Supportförvaltning

Supportförvaltning is the ongoing management and operation of support services within an organization, aimed at ensuring that users receive timely help and that incidents, service requests, and related activities are handled efficiently. It is a component of IT service management (ITSM) but can also apply to non-IT domains where formalized support is required.

The scope includes the service desk or help desk, incident management, request fulfillment, knowledge management, and the governance of support tools such as ticketing systems and knowledge bases. It involves defining service level agreements (SLAs), capacity planning, and monitoring performance to ensure predictable service delivery.

Organizationally, supportförvaltning typically involves a service desk (first line) with escalation to second and third line support, and close cooperation with IT operations, asset management, and application teams. Key tasks include triage and escalation of issues, coordination of changes affecting support, documentation, and staff training. Performance is measured through metrics such as first-contact resolution, mean time to resolve, backlog levels, and user satisfaction.

The approach often aligns with ITIL-based ITSM practices and standards such as ISO 20000. Organizations may also outsource parts of support to managed service providers, especially for 24/7 coverage or specialized applications.

Benefits of supportförvaltning include improved user experience, faster issue resolution, predictable costs, and better utilization of resources. Common challenges are handling multiple communication channels, keeping knowledge bases up to date, managing peak demand, and integrating support activities with other service domains.