Tell us about your journey at bluesource?
I joined the company as an apprentice 12 years ago. I started out in the Service Management Centre (SMC) as a Junior Technical Analyst and worked my way through first, second, and third-line support. After COVID, an opportunity arose to step into a team lead role, and I’ve now been in management for nearly 4 years. I moved from team lead to Service Desk Manager, where I currently oversee the team.
What does your role involve?
My role involves overseeing the team to ensure we’re working as efficiently as possible. It’s about balancing workloads so no one feels overwhelmed, ensuring tickets are updated regularly, and refining our internal escalation processes. Beyond that, I make sure the team has the tools, processes, and people around them to keep customer tickets updated, manage escalations, and resolve issues quickly.
Can you tell us about Enhanced Support?
Our Enhanced Support service has evolved over time, and we are now in its third or fourth iteration. It is a service whereby we position ourselves between the customer and Microsoft, providing fast response times and making high-level engineers available to customers so that their incidents and queries can be reviewed promptly. We recognise that customers have previously expressed frustration with the speed and efficiency of Microsoft’s support. Our goal is to address this by resolving as many issues as possible internally, avoiding escalations when we can. To achieve this, we regularly review and refine our internal processes, develop our team, and expand our coverage during and outside core hours. Ultimately, we aim to keep cases moving and resolve them as quickly as possible to deliver the best outcomes for our customers. If we cannot resolve the issue ourselves, or if there is a bug with the product, we would then manage the escalation to Microsoft on behalf of the customer, utilising our Premier Support agreement with Microsoft.
How does the SMC manage escalations to Microsoft on behalf of our Enhanced Support customers?
When engaging with Microsoft, it is crucial to ensure that the team has the right processes in place to escalate cases efficiently, collating all the key details required to effectively prioritise the request with Microsoft. We work closely with the assigned Microsoft engineers to progress the cases. If further escalation is required, we reach out to our Incident Manager and Customer Success Account Manager (CSAM) at Microsoft to ensure the cases get the traction they need. One key change recently was creating a Microsoft Support Services Practice Lead role internally. This individual oversees our escalations to Microsoft and works with the CSAM to ensure progress is made as quickly as possible. Internally, we also have our Technical Escalation Team, which we have been growing and developing, to ensure that cases can continue to progress whilst we are waiting on Microsoft.
What are some of the challenges you face working with M365?
Microsoft products are constantly evolving, and Microsoft 365 (M365) is no exception. This dynamic environment keeps everyone on their toes, and there are numerous complexities to navigate. Staying informed and adapting accordingly is essential. We need to ensure that not only are we keeping up with these changes but also ensuring that our team remains updated with the necessary qualifications. By doing so, we can provide the best possible support to our customers. Our primary goal is to ensure that customers maximise their use of M365. If any issues arise, we are here to support them.
What do you enjoy most about working at bluesource?
No two days are ever the same, and that variety keeps things interesting. With the size of the business, it means that no one is just a small cog in a big machine. Everyone can have influence and impact on how we operate. The culture here is another highlight. I’ve been here long enough to form close bonds with many colleagues, many of whom have been here since my first day. It’s a supportive, collaborative environment where everyone’s pulling in the same direction. Most importantly, it’s a great place to build a career. The opportunities for progression are there, and the people here are brilliant to work with.
