Service is the intangible part of ITSM that we tend to ignore. Even though we often ask ourselves the same question as ITSM practitioners.

It is hard to imagine a company free from rendering services, which includes services given to employees. Services are the pillars that support the revenue center of an organization. This also translates into providing better internal services, which is the domain of IT service management. Before moving forward in this article, it is essential to understand the definition of service in detail.

In this article, we will talk about what a service is in the context of ITSM and the service life cycle.

What is a Service?

According to ITIL V3, “A service is a means of delivering value to customers by facilitating outcomes customers want to achieve without the ownership of specific costs and risks.”

In its simplest form, a service is a way of delivering value to customers. It can be a product or a process, and it can be physical or digital. An organization typically delivers a service, but it doesn’t have to be. It could be delivered by an individual or even by a machine.

A service can be as simple as getting your hair cut or as complex as running a hospital. And just like products, services can be bought and sold in the marketplace.

Definition of service in the context of IT Service Management,

In the traditional sense of ITSM, services refer to all the IT-related enablement that allows the organization to reach its overall goals. However, the modern definition is more holistic as it incorporates services rendered by all the different functions of a business, and it is generally referred to as Enterprise Service Management.

The Three Types of Services

There are three types of services in the IT service management world: informational, operational, and transformational. Each type of service has a different purpose and is delivered differently.

Informational services are designed to provide information to users. They don’t necessarily perform any actions on the user’s behalf, but they provide data that the user can use to make decisions.

Operational services are designed to perform specific actions on behalf of the user. These services are typically automated and don’t require much interaction from the user.

Finally, transformational services are designed to help the user transform their business. These services are usually highly customized and require close collaboration between the service provider and the customer.

The Service Lifecycle

The service lifecycle is the process that ITSM professionals use to plan, design, deliver, operate, and control services. The cycle is iterative, meaning each stage builds upon the previous one. The main goal of the service lifecycle is to help organizations continuously improve their services.

There are five stages in the service lifecycle:

1. Service Strategy: In this stage, ITSM professionals develop a strategy for how they will provide value to customers through IT services. They also identify which services the organization will offer, how those services will be delivered, and who the customers are.
2. Service Design: In this stage, ITSM professionals design the processes and infrastructure needed to deliver the services identified in the service strategy stage. They also create plans for how those services will be delivered and supported.
3. Service Transition: ITSM professionals transition new or changed services into production in this stage. They also test and validate those services to ensure they meet customer expectations.
4. Service Operation: Under service operations, ITSM professionals operate and manage the day-to-day operations of IT services. They also monitor and report on service performance to make any necessary changes.
5. Continual Service Improvement: KPIs should be placed correctly to ensure that the service is running ideally. Organizations should ensure that the service complies with the strategic target linked to the specific IT service. Continual service improvement setting new targets once the current target expectations are achieved. It will also take care of the improvement of ongoing services and processes.

Why Does Your Business Need Exceptional Service Management?

ITSM is about improving any organization’s IT operations and service management. Service management plays a pivotal role in the success of your organization, and it leads the organization in the right direction. Whether it be insightful analytics, increasing productivity, or delivering exceptional customer experience, here is a list of benefits associated with effective and efficient service management.

• Effective service management provides detailed and better insights into the business.
• Service management helps in improving the overall productivity of the organization.
• With the help of automation, service management helps in reducing overall IT operation costs.
• A robust service management solution gives you the power of AI-powered virtual agents.
• Service management helps in reducing business risks and promotes growth.

Conclusion

Service plays a crucial role in improving your end-user experience, and it is vital to understand the meaning of service in ITSM to deliver excellent service to customers. In this article, we have covered detailed information regarding services in ITSM, and it will be constructive for organizations to implement changes according to the requirement.

ITSM is a process-based approach to aligning IT services with the needs of the business. It aims to ensure that the right IT services are delivered at the right time and price. By understanding the basics of ITSM, you will be able to make informed decisions about which IT services are right for your business and how to get the most out of them.