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Using ITIL Best Practices to Revive Service Management

As a guiding framework, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) functions to help IT services keep pace with the organization’s needs and goals.

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As a guiding framework, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) functions to help IT services keep pace with the organization’s needs and goals. As the spread of digital transformation occurs across various sectors, the adoption of ITIL best practices can help organizations stay focused on their IT goals and consistently provide exceptional service to their customers and users.

ITIL Best Practices

ITIL best practices cover a vast range of fields when it comes to assisting an ITSM.

Asset Management

Staying on top of replacement costs, refresh cycles and contract renewals is key for asset discovery services. CMDB will help you discover, identify and track assets; plan for changes; and respond to issues with an understanding of CI configuration history, blackout and maintenance windows and impact maps.

Change Management

Tech is the heart of your organization and maintaining a stable IT infrastructure is crucial. Even the most carefully executed IT deployments can fail and lead to unplanned downtime if proper change management processes are not in place. Facilitate new technology and maintain existing services by using a single ITSM platform to organize and manage the plans, execution and communication. It is crucial to ensure that the implementation of new technology is executed without separations in ongoing services.

Incident Management

When you run a help desk, fast routing, grouping tickets and a great communication platform are paramount. ITIL outlines that a problem is the root cause of one or more incidents; the defining factor being that each has a somewhat distinctive critical path. Each of these needs your attention.

Release Management

The ability to maintain an uninterrupted level of the services you provide is critical when implementing a new technology. With an IT service management solution that aligns with ITIL, you can follow the release management process and keep your production environment running smoothly. Leverage standardized methods and procedures for efficient and prompt release management. Minimize the quantity of related incidents, gauge performance and communicate with those impacted. Sometimes a release can evolve into a new full-on project, and you need a system that can pick up where you left off. With a single platform approach for ITSM and PPM, you will never have to jump between systems.

Help Desk Management

With the increase in remote work and virtual workplaces, organizations are looking to technology to connect with clients, customers, employees and users. A great internal help desk is a huge piece of keeping your ITSM running smoothly through clear communication and problem solving.

Knowledge Center Management

Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS®) tracks and documents as problems arising, creating and cataloging content along the way. KB articles are real time assets that can be used by both the users and technicians. Create relevant KB articles based on real issues.

(KCS® is a service mark of the Consortium for Service Innovation™).

Endpoint Control

It is critical to have a reliable antivirus and anti-malware solution, monitor its effectiveness and be smart about backup to thwart ransomware attempts. TeamDynamix IT Service Management offers out-of-the-box integrations with Kaseya and other solutions.

As IT spend reaches unparalleled levels in the coming years, organizations are gearing up for accelerated adoption of advanced technology initiatives. This is driving many organizations to find ways to improve IT maturity and streamline internal processes to manage the influx of demand. Managing resources in this environment while ensuring clear and valid communications among stakeholders is a unique challenge.

In a recent study, 44 percent of participants ranked their IT service’s following of ITIL best practices on the lower end of the IT maturity scale. As a set of practices that provides practical and strategic guidance for IT service management, the main goal of ITIL is to improve the business service. The business service will be enhanced when its support system — the specialized capabilities of the process, people, suppliers and technology — is optimized. Providing a self-service solution to ITSM is a consistent hurdle for many organizations. A lack of a self-service solution remains on the low end of the IT maturity scale (levels 1 or 2). That is where ITIL comes into the picture.

Here are four keys to laying a strong base using ITIL best practices:

Categorize

Categorize incidents and service requests by differentiating one from the other. Many organizations are implementing ITIL to ensure they have a common vocabulary and methodology surrounding request fulfillment and incident response.

Triage

Establish defined criteria for triaging incoming requests to determine their urgency, set reasonable resolution targets and identify appropriate escalation protocols. With a standardized process, IT leaders can get a better overall picture of the specific costs of service deployments and help use the data provided to move IT from a behind-the-scenes system to a front-facing system, giving value to all users.

Commitment to Service

Provide outstanding customer service by promoting a courteous service culture, which fosters better relationships and corresponding expectations. Managing a high performing IT department that creates value is only possible through ITIL service guidelines. For many in an organization, the help desk or service desk is the very first point of contact. Supporting the organization’s members and outside users with an excellent experience is paramount to wide-scale adoption and maturity of the IT system. ITIL’s best practices have evolved beyond the administration of an efficient service to now include a focus on the customer experience and the ability of your order to delivering value.

Be Accountable

Hold IT accountable by using data to guide improvement strategies, spending time on projects rather than fighting fires and fulfilling more service requests than responding to incidents.

Proper Change Management Will Relieve the Stress on the IT Department Due to Unforeseen Issues and Problems

Putting in place the ITIL’s change management process helps mitigate unforeseen issues and downtime that arise from inadequate planning (or lack thereof) and controls. By documenting changes, organizations can stop the rise of significant — and often avoidable — issues.

Adopting the ITIL best practices can lead to massive success and benefits for your organization across the board. The ITIL glossary gives a good look of the implementation, management and quality of IT services that meet a company’s needs. By choosing a robust set of ITIL best practices, you can foster strength between the core functions of your organization and the IT services and develop a more even keel approach to the service environment throughout a state of constant changes.