Service desks provide a variety of channels for access including:
* Phone calls, which can include specialized technology, such as interactive voice response (IVR), conference calls, voice recognition, and others.
* Service portals and mobile applications, supported by service and request catalogues, and knowledge bases.
* Chat, through live chat and chatbots.
* Email for logging and updating, and for follow-up surveys and confirmations.
* Walk-in service desk (which are becoming more prevalent in some sectors, such as higher education, where there are high peaks of activity that demand physical presence).,
* Text and social media messaging, which are useful for notifications in case of major incidents and for contacting specific stakeholder groups, but can also be used to allow users to request support.
* Public and corporate social media and discussion forums for contacting the service provider and for peer-to-peer support.
https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-service-desk/

The ITIL guiding principle 'keep it simple and practical' advises organizations to use the minimum number of steps and resources needed to accomplish an objective1. A good way to apply this principle is to adopt a practice which is easy to follow, understand, and communicate2. This helps to avoid unnecessary complexity, bureaucracy, and duplication3. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 7; ITIL 4 - A Pocket Guide, page 25; ITIL 4 Practice Guide: Keep It Simple and Practical, page 9.

Organizations and people is one of the four dimensions of service management that influence the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery1. This dimension focuses on the roles, responsibilities, and systems of authority that are needed to deliver and support services2. This dimension also covers the culture, skills, competencies, and collaboration of the people involved in service management3. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 8; ITIL4 - A Pocket Guide, page 19; ITIL4 Practice Guide:
Organizational Change Management, page 7.