IT Services Best Practices for Efficient, Cost-Effective, and Productive Enterprises

Like any other department, IT services are also under an obligation to perform better and be leaner, more agile, and cost-effective. The framework that defines the benchmark of quality IT services is the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). 

ITIL sets forth best practices and guidelines to be used by organisations and business entities providing IT managed services, resulting in quality IT Services Management Services  (ITSM) for the client.

ITSM allows IT service providers to align with their client organisations to provide cutting-edge solutions using modern technology. Properly implemented, such technology can help businesses scale faster, improve their internal processes for efficiency, and ultimately become more profitable.

IT Service Management Best Practices

These best practices help to ensure streamlined service delivery, efficient workflow and problem resolution, and efficient use of resources along the way. To do this, it focuses on five key stages of the ITSM process:

• Service strategy
• Service design
• Service transition
• Service operation
• Continual service improvement

1. Strategy: Plan For The Future

Efficient provision of IT services needs to be proactive rather than reactive. You’ve got to plan ahead of time for the equipment, expertise and resources needed to meet client expectations based on your current perfomance and demand. 

2. Design: Automate IT Services

Once a strategy is in place, the next step involves designing the framework to meet those needs. Since ITSM aims for maximum efficiency in service provision, one of the best ways you can achieve good design is through automation.

ITIL mandates the use of structured workflow systems to handle IT incidents and requests. This can be implemented at the help desk or at the user level.

Second, automatic processes such as basic troubleshooting and instituting a user-level knowledge base allow problem resolution to be done autonomously and frees up IT resources to be used on more pertinent issues.

3. Transition: Keep Moving

With the constant emergence of newer technology, better processes, and new disruptive technologies, managed IT services providers have to constantly monitor new changes and developments. Clients and decision-makers need to be advised on the cost/benefit ratio of adopting new technology to keep up with the competition.

4. Operation: Communication and Feedback

The operation stage of the ITSM standards revolves around the help desk. This is usually the biggest point of contact between the user and the IT team that demands open communication to help keep away anxiety and panic.

A structured workflow system allows the users to monitor the progress of problem resolution in real-time and adheres to ITIL guidelines.

You can also employ a feedback loop system such as having regular surveys to give you the information you need to further streamline and improve your services.

5. Continual Improvement: Stay Proactive

Have a continuous review system in place to keep track of your performance using various metrics and KPIs. IT service providers should also have trained personnel active in seeking ways to improve service provision and keeping your goals aligned with the entire organisation. 

Keep Your IT Services Agile: Consider Managed IT Services

To maintain a holistic approach to IT service management best practices, ITIL and ITSM are used in conjunction with other frameworks such as LEAN, Six-Sigma, and ISO19770-1. Most organisations today develop custom frameworks for quality IT services, and thus the need for an agile, efficient, but cost-effective IT services provider to keep up with the ever-changing IT landscape.

Essential Tech is a top-level provider of managed IT services designed to help you adapt fast to changing conditions with minimal input of resources.  Our ITSM-bound IT services are tailored to give you an edge in the field over your competition. Click here to learn more about our managed IT services or book a free 30-minute consultation with one of our experts right now.