By Destiny Washington and Christa Helfrey
Over the past five months, the State of Oklahoma technology team, housed within the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, has drastically improved the customer experience by equipping new tools and resources for service delivery. These improvements have contributed to a more efficient and effective IT support system for the state, benefitting both state employees and Oklahomans.
Fueled by the goal of providing world-class customer service, the OMES Customer Success team supports state-owned devices, like laptops, tablets and phones, and software that state agencies use every day to serve the people of Oklahoma. The Customer Success team’s focus is not only on completing service requests in a timely manner but also on the quality of that interaction and implementing new approaches to best ensure customers get the help they need.
Central PC support and streamlined setup for new devices
Previously, the state outsourced its PC support, including ordering new devices, to third-party supplier NTT Data. While the state has other successful partnership with this supplier, several issues arose with the outsourced PC support. Frustrations arose with communication gaps and delays in problem resolution. Moreover, third-party technicians were not always familiar with the state’s unique IT systems and protocols, which further hindered service delivery.
Now, thanks to the support of the Oklahoma Legislature, Customer Success is proud to announce that all PC support for state agencies will be overseen by the newly developed Executive Support team. This decision aims to improve communication and resolve problems faster thanks to in-house expertise and knowledge of the state’s IT needs.
This one shift has rippled to further improvements. Most notably, a Computer Ordering Widget, or COW, is now available in the ServiceNow portal, where customers submit IT service requests, check the status of existing tickets, report an outage or issue, and can chat live with a Service Desk technician. This addition not only makes it easier for state agencies to order devices, but also ensures those devices are immediately ready to use once delivered with minimal hands-on setup.
View a training video on the COW below. User guides and other training resources are available on the OMES Service Desk webpage.
On-site assistance
Another exciting change the Customer Success team is working on is the launch of enhanced tech bars across the state. Tech bars are physical locations where customers and employees can go to receive IT support in person. This will be especially beneficial for employees that work remote or in isolated parts of the state. Staffed by trained IT technicians that are familiar with the state’s IT systems, tech bars will be equipped with the necessary tools and resources to diagnose and resolve problems quickly and efficiently while offering a more personal and interactive approach to IT support.
In April, the Lincoln Data Center tech bar will be available to all state employees. Where you can schedule an appointment or stop in anytime for computer, iPhone or tablet issues.
In addition to the tech bars, a strategic plan was initiated to hire and staff a computer support technician within a 40-mile radius of every state agency location. There are now 90 technicians across the state ready to help agencies. Hover over the map below to find the closest technician to you.
More to come
State technology users should be on the lookout for upcoming computer enhancements, including new monitors equipped with a webcam, speaker and microphone, along with a rollout of scenic Oklahoma lock screensavers and a Teams update that will automatically update contact information.
When a state customer needs the support of their technology team, they expect the highest quality of service and industry knowledge. Our recent updates will allow OMES to deliver that next-level standard of service.
Watch for future updates as we find new ways to #SimplifyService.
