IT Service Management (ITSM) is a popular methodology for a good reason. It provides structure and process for IT service delivery, so that organizations benefit from more efficient operations.
A well-implemented IT Service Management system offers several advantages, including improved employee productivity, less downtime and higher quality of service. It’s worth trying. But IT Service Management concepts can also be used in innovative new ways, as we do with Tikit. We’ll cover some traditional applications below and you can see how Tikit executes them.
What Is IT Service Management?
ITSM is defined as, “the planning, delivery and support of IT services using a combination of people, procedures and technology.” ITSM includes anything your company does to provide IT services to internal and external customers.
A framework helps you maximize the benefits of traditional IT Service Management, which could include:
- The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework
- Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT)
- Business Process Framework (eTOM)
- Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF)
Each framework has its own features, advantages and disadvantages, so it’s a good idea to investigate distinctions before committing to one. It might be beneficial to also explore IT frameworks used by other firms in your sector.
The Benefits of IT Service Management
What do you have to gain from IT Service Management? We’ve listed six benefits below:
Streamlines Operations
IT Service Management standardizes processes and technologies, which results in streamlined business operations and more collaboration among business units. As a result, most organizations save time and labor, while increasing agility.
Increase Efficiency
When a company has a long and unplanned list of IT assets and resources, there is a greater chance of confusion and expense. Especially when there is no clear strategy for integration into business activities.
IT Service Management aids enterprises by:
- Rationalizing use of IT resources.
- Tracking resources required for specific operations.
- Streamlining IT assets and workflows.
Understanding what you have and how to best use it—insight gained via IT Service Management—greatly aids employee productivity, optimal use of assets and overall efficiency.
Improve Communication and Collaboration
Organizations function more effectively when communication and collaboration is supported. This may be due to processes and platforms companies embrace, like IT Service Management software, which help incidents to be resolved and service and change requests to be fulfilled.
Another way to support all of the above: using a Microsoft 365 service desk solution like Tikit, which uses artificial intelligence and Microsoft Teams to streamline service desk functionality, consolidate communication channels, assist with virtual agents and create a conversational experience for end users requesting help.
Scale with IT Service Management
Businesses frequently face scalability issues, which could involve expanding resources to meet demand or reducing use to limit costs. However it scales, a business needs to remain competitive and minimize service interruptions.
Cloud-based ITSM solutions often do the trick, offering flexibility to enhance scalability and accommodate a hybrid workforce.
Contain Costs
Managing costs is a constant challenge for firms of all sizes and industries. ITSM software helps firms manage assets and eliminate redundancies, which saves money. This, in turn, increases a company’s resiliency and agility by allowing it to devote more resources to vital goals.
Improve Operational Predictability
Being able to see who changed files, who accessed files or what resources are available helps internal stakeholders proceed with their projects. Transparency (and adherence to industry regulations) helps create predictable outcomes.
The Path to ITSM
Broadly speaking, ITSM is made up of 5 stages:
- Service Strategy – Aligning IT strategy with company goals and ensuring commercial value.
- Service Design – Ensuring services meet objectives while balancing cost, functionality and performance.
- Service Transition – Ensuring that new, updated and retired IT services meet business needs.
- Service Operation – Ensuring that IT services are operated safely and reliably to meet business requirements.
- Continuous Service Improvement – Improving IT quality, efficiency and effectiveness while reducing costs.
To successfully implement ITSM, you need to:
- Create Awareness – These are the initial stages in determining whether ITIL is appropriate for your company.
- Consider Your Alternatives – This is where you may figure out how much ITIL applies to your company.
- Prepare Your Project – Now is the time to be organized and begin gathering data you’ll need for the actual execution.
- Prepare the Management Team – Senior management needs a business case and a disciplined strategy.
- Begin Implementation – Make the required process modifications to fill the gaps discovered during the gap analysis; this stage guarantees that all ITIL best practice standards are met.
You’ll need to take stock of the resources you have (or don’t have) to understand better how easy or difficult implementation will be. You might also consider your implementation alternatives, like engaging a consultant or going it alone.
What Does the Future Hold?
In the last few decades, IT service management has seen significant changes. Technological advancements dominated the early 1970s. It was all about meeting SLAs in the 1990s. Today, what resonates most is understanding clients and providing value through IT services.
Choose the Right Tools to Support IT Service Management!
Software that supports IT management services has many benefits. Benefits range from IT problem tracking to incident ownership and improved reporting.
IT Service Management software can automate critical processes and functions and help organizations prosper. This will boost productivity and free up resources to advance your company’s objectives.
But you can simplify many traditional IT Service Management concepts with a Microsoft 365 service desk like Tikit. Check out a Tikit demo, and then why not give Tikit a try for free?
