Thanks to the fast pace and significant development taking place all around the world, it is extremely hard to predict what the future has in store for global businesses. From all the innovation that’s happening, it is evident that tomorrow’s workplace will look different from what it is today.
Organizations that use Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) solutions will need to ensure that they are keeping up with the latest trends in the industry. To make sure that organizations are not falling behind, here are 15 tips about ITSM from various industry experts:
1. Attend ITSM conferences
ITSM conferences are full of presentations, making it great opportunities for organizations to learn more about this industry. Regardless of whether it is multi-day or half-day events, these conferences show how organizations were able to solve the various challenges they faced in ITSM. Also, conferences are great places for networking, allowing organizations to form strong relationships with key individuals in the industry.
2. Be prepared for security breaches
As the number of security breaches is increasing considerably, a large number of organizations have lost money and reputation. Earlier, organizations built defenses to keep cyber crimes at bay. However, even strong defenses may not be enough to keep cybercriminals out of the IT infrastructure. The best method to deal with security breaches is to have tested plans ready so that the organization is in the best position to deal with the situation.
3. Continuous improvement is vital
Even with the smallest investment of time and money, continuous improvement has huge Return on Investment (ROI). Also, organizations will observe improvement in customer satisfaction, effectiveness, and efficiency. It is vital for incorporating the cultivating continuous improvement in the organization’s workplace so that it becomes common behavior for all the employees.
4. Customer experience should be the focal point
Great customer experience must be the focal point of every organization when making important changes to their ITSM processes. One way to achieve this is through getting feedback from customers during the design phase. Even while fixing problems with ITSM processes, the employees should remember that customers are also affected by the same issues.
5. Empower employees with ITSM
Both employees and technology have an important role to play in driving customer satisfaction. Organizations must empower their employees with ITSM. Every organization should choose an intuitive service desk, whose customer support is phenomenal. The knowledge base maintained by the organization should be extensive and have straightforward navigation.
6. Enquire about Shadow IT with customers
Shadow IT is a terminology referring to businesses purchasing technology solutions without involving any IT organizations. While there isn’t anything wrong with this, it indicates that IT organizations aren’t doing enough to meet the requirements of their customers. When organizations inquire about shadow IT with their customers, they can learn volumes on the areas of services where they are lacking.
7. Everyone should talk in the same language
It is paramount that everyone in the organization speaks the same language. When language is common in the organization, it will result in an improvement in efficiency, while reducing confusion at the same time. Organizations can achieve this through the development of a guide for acronyms and a dictionary for all the IT teams.
8. Improve efficiency with well-designed service reporting and analytics
The efficiency of ITSM solutions can improve with well-designed service reporting and analytics. These systems must record and store historical data and use it to represent trends visually. With all the data at hand, organizations will find efficient and effective strategies for delivering their services.
9. Incorporate information security management in all aspects of ITSM
Whether organizations are reviewing changes, investigating problems, creating new processes, or any other characteristic of ITSM, incorporating information security management is important. Organizations should only go ahead with their decisions, after taking implications in security into consideration.
10. Manage problems proactively
Organizations can get out of hot water without spending too much time, by managing problems proactively. Service disruptions are preventable with a proactive approach, as it gives organizations numerous advantages. By going through all the data, it becomes easy to analyze all the patterns that cause problems.
11. Never neglect Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
Neglecting CMDB tends to be a common practice for organizations, as they can face lesser challenges when implementing ITSM solutions. However, organizations must stop following this practice, as CMDB provides the best foundation for ensuring the advancement of all processes in service management.
12. Plan well for implementing change
As organizations need to revamp their IT infrastructure, to keep up with the changes and demands of the industry, sound planning is of utmost importance. Regardless of how major or minor the changes are, organizations must follow through detailed analysis and evaluation. Plans must contain realistic schedules and keep track of the progress on a regular basis. Organizations should also have alternative plans in place, if the primary one doesn’t go according to plan.
13. Save time with smart automation
As the industry is slowly inching towards automation, organizations should make the most of this trend. One of the many advantages that automation comes with is time-saving, an important benefit for any organization. There are simple tasks which require scheduling or contain several manual steps, that businesses can streamline through automation.
14. User experience should be modern for both end users and IT employees
Organizations must make sure that the user experience is modern for both the end users and IT employees. Organizations should implement responsive and intuitive portals, apps for the employees, and dashboards for their executives.
15. Utilize gamification for combining work with play, to improve productivity
A great way to improve productivity is through utilization of gamification, which combines work and play. It will have a positive impact on the employee’s motivation and morale. Organizations should analyze their current Key Performance Indicators (KPI), set achievable targets, measure the outcome, and implement the solution accordingly. Gamification will make the jobs of IT employees exciting, while encouraging them to work harder every day.
