SDI Service Desk Manager – SDM

This four-day course equips both new and experienced service desk managers, team leaders, and supervisors with the leadership, operational, and strategic skills needed to run a high performing service desk. The curriculum covers people management, processes, metrics, tools, and alignment with business objectives. It aligns with SDI’s Service Desk Manager standards and prepares delegates for the SDM exam.

By the end of the course, delegates will:

• Gain a thorough grounding in the skills to build, lead, motivate, and manage a service desk team
• Understand practical tools, standards, and management tips for service desk operations
• Acquire an overview of IT service management best practices relevant to the role
• Be positioned to achieve the internationally recognized Service Desk Manager qualification

It is strongly recommended that delegates have more than three years of experience in a service desk environment before attending this course.

Target audience

This course is intended for service desk managers, aspiring managers, team leads, or supervisors who wish to enhance their leadership and operational capabilities. Ideal participants typically have 3–5 years of experience within a support or service desk context.

Building the right conceptual model

• Role of support in organisational strategy
• Designing a support organisation using best practices
• Key elements required for a successful service desk

Business integration

• Aligning IT and business strategies
• Defining goals, objectives, and management reporting
• Ensuring staff understand their strategic role

Service culture

• Understanding customer expectations and perceptions
• Using SLAs as improvement tools
• Reward and recognition strategies

Implementation planning

• Developing project plans for setting up or redesigning a service desk
• Prioritising and integrating ITSM processes (incidents, change, problem, etc.)
• Using knowledge management and change control effectively

Operational processes

• Clear and efficient process definition
• Root cause analysis and process interfaces
• Metrics and reporting in support environments

People and motivation

• Motivational theories applied to service teams
• Key skills, attributes, and work environment impacts on behaviour

People skills and knowledge

• Categorising required staff competencies
• Identifying how staff gain skills and knowledge

Quality assurance

• QA practices for assessing and improving service delivery
• Benchmarking and performance evaluation

Tools and technologies

• Key support tools and their benefits/pitfalls
• Knowledge tools and service desk platforms
• Use cases for self-service, automation, and AI

Business mastery

• Service desk’s role in broader organisational objectives
• Financial awareness and business acumen for service desk managers

Organisational leadership

• Recruitment, retention, and staff development strategies
• Leadership qualities and development for service teams

Professional development

• Time management and continuous learning
• Staff assessment, development, and behaviour modelling

Exams and assessments

Delegates who complete the course and exam become qualified as SDI Service Desk Managers. The examination is delivered via PeopleCert (online proctoring). Delegates are required to:

• Use the exam voucher provided by QA to schedule their exam
• Sit a 60minute, closedbook exam
• Achieve a pass mark of 65%

Please note: All PeopleCert Global Best Practice certifications must be renewed every three years.

Hands-on learning

Learners will participate in:

• Scenario workshops applying management frameworks, process design, and metrics
• Group exercises in alignment, planning, and stakeholder reporting
• Roleplays for leadership, conflict resolution, and staff development
• Tool evaluation exercises and automation planning
• Peer feedback and reflection on how to embed course lessons into existing service desk operations