IT SERVICE MANAGEMENT
An up-to-date IT service management has to develop the following elements and to check them up with regard to competitiveness:
IT Service Strategy
It is task of the IT service strategy to open success potentials for the IT and the company as a whole. Within strategy definition, is is of importance which needs are to be covered, which readiness to pay for service, who are the competitors, and – last but not least – which potentials can such an IT strategy rely on, in terms of finance, technology, and marketing-related.
IT Service Product Management and IT Service Portfolio
The optimal combination of IT service products, the service portfolio as a bandwidth of service that provide a benefit, a utility, support, problem solution. What is optimal may be judged by management tools such as Value Analysis or Conjoint Measurement.
IT Service Sales Management
Also IT services are being sold to customers – either directly or indirectly.
This implies questions such as channel control, quality management, motivation, and customer orientation.
Service Production and Process Management
Also IT services are being “manufactured”. Modern production management means a well-balanced division of labour between several process partners involved, including the final customer. Also, it means an IT based, professional production planning and control.
A professional process management includes the following central operational functions:
Definition of service levels, on-site/off-site, including self service modules, aiming at “high availability”
Quality management, e.g. IT-SERVQUAL
Emergency and event management
Intelligent self and remote diagnostics tools
Service control stations: Order management, workforce routing & scheduling, e.g. IIW LEITSTAND
Consumables and spare parts logistics
Availability at the help desk / customer care center, 24 hours at 7 days
Integrated trainings and support for service teams, specialists, technicians
Financing and Billing Model
Availability of IT at low costs and with few capital involved, pricing and billing schemes are decisive. As a result, new financing and billing models offer new division of risks and costs between provider and customer, and also lead to certain revenue streams for providers respectively fixed / variable cost structures at the customer´s side.
Purchasing Management
Professional IT service management also implies a professional purchasing management, in particular related to IT and IT services.
Technology Management
New technologies may become crucial part of new IT service strategies. Therefore, they have to be identified and their potential applications checked up. At present we have a focus on
wireless and self-identification technologies (e.g. RFID / transponder)
remote diagnostics (e.g. telematics)
browser based internet solutions.
IT Workforce Management
Despite all automation – in service areas sich as IT personnel staff will always be of importance as an expert, problem solver, decision maker, instructor, or salesman and so remain the most important resource. Therefore, it is a task to find and bind highly skilled team members – be it business partners or employees – for IT service divisions.
IT Accounting and IT Cost Management
IT service accounting and cost management require planning tools, that are in line with particular needs of IT and IT services.
The IIW Institute has improved the well-known ServQual approach as a practice- oriented Management Programme for all these firms that are interested in a leading position in customer relationship management and in IT service quality.
Besides conceptual consulting we also offer IT-related implementation, jointly provided with selected technology suppliers.