The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is set to become the first organisation to undergo a Service Desk Certification (SDC) audit using the newly launched Global Best Practice Standard for Service Desk v9.0.
This marks a significant milestone for both the MCA and the wider service management community, underscoring the agency’s commitment to modern, customer-focused, and resilient service delivery.
The Global Best Practice Standard for Service Desk v9.0 represents the most comprehensive update to service desk excellence guidance in over a decade. The v9.0 framework introduces an expanded set of criteria that reflects the evolving demands of digital-first organisations, operational resilience, and enhanced user experience.
Key new features of the v9.0 standard that will be part of the MCA’s audit include:
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Customer Experience Elevation: A stronger focus on outcome-based service measurement, emotional impact scoring, and proactive customer engagement models.
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Digital & Automation Readiness: New assessment areas covering the use of automation, AI-assisted support, knowledge orchestration, and self-service optimisation.
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Service Desk as a Strategic Function: Revised criteria emphasising alignment with organisational strategy, value realisation, and cross-functional collaboration.
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Modern Workforce & Culture Practices: Updated expectations for talent development, wellbeing, inclusivity, and adaptive leadership behaviours.
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Operational Resilience & Risk Management: A new emphasis on continuity planning, response readiness, environmental considerations, and data stewardship.
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Continual Improvement Maturity: Enhanced requirements for evidence-based improvement cycles, data analytics, and innovation pipelines.
“We are proud to be the first organisation audited under the Global Best Practice Standard for Service Desk v9.0,” said Glenn Grice, IT Service Desk Manager, Maritime & Coastguard Agency.
“This new standard mirrors the forward-looking approach we take in strengthening our digital operations and ensuring our teams are equipped to support the agency’s critical mission every day.”
John Noctor, Chief Customer Success Officer, from the Service Desk Institute added:
“The MCA’s leadership in adopting v9.0 from the outset sends a strong message about their commitment to excellence. The updated standard reflects modern service expectations, and the MCA is ideally positioned to showcase what high-performing, future-ready service delivery looks like.”
The upcoming audit will evaluate the MCA’s service desk across all v9.0 concepts, measuring performance, culture, resilience, technology capability, and customer-centric value delivery. Successfully completing the certification under the new standard will position the MCA as a blueprint for organisations seeking to elevate their service model.
About the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency works to prevent loss of life on the coast and at sea, ensures the safety standards of ships, and protects the marine environment. The agency operates the UK Coastguard and supports national resilience and emergency response.
About the Global Best Practice Standard for Service Desk v9.0
The Global Best Practice Standard for Service Desk v9.0—maintained by the Service Desk Institute—defines the international benchmark for service desk excellence. The standard ensures service teams deliver measurable value, outstanding customer experiences, and continuously improving operations.
