How to Decide What to Delegate for Recording in Empath

How to Decide What to Delegate for Recording in Empath

A practical guide to turning your real work into real training content
Author: Kyle Christensen, adapted for KB by Empath Partner Success

Summary

Many MSPs struggle to create training content not because they lack expertise, but because they do not know what to record first. The fastest way to get started is to delegate recording to the people already doing the work and to use simple, common operational metrics to decide which workflows to capture. This article walks through which metrics to look at, how to interpret them, and how to turn both problem areas and consistently excellent work into short, useful training videos. It also includes practical recording tips and a “TikTok style” method that can help you defeat the blank page and get your team engaged.

---

Use Simple Metrics You Already Have

You do not need custom reports, advanced dashboards, or a data analyst to do this work. You can start with basic measurements that most PSAs, ITSM tools, or reporting platforms already provide out of the box.

Look for standard reports or simple filters around:

• SLA compliance

• Response time

• Mean time to resolution

• Escalations and multi technician tickets

• Ticket reopens and first time fix rates

• Aging or stale tickets

• Time entries compared to estimated effort

If you use tools like BrightGauge, you can often start from a canned widget or default dashboard rather than building anything from scratch. The goal is not to build a perfect analytics layer. The goal is to use a few very simple indicators to find specific workflows that should be recorded as training examples.

---

Detailed Indicators That Reveal Training Opportunities

The following sections assume you are starting from very basic operational literacy. Each category explains what to look for, why it matters, and what type of training you can delegate.

1. Escalations and Multi Technician Tickets

What to look for

• Tickets that frequently move from T1 to T2 or T3

• Tickets that bounce between several technicians

• Tickets where dispatch keeps reassigning to different people or groups

Why it matters

Repeated escalation usually means:

• The starting technician does not know what “good” looks like

• There are missing steps or unclear expectations

• Only a few people truly understand the best way to handle that work

What to record

• A short walkthrough by the technician or lead who handles that ticket type correctly and consistently

• A video that clarifies:

  • What information must be gathered

  • When to work it at the current tier

  • When and how to escalate appropriately

---

2. Time Budget Overruns and Estimated vs Actual Time

What to look for

• Tickets that consistently take much longer than the estimated time

• Routine tasks that have wide variation in time depending on who handles them

• Projects or common tasks where “simple” work turns into a time sink

Why it matters

Time overruns usually indicate:

• A lack of a clear process

• Unnecessary steps or rework

• Hidden complexity that is not documented

What to record

• A recording by whoever completes that work the most efficiently

• A “this is how I actually do it” video that others can model to reduce variance and waste

---

3. SLA Compliance and Unexplained Deviations

What to look for

• Tickets that breach response or resolution SLAs on otherwise normal days

• Specific ticket categories that regularly miss SLA while the rest of the board is on track

• Technicians who only struggle with SLA on certain types of work

Why it matters

When SLA breaches are not explained by obvious heavy volume, they usually point to:

• Confusion about priority or urgency

• Unclear expectations for that category

• Slow or inefficient handling patterns

What to record

• A short training that explains:

  • How to recognize this ticket type

  • How it should be prioritized

  • The “happy path” to resolve it within SLA

---

4. Response Time and Mean Time to Resolution

What to look for

• Categories of tickets with consistently slow first response

• Ticket types whose mean time to resolution is significantly higher than others

• Situations where one group or technician is consistently slower only for specific work types

Why it matters

Slow response and resolution often mean:

• The tech does not know where to start

• The tech does not know when they are “done”

• The workflow is not well documented

What to record

• A clear start to finish example of handling that issue, including:

  • First response language

  • Key troubleshooting checks

  • How to document resolution

---

5. Repeating Incidents and Problem Tickets

What to look for

• Incident types that appear frequently in your system

• Tickets repeatedly flagged or treated as problems

• Patterns around the same error, system, or client behavior

Why it matters

If an issue appears again and again, your environment is telling you that:

• The knowledge is not codified

• The root cause is not well understood

• People are improvising instead of following a known pattern

What to record

• A “standard play” for that issue

• A video that walks through cause, investigation, and resolution

• A reference that can also be linked in problem or change documentation

---

6. Ticket Reopens and First Time Fix Rates

What to look for

• Tickets that reopen within a short window

• Reopens due to missing steps, incomplete resolution, or poor communication

• Low first time fix rates for particular categories

Why it matters

Reopens are one of the clearest signals that a process needs reinforcement. They usually indicate:

• The tech is closing too early

• The tech is not confirming resolution with the user

• Some expected checks are not being performed

What to record

• A recording explicitly focused on “what done looks like” for that ticket type

• A walkthrough that includes:

  • Pre closure checks

  • Validation with the user

  • Good closing notes

---

7. Dispatch and Routing Errors

What to look for

• Tickets frequently assigned to the wrong team or technician

• On site tickets scheduled incorrectly

• Tickets moved back and forth due to “not my job” confusion

Why it matters

Routing noise usually means that:

• Roles and responsibilities are not clearly defined

• Dispatch and technicians interpret categories differently

• There is no shared picture of where certain work belongs

What to record

• A dispatch focused training on:

  • How to classify common work

  • How to decide whether something is onsite, remote, project, or escalation

  • When to push back or ask for more information

---

8. Aging and Stale Tickets

What to look for

• Tickets that sit in “new” or “in progress” with no updates

• Work that clearly should have advanced but has not

• Tickets everyone seems to avoid touching

Why it matters

Tickets that stagnate usually do so because:

• The person who touches it does not know how to begin

• The expected outcome is not clear

• The ticket is poorly written and nobody is confident about taking ownership

What to record

• A walkthrough of how to “unstick” that type of ticket

• Training on:

  • What to clarify with the user

  • What minimum information is required before work can start

  • What the first action should be

---

Also Track When Workflows Are Consistently Excellent

It is just as important to identify where your team already performs well and use that as a template.

Look for:

• Ticket types that almost never breach SLA

• Categories with very low reopen rates

• Processes where every technician tends to follow the same effective pattern

• Use cases that always produce positive feedback or stable results

Example:

• Your team regularly processes spam or phishing tickets with consistent, correct steps and good communication.

This is a perfect candidate for training.

Why it matters

• You capture and codify “what good looks like”

• You preserve tribal knowledge in a reusable format

• You give new hires a concrete example of successful behavior

• You reinforce positive habits, not only correcting gaps

What to record

• A recording of the person who naturally handles that workflow well

• A walk through that explains not only what they do, but why they do it that way

---

Delegating Recording to the People Doing the Work

Once you know which workflows matter, the next step is assigning the recording work to the technicians performing those tasks today.

Your core message to them should be:

You are recording this because you already do this well. We want others to be able to follow your example.

Practical Recording Tips

Use a Screen Recorder With a Face Bubble

Whenever possible, use a tool that can capture:

• The screen

• The technician’s face in a small bubble

This can be:

• Empath’s built in screen recorder

• ClipChamp

• Loom

• OBS

• A recorded Teams call with screen share

The face bubble helps:

• Keep the presenter intentional and engaged

• Make the recording feel more human and relatable

• Provide non verbal cues that help learners stay focused

Use Two Monitors When Available

For early recordings, two monitors make life easier:

• Monitor 1: The screen being recorded (the work)

• Monitor 2: Recording controls and their own face bubble

Most screen recorders do not handle multi monitor capture well. Asking the technician to stay inside a single monitor or a defined region of an ultrawide display reduces stress and keeps the video clean.

Encourage Imperfection and Authenticity

Set expectations clearly:

• Retakes are not necessary unless something is factually wrong

• Verbal stumbles are fine; just correct and continue

• Natural pauses and small mistakes make the content more believable

The only reason to rerecord is if:

• The process shown is incorrect

• The technician took a path that would mislead future learners

Otherwise, leave it. Authentic content is more valuable than staged perfection.

Prioritize Audio Quality Over Video Quality

Learners will tolerate basic video. They will not tolerate poor audio.

When possible:

• Use the best available headset or microphone

• Avoid relying solely on laptop microphones

• Choose a space that is as quiet as reasonably possible

• Use noise suppression if your recording tool supports it

Even in a noisy help desk environment, a decent microphone and simple noise reduction go a long way.

Use the Tools You Already Have

You do not need to buy new software to begin.

You can use:

• Empath’s built in recorder

• ClipChamp, which is included with many Microsoft 365 licenses

• Loom, Scribe, or similar tools if you already subscribe

• A recorded Teams call where one person shares their screen and walks through the task

If you already have a tool that the team knows, use that. The best recorder is the one that people will actually open and use without friction.

Reinforce Progress Over Perfection

Remind your team:

• These are first generation training assets

• You can always iterate and refine later

• The goal is to get real examples into Empath, not produce studio level video

You are asking technicians to show their real work and their real judgment. That human element is more important than perfect delivery.

---

The TikTok Style “Cringe” Method for Fast First Videos

This method is intentionally light hearted, slightly awkward, and extremely effective at getting past the fear of the blank page.

Concept

Use the familiar look and feel of a social media style portrait video to capture a technician performing a task in real time, while you stand nearby and ask them questions about everything they do.

You accept that it will feel cringey and awkward. That is part of the design.

When to Use This Method

Use this approach when:

• You want to create one or two early “anchor” videos for a specific workflow

• You have an employee who naturally represents what “good” looks like

• You want to build momentum and get the team excited about participating in content creation

Examples of good candidates:

• A technician who answers the phone exactly how you wish everyone would

• Someone who is always professional and prepared before going onsite

• A technician who handles password resets or common user problems cleanly and calmly

Step by Step Process

1. Choose the Right Person
   Pick the technician whose behavior matches your intended standard. You are not asking them to act. You are capturing what they already do.

2. Use a Phone in Portrait Mode
   Use a smartphone in vertical orientation. This mimics TikTok, Instagram Stories, and other familiar formats. The tech will usually understand this style intuitively, even if they do not actively post on social media.

3. Film Them Doing Real Work
   Wait until they are about to perform the actual task. For example:

   • Reviewing an onsite ticket before leaving

   • Preparing for a call with a user

   • Walking through a spam or phishing investigation

4. Ask Questions About Everything That Is Not Obvious
   As they work, you stand nearby and ask simple questions out loud. For example:

   • “What are you looking at right now?”

   • “How do you know this is an onsite ticket?”

   • “Why are you reviewing this checklist before you leave?”

   • “How do you know you have everything you need to bring?”

   They answer you as they perform the task. They will sometimes glance at the camera or laugh. That is perfectly fine.

5. Be Intentionally Thorough and Slightly Absurd
   The goal is to over explain, not under explain. If something would not be obvious to a new hire watching the video later, ask about it. This will feel over the top in the moment. That is normal and expected.

6. Edit Out Your Questions Later
   When you review the footage, you can either do a light edit to remove your questions, or you can leave them in if you prefer a more conversational feel. If you remove your questions, you are left with a somewhat surreal but very effective sequence of the technician explaining each micro step to the camera.

7. Upload the Finished Video to Empath
   Once you have a version that feels accurate and complete, upload it into Empath as a lesson and optionally follow it with a short knowledge check or additional notes.

Why This Method Works

• It completely eliminates the need for the technician to “perform” or follow a script

• It forces you to extract tribal knowledge through simple questions

• It generates a sense of shared ownership; one person was the “producer” and one was the “on screen talent”

• It creates a small sense of pride and even a little dopamine hit; people naturally want someone to see what they made

• It often leads to other employees volunteering and saying, “I could do one of those” or “I can show a better way to do that”

You do not need to record all of your training this way. However, using this method for a few early videos can quickly break down resistance to recording and get your culture oriented around capturing real work in Empath.