One of the main needs of any IT department is to have maximum control over the entire operation. The use of a Service Catalog with the Request Management process allows traceability of the entire process from application to delivery recording and documenting all the intermediate steps. An important benefit of using a Service Catalog is the ability to provide each user with complementary products and services, like eliminating the possibility that someone who should not have access to an application, could apply the access to it, simplifying the Catalog for each user profile and reducing the workload by eliminating the processing of improper applications.
Good Service Catalog reduces the time that the user requires to process applications, allowing these applications to be processed more efficiently and also lets the most qualified IT staff focus on those tasks that bring more value to the organization, reducing total operating costs. Centrally process all requests through the Service Catalog facilitates the allocation of costs associated with each corresponding department or business. We go online to purchase products, log into accounts, book flights and find answers to questions — and often outside of normal business hours.
Why would your customers expect anything less from your services? If they come looking for questions on your portal — provide it for them! Essentially, it is giving power to the user and letting them do the legwork on finding out what services you offer and how and when you offer them.
This frees you up from complaints about unmet expectations and clears both confusion and your schedule a bit. However , customers can only understand your services as far as your Service Catalogue allows them to.
Here is a quick checklist to make sure you manage exepcations correctly:. Examples of common questions are: How do I set up the WiFi connection on my telephone?
How do I print on both sides of the paper? How do I adjust my desk? Provide them a short cut! Make it clear which regulations apply. Essentially the service catalogue can be defined as follows: An automated portal for self-service and request fulfilment by users — this help to reduce lead times for IT ordering and can help to open up access to the IT organisation and increasingly other departments.
A strategic business-level view of IT services that can help to clarify IT priorities, with it used as the basis for prioritisation, service reporting, and service level management. This includes knowledge management, supplier and contract information, internal support, departmental responsibilities, etc.
Resistance to the Service Catalogue Concept It would be wrong to talk about service catalogues without acknowledging that they are not loved by all. And business-level reporting cannot realistically be achieved without some service-based definition of what IT does. Then the automation of request fulfilment, via a service request catalogue, speeds up customer response and reduces lead times, plus it usually cuts support costs. And self-service and automated fulfilment are essential these days and will continue to be areas for ongoing development.
Service catalogue is often misunderstood — certainly the practical steps to implementation are not well defined. Also, the multi-level nature of the subject can make it prone to misinterpretation. Organisations and individuals will have different needs, a different focus, and also different entry points.
It is a service that end users want. As an ongoing service, your service catalogue will need to be monitored and managed as such. It should be managed for availability, capacity and performance, and it should be subject to continual service improvement, just the same as any other service. There is always room for improvement.
As ever, technology should be deployed with a clear business purpose behind it. Image credit. Always passionate about customer service!
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