Stop Saying ‘We’ve Always Done It This Way’: How to Make Change That Actually Sticks

The Real Barrier to Service Desk Progress 

Modernising your service desk isn’t just about upgrading tools — it’s about upgrading mindsets. For many teams, the biggest blocker to progress isn’t budget or time. It’s the phrase: “We’ve always done it this way.” 

Whether it’s outdated workflows, clunky systems, or a change-averse culture, sticking with the status quo is holding service desks back. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right approach, your team can unlock higher performance, stronger user satisfaction, and a more agile support operation. 

That’s why we created The Change Champion’s Toolkit — a free resource to help IT leaders drive transformation with practical checklists, communication templates, and stakeholder engagement guides. (More on this below.) 

Why Change Fails (And How to Fix It) 

According to Prosci’s benchmarking studies, over 70% of change efforts fail due to poor user adoption and lack of executive sponsorship. IT support is no exception. New tools get purchased, processes re-mapped — but if people don’t truly buy in, nothing changes. 

Gartner research highlights the same challenge: resistance to change is consistently cited as one of the biggest barriers to IT transformation, with CIOs ranking cultural change as a top priority for success (Gartner, Evanta). 

Here’s what high-performing service desks do differently: 

• They engage stakeholders early
  Don’t just loop people in halfway through the project. Involve them from day one. Ask for their insights on what’s working, what’s broken, and where opportunities lie. This early involvement creates ownership — and ownership fuels commitment. 

• They communicate change clearly and consistently
  One all-staff email won’t cut it. Use multiple channels — meetings, newsletters, internal chat — to keep the message visible. Repeat the why behind the change, give progress updates, and address concerns openly. Consistency builds trust and reduces uncertainty. 

• They provide ongoing training and feedback loops
  Training shouldn’t be a “tick the box” event. Offer short, practical sessions, refresher content, and hands-on support. Pair that with feedback loops — quick surveys, Q&A sessions, pilot groups — so changes can be fine-tuned in real time. 

At Hoth, we’ve seen that projects succeed when people feel supported, not just when systems are rolled out. 

From Resistance to Readiness: Changing the Narrative 

Resistance to change is normal. People aren’t afraid of change — they’re afraid of loss: loss of control, comfort, or clarity. 

To shift this, reframe the message. Instead of “new system, new process,” speak in outcomes: 

• “This will help you get fewer duplicate tickets.” 

• “You’ll have more time to focus on meaningful work.” 

• “Users will find it easier to get the help they need.” 

When people see the value, not just the function, adoption becomes much easier. 

Culture Eats Process for Breakfast 

Modernisation isn’t a one-time fix — it’s a cultural shift. Start building a change-ready culture by: 

• Encouraging feedback — and acting on it
  Feedback that disappears into a black hole is worse than no feedback at all. Create visible ways to collect ideas — suggestion boxes, forms, quick polls — and then share the changes you’ve made because of them. 

• Celebrating small wins publicly
  When a process works better or a user issue gets solved faster, make it known. Share before-and-after results, quick shout-outs, or even fun “win of the week” posts. Small wins keep energy high. 

• Building champions at every level
  Change lands better when it’s championed by peers rather than imposed by leadership. Identify early adopters, equip them with tools and talking points, and let them lead by example. 

As Gartner highlights, CIOs and IT leaders who prioritise culture and communication see significantly higher success rates in digital initiatives. 

What Successful Change Looks Like in Practice 

Across the industry, leading service desks are already setting the pace by: 

• Rolling out modern self-service portals with intuitive navigation, up-to-date knowledge bases, and powerful search tools — so users can help themselves easily. Platforms such as Hoth offer user-friendly self-service that reduces ticket volumes while improving satisfaction. 

• Revisiting outdated SLAs and adding experience-based metrics like user satisfaction and ease of interaction — because speed is meaningless if the experience is bad. With Hoth, IT leaders can track both SLA compliance and service quality. 

• Moving from email-first to chat-first support, reducing resolution times and making support feel more conversational. Integrated chat and messaging, like those in Hoth, help make support more responsive and human. 

• Replacing legacy tools with integrated, cloud-based platforms to eliminate silos, simplify workflows, and give both users and agents a smoother experience. Cloud service desk platforms like Hoth provide the scalability and flexibility to keep pace with modern demands. 

The common theme? They didn’t just roll out new tools — they rolled out new ways of working.