ITIL is an IT framework providing practice guidelines for all aspects of end service management. This service strategy covers a range of people, products, processes and uses partners. Nowadays, ITIL is used by every company that provides IT service to customers. Such companies look for professionals who have ITIL foundation certification, which validates one’s expertise in ITIL Service Strategy, to meet their business goals.
The purpose of service strategy is to define every perspective, plans, position and patterns that the service provider has to execute and meet the business outcome of an organization. When a clear service strategy is adopted, it reflects the policies and strategies of the service provider. An identified business need and requirements can lead all IT service activities and solutions.
ITIL or Information Technology Infrastructure Library is the most widely accepted service strategy in the service management world. It helps those individuals and organization that uses IT for understanding, transforming, and growing their business. Effective and efficient alignment of resources and capabilities of service and products helps in creating strategic advancement in the market.
Service Strategy Principles
In ITIL service strategy, there are certain principles that are accountable for defining this service value. Its key principles that all strategist should keep in their mind before they define a service are:
- Value Creation: An organization must define the service strategy for how their IT service wants to add value to a business requirement. This value is defined by their customer or changes coming over the times and how the objectives have been achieved.
- Asset/Resource/Capabilities: These are the aspects that help every organization to deliver a better IT service.
- Utility: It means the functionality every IT services offers to meet their business needs.
- Governance: It shows how to implement and follow predefined strategies, processes, and strategies.
- Warranty: It is an assurance that every reliable and secured service offer.
- Business activity pattern: The repeated activities of an organization like loading server regularly or utilization of database space needs to be documented monthly.
5 Different Stages of ITIL Service Strategy!
Following are the five important stages of ITIL service strategies that you must know:
- Service Strategy
The first stage in ITIL lifecycle is the service strategy. As said earlier, this stage is an important part of ITIL lifecycle for giving services. For great service management, the service strategy should be consistent.
The strategies and objectives of an organization are aligned with long-term vision and aim of service providing organization. It should be the main aim of any organization. But the business objectives and principles of any IT service organization must be supported by IT strategies.
- Service Design
The second stage in ITIL lifecycle services is called Service Design. In this stage, the strategies are turned into actual action. The services and its processes will be designed, and plans get implemented for getting the best service management. It is the creative and production part in this cycle of ITIL service.
- Service Transition
The third stage involved in ITIL lifecycle is Service Transition. In this stage, the services and its processes designed in Service Design get transited into the live environment. It includes preparation of ITIL service and processes required for executing it. Also, it includes testing before sending to the live environment.
After that, the services and processes are made available to the customers. Therefore, it is important to check all the scenarios that arise in this live environment. It is to ensure that there will not be any bugs when the customers start using it.
- Service Operation
The fourth stage in a service lifecycle is named Service Operation. When there are transitioned services in a live environment to be used by customers, the management part is done in the Service operation stage of ITIL lifecycle. The owner of the service is accountable for its performance.
They must ensure the satisfaction of customers from their service and report any major issues if arises. In this stage, your organization should make a legal service agreement with the customer.
- Continual Service
The last stage in the services of ITIL lifecycle is Continual Service Improvement. The services and its processes involve planning, designing, and implementation by the initial determined target. For a better service management progressive monitoring as well as controlling is required for ITL services. Like every other stage of ITIL lifecycle, this stage is also linked to the stage Service Strategy.
Indicators of key performance should be in one place and determine whether this service is running optimally. The owner of ITIL service must also ensure that this service is linked to strategic targets of particular IT service.
Once a predetermined target and expectation is met, a new target has to be set, and the service management must aim at reaching those targets now. Any improvement in the ongoing service and processes will be made during the Continual Service Improvement Stage.
Service Strategy Processes
- Portfolio Management: Portfolio Management or SPM means the way you can transparently and dynamically govern resource investments. Its main aim is to maximize the value of a business by managing risk and cost.
- Financial Management: Financial Management in IT service ensures tracking and associate investment and spending within the service provided. The main activities that take place in financial management are accounting, budgeting, and charging.
- Demand Management: ITIL services demand management process helps a business to understand better and predict customer demand from the services. As per ITIL service strategy, the aim of demand management is understanding, anticipation and influencing customer demand for the service.
- Strategy Management: ITIL strategy management enables the service management to become the strategic asset for an organiz It is not only about linking IT with business, but IT should integrate into the business.
- Business Relation Management: Business relationship management of ITIL services works closely with the service portfolio and strategy management. It helps all IT services to implement and inform the strategy and selection of service.
To become successful, the ITIL service strategy must make development and provision for services directly as per customer wish by delivering great value to them. It should in the form of an outcome that every customer wants to achieve. So, what are you waiting for? Start your ITIL journey by gaining the necessary skills through valuable ITIL certifications.