The use and implementation of IT Service Management (ITSM)

In today’s fast-paced digital world, IT Service Management (ITSM) plays a crucial role in helping organisations to deliver reliable and efficient IT services. ITSM focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of the business, optimising workflows, improving customer satisfaction and ensuring that IT supports broader organisational goals. As companies become increasingly service-oriented, understanding how to effectively implement ITSM, avoid common pitfalls and drive a culture of service excellence is essential.

Rejhan Fazlic

Partner and Technology Strategy & Transformation Leader, PwC Switzerland

Email

Pedram Shaigan Doust

Manager Technology Strategy & Transformation, PwC Switzerland

Email

Vladimir Winkel

Manager Technology Strategy & Transformation, PwC Switzerland

Email

What is IT Service Management?

ITSM is a strategic approach to designing, delivering, managing and improving IT services within an organisation. Unlike traditional IT, which is often focused on hardware and systems, ITSM emphasises delivering IT as a service that meets business needs. It is commonly supported by frameworks like ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) and ISO/IEC 20000, which provide structured processes and best practices for managing IT services.

Best practices in ITSM implementation

ITIL is the most widely adopted framework for ITSM, providing detailed guidance on managing IT services across their lifecycle, from service strategy and design to operations and continual service improvement. Currently, the third iteration, which is process-oriented, and the fourth iteration, which follows a value-driven approach, coexist and can be combined. It’s important to understand that ITIL is not a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a set of best practices that can be adapted to the organisation’s specific needs.

The core principle of ITSM is ensuring that IT services support business goals. The first step towards a successful alignment can be achieved by establishing or renewing existing IT Service Portfolios to ensure the service offering is covering the needs of the stakeholders within the company and to overcome technology-related challenges. When IT is seen as a partner in achieving business outcomes, it transitions from being a cost centre to a value creator.

SLAs formalise the relationship between IT and its customers by setting clear expectations around service delivery, performance and accountability. A well-structured SLA helps manage expectations and ensures that both IT teams and business units understand their roles and respective responsibilities. This leads to increased flexibility in resource planning and reliability due to defined procedures and controls that facilitate measuring the level of service quality and delivery.

ITSM is an ongoing journey rather than a one-off implementation. Establishing a CSI approach ensures that IT services are continually reviewed, measured and optimised. This is often achieved by adopting key performance indicators (KPIs) and feedback loops to monitor the effectiveness of services and make data-driven improvements.

Automation can significantly reduce the manual overhead of managing IT services. ITSM tools such as ServiceNow, BMC Helix and Jira offer features like incident management, request fulfilment and change management, which automate repetitive tasks, reduce errors and improve service delivery.

Common pitfalls and challenges in ITSM implementation

Successful ITSM transformation requires strong, visible leadership support. Without executive buy-in, ITSM initiatives often lack the necessary resources, authority and visibility to drive impact. Leaders today need to go beyond simple approval; they should actively champion ITSM’s value by articulating its strategic benefits, aligning it with business goals and fostering an environment where ITSM is seen as a value assurer across all levels of the organisation.

ITIL frameworks provide valuable guidance, but overly complex processes can slow service delivery, limit flexibility, and discourage user adoption. To prevent this, organisations should prioritise a lean approach, focusing on streamlining processes to better align with business needs, reduce overhead and enhance agility in delivering services.

Transitioning to a service-oriented organisation often demands a cultural shift, which can be challenging. IT teams may resist moving to a customer-focused approach, while other business units may have doubts about IT’s capability to deliver on its promises. To address this, implementing structured change management, proactive communication and education initiatives is essential. Encouraging cross-functional collaboration and illustrating how ITSM benefits all teams can help build a more supportive, cohesive culture.

The effectiveness of ITSM tools and processes heavily relies on user proficiency. Insufficient training can lead to underutilised ITSM solutions and inconsistent adherence to processes. A stronger focus on upskilling and ongoing development is critical, not only to ensure that ITSM tools are fully leveraged but also to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Incorporating role-based and advanced training can empower teams to drive consistent, high-quality service delivery and respond more adeptly to evolving demands.

Implementing ITSM is only the beginning; organisations that neglect continual improvement risk stagnation as business needs and technology landscapes evolve. Establishing a culture of iterative enhancement, with regular reviews and updates to ITSM processes, tools and practices, ensures alignment with current organisational goals.

Key success factors for a service-oriented organisation

A customer-focused culture is key to a service-oriented organisation. IT teams should view both internal and external stakeholders as customers and prioritise meeting their needs. Building a feedback-driven environment helps IT teams to improve services based on real customer input, driving satisfaction and loyalty.

Breaking down silos is essential for successful ITSM. Creating collaborative spaces where IT and business teams work together on defining services, setting expectations and resolving issues builds alignment and shared ownership. Regular communication helps keep IT efforts aligned with business goals.

Clear governance is critical for consistent ITSM application. Defined roles with ownership of specific processes and services ensure standardised service management. Agile governance structures allow teams to adapt quickly to business changes while maintaining accountability.

Data is key to effective ITSM. By tracking metrics like resolution time, customer satisfaction and service availability, organisations can quickly spot inefficiencies and improve. Data-driven insights help IT teams focus on the changes that will have the most impact on service quality.

Agility is essential for ITSM in today’s fast-paced environment. Rigid processes can slow down responses to changing needs. Adopting agile principles allows IT teams to make iterative improvements, quickly respond to feedback and keep pace with business demands.

Path to success

Success comes when organisations avoid common pitfalls like over-engineering processes, neglecting continuous improvement and missing essential leadership support. By embracing best practices and focusing on critical success factors, businesses can not only achieve ITSM success, but also transform into service-driven enterprises that fuel a powerful competitive edge.