and administrators. A well-crafted welcome email can introduce the new platform, explain its benefits, and provide clear instructions on how employees can start using it to log issues or submit service requests. This communication should be concise, friendly, and action oriented, emphasizing how the new system will streamline support processes and improve their experience. Creating a knowledge base article to with useful getting started information can help employees quickly familiarize themselves with the tool. By proactively engaging employees and addressing their questions, you can foster enthusiasm and ensure smooth adoption across the organization.
Example Welcome Email
This is sample email content. It is not specific to all circumstances, and is intended to be edited to better fit the needs of your organization. Teams may need to edit based on their setup and functionality, for example, the use of multiple service providers in an ESM environment.Subject: Welcome to Service Desk – Your New Support Platform
Hi [Team/Everyone],
We’re excited to announce that we’ve transitioned to Service Desk, a modern and intuitive platform designed to make it easier for you to get the support you need. Whether you’re reporting an issue or submitting a service request, this new tool will help streamline the process and ensure faster resolutions.
What’s New?
A user-friendly portal to log and track requests
Faster response times with automated workflows
Access to a knowledge base to better provide self-service solutions
How to Get Support
Visit the Service Desk portal and log in using your SSO: [Insert Link]
Search for Support or Knowledge Articles to help resolve your issue
Chat with the virtual agent to help you find support
Submit a ticket or service request
Email [Insert Support Email]
Message IT on [Slack/Microsoft Teams] via [Insert Channel Name]
Call [Insert Phone Number]
We’re here to help! If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact [Support Contact Information].
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we make this transition. We’re confident that Service Desk (Service Desk) will help enhance your working experience and improve our support processes.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Job Title]
[Your Contact Information]
4. Set up migration support office hours.
To continue to aid your staff in the transition to Service Desk, consider establishing migration support office hours for your service desk—dedicated time slots where employees and users can connect with the migration or setup teams to address questions, troubleshoot issues, or receive hands-on guidance. These sessions, whether held virtually or in person, provide a supportive environment for users to voice concerns, clarify doubts, and gain confidence in using the new platform. Office hours are particularly valuable for addressing role-specific challenges, such as how employees can submit requests or how agents can manage tickets effectively. By offering this personalized support, you demonstrate a commitment to user success and foster a smoother adoption process. Encourage participation by promoting these sessions through email, team meetings, or internal communication channels, and ensure they are scheduled at convenient times for maximum accessibility.