Efforts to improve the Request for Solution (RFS) process are well under way.  To better meet customer needs, the RFS Refinements Team is giving particular attention to a new process for setting priorities for RFS submissions.  The process will apply to new submissions as well as those already in the pipeline.
 
Although requests are routinely handled by IBM and AT&T on a first-in, first-out basis, provisions must be in place for requests which require special handling because of complexity, time needed to evaluate a request and urgency.  The process for setting priorities, developed by IBM and AT&T in conjunction with GTA, addresses those situations. 
 
Each RFS submission is assigned a priority based on business needs:  red for urgent need, yellow for moderate time pressure, and green for ample lead time.  The process allows customers to request a different priority for their RFS submissions when their business needs change - for example, because of a dependency on another RFS or third-party vendor or for budgetary reasons.
 
GTA service delivery consultants, IBM customer service analysts, and AT&T account managers will serve as initiation points for requesting a new priority level.

 

Both IBM and AT&T met expected customer satisfaction targets for the Consolidated Service Desk in October, according to the latest point-of-service surveys.  In fact, the surveys show steady improvement in customer satisfaction rates.
 
IBM earned an average score of 8.40, and AT&T earned 8.36 for the entire survey.  The Service Level Agreement (SLA) requires a minimum score of 7.5 and sets the expected level at 8.0.
 
The rise in customer satisfaction during recent months is largely attributable to the maturing and refining of processes and ongoing training for Service Desk staff, but the effort doesn't stop there.  The Georgia Enterprise Technology Services Survey Team is using the data to evaluate trends and develop activities for continuous improvement. 
 
GTA began the point-of-service surveys in June with the launch of the Service Desk, which consolidated 21 service desks across 12 state agencies.  The surveys are e-mailed to 20 percent of service recipients the day after the closing of their service ticket.  They contain 19 questions set by the Governor's Office of Customer Service (OCS), and scores are based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing the most positive response. 
 
The survey also helps to track customer satisfaction based on the five customer service attributes set by OCS - courteous, helpful, accessible, responsive and knowledgeable.  The highest-scoring attribute for October for both IBM and AT&T was courteous; the lowest for both service providers was knowledgeable.  GTA staff meet quarterly with Service Desk employees to share information about the Governor's customer service initiative, its fundamentals and importance to the state.
 
Response rates have remained high, exceeding 21 percent since the survey began.  The response rate for October was 28.9 percent, just under the September rate of 30.1 percent.
 
The feedback we receive from customers is important to us.  If you are randomly selected to receive a survey, please take a few minutes to respond.  If you have already completed a survey, we appreciate your participation.

 

 

IBM has implemented enhancements to its escalation process for incidents and service requests related to infrastructure services.  The process is designed to assist customers in escalating issues affecting IT infrastructure services when needed, engaging team members equipped to resolve issues, and keeping informed of progress as issues are addressed.  Details about the enhanced process have been shared with agency leads.
 
IBM team completes project to pave the way for Vignette upgrade

Before GTA could go forward with a long-planned upgrade of Vignette, the software used to manage content on the state's Web portal and 70 state agency Web sites, other key upgrades had to be completed.  The job would have been difficult for GTA to undertake on its own, but IBM stepped in with the necessary resources.
 
Preparing for the Vignette upgrade required replacing application and Web servers and upgrading the operating systems on 12 servers, as well as the middleware in the Vignette environment.  The effort began in mid-August and wrapped up in November.
 
IBM provided a project manager and Unix administrator who worked with GTA's portal team.  "With effective project management and the other resources IBM provided, the work was completed in a short time without a hitch," said GTA Chief Technology Officer Steve Nichols.
 
Take a virtual tour
 
New videos posted on GTA's Web site provide a glimpse into the operation of the Consolidated Service Desk and the State Print Shop and the role they are playing in our technology transformation.