Over the past five years, the Railpen team has continued to build on each assessment, using independent feedback to strengthen its service, introduce new ways of working and continually improve the experience it delivers to customers. Each surveillance audit has marked another step forward, reinforcing the team’s long-term commitment to continual service improvement.
🔗 Download SDC Case Study- Railpen
Want to know how Railpen’s Service Desk Certification journey began?
Read their original case study to discover what motivated the team to pursue certification and laid the foundations for the continual improvements that followed.
➡️ Read the original Railpen Service Desk Certification case study
Why Service Desk Certification is More Than a One-time Achievement
Following Railpen’s latest surveillance assessment, we spoke with Gavin Hall, IT Operations Support Manager, about the team’s experience over the past five years.
Gavin shares what has changed since their first assessment, the biggest benefits of remaining in the Service Desk Certification programme, the improvements the team is most proud of, and why he believes organisations should view certification as a continual improvement journey rather than simply an accreditation.
Looking back at your first assessment, what do you think has changed the most?
The biggest change has been the shift from focusing primarily on day-to-day service delivery to driving continual improvement, automation and team development. Most importantly, I believe our approach has become more proactive.
Rather than simply reacting to issues, we are increasingly anticipating challenges, improving services before they become pain points, and creating sustainable improvements that benefit both customers and colleagues. This mindset shift has had the greatest impact on the team and the service we provide.
What has been the biggest benefit of remaining in the Service Desk Certification programme over the past three years?
The biggest benefit of remaining in the Service Desk Certification programme over the past three years has been the continuous challenge and opportunity to improve.The programme has provided a recognised framework that encourages us to regularly review our services, validate our performance, and identify areas where we can deliver greater value to our customers. Rather than viewing certification as a point-in-time achievement, it has helped embed a culture of continual service improvement within the team. It has driven us to strengthen our processes, improve knowledge management, enhance customer experience, and embrace new technologies such as automation and AI to increase efficiency and service quality.
The programme has also provided valuable external validation and benchmarking, ensuring we do not become complacent and continue to measure ourselves against industry best practices. Achieving and maintaining certification over multiple years has helped build confidence within the team, demonstrate our commitment to excellence, and reinforce the trust our customers place in the services we provide.
“Ultimately, the greatest benefit has been the positive impact on both our people and our customers, ensuring we continue to evolve, innovate, and deliver a consistently high standard of service.”
Gavin Hall, IT Operations Support Manager
Has the independent assessment process helped support conversations with leadership or demonstrate the value of the Service Desk?
Absolutely. The independent assessment process has been a valuable way of demonstrating the Service Desk’s contribution to the organisation and providing credible, external validation of the work the team delivers every day.
Perhaps most importantly, the assessment gives leadership confidence that the service is not standing still. It demonstrates a commitment to continual improvement, innovation, and delivering value to the organisation. Maintaining certification year after year has become tangible evidence of the Service Desk’s maturity, professionalism, and ongoing focus on excellence.
Which improvement are you most proud of since beginning your Service Desk Certification journey?
There have been many, but the improvement I am most proud of since beginning our Service Desk Certification journey has been the introduction of a direct chat support channel for our customers. This was driven by customer feedback and a desire to make it easier for people to access support in a way that reflects how they work today.
Implementing direct chat has significantly improved accessibility, allowing users to engage with the Service Desk more quickly and conveniently. It has enabled faster initial response times, improved communication during support interactions, and created a more personalised customer experience.
What makes this achievement particularly rewarding is that it was not simply the introduction of a new technology. It represented a shift towards being more customer-focused and responsive to changing expectations. The service has helped strengthen relationships with our customers, increased visibility of the Service Desk, and provided valuable insights into customer needs and trends.
What advice would you give to another organisation considering Service Desk Certification?
My advice to any organisation considering Service Desk Certification would be to view it as a continual improvement journey rather than an accreditation exercise. The real value comes not from achieving the certification itself, but from the insights, challenge, and opportunities for growth that the process provides.
“Be open and honest throughout the assessment. The independent review is most valuable when it helps identify areas where you can improve, evolve and better serve your customers. Treat the recommendations as opportunities rather than findings to be defended. “
Gavin Hall, IT Operations Support Manager
I would also encourage organisations to involve the whole team. Certification should not be owned by a single individual. It is most successful when it becomes part of the culture, and everyone understands how their role contributes to delivering excellent service.
For us, the certification programme has been instrumental in driving innovation, strengthening customer focus and embedding a culture of continual improvement. I would highly recommend it to any organisation that is committed to raising standards and delivering exceptional support services.
Ready to begin your own Service Desk Certification journey?
Railpen’s experience shows that Service Desk Certification is about much more than achieving a recognised standard. As Gavin explains, the greatest value comes from treating certification as a continual improvement journey.
SDC programme helps organisations strengthen services, develop their people and continually deliver greater value to customers.
If your organisation is looking for an independent assessment of its Service Desk, wants to benchmark against recognised best practice, or is committed to continually improving its service, the Service Desk Certification programme can help provide the structure, guidance and external validation to support that journey.
