Applications & Benefits of IT Service Management (ITSM) incl. Tool Tips

1. Definition: What does IT service management (ITSM) mean?
2. What is the difference between ITSM, ITIL and DevOps?
3. Why is IT service management important?
4. What are the most important ITSM processes?
5. What are the advantages of IT service management?
6. What should be considered when choosing an IT service management tool?
7. What ITSM tools are currently available on the market?
8. Why should an IT service management software be used?
9. Conclusion: With an ITSM, you and your IT department save time and money

Who doesn't know it? The computer doesn't start up, the internet is acting up or the printer is doing whatever it wants again. A successful office day looks different. The first way then usually leads directly to the IT department. They'll take care of it, won't they? But in order for your IT team not to be inundated with requests from all company departments, structured coordination of such IT problems is required. This is where IT service management comes into play.

IT service management (ITSM) is the heart of many IT departments. It helps you and your IT department in managing and organizing all IT services. Instead of just acting as a problem solver, your IT team can systematically contribute to the optimization of your company process.

But what exactly is ITSM? What functions does it have? And which tools support you in successful IT service management? You'll find the answers to all these and many more questions about ITSM in this article.

Definition: What does IT service management (ITSM) mean?

IT service management, often also called ITSM, is not only about IT systems. It puts the customers and their satisfaction in the center. This means all users of IT services. This means that your colleagues, employees as well as your customers benefit from the implementation of a good IT service management.

The goal of IT service management is the end-to-end provisioning of IT systems and IT service services. Therefore, ITSM deals particularly with the following points:

• Planning and rollout of the IT service
• Provision and delivery of the IT service
• Long-term support during IT use

IT service management is often mistakenly confused with IT support. While IT support mainly deals with technologies, ITSM goes one step further. It takes care of your company's hardware and software. This includes laptops, servers and printers on the one hand. On the other hand, all programs and applications on the computers.

IT service management allows the rapid provisioning and goal-oriented organization of IT services in your company. It contributes to the optimization of business processes and positively influences the profitability of your company. IT service management thus supports the digital infrastructure in all IT-relevant areas.

IT service management (ITSM) (Source)

What is the difference between ITSM, ITIL and DevOps?

There are three different approaches for the effective collaboration and monitoring of the IT processes in your company: ITSM, ITIL and DevOps. While ITSM is a comprehensive system, ITIL and DevOps are IT frameworks. They fulfill different functions in IT service management:

• ITSM: The focus of IT service management is on the benefits for end users. The strategic role distribution in your company's IT department is an important part of IT service management. Furthermore, this IT management approach includes all employees of your company who use various IT services. Every person knows exactly what their tasks and responsibilities are. Instead of focusing on information technology, customer and service orientation is the goal of IT service management.
• ITIL: In contrast to ITSM, the IT Infrastructure Library, short ITIL, supports service management through different processes. As an IT framework, ITIL specializes in improving customer satisfaction. Furthermore, ITIL helps you to provide IT services. This makes it an important part of service management and contributes to the successful use of ITMS in your company.
• DevOps: Similar to ITIL, DevOps is also an IT framework. Unlike ITIL, however, DevOps serves to automate software processes. In relation to ITSM, DevOps mainly supports the development and planning of the required IT services. The goal is successful communication between the software development team and IT operations. DevOps includes various practices, tools and a culture philosophy for cross-team collaboration within your company.

Why is IT service management important?

IT service management makes the processes and tasks of your IT department predictable and assessable. This makes all requirements for the IT department simultaneously tangible. By using an ITSM system, those responsible can cost-effectively control these processes. Instead of just acting in an emergency, IT service management supports your IT in correctly handling daily tasks.

With IT service management, you can not only reduce costs, but also contribute sustainably to the solution of your IT processes. The best ITSM tools also document all processes around the IT services of your company. This way, your ITSM always adapts to new challenges and serves to optimize the company processes.

What are the most important ITSM processes?

IT service management supports you in many areas. These include, among others, the following IT service management processes: 

• Service catalog: The IT service catalog serves as an information source for all IT services. This ITSM function encompasses a centralized database with precise information about all IT service offers. With the help of the service catalog, different information technologies can be requested at the service desk. The task of this ITSM process is the timely processing of these requests and thus the satisfaction of the customers in the further course. 
• Service desk: The service desk is the communication point between all IT responsible persons and the end users - regardless of whether they are part of your company or not. All service requests go directly to the service desk and are processed there.
• Incident management: Incident management comes into play when unexpected failures occur. The goal of this IT service management process is to react as quickly as possible to service interruptions and to repair the affected IT services. Many company areas are nowadays dependent on IT solutions. Therefore, good incident management is the key factor for quick problem solving.
• Problem management: Problem management gets to the root cause. Instead of just finding a problem solution, this IT service management process tries to identify difficulties. This ensures the smooth operation of the company processes and the long-term satisfaction of the customers.
• Change management: Change management is responsible for the controlled and standardized adjustment of your digital infrastructure. If company processes are optimized within the framework of IT service management, change management comes into play. This way, new services can be efficiently implemented and problems can be effectively solved.
• Asset management: Asset management is responsible for the monitoring, maintenance, upgrading and use of your company assets. This ITSM process also ensures the disposal of unneeded systems.
• Knowledge, policy and procedure: By identifying, organizing and using information accurately, IT service management increases the productivity of your company. If you use knowledge, policy and procedure as an ITSM process specifically, you not only improve the management of information, but also save costs.

IT service management processes (Source)

With the help of appropriate ITSM tools these processes become child's play. On OMR Reviews, our users have tested and rated the most popular IT service management software for you. Curious? Then take a look!

What are the advantages of IT service management?

Nowadays, IT services are not only limited to the IT department. All company areas now benefit from new information technologies. Also your customers get to enjoy this. The widespread use of these technologies involves new challenges. It is your company's task to find solutions. 

The reward is not only satisfied customers, but also a growing business success. With the help of an IT service management, those responsible can coordinate all challenges, problems and tasks of the IT department. Everyone knows at all times what they have to do. You promote the productivity and efficiency of your staff and motivate them to fulfill their tasks purposely.

Your IT team does not take care of the rapid problem solution only when it gets critical. It is completely integrated in your company and knows about long-term goals and strategies. By using an IT service management, all staff is always up to date and can contribute actively to achieving the company goals. Both your company and the IT department itself benefit from this.

The use of an IT management service offers the following summarized advantages: 

• Transparent and structured fulfillment of tasks
• Increase in efficiency
• Improvement of productivity
• Increase in user satisfaction
• Increase of the process quality
• Improvement of the reaction time
• Rapid problem solving in case of unexpected problems
• Minimization of downtime
• Cost reduction
• Rapid identification of risks
• Improvement of agility
• Better service for end customers

Apart from the ITSM benefits for the individual company departments, employees and customers, IT service management strengthens the collaboration within and outside your company. So you appear not only with your company as a strong team, but also improve the relationship to your customers.

Benefits of IT service management (Source)

What should be considered when choosing an IT service management tool?

A good IT service management is a central part of many companies. A ITSM software unites all processes of the IT service management in one program and thus makes the working life of all IT responsible persons easier. ITSM tools, like ServiceNow IT Service Management, have different functions - ranging from the standardization of the IT support, to the installation and management of workflows, to the efficient solution of IT service questions and fault reports.

In order for IT service management software to really make everyday work easier, when choosing the right ITSM tool you should pay attention to the following factors:

• Simple implementation and commissioning: Although software should actually take work off your hands, sometimes you have to overcome some hurdles just installing the tools. To avoid this, when selecting the ITSM program, you should ensure an intuitive set-up and activation. Moreover, the software should offer a good customer support and self-service portals. In case there are difficulties with the implementation or commissioning despite these measures, you can always contact the customer service.
• User friendliness: In addition to the intuitive handling of the ITSM software, the user friendliness should also be right. Not only your IT team, but all responsible persons will be thankful, if you decide for a user-friendly IT service management software. This way, the tool can be implemented easily in all relevant departments.
• Agility and adaptability: Since no company is like another, the ITSM tool should be adaptable to your company and your business processes. The selected ITSM program should develop with your company and be usable also for new strategies. Flexibility is a big factor in the selection of the IT service management tool.
• Effective collaboration: One of the many tasks of IT service management is the effective cross-departmental collaboration. An ITSM tool should therefore facilitate the coordination between the individual company departments and increase the efficiency of the employees. We therefore recommend that you keep an eye on the offer-listed functions when choosing your ITSM software. In addition to many other characteristics, the right IT service management tool should also enable effective cooperation in your company.

What ITSM tools are currently available on the market?

With the increasing popularity of IT service management, the ITSM tool market is also booming. Keeping a clear view and finding the right ITSM program for your company can sometimes be quite difficult. But don't worry!

As always, our users have put the most important ITSM tool providers to the acid test. This way, you don't need to deal with countless test versions, but can choose the ideal IT service management tool for your company based on user reviews.

The following ITSM software have been put to the test by our users: 

Jira Service Management

NinjaOne

ServiceNow IT Service Management

Zoho Desk

Freshservice

Why should an IT service management software be used?

An IT service management software supports you and your IT department with all processes around IT service management. In addition, ITSM systems allow your IT team to align all IT services to your company.

With the help of an IT service management software, all IT service management processes can be adapted to the individual requirements of your company. In addition, with the right ITSM tool, you can save costs, reduce IT wastage and avoid unnecessary effort. The tasks related to IT are clearly assigned within your company. This way, you avoid double work and increase the efficiency of your staff. At the same time, you and your IT team always have everything in view. So what are you waiting for?

Conclusion: With an ITSM, you and your IT department save time and money

An IT service management brings many advantages for your company. Whether you want to promote the communication between the end users and the IT team, improve the IT service performance or simply work more cost-effectively - ITSM is the solution for it.

Do you also want to unite the many different processes of the IT service management in one system? Then resort to one of the many ITSM tools. These enable you to have an efficient and effective IT service management. Not only your IT team, but also all users within and outside your company will be thankful. At the same time, you save time, money and also some nerves.

More and more software providers develop different solutions for IT service management. As an entrepreneur, you are spoilt for choice. With the help of our user reviews, you can evaluate yourself which is the right IT service management tool for the needs of your company. Convince yourself on OMR Reviews and find the perfect ITSM software for your company.