Although most IT departments today have managed to become more mature in their approach to managing incidents and some have even succeeded in becoming more proactive in their daily operational activities, there still seems to be no reprise from the constant routine of crisis management and customer complaints.
Uptime percentages are better as the investments in technology are starting to show results – but the customers are still complaining. Overall, changes seem to be more successful as employees finally bow down to the strict process controls implemented, however many changes remain a painful experience for all concerned.
The truth is, IT is still very much focussed on technology and the silo mentality, famous for blame-shifting, is now hurting us more than ever. Thankful for the many whitepapers written on the subject, executives realise the criticality of the situation and is desperate to turn their departments into a value focussed solutions centre. However, year-on-year, cost cutting initiatives and day to day operational activities seem to simply overrule the best of intentions. Is a value driven IT solutions centre a pipe-dream? Definitely not and now is not the time to give up on the dream! It is however time to face the fact that a dream cannot be realised without people to bring it to reality, and the reality is, most of your IT staff have no idea where to even begin!
Let’s look for a minute at your current staffing situation.
- Is most of your management team tired from years of fire-fighting?
- Is your staff trained in technology with little or no idea what value even is?
- Does your staff know how to react when things are broken but don’t know where to begin when asked to be more proactive?
The truth is a Value Driven IT Solutions Centre is not going to be possible with staff that have been trained in managing technology and taught how to fix what is broken! If you want to move forward and finally start reaping the awards of your dream, you have to give your people the skills that they need to help you get there, and that’s when you turn to ITIL for real value!
ITIL is more than just processes to be implemented to impress an auditor, it is a collection of knowledge and advice that gives technology focussed individuals a chance to look at the bigger picture. (And perhaps even notice the customer.) Centred around business value it provides guidance on how to turn a technology focussed IT centre into one that focuses on service and value.
Exposing IT staff to the sound principles documented within this best practice framework not only gives them the knowledge of what is required in a Value Focussed Solutions Centre, but also advice and guidance on where to start.
The exam at the end of each course ensures individuals don’t only listen to the advice but also find ways to commit it to memory which ultimately enables them to use it in their day to day life. Certifications are available on several levels, and its credit based scheme allows individuals to build on their knowledge as they progress in their career.
An ITIL course is more than just a few days out of the office and a good lunch, it’s an opportunity to look from the outside in and walk away with fresh ideas, models, frameworks and knowledge.
Give your staff the opportunity to learn and take you to the next level….
Author: Madeleine Du Toit
Title: Service & Governance Specialist at Foster-Melliar