Best Practices Archive | OTRS

Service Desk Automation: Best Practices for Greater Efficiency

Author OTRS — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:26:22 +0000

Service Desk Automation: Best Practices for Greater Efficiency

2025-09-18
Author OTRS

Best Practices, Customer Service

In recent years, IT has undoubtedly made impressive progress – including in service desks. Yet, service desk employees confirm that this work is still plagued by numerous inefficiencies.

The solution lies in service desk automation. If implemented smoothly, automation for service desks can deliver highly valuable improvements. Teams see higher productivity, increasesd cost savings and greater value creation.

The best practices presented here show how this can be achieved.

The Problem with an Inefficient Service Desk

Traditionally, when an end user encountered an IT issue, they contacted the service desk. The agent handling the request would first put the caller on hold. They would create the necessary documentation to officially open the ticket.

Only then could the problem be resolved or escalated. And only once the process was completed would the end user receive feedback. Depending on the severity of the problem, this could take minutes, hours, or even days.

This outdated approach frustrated both customers and employees alike. It is also extremely inefficient.

Automations and AI integrations provide a far better solution. They guide the service desk reliably into the modern age while saving valuable time, effort, and opportunity costs.

"Automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. Automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency."

Bill Gates

10 Best Practices for Service Desk Automation

The following best practices show how organizations can work more efficiently. Service desk automation makes the best use of team resources.

1. Leverage Knowledge Management

Knowledge management is a central element of service desk automation. It allows both routine activities and complex processes to be handled in a more structured, organized, and standardized way.

To enhance service, use tools that make knowledge more engaging and interactive.

Example: The common HR question “What is parental leave?” can be broken down into a simple workflow. A tool that creates decision trees with automated workflows makes complex issues more dynamic. This is because it can account for multiple variables. Examples of variables are who needs help or what device requires support.

2. Reset Passwords and Unlock Accounts

Nowadays, almost everything requires a password. Therefore, a common issue is that people forget them regularly.

Automated, knowledge-based workflows should help. They can be made accessible through service portals. End users can follow the required steps to reset their passwords without contacting the service desk.

This significantly reduces first-level tickets and increases satisfaction, since users can solve problems on their own. Password managers provide further relief by storing all employee passwords in a central system. This requires a single master password.

3. Provide Automatic Answers and Solutions

Once again, knowledge management plays a key role here. Imagine an employee wants to install a new system on their laptop. There may already be a process in the IT service catalog.

If, instead, they contact the service desk, the assigned agent has to spend time handling it. While such a request may not seem critical, frequent interruptions of this kind have a clearly negative effect. They divert focus from truly important incoming tickets.

The right self-service automation tools give employees a way to ask questions and receive answers without requiring human intervention. Knowledge workflows can be integrated into portals, applications, community platforms, and AI chatbots.

4. Use AI

The use of artificial intelligence in the service desk offers companies clear benefits. By automating processes and preventing unnecessary tickets, operating costs decrease while sources of error are reduced.

At the same time, AI eases operational workloads. It handles routine tasks and gives employees valuable time for strategic and value-adding activities.

Customer satisfaction also rises. Users benefit from faster response times, more accurate solutions, and personalized support available around the clock. This strengthens trust and loyalty.

In addition, machine learning ensures that with each ticket creation, the AI-driven system becomes more efficient. This advances service delivery desk over time.

5. Route Tickets to the Right People

Too often, tickets end up with the wrong IT staff; teams spend too much time each day sorting new tickets. This is inefficient and negatively impacts the customer experience.

Sorting tickets can be automated. Teams can use an ITSM platform that automatically routes tickets to the correct departments from the start. Personalized dashboards and rules define the entire ticket flow.

When teams automate ticket routing, customers get the support they need more quickly. Agents spend less time dealing with administrative hassles.

6. Provide Timely and Regular Status Updates

One of the greatest frustrations for end users is not knowing the status of their issue. They want to know how much longer it will take to resolve. Automated ticketing systems can define rules to send updates to customers on time. This greatly reduces follow-up inquiries to the service desk.

Plus, if a ticket resolution falls outside the service level agreement (SLA), automated notifications can trigger escalation. This ensures the issue is not forgotten and still receives appropriate attention.

7. Escalate Critical Incidents

Some organizations have support teams available around the clock – but most do not. In the evenings or on weekends, systems or tickets are often not actively monitored. In these cases, it is crucial to have an automated system that immediately escalates critical issues in real time. This way they do not wait until regular business hours.

8. Measure Productivity

Data collection can also be automated to provide a comprehensive view of team performance.

This includes common service management measures and metrics such as:

MTTR (Mean Time to Recover)
First Contact Resolution rate
Number of tickets recorded monthly/weekly
Number of service requests recorded monthly/weekly
Percentage of escalations
SLA compliance rate
Business hours lost due to outages

The right ITSM tools display this data in dashboards – individually visualized for team members, managers, or executives.

9. Close Tickets Automatically

Some requests take longer than others but should not remain open too long. With service desk software, rules can be defined to automatically close tickets when necessary. An example of this would be when the customer does not respond within a certain timeframe. This reduces manual effort for agents who have many cases to keep up with.

10. Collect Customer Feedback

There are many ways to measure the performance of a service desk. However, even the most positive metrics have limited value if service quality is lacking.

A good solution is to regularly conduct surveys and send them to customers. The best way to ensure continuous feedback is to automate the process. There are tools that automatically capture, collect, and prepare feedback for evaluation.

How OTRS Drives Service Desk Automation

Thanks to automated workflows in the service desk, OTRS ensures that no steps are ever overlooked. Team members can easily manage requests based on flexible templates and communicate directly with customers via the system.

Automatic notifications and intelligent ticket assignments significantly shorten otherwise time-consuming decision-making processes. In addition, custom ticket fields, clearly defined process management, and reusable process templates enable more efficiency, transparency, and better results.

Conclusion: Service Desk Automation Delivers High Value

Companies benefit extensively from service desk automation. It increases efficiency, enhances customer satisfaction, and reduces redundant tasks.

But such automation offers even more potential: it improves service quality for employees, enables tailored customer experiences, and creates transparency about achieved performance.

In short: with the right technologies and ITSM tools, the work of a service desk can be significantly improved. This is critical – not only for employees and customers but also for overall organizational growth.

Author OTRS

Best Practices, Customer Service

Best practices for incident response management

Tobias Kortas — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 09:15:16 +0000

Best practices for incident response management

2025-06-02
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices

Sophisticated incident response management makes it possible to respond well to incidents, contain their consequences and routinely increase security. As the stakes are high, this is a critical area that requires a highly organized, orchestrated approach. These best practices help you manage incidents successfully.

What is Incident Response Management?

Incident response management is a structured process for identifying, analyzing, containing, resolving and following up on IT security incidents. The aim is to reduce potential damage and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

Incident response is an important part of information security and risk management. You can use it during malware infections, phishing attacks, security events, data breaches, or physical security issues.

Who is responsible for incident response management?

The incident handler is generally the responsible person. They contain and mitigate security incidents.

An incident handler coordinates the work of cyber security experts. They define and document roles. They are also responsible for communication channels. Follow best practices, standards, and legal requirements when you do this.

There are other important roles when managing an incident including:

● the Incident Response Team (IRT) or Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) has operational responsibility
● the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) with strategic responsibility
● the ITSM team members support with handling of non-security-related incidents (e.g. system failures); typically under the leadership of the Incident Manager
● SOCs (Security Operations Centers), if applicable
● If necessary, specialized companies for forensic analysis and incident response

What phases are there in security incident response management?

Incident response should not be a spontaneous, unstructured crisis response. It should follow a clear and standard process. This process covers all necessary steps and reduces risks effectively.

Phases of the incident response process cover:

1. Preparation: The necessary tools and processes must be in place. Incident scenario training should prepare the employees.

2. Detection and Analysis: The extent to which an event is an incident is assessed, communicated and documented.

3. Containment: Those responsible isolate the malware and prevent it from spreading. They also analyze the causes of the incident.

4. Eradication: The incident response team removes the threat, cleans up the affected systems and eliminates the cause.

5. Recovery: Patched and trustworthy again, the systems return to regular operation.

6. Lessons learned (follow-up): The team analyzes the entire process, documents it and initiates improvement measures.

Best practices

To respond to incidents effectively and reduce damage, we must use the right practices in an organized way.
Here is an overview of the most important best practices. Experience shows that these can significantly improve security incident management.

#1 Create an Incident Response Plan (IRP)

A good incident response plan helps teams respond to problems effectively. It also prevents serious negative outcomes. People who have one already have a big advantage. Many companies do not have set procedures for incidents.
Such a plan should be mandatory, especially for critical infrastructures or when handling sensitive data.

An incident response plan should clearly define how to handle different types of incidents. You should base this on guidelines and processes. This includes roles and responsibilities, including escalation paths that regulate who takes on which tasks in an emergency.

#2 Use tools in an orchestrated way

In fact, many security teams feel overwhelmed by the lack of communication between an increasing variety of cybersecurity tools. This results in network traffic disruptions, friction and delayed response times. A lack of integration and interoperability are proving to be particularly critical.

One possible solution is SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) software, like STORM. This software connects different tools through interfaces. It enables you to collect data in near real time. It also helps establish process automation.

Using SOAR software is an extremely professional and effective way to gain a well-rounded overview and act efficiently. In addition to SOAR software, the following systems are also used for incident response management:

● Ticketing and incident response management systems
● SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems
● EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) systems
● Colloboration tools
● Network Detection and Response (NDR) systems
● Forensic tools
● Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIPs)
● Backup and recovery solutions

#3: Thoughtful use of AI

AI-powered security systems can detect anomalies faster, proactively achieve promising responses and predict potential security incidents.

Unfortunately, cyber criminals also use AI to find new ways to attack. Attacks using AI technologies lead to considerable costs for affected organizations. They must constantly combat the risks and rectify incidents. When organizations fail to use AI, they risk being left behind and becoming an easy target.

AI should not replace basic automation, good tool integration, or teamwork within the organization. After all, even these seemingly simple means can achieve significant time savings.

One point is certain: Before using AI across the board, companies should first automate time-consuming routine tasks, as this can already significantly reduce the workload of their security teams.

#4 Putting teams/employees at the center

The best IT solutions and tools – on their own – do not lead to a successful incident response. In addition to orchestrating their use and establishing clear, targeted processes, organizations must also build competent teams.

Organizations are therefore well advised to set up their teams strongly and prepare them for emergencies. This includes regular training, like simulation exercises or awareness training. Training helps people quickly and accurately spot and report suspicious activity.

Organizations should also develop effective strategies to deal with blackmail from attackers. Legal factors and clear rules of conduct are very important in this situation.

#5 Combining cybersecurity with ITSM

Incident management is an ITSM discipline. There are often cybersecurity teams that work independently of ITSM teams.

If both teams work closely together, like when securing IT services, they can improve security awareness. This leads to better threat prevention. Both of these are important for effective incident response management.

In practice, however, cybersecurity experts rarely work together with ITSM teams. This is where companies need to establish a more active exchange and joint projects to create real competence within teams.

#6 Engage in clear crisis communication

Communication creates transparency and trust, avoids rumors and is also extremely important due to legal and regulatory requirements. On the one hand, it must enable functional incident response. On the other, it provides information to those directly and indirectly affected.

Predefined and standardized processes for reporting are recommended to speed up communication. The processes outline which groups of people to inform, when to inform them, and to what extent. There is also a plan for follow up status reports and subsequent resolved incident logs.

#7 Documentation / protocol

After completing the hard and sometimes stressful work on a security incident, one important task remains: documenting it. All steps and decisions taken in connection with an incident must be recorded in full.

Documenting the incident makes it possible to apply what has been learned to future incidents, optimize procedures, and install better protection. Legal factors can also play a role, especially in the event of serious damage.

In general, a post-incident review proves to be extremely important in order to improve the corresponding processes.

#8 Continuous improvement

Continuous improvement not only plays an important role in ITIL® processes, but also makes sense in many respects. Those in charge should review the incident response plan at least once a year. They should also update it after a major incident if needed.

Feedback, reviews and logs generated during incident management prove to be particularly valuable. By integrating findings into the right processes and systems, response becomes increasingly faster and more effective.

Conclusion: Incident response management requires continuity

The right incident response activities protect companies from serious damage in an emergency. Successful security management involves defining and practicing the right activities, steps, and practices in advance.

Incident response should be an ongoing process. It should not only happen in a chaotic way during a crisis. A good plan is essential for effective response.

Since important assets and reputations are often at risk, those in charge should focus on incident response. They should also use the best practices that fit their needs. For example, software solutions for orchestration, employee awareness and mature processes offer long term value.

Learn how OTRS can help you with incident response management.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices

10 Best Practices for IT Help Desk Success

Bernd Maus — Mon, 12 May 2025 06:15:51 +0000

10 Best Practices for IT Help Desk Success

2025-05-12
Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

An efficient IT help desk is essential for modern IT systems. It is also a key part of IT service management. It ensures smooth operations, reduces downtime, and improves user satisfaction. In an era of rapidly evolving technologies and increasing user expectations, it is essential to implement the right strategies.

Here are ten IT help desk best practices. These tips show how IT teams or service desks can improve help desk operations. They can lower staff workload and improve the value of their services over time.

Define Clear Service-Level Agreements (SLAs)

A help desk must know what it is supposed to deliver—and what it is not. Clearly defining the services offered avoids misunderstandings, promotes efficiency, and simplifies ticket prioritization. This also includes categorizing services (e.g., hardware, software, user management) and establishing a clear escalation structure. A structured service overview, ideally within an IT service catalog, ensures that all stakeholders share the same expectations.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) provide a binding framework and define the scope of services for both the help desk and users. A solid SLA outlines:

Which services are provided

Response times to requests

How escalations are handled

System availability

A well-defined SLA creates transparency, builds trust in the help desk, and helps with ticket prioritization. It is important to review and adapt SLAs regularly to adjust to changing requirements. Teams align performance with business goals by using effective service level management tools.

Use a Centralized Ticketing System

A ticketing system is often the main part of help desk software. However, not every system meets the needs of a modern IT help desk. Key elements include well-designed processes, access to relevant data, and efficient ticket management. Consider the following:

Who is responsible for which tickets?

Are ticket types categorized and prioritized by urgency?

Are automated workflows in place?

Can tools retrieve infrastructure data for more efficient support?

How is documentation handled?

With clearly defined workflows, standardized input fields, and transparent status tracking, resources can be better managed. Additionally, users experience a consistent support process.

A powerful ticket system offers:

Complete documentation of every incident

Automated ticket assignment based on priority or department

Transparent communication with users

Reporting tools built into the system allow for continuous analysis of service quality. They help identify bottlenecks and improvement areas. Modern ticketing solutions also integrate with platforms like email, chat, or broader ITSM tools.

Learn how OTRS can support your help desk with its ITSM solution.

Optimize First Contact Resolution (FCR)

Simply logging an issue and forwarding the ticket isn’t enough. The goal should be to competently resolve as many cases as possible during the first contact.

This requires technical expertise, fast analytical skills and sound judgment. Standardized diagnostic guides, access to configuration data, and close collaboration with specialist departments are all beneficial.

Communication should be about finding solutions. It should be proactive, forward-thinking, and reliable.

Resolving issues during the first contact enhances the customer experience and relieves second-level support. There is a direct correlation between resolution times and customer satisfaction.

Ways to improve FCR:

Train help desk staff on common issues

Provide a rich internal knowledge pool

Use templates and decision-making aids for frequently asked questions

Regular FCR tracking helps identify progress and refine service desk processes accordingly.

Establish Knowledge Management

Many help desks view documentation as a chore, yet it is a key success factor. Good knowledge management reduces follow-up questions and serves as a valuable reference for the help desk team.

Knowledge management goes beyond capturing ticket notes. It involves systematic databases for recording problems and known solutions.

A centralized knowledge base saves time and prevents recurring mistakes. It should include:

Troubleshooting guides

Documentation of common problems

FAQs for end users

Experts must regularly update content. Tools must offer versioning and easy search options. Help desk team members should actively contribute to maintaining the knowledge base. A public version for end users also supports self-service and reduces the ticket volume.

Implement Proactive Monitoring and Early Warning Systems

System monitoring should not be confined to the infrastructure team. If the help desk has real-time monitoring data, it can find and sort outages faster.

Ideally, specific alerts would trigger tickets automatically. This establishes a proactive support approach that addresses issues before users even notice them.

An effective help desk doesn’t just respond—it anticipates. Monitoring tools should:

Track system load and availability

Set thresholds and trigger alerts

Automatically generate tickets for certain conditions

This allows the help desk to intervene early—boosting system reliability and user trust.

Continuously Train and Develop the Team

The help desk thrives on the expertise and motivation of its staff. Management should attend to professional development. Also consider other formats such as case reviews, job shadowing, and in-depth sessions on specific topics. Soft skills like stress resilience and communication skills also deserve dedicated attention.

Help desk skills must evolve with business and technical demands.

Service desk best practices for continuous improvement:

Regular training and certifications

Cross-team collaboration (e.g., with DevOps or infrastructure)

Simulations and role-playing for critical scenarios

A well-trained, motivated team is efficient and effective. It directly enhances support quality.

Offer Self-Service Portals and Chatbots

Self-service can significantly relieve the help desk—when well implemented. Processes like password resets, software requests, or ticket status checks must be intuitive and seamless across channels. The service portal is also a point of contact when the help desk is closed.

Important: self-service must meet the same quality standards as direct support. Teams should optimize self-service offerings based on usage data and user feedback.

Effective self-service includes:

User-friendly portals with FAQs, guides, and forms

Chatbots that handle simple requests autonomously

Integration with knowledge databases

These tools should be regularly evaluated and updated to remain effective and relevant.

Strengthen User-Centricity and Communication

User satisfaction is not a vague concept. It’s measurable. Some ways to gather data include:

Sending short surveys after ticket resolution,

Conducting regular key user reviews, or

Establishing feedback channels in self-service portals.

Once gathered, take feedback seriously. Translate it into concrete actions that improve processes and enhance the help desk’s reputation. Being transparent about changes made based on feedback also builds trust.

The help desk should be seen as a problem solver and a true service partner.

Key points:

Clear, jargon-free communication—especially for non-technical users

Friendly, empathetic interactions

Structured mechanisms for support evaluation and feedback

The goal is to continuously identify areas for improvement and strengthen user engagement.

Use Artificial Intelligence Effectively

AI can significantly ease the help desk’s workload. Intelligent systems can identify patterns in requests, automatically prioritize tickets, or suggest suitable solutions from the knowledge base. AI-enabled chatbots can efficiently handle standard inquiries. The key is knowing when AI can take over and where human expertise remains essential.

Possible AI use cases:

Intelligent ticket classification and prioritization

Chatbots with natural language processing

Predicting support demand based on past data

Success lies in balancing automation with human support. Implementation should be well-planned, piloted, and accompanied by human-centered options to ensure acceptance and value.

Put KPIs and Feedback to Use

A modern help desk doesn’t operate on instinct. It runs on data. KPIs are valuable indicators of performance. Examples include first-contact resolution rate, average ticket resolution time, repeat incidents, or user satisfaction.

Teams gather the numbers and take actions to improve them.

Metrics-driven help desk management includes:

Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)

Ticket volume by category

Satisfaction scores from user feedback

Regular reviews and dashboards enhance transparency and foster continuous improvement across the team.

Conclusion

A modern IT help desk is much more than a support hotline. It’s a strategic partner and innovation driver within the organization. The best practices for the IT help desk show how to create processes that are efficient, easy to use, and ready for the future. Leveraging automation, knowledge management, and AI not only conserves resources but also boosts customer service quality.

Yet the human element remains key—whether it’s in helping the support staff or the end user. Striking this balance is what defines the long-term success of your IT support structure.

Discover how OTRS can support your help desk transformation.

Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

First contact resolution: definition, (dis)advantages and best practices

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:36:32 +0000

First contact resolution: definition, (dis)advantages and best practices

2025-03-19
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, Customer Service

What is meant by First Contact Resolution?

First contact resolution (FCR) is the proportion of customer inquiries that are resolved by support at the first attempt. When measuring first call resolution, follow these steps:

Count how many inquiries were solved in one interaction.
Count the total number of requests.
Divide the number of solved inquiries by the total requests.

The “first attempt” means it only takes one call, email, social media message, or chat to solve a problem well.

As most customer contacts are still made by a phone call, this rate is also known as First Call Resolution rate.

How do you calculate FCR?

The FCR is easy to calculate. When measuring first call resolution, divide the number of inquiries that could be resolved with a single interaction (a customer call, an email inquiry or a chat session) by the total number of requests.

The formula is as follows:

FCR = number of tickets resolved on the first call (or interaction) / total number of tickets received

What is a good first resolution rate?

The industry standard for first-time resolution rate is 70 to 79 percent. If you land in this range, you have every right to be happy about having achieved a good FCR.

According to the call center company SQM Group, values of 80 percent and higher are “world class”. Only five percent of call centers worldwide achieve this. Conversely, values of less than 70 percent indicate that improvement is needed.

However, experience shows that these benchmarks tend to be set a little too high for FCR. People who score below this level do not always provide “poor” service. This is just one of many key performance indicators (KPIs).

In addition, the FCR achieved depends on many factors. For example, a good value could simply mean that there is insufficient self-service. Customers may be turning to support with simple, very easy-to-solve inquiries. This would inflate the rate while still leaving room for support to make improvements.

Why is the first contact resolution rate important?

First contact resolution can serve as an important metric for service quality. Many call centers work with this metric as customers expect a quick resolution to their issue when they contact them. Any delay causes additional frustration. This is especially true when customers have not made progress using a knowledge base or an AI chatbot.

With a good FCR, companies know that customers are receiving quick resolution to any issue. This contributes to their satisfaction.

In fact, the FCR can often be used as a KPI to indicate customer satisfaction, as it contributes to this to a certain extent. Companies can also collect a Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) separately. This helps to show that a positive first solution rate also contributes directly to a favorable value.

FCR: the pros and cons

First Contact Resolution is undoubtedly an important metric for contact centers. However, companies should by no means focus on it alone. It should be used with other metrics to make reliable statements about customer service quality and customer satisfaction.

Advantages

Here is an overview of the most important advantages of using FCR as a metric.

Importance for customer loyalty: A high FCR rate correlates positively with good customer satisfaction. As customers appreciate quick solutions without having to make repeat calls. The first resolution rate highlights an important aspect of customer service management. If this is fulfilled, they are much more likely to remain loyal.

Correlation with costs: First contact resolution is directly related to business costs. When a good FCR eliminates repeated inquiries, this reduces operating costs. Support teams can invest their manpower elsewhere.

Statements on service quality: A high FCR value shows that service teams work well. It means they have the right information and are well trained. This is true even if the figures should sometimes be treated with caution. Validation by other key figures is often required in order to be able to make reliable statements.

Influence on support teams: Support staff often feel frustrated when they have to deal with angry customers for a long time. A good first resolution rate therefore means less stress, less strain and a greater sense of achievement.

Competitive advantages: Companies with a better FCR rate than their competitors have an edge in customer service. There are also indirect competitive advantages if companies use FCR values for targeted improvements.

Disadvantages

First Contact Resolution only sheds light on part of the truth. If companies rely solely on this key figure, misunderstandings can quickly occur when evaluating the service provided. As a result, the quality of service can even decline.

Caution is advised in the following cases:

Complex cases: An immediate solution cannot be achieved for every problem. If there is too much focus on FCR, complex inquiries might not get enough attention. They may not be prioritized as they should.
False signals: If companies only look at a high first resolution rate, they may think the service is good. In fact, there may not be enough self-service options. As a result, customers often ask employees simple questions.
This does not lead to high customer satisfaction. It can also make companies feel falsely secure.

Distorted value. Many companies set a high FCR rate as a goal. This leads employees to close tickets too soon to meet the target.
However, problems are often not yet solved and customers turn to support again in anger. Mistakes also occur if, for example, it only becomes apparent later that certain solutions were inadequate.

Need for quality: Closing inquiries (tickets) too soon can mean not giving a complete solution. Some customers also want comprehensive advice. To drive quality service, understand FCR in relation to other important objectives.

Unfair assessments: Complex cases naturally take longer to resolve. If service employee evaluations are based solely on FCR, performance quality may be skewed for those team members who are responsible for more complex cases.

Conclusion: advantages vs. disadvantages

First contact resolution has earned its place as an important service management metric. However, users need to consider it in combination with other important metrics. Only then can a reliable overall picture of service quality be obtained. After all, FCR measures a large and crucial piece of the puzzle, but not the entire thing.

5 best practices for FCR

When used correctly, first contact resolution makes a lot of sense. The following best practices are important building blocks and optimizations.

#1: Choose targets wisely

A “world-class” FCR can be an important goal, but this does not necessarily have to be the case. A high level of customer satisfaction is the overriding goal. This is measured with values such as the Customer Retention Rate (CRR). Companies should ask themselves to what extent a good first solution rate contributes to this.

At times, other metrics might matter more. Consider objectives such as customer service quality, shorter waiting times or good escalation management (for many complex cases) could be better objectives. However, if customer satisfaction is largely dependent on immediate problem resolution, the FCR proves to be spot on.

#2: Working with a knowledge database

Teams are strong when they work together. Agents can benefit when they have access to the relevant knowledge of other team members. A knowledge base can contain solutions to problems, instructions, how-to descriptions and solutions can be easily accessed.

This has considerable advantages for improving first call resolution. This is especially true in the case of recurring problems. Employees are more likely to be able to solve them at the first customer interactions. If knowledge is important for support cases, such a database fulfills an extremely helpful function.

#3: Combine FCR with other metrics

First Contact Resolution only represents part of the truth. Viewed completely in isolation, it provides little insight.

In combination with the following metrics, the FCR can paint a clear picture:

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): This measures customer satisfaction via a short survey. It may, for example, ask customers to rate service on a scale from 1 to 5.
Net Promoter Score (NPS): This metric is used to determine how likely a customer is to recommend the company to others.
Time to Resolution (TTR): This is about the average time it takes for a problem to be resolved.
Ticket Response Rate (Reopen Rate): This shows how often closed tickets are reopened. It helps to indicate poor quality problem resolution.
Compliance with service level specifications: Service level agreements (SLAs) should definitely be adhered to by support. For example, there may be specifications for response or resolution times and the availability of support.

Depending on the individual objectives, other metrics can also prove to be extremely useful and helpful.

#4: Introduce automated ticket routing

If you want to resolve customer issues immediately, it’s a good idea to use new tools. For example, customer contacts are not usually created according to a fixed, expertise-based organization. Tickets could be sent to employees who may not be the best contacts for the relevant topics.

With automatic ticket routing, employees with the right skill sets are assigned cases automatically. This immensely increases the likelihood of a first contact resolution, even for challenging issues. Having the right person work on a case leads to higher FCR and improved customer satisfaction.

#5: Improve the recording of first contacts

It has already been discussed that FCR rates can be deceptive. Many apparent first contacts are actually follow-up inquiries. For example, a customer may first try to get help from a self-service portal. If that is not satisfactory response, they many then open a ticket with an agent.

It is therefore important to classify processes correctly and record unbiased FCR rates. The following can help:

Consider the entire customer journey
Link data from self-service portals, chatbots or knowledge databases
Define the FCR in such a way that self-service attempts also count as initial contact
Ask the respective customer directly whether a solution to the problem has already been worked on beforehand
Introduce additional metrics such as the Self-Service Success Rate (SSSR)
Optimize the self-service area where appropriate

Conclusion: First contact resolution – yes, but correctly categorized

Most customers expect quick, immediate solutions. Against this backdrop, a solid first contact solution proves to be valuable. First contact resolution therefore proves to be an important metric and a crucial building block for customer satisfaction.

However, users should always consider the entire context before prioritizing FCR. Examine values in relation to other metrics. There could be a reason for lower values, such as an inadequate self-service offering.

First contact resolution should therefore be used sensibly in customer service. This includes realistic targets and unbiased data collection as well as clever measures to achieve the highest possible values.

Find out how OTRS supports customer service success.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, Customer Service

Service Request Management – Definition, Tools and Best Practices

Bernd Maus — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 08:36:51 +0000

Service Request Management – Definition, Tools and Best Practices

2025-03-18
Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

What is Service Request Management?

Service request management refers to the structured processing and management of service requests within an organization, particularly in IT service management (ITSM). These are standardized requests from users that do not constitute an incident or malfunction, but relate to access requests, the provision of resources or general information.

The process for managing these includes the receipt, documentation, processing and final resolution of service requests. The aim is to ensure a high level of service quality and to make processing efficient and transparent.

Service Request Management is a central component of modern ITSM frameworks such as ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). It helps to increase user satisfaction through repeatable and scalable processes.

By using self-service portals and automated workflows, companies can further optimize and personalize these processes. This increases efficiency without neglecting control mechanisms.

Objectives of Service Request Management

Increased efficiency, quality assurance and improved user satisfaction

The standardized processing of requests should enable recurring requests with minimal effort and high reliability. Transparency and traceability should ensure that quality standards are met in areas such as customer experience and service delivery.

These goals are achieved through clear process definitions and the documentation of all steps. Ultimately, well-established service request management supports adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and compliance requirements. It contributes to the scalability of IT services.

Relief for IT Teams

Service portals, knowledge base and automated processes should be used to handle repeatable requests. Examples of when these can be used include password resets or access requests. The aim is to allow service desk employees to focus on more complex tasks and strategic initiatives.

Concepts in service request management

Service request management is based on various central concepts of IT service management. These include classifying service requests, setting priorities and defining a life cycle that structures processing from request to completion. These concepts create the basis for standardized and transparent processes in the IT service organization.

The role of IT service management

IT service management (ITSM) is an organizational framework for the implementation of service request management. It defines the processes, guidelines and roles to ensure that service requests are handled consistently and efficiently. ITSM frameworks such as ITIL offer best practices that create standards for processing service requests.

ITSM automates workflows, clearly defines responsibilities and increases the quality of services. ITSM also promotes the integration of service request management into other ITSM processes, such as incident or change management. This supports a holistic IT operating strategy.

Service request classification

The classification of service requests is used to categorize requests according to type, category or complexity. This ensures assignment to the responsible teams and enables efficient processing. Typical categories are access requests, information requests or provision requests. A clear classification forms the basis for automated processes and prioritized processing.

Prioritization

Service requests are prioritized based on criteria, such as urgency and impact on business operations. Requests with a critical impact are given a higher priority than routine requests. This classification helps teams use resources effectively. It also reduces the time needed for important business requests.

Service request life cycle

The lifecycle describes the entire process needed to fulfill service requests. Typical lifecycle phases include acceptance, validation, processing and completion. Structured documentation of the lifecycle ensures transparency and traceability, both for users and for the IT organization itself.

Five tools for service request management

Well-structured service request management requires powerful tools and modern technologies to efficiently record, manage and automate requests. Choosing the right solution makes a significant contribution to optimizing IT service processes. Five important tools that support companies in implementing effective service request management are presented below.

ITSM Solution from OTRS

The preconfigured and ready-to-use ITSM solution from OTRS offers a flexible, customizable platform for handling service requests and other processes according to ITIL standards. It enables clear ticket management, automated workflows and transparent communication between IT teams and end users.

Find out how OTRS can make your service request management more efficient.

ServiceNow

ServiceNow is an elaborate cloud-based platform that integrates asset, change and incident management alongside service request management. It helps large enterprises optimize IT processes through AI-supported automation and a self-service portal.

BMC Helix ITSM

An ITSM tool that is based on the Salesforce platform and enables close integration with CRM systems. The cloud-based solution offers scalability and flexibility for companies

Jira Service Management

Atlassian’s Jira Service Management is particularly useful for DevOps. It provides flexible workflows, a strong ticketing system, and easy links to other Atlassian products for better process control.

Remedyforce (BMC)

Remedyforce (BMC) is an ITSM solution based on the Salesforce platform that enables seamless integration with CRM and cloud services. It offers an intuitive user interface and automation capabilities to efficiently manage IT and business workflows.

Important technologies in modern service request management

Importance of self-service portals

Self-service portals play a key role in the transformation of service request management. They provide users with a user friendly way to submit a service request. Requests are standardized for easy input. Entry is supported by intuitive user interfaces and extensive knowledge databases.

The use of AI clearly demonstrates the potential for further development. For example, an AI chatbots can identify problems, suggest the appropriate solution and guide users through the process.

Self-service portals promote autonomy and transparency by giving users the opportunity to work out solutions independently/ They also provide insights into the processing status. They significantly reduce the workload of the service team.

They are becoming increasingly indispensable thanks to their contribution to user satisfaction.

Cloud- and SaaS Solutions

Cloud-based ITSM platforms offer flexibility, scalability and easy integration into existing IT landscapes. SaaS solutions enable companies to implement them quickly without high maintenance costs.

Automation of service requests

AI-supported automation reduces manual intervention and speeds up service processes. Chatbots, automated ticket assignments and machine learning optimize the processing and prioritization of requests.

Automation is a key driver of efficiency in service request management. With the help of workflow technologies and artificial intelligence, we can find and handle routine requests automatically.

This significantly reduces processing times. It frees up employees for more complex, value-added tasks. Automation increases efficiency. It also minimizes human error and creates a scalable basis for future IT services.

By using these tools and technologies, companies can improve how they manage service requests. They can automate processes and enhance service quality over time.

Best practices for service request management

The following are proven practices and strategies for the implementation and operation of successful service request management.

Standardization of service requests and processes

Uniformly defined and documented processes ensure consistent processing of service requests. Classifying requests according to type and priority and defining Service Level Agreements (SLAs) creates transparency and increases efficiency.

Clear distribution of roles and responsibilities

By clearly defining roles and responsibilities within service request management, requests can be processed efficiently. Responsibilities should be clearly assigned throughout the service request process. This helps avoid escalations and allows for a quick solution. This also helps with optimizing resource allocation.

Integrate security and compliance into processes

IT security and compliance requirements are indispensable components of modern service request management. Automated approval processes, role-based access controls and audit-proof documentation ensure that all service requests comply with the applicable regulations and security standards.

By implementing these additional best practices, service providers can optimize their service request management process.

Implementation of a self-service portal

A well-structured self-service portal with an integrated knowledge database reduces the manual workload for IT team members. Users can submit standard queries independently or find solutions to common problems, which significantly reduces processing time.

Automation of workflows

The automation of recurring service requests minimizes sources of error and reduces the workload of IT teams. This is often done through workflow engines or RPA (robotic process automation). Automation enables faster processing and scaling of services.

Continuous monitoring and optimization

Regularly checking KPIs like processing times, SLA compliance, and customer satisfaction helps spot problems early. Continuous improvement of processes should be carried out continuously based on this data to increase efficiency.

Integration with other ITSM processes

Bringing service request management together with ITSM processes like incident, change, and asset management creates a clear ITSM strategy. This improves service coordination, increases quality and supports sustainable IT governance. By using these best practices, service request management can become more efficient. This can increase user satisfaction and improve IT operations over time.

Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

10 Best Practices for Successful Service Management

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:49:42 +0000

10 Best Practices for Successful Service Management

2025-02-25
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, Customer Service

Service management: the importance

Service management is concerned with creating interfaces between a company’s products and its customers. It should focus on the customer. All contact points between the customer and the company must work well. These points should be checked often and improved.

Requirements and goals

You can see how well support services are doing by looking at customer satisfaction. Cases of persistent problems or major customer disappointment are a particular point of focus.

Service management is not just about offering customers services. Rather, it is about taking a comprehensive approach to providing the best possible experience for customers.

Strategic aspects and processes

Companies must first identify the overarching purposes of service management and how these relate to the company’s goals.

The right processes and workflows are also needed to ensure that customers receive fast, reliable, comprehensive and helpful solutions. In IT, for example, this includes tried and tested processes for incident, problem and change management.

Software solutions and analytical aspects

The right software solution can also speed up service delivery, improve work management, and offer customers a quick result. An example of this is automating workflows or offering automated customer service to reduce waiting times and service costs.

Finally, data analysis is also a core area of focus. Companies can obtain and evaluate direct customer feedback as well as examine their own workflows. Data points out many ways to optimize workflows.

Whether service level agreements (SLAs) are being met is particularly important in IT Service Management (ITSM). Certain key performance indicators (KPIs) are also becoming increasingly important for companies. For example, first call resolution (FCR) defines the proportion of support inquiries resolved on the first contact.

Best practices for service management

How companies prepare their service teams can differ a lot. They may have different priorities and goals they want to reach.

Nevertheless, there are some best practices that can generally prove useful.

Best practice #1: Develop a sound strategic direction

If you don’t know the goal, you can’t find the right path. Therefore, the first step is to define a clear service management strategy. This should outlines high level service objectives and related these to business goals. Based on this, it is possible to make an informed judgment about how successfully the current services are working.

Areas in which there is potential for improvement require special dedication in the strategy. This is the case when there is a challenge from either the business or customer perspective.

For example, the support team may help customers with problems. However, they might not explain the product features well enough. As a result, customers have a limited perspective on what’s possible.

This means the company is not taking advantage of up-selling and cross-selling opportunities. It may even risk losing customers who aren’t getting enough value from the offering.

It is important for all key stakeholders to work together on the strategy. They should create sensible and realistic measures. These measures should combine the benefits for the company and the benefits for the customers.

Best practice #2: Set a clear customer focus

The customer should be the top priority for all services. A strategy that company representatives consider useful but does not clearly serve the customer is of little value.

In the best-case scenario, service management corresponds exactly to the needs that customers express. These needs are identified either through direct feedback or indirectly through problems they have experienced. For example, a well-developed knowledge management system can be extremely useful for solving problems.

Customers must also always receive immediate information about issues and maintenance times. Ideally, this transparency should encompass all aspects of customer communication. To ensure that the quality is also right, teams need regular training and access to new developments and trends. This ensures team member growth and awareness.

Best practice #3: Align with standard frameworks such as ITIL

ITIL®️ (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) and other ITSM frameworks provide valuable guidance when it comes to IT service management. Predefined processes, practices, and guidelines help us use our resources well. They also create a strong base for high service quality.

For example, ITSM processes such as service request, incident, problem and change management benefit greatly from applying standards. The ITIL principle of using a configuration management database (CMDB) helps with asset management in many service areas.

The CMDB manages data about hardware and software. It can also contain information on service contracts, customers or service level agreements (SLAs). Regular service reviews for process optimization also pay off.

Best practice #4: Introduce self-service

Self-service gives customers more flexibility and independence. Self-service means that companies offer their customers additional options that are geared towards the reality of their lives. Modern customers no longer want to be dependent on the working hours of the service desk.

An example of providing self-service is when a customer solves a simple application problem by interacting with chatbot from their sofa in the evening.

The self-service options include:

Knowledge databases
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) with short answers
(AI) chatbots
Community forums
Independent bookings and scheduling
Independent creation of product configurations

Best practice #5: Use AI and automation

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense potential for optimizing customer service. The main benefits of AI are greater efficiency, time savings and more accuracy. Machine learning (ML) and the handling of big data also enable detailed analyses and an optimized, personalized service.

Practical applications of AI may include:

Summarizing ticket content,
Defining types of services or
Classify tickets.

Agents also benefit. They may:

Receive suggested answers to inquiries based on data on frequently asked questions,
Use sentiment analysis to understand the customer’s attitude and emotions or
Receive automatic translations.

Workflow automation is frequently used in ITSM too. It saves time, increases productivity and avoids errors. In some cases, process automation makes sense as well.

Best practice #6: Build a knowledge base

Knowledge is key to providing service that customers want. Creating a knowledge base and making it centrally accessible provides external customers with additional and better service options. It also helps internal employees with details about approvals, processes, solutions, and more.

It is important that companies regularly maintain, optimize and supplement knowledge bases. This is because content quickly becomes outdated. Customer requirements also change, especially with constant new developments.

It is also advisable to think about various forms of media. Knowledge content can be perfected and expanded using multimedia, such as videos, in order to maximize its benefits.

Best practice #7: Define KPIs and metrics

What companies want to achieve strategically with the service is an important factor, but it must be measurable. Well-defined KPIs and metrics are needed to measure the achievement of objectives. Doing so provides a baseline for optimizing services in a targeted manner and in line with corporate objectives.

Consider the following as an example:

Company goal: The customer retention rate (CRR) must be increased, i.e. customers should remain loyal to the company.

KPI: To increase customer satisfaction, problems should be solved as quickly as possible.

Metrics: First Call Resolution (FCR; percentage of problems resolved on first contact); Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure customer satisfaction.

Best practice #8: Maintain continuous improvement

Those who do not improve will be overtaken. This explains why continuous improvement is so important. The principle is linked to a cyclical approach in which services are regularly examined, evaluated and optimized.

The Kaizen principle states that change for the better should take place. Those responsible do not have to strictly follow this principle, but it helps to implement improvements. These may be large or small improvements. They can be done on a regular basis in order to offer customers good, helpful and comprehensive service.

Best practice #9: Pay attention to security and compliance

Data security is an absolute necessity in service management. After all, confidential, personal and sensitive data and information must not be leaked. For example, it is important to comply with standards such as ISO 20000, ISO 27001 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

A recovery plan should also be in place for IT emergencies. The best possible incident management can be achieved by using a cyber defense solution.

Regular security checks and precise access management are also a good ideas. These should be done on a day-to-day basis.

Best practice #10: Adapting trends and current developments

The world doesn’t stand still, and customer needs change. Similarly, service offerings shouldn’t always stay the same and should expand as much as possible. This could include new self-service options, AI features or a high degree of personalization.

Trends and current developments include the following:

Use of AI features that expand the range of services and provide low-threshold answers.
Distinctive omnichannel support so that customers can flexibly choose their preferred channels.
Dynamic, multimedia self-service that can be used to solve problems.

Use cases that highlight ITSM best practices

In many cases, companies have succeeded in significantly improving management processes and reducing costs through the consistent implementation of best practices.

Using structured service management and best practices often leads to clear results. These results include shorter processing times, happier customers, and better transparency. For example:

By looking for and improving inefficient service processes, companies can speed up processing times.
By implementing ITSM tools, companies can enhance transparency regarding assets and save money on licensing.
By standardizing and organizing communication, companies offer consistency and efficiency to customers.

Here are a couple of specific customer use cases.

Example #1: SIEVERS-GROUP – standardize processes when supporting multiple departments

SIEVERS-GROUP, an IT system house, faced the challenge of making support more efficient. It wanted to offer its own customers higher quality and optimize service delivery. The aim was to use a central solution for seven different departments. As a prerequisite for this, relevant KPIs first had to be visible and measurable.

With OTRS, SIEVERS-GROUP now has uniform processes for ticket processing throughout the company. Customers experience significantly more transparency and optimized communication. Service quality is measured using the right KPIs.

Additionally, improvements can be quickly made when necessary. As a next step, SIEVERS-GROUP has plans to introduce a configuration management database (CMDB).

Find out more about the SIEVERS-GROUP use case.

Example #2: EMAPTA – incorporate more flexibility and compliance

EMAPTA, a personnel services company based in the Philippines, was frustrated by the lack of structured workflows for service provision. Compliance also needed to be improved in order to achieve ISO/IEC 2000 certification, among other things.

With OTRS as a service management system, EMAPTA now provides significantly higher workflow compliance, greater thoroughness. Customer needs are now better met.

OTRS as a service management solution

OTRS was developed in alignment with these best practices. It can be used in a variety of ways for service management. Teams benefit from fewer errors, optimized service delivery, customizable interfaces and guaranteed security.

Users can use numerous features to optimize their workflows, provide better service and increase customer satisfaction.

Conclusion: Best practices make a decisive difference

Service management means not just offering customers support. It also means taking a holistic view of customer communication and optimizing it as far as possible. Overarching strategic aspects are important here. It is also important to consider how customers perceive the service and the extent to which their requirements are met.

Best practices for service management each deal with important sub-topics. These can also be linked together in a meaningful way. Ideally, this results in improving customer satisfaction.

In most cases it also makes sense to focus on individual practices within the company. Clear KPIs and associated metrics for services should be defined. The path to success often lies in fixed standards, structured workflows and continuous improvements.

In many cases, companies with the right best practices and the right software solution can make the decisive difference in providing sensible and successful service management.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, Customer Service

10 ITSM Best Practices – Delivery Service More Successfully

Bernd Maus — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 11:08:28 +0000

10 ITSM Best Practices – Delivery Service More Successfully

2024-12-17
Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

ITSM and its relevance

IT service management (ITSM) is the basis for the efficient provision and management of IT services. Service provision requirements in both B2B and B2C environments cannot be successfully met without well-positioned IT service management.

ITSM aims to seamlessly adapt IT to business requirements. It maximizes service quality through clear processes, roles and best practices. As a strategic approach, ITSM ensures optimized workflows, improved customer satisfaction and adherence to compliance standards.

Utilizing IT service management frameworks like the information technology infrastructure library ITIL^®️ (ITIL^®️ is a registered trademark of Axelos Limited. All rights reserved.) allows for the focused management of information technology resources effectively. It also helps drive continuous service improvement.

This text highlights 10 ITSM best practices. It shares examples of how ITSM bridges the gap between technology and successfully achieving business goals.

Core concepts and objectives of ITSM

The core concepts of ITSM include standardized processes, service orientation and continuous service improvement. The aim is to provide IT services efficiently, align them with business objectives and ensure their quality. ITSM enables transparency, optimizes resources and promotes the ability to innovate in a dynamic, technology-driven environment.

Today’s demands on IT services require higher standards

In a digitalized world, the demands on IT services are constantly increasing. Higher standards are essential in order to integrate complex technologies, minimize downtimes and meet increasing user expectations. Sophisticated IT service management forms the basis for efficiency, quality, and competitiveness.

Definition and objectives of best practices in ITSM

Best practices in ITSM are proven methods that ensure the efficient provision and management of IT services. They serve to optimize processes, increase service quality and align with strategic business objectives. The aim is to sustainably promote scalability and customer satisfaction.

Best practices in ITSM are crucial for ensuring process standardization, service quality and consistently good service provision. They minimize risks, promote compliance and strengthen collaboration between IT and other departments. Through clear structures and continuous optimization, you create a basis for sustainable corporate success.

10 best practices for successful ITSM

Define ITSM processes and roles

Defining ITSM processes and roles creates transparency, minimizes overlaps in areas of responsibility and ensures accountability. This enables efficient collaboration and promotes compliance with standardized processes. The result is consistent service operation. This is the foundation for successful IT service management.

Establish a culture of continuous service improvement

Continuous improvement in ITSM means regularly analyzing and adapting processes and services. Establish a structured management process that includes:

feedback mechanisms,
audits and
the use of proven frameworks, such as the PDCA cycle,

This will support the adaptation of services to new requirements.

Use KPIs and metrics to measure ITSM performance

Data-based analyzes can be used to identify bottlenecks and weaknesses, monitor progress and make well-founded decisions. This promotes transparency, ensures compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and supports alignment with strategic goals.

Involve stakeholders and promote communication

Involving stakeholders and promoting open communication are crucial to success. Successful teamwork and continuous dialogue ensure that requirements are acknowledged, priorities set, and changes implemented transparently. This strengthens trust and promotes acceptance among all those involved.

Proven change management practices ensure that all necessary steps are taken during implementation. They also identify potential risks at an early stage.

Automate recurring tasks and processes

Automating recurring tasks and processes reduces the workload, minimizes errors and increases efficiency. Automated workflows, such as ticket assignment or notifications, speed up processes and free up time for strategic tasks. Resources are used in an optimized way and good services are offered as a result.

Put know-how to use by adding knowledge management

Effective knowledge management enables systematic access to documented know-how, which speeds up incident management and problem management. It avoids redundant work and improves efficiency. The structured provision of solution-oriented knowledge base articles and best practices provides a clear structure. This helps employees make well-founded decisions more quickly.

Involve data security and compliance teams

Integrating security guidelines and regulatory requirements into ITSM processes protects sensitive data and reduces liability risks. Regular audits, training, and certifications such as ISO 27001 ensure that security and compliance requirements are met seamlessly without compromising service delivery.

Take a user-centered approach

A user-centric approach focuses on the needs and expectations of end users to maximize their satisfaction. Through continuous feedback and customized approaches, service design better aligns with the needs of the customer. This promotes acceptance and leads to better results in less time.

Keep scalability in mind

ITSM structures and the service management tools used should be designed flexibly. This lets the business integrate growing requirements and new technologies. Modular processes, scalable architectures and early resource management ensure smooth expansion and guarantee that service quality is maintained even as complexity increases.

Leverage the right software and technologies

The choice of suitable ITSM software should be based on functionality, integration capabilities and adaptability. Modern ITSM tools support the integration of AI-based applications, data-driven work, automation and seamless collaboration. Future-oriented technology choices ensure that the IT infrastructure meets the requirements of innovation and long-term growth.

Find out how OTRS takes ITSM to a next level and grows with your requirements.

3 examples of ITSM best practices in action

The following examples show practical approaches to the successful implementation of best practices in ITSM. The aim is to highlight industry-specific challenges, strategies, and results.

ITSM process optimization reduces processing time in the telecommunications industry

A leading telecommunications company was faced with the challenge of overcoming inefficient service processes and fragmented workflows. A systematic analysis removed redundant activities, optimized interfaces between teams and introduced a central ticketing system. The use of agile methods and proven ITIL practices sped up incident and problem management. This reduced the average processing time by 35%.

In addition, the introduction of a comprehensive reporting framework led to better traceability and increased transparency. Regular training for employees strengthened acceptance of the new processes, which also allowed them to be routinely improved. The company significantly increased customer satisfaction. It also saved money and secured its position in a highly competitive market

Take Away: Holistic process optimization and a methodical approach to strengthening service quality in ITSM offered distinct improvements in the telecommunications industry.

Financial services company reduces critical outages through automation

A leading financial services company was faced with the challenge of adapting ITSM to increasing service requests and complex processes. By using process automation and artificial intelligence in IT service management, frequent requests were processed automatically. Examples included password resets and access control changes. This allowed IT staff to focus on strategic tasks, while the processing time for routine requests was reduced by 50%.

At the same time, critical outages were significantly reduced. This was through AI-optimized event management, anomaly detection and proactive measures. These technologies were integrated into existing IT systems step by step, accompanied by training for the IT service desk.

Take Away: The combination of automation and innovative technology increased service performance, agility, and resilience in the financial sector.

Service catalog brings structure to the healthcare sector

A large healthcare company implemented ITIL to improve the quality and reliability of its IT services. By introducing structured management of the service catalog, all IT services were clearly defined and prioritized. They were more easily adapted to the needs of doctors, nursing staff and administrative employees.

Emphasis was placed on incident and problem management. With the help of a centralized system for tracking and documenting faults, recurring problems were analyzed and resolved. This significantly increased the availability of critical applications such as patient management systems.

In addition, change management was optimized to ensure smooth updates to medical systems. Training programs on ITIL practices strengthened the technical expertise of employees, enabling the IT team to work better.

Take Away: The targeted use of ITSM frameworks in the sensitive healthcare environment significantly improved service quality and resilience.

AI and automation are gaining in importance

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are changing IT service management. They offer opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce errors and proactively solve problems. They focus on:

identifying suitable service processes,
implementing proven methods for automation tools and
weighing the benefits and challenges

in order to achieve sustainable improvements in ITSM

Identifying processes for automation and AI use cases

The selection of suitable service processes for automation requires data-driven analysis and clear prioritization. Processes with high repetition, that are standardize and which have strategic added value should be prioritized. A careful evaluation of complexity, ROI (return on investment) and dependencies is crucial to ensure that AI and automation will actually improve processes in the long term.

Best practices for the use of AI and automation tools

Successful use of automation tools requires a strategic selection that takes scalability and integration capability into account. Tools should work seamlessly with existing ITSM systems and be adaptable to individual requirements. Regular testing and iterative implementation approaches minimize risks.

The use of AI and automation tools in ITSM requires a combination of technical expertise and clear objectives. Transparent algorithms, regular monitoring and individual adaptation of AI models ensure reliability. In addition, team training promotes acceptance and understanding.

It is advisable to initiate pilot projects in order to minimize risks and gain insights for a scaled introduction. Early involvement of stakeholders is crucial to ensure acceptance and sustainable use.

Benefits and challenges of AI and automation in ITSM

AI and automation offer enormous potential for increasing efficiency and service quality in ITSM. For example, they offer the possibility of proactive error detection and faster processing times. However, challenges exist in the complexity of implementation and ensuring data quality. A balanced approach maximizes benefits and minimizes risks.

Customer focus and user-centricity: the key to success in ITSM

Customer-oriented and user-centric approaches are essential in ITSM in order to increase service quality and meet expectations. Targeted measures to support this include:

customer journey mapping,
self-service solutions and
effective feedback systems.

Strategies and tools that enable a sustainable focus on user needs are key.

Introduction of customer journey mapping for IT services

Customer journey mapping enables a comprehensive analysis of the user experience along all touchpoints with IT services. By visualizing interactions and identifying critical touchpoints, gaps in the service offering can be uncovered and targeted improvements implemented. This creates a user-centric basis for strategic decisions and improves long-term satisfaction.

Implementation of self-service options and knowledge databases

Thanks to self-service portals and knowledge databases, user autonomy increases, and support costs are reduced. Successful implementation requires a user-friendly design, clear structuring and continuous updating of content. The integration of AI-supported search and personalized recommendations speeds up the solution finding process. This increases efficiency, reduces operating costs and improves satisfaction through immediate access to relevant information.

Feedback systems and their role in the continuous improvement of customer service

Feedback systems identify areas for optimizing customer service in ITSM. They enable the collection of user opinions in real time and identify weaknesses and potential for improvement. Effective systems combine automated surveys, tools for analysis and the targeted derivation of activities. Through regular evaluation and integration into decision-making processes, IT services can be proactively adapted to user expectations and sustainably improved.

Challenges for future-proofing ITSM

In the dynamic environment of modern IT landscapes, adaptability is crucial for future-proofing ITSM. Flexibility in process design as well as the ability to respond to disruptive technologies and changing business requirements are essential. Agile thinking, modular tools and continuous process optimization help companies maintain efficiency and innovation. They are better able to meet the increasing expectations of stakeholders.

The ITSM situation today

The rapid pace of technological change and the increasing shift to the cloud present ITSM with complex challenges:

Legacy systems need to be modernized.
Hybrid infrastructures must be managed.
Security requirements need to be met.

At the same time, the integration of new technologies such as containerization or edge computing requires flexible processes. An agile approach and continuous training are essential to meet these requirements.

Agile ITSM, AI and machine learning

AI and machine learning are changing ITSM by enabling automation and personalized service experiences. Predictive analytics can proactively identify system failures, customer sentiment and user requests, while chatbots and virtual assistants optimize interaction with users. These technologies improve error detection and free up support teams, creating resources for strategic tasks.

Fostering an agile culture based on continuous improvement and effective development of the IT staff is crucial to ensuring the ongoing optimization of performance and service quality.

A sustainable ITSM strategy requires constant adaptation to technological developments and changing business requirements. Best practices help to meet these requirements by regularly evaluating processes, integrating innovative technologies — such as AI and machine learning — and working closely with stakeholders.

Bernd Maus

Best Practices, ITSM

IT Solutions: How companies benefit from them

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:11:45 +0000

IT Solutions: How companies benefit from them

2024-12-17
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

What are IT solutions?

“That’s the solution!” is how an IT solution should ideally feel. It should solve an existing problem, lead to process optimization or ensure efficient target achievement.

On the technical side, this includes the following:

software
hardware
data
infrastructure, and
security mechanisms.

On a qualitative level, these factors include:

consulting
integration
support, and
other services, as necessary.

Examples include ERP systems, cloud services, IT security solutions, databases, communication platforms and automation tools.

IT solutions: Definition

An IT solution is a comprehensive approach that goes beyond the mere application of software. It combines components such as hardware, infrastructure, services, integration, support or consulting. It is often individually tailored to a company in order to meet its specific needs.

An IT solution is different from software because it is a complex concept. It may comprise several software products and other elements.

Tobias Kortas

What types of problems are solved?

In the corporate world, there are countless problems and opportunities to use information technology in a meaningful way. It is important that an IT solution brings peace of mind to business owners.

IT solutions: Examples

The following examples use specific categories to illustrate the types of IT solutions available. Each type addresses specific requirements in companies or organizations.

Example #1: Information centralization

These include solutions such as ERP, CRM and HR systems. These are comprehensive, scalable IT solutions that meet the complex requirements of large companies. They integrate various systems and processes, such as financial management, customer relationship management (CRM) or human resources (HR). One of the aims is to manage data centrally and optimize company-wide processes.

Example #2: Data management

Data management solutions help companies organize, store, protect and analyse data effectively and purposefully. In the best case scenario, better decisions can be made based on this and processes can be sensibly revised.

Example #3: Increased IT security

Protecting systems and networks from threats such as hacker attacks or malware is of fundamental importance. The spectrum ranges from firewalls, encryption, analysis and incident identification to comprehensive protection of sensitive company data through an Information Security Management System (ISMS).

Example #4: Communication and collaboration

In the modern corporate world, business has changed. Remote work and large geographical distances are now the norm. Team members must communicate with each other and external parties in a targeted manner.

By using the right communication and collaboration platforms a strong culture is developed. This also improves the quality of collaboration.

Example #5: Automation and AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) and process automation lead to better outputs. For example, companies benefit from AI chatbots for support or use machine learning for better workflows. The list of benefits of artificial intelligence is long. Related solutions should always should always focus on the practical benefits.

Example #6: E-commerce

An e-commerce solution supports companies in setting up and operating online stores. It includes functions such as product management, payment processing, ordering processes and marketing tools. An important goal is to offer customers a seamless shopping experience.

Example #7: Industry-specific solutions

An industry-specific IT solution optimizes processes according to specific requirements. Examples of this include electronic patient records in the healthcare sector or trading systems in the financial sector. In most cases, the aim is to be competitive within one’s own industry or to offer clients a good service.

Application in large companies

Large companies (enterprises) usually have complex IT environments. Each department usually has its own requirements, prerequisites and success metrics.

Needless to say, solutions must cover a wide range of application scenarios. Selected systems must have a wide range of functionalities, be highly scalable and integrate easily.

Examples of enterprise solutions include:

ERP systems – for managing business processes
CRM tools for customer relationship management or
Data analysis solutions such as business intelligence platforms.

Use in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Large companies tend to focus on goals such as process optimization, greater security or staying ahead of the competition. In contrast, small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly focusing on factors such as:

cost savings,
process digitalization and
diving growth.

These require effective solutions that deliver as much performance as possible at the lowest possible cost. They must also be scalable to support the business as it grows.

Typical IT solutions for SMEs may include:

Cloud-based business software such as Microsoft 365,
Collaboration tools such as Slack or Trello, or
CRM systems such as HubSpot.

However, IT security also plays an important role here. And, depending on their model, e-commerce solutions, such as web store services, may be practical.

Customized IT solutions

It’s like clothing: Tailor-made fits best.

IT service providers can develop options that are individually tailored to specific company needs. These are highly beneficial when there are unique business processes for which a standard offering is not sufficient. For example, automation of a unique business process may be developed individually.

Of course, a cost-benefit analysis would reveal whether this is possible. In commercial terms, the ROI must be calculated before such a project begins.

Sometimes, these are created in-house. These can be helpful as an interim answer. This gives room for advance planning that will support the longer-term business goals.

Tip: Since customized solutions also mean a high cost factor, it is advisable to choose an IT solution that can be easily adapted to individual needs and requirements.

Tobias Kortas

What does your business need today?

When investing in a new solution, it should deliver on an overarching benefit. Examples may be better service provision, reliable security or concrete time savings.

Below are some key benefits to consider.

1. Greater efficiency

Companies strive for productive and effective work. They also aim for the best possible results with the least possible effort – efficiency. In concrete terms, optimizing or automating processes can save a lot of time, money and resources. At the same time, optimized processes lead to better results.

2. Increased customer satisfaction

The customer is king. Companies depend on the loyalty of their customers. By using the right tools, processes and training customer satisfaction increases.

An example of using a solution would be improving communication or enabling personalized services and quick responses to inquiries. A self-service portal, for example, can guide customers quickly to the answers they are looking for.

3. Competitive advantage

The right IT solution helps companies gain valuable advantages over the competition. For example, automated processes or targeted workflow management can lead to faster and more cost-effective work. AI and IoT technologies also make it possible to develop new products, services or business models,

4. More security and compliance

The right IT solutions lead to better security in a variety of ways. Examples include data encryption, access controls, backups and restores.

Professional device management – the proper administration of various devices – also provides effective protection against unauthorized access or data loss.

In addition, the right IT solutions support compliance with legal requirements, which is particularly important in highly regulated industries.

5. Better decision-making

IT can pave the way for clarity and documentation of data that drives better decisions.

Data can “nudge” targeted user behavior. Applications such as AI-based summaries can provide a quick overview of complex processes. This means a quick decision about the next step can be made.

Remember: the cost-benefit ratio must be right

IT solutions offer many other solutions too. Examples include an optimized user experience, 24/7 service and cost savings through proven IT solution providers.

But, it is crucial that the cost-benefit ratio is high. Companies should have clarity on how they will benefit from selected solutions. Where this can vary greatly from company to company, steps such as a company-specific selection makes sense.

Solving customer problems

OTRS offers customized IT solutions that can be used for many different purposes across all industries. Through good adaptability, fast implementation and reliable local support OTRS customers solve a vast number of operational problems.

Often addressed areas in which OTRS Group works, include:

Conclusion: Apply technology for success

If you have a problem, you should look for a suitable solution as quickly as possible – and find it. This is no different in IT. The subtle difference is that IT often forms the basis for a company’s success.

It is important to point out the difference between pure software and an IT solution. A solution solves a business problem by using software, services, processes and more.

Users benefit from the focus on finding benefit-oriented answers to their problems. This includes options that improve upon processes and workflows, security and data-driven – decisions.

Find out how you can best benefit from OTRS IT solutions.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

Mobile device management: definition, applications and best practices

Tobias Kortas — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:15:44 +0000

Mobile device management: definition, applications and best practices

2024-11-05
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, Digital Transformation, ITAM

What is device management?

Device management means that people in charge, usually IT administrators, provide, set up, and monitor applications for devices. These devices include desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. They also take steps to prevent issues, like performing updates.

This includes the following areas:

Configuration management: setting up and customizing devices
Security management: enabling adequate protection, for example through updates, firewalls, encryption, or geofencing
Monitoring: monitoring the status and use of the devices
Support: supporting users by providing instructions and resolving problems and incidents
Compliance: ensuring that all devices comply with regulatory and internal guidelines

Definition: Device management

With good device management, companies can run their IT operations smoothly. They can also gain control and security. This allows them to act strategically and use their IT resources effectively.

A device management server often works with an application on the client device. It can also delete contact data and other settings. This is useful for lost or stolen devices, as well as for devices of terminated employees.

Why device management is so important

Device management offers excellent control over an unlimited number of devices. Enterprise mobility management (EMM) professionals save time and reduce stress by having secure, reliable, and up-to-date information. They also benefit from a clear overview of devices. In addition, thanks to remote maintenance, automatic provisioning and zero-touch provisioning, those involved can act from anywhere.

A key factor is that automation reduces downtime and manual effort. This helps both IT teams and their clients. It makes everyday life easier. Tedious processes and time-consuming IT problems become things of the past.

With better device management, organizations save money. They use their devices and applications more effectively. This helps employees use their time more efficiently.

Security benefits

Good device management greatly improves security. Administrators gain better control and can act quickly in emergencies. This helps protect against data loss, malware, and unauthorized access.

In terms of security, teams can:

Respond to security incidents and anomalies in real time
Remotely lock or wipe stolen or lost devices
Enforce password requirements, encryption or device shutdowns
Prevent unauthorized apps and software from being installed
Manage updates centrally to fix vulnerabilities

Mobile Device Management

When discussing device management, people often mention mobile device management (MDM). MDM focuses mainly on mobile applications and devices.

What is mobile device management?

Mobile device management means that IT administrators manage and secure mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones or tablets. Important requirements include the ability to remotely control and configure devices, install applications on them, and lock and secure stolen or lost mobile devices.

Companies generally accomplish mobile device management by using a special device management solution.

MDM software

Those responsible often use special software for mobile device management (MDM). It’s hard to manage many mobile devices in an organization. A dedicated system is almost necessary for this task.

Organizations also use this to save time, improve security, and make the best use of money and resources. MDM solutions should help by giving a clear overview, automating some tasks, and allowing bulk actions.

MDM tools focus on the following activities:

Distributing and managing apps
Monitoring device activities
Implementing restrictions and blocking activities
Determining the locations of mobile devices (geolocation)
Checking installations
Complying with security guidelines

Use cases for mobile device management

There are many industries, organizations and companies for which efficient device management is extremely important. This is even more important when many devices are in use. There are often many applications and information on these devices. A strong need for security also exists.

Scenarios like devices infected with malware or viruses can let hackers access sensitive data. These situations are not just a fantasy. They are all too often a reality.

Tobias Kortas

Here are some striking examples of how companies use mobile device management in a dedicated way.

Example #1: School

A school manages the devices for students and teachers. This includes setting restrictions, using geofencing, and automatically installing updates. For example, the administrator can install or block apps on student tablets used in class. They can also update the devices, limit Internet access, or lock lost devices from a distance.

Example #2: Enterprise

A large company uses device management to optimize its own IT processes and manage numerous implementations simultaneously. One challenge is separating corporate data from personal data on employee-owned devices. Another challenge is enforcing strong security policies on all devices.

Example #3: Government agency

A government agency needs a safe digital space. This space should allow for easy device management and smooth daily operations.

For example, this could mean properly securing all official laptops that hold confidential citizen data. You can do this using a mobile device management solution. This works with encryption, regular updates and patches as well as blocking unauthorized applications

Example #4: University

At a university, lecturers, staff and students use many different devices. With mobile device management, you can efficiently manage all of these aspects, including comprehensive security and usage restrictions. An important task is to make sure students can access academic resources. This includes e-learning platforms and library databases.

Example #5: Medium-sized company

A medium-sized company wants to improve the security of its devices. It also wants to keep them in good condition. Additionally, the company aims to solve any IT problems quickly and effectively. For example, a company might equip its field staff with laptops and smartphones.

Now, companies must install and update apps and software, like CRM or project management tools, on all devices. A dedicated mobile device management solution guarantees that everyone involved can work effectively, securely and conveniently.

BYOD and MDM

The BYOD principle is important in today’s corporate world. This world values flexibility, agility, and different ways of working.

What is BYOD?

The idea of “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) is popular with younger workers. This means they use their own devices for work. It offers a high degree of flexibility and freedom, but also mixes work and private life (work/life blending).

IT administrators face a challenge. Devices not owned by the company are very hard to manage and control. This leads to the need for professional device management that includes both company-owned and employee-owned devices.

A key challenge with BYOD is to clearly separate personal and work data on a device.

How mobile device management supports BYOD

Although BYOD is a challenge for companies, it is by no means a hurdle. Measures can be taken to adequately prepare for this.

It is clear that dedicated mobile device management is the best way forward. This approach helps monitor, control, and manage many devices effectively. This guarantees secure, controlled and legally compliant use of private devices in the corporate environment.

This way, the onboarding of company-owned devices and employees’ personal devices can happen smoothly. Administrators can configure them with the necessary and desired settings while ensuring security at all times.

More security

Device management solutions make it possible to securely integrate personal devices into a company network. This works by using methods like encryption, strong password protection, and remote wipe. Remote wipe deletes data if a device is lost.

Access management

Sophisticated mobile device management makes it possible to effectively control who has access to which company resources. This effectively protects sensitive data and prevents unauthorized access. It also helps to keep track of the device inventory.

Separation of data

A good device management solution keeps professional and personal data separate on a device. This way, you keep company data secure and protect personal data.

Monitoring

IT administrators can monitor activities on private devices used for work. This allows them to intervene quickly if any problems arise.

Compliance

By consistently applying compliance and data protection requirements, private devices also meet the same compliance requirements.

Device management solution: important management features

Device management is a field for which companies usually use a dedicated software solution. It is therefore important to take a closer look at the characteristics that make for an appropriate solution.

The following are the most important functions that a device management solution includes.

Multi-platform device management

This is about mobile application management – distributing, updating and managing software across different platforms. The main benefit is the independence and mobility it offers. Devices can be managed anywhere and anytime. They can also work with different operating systems.

Device monitoring and tracking

Administrators receive real-time information on device statuses, usage patterns and locations. This means they can see everything important at all times. They can also track what is happening with each device.

As a result, they can often access a device remotely and take logical action. For example, admins can block certain apps or update devices with just a click.

Remote support and troubleshooting

Having remote access to devices and being able to initiate the right measures is a huge advantage. It means that IT teams can support the end user quickly and effectively with remote access in the event of problem. This is a big productivity boost, because unresolved IT problems can slow down individual users and whole groups.

Security and compliance

Adequate mobile device management makes everyday life easier and makes the work of IT administrators much more effective. It has a clear and direct impact when things become serious, especially regarding security. If someone steals or loses a device, you can block and delete it remotely. Encryption and the enforcement of passcodes also increase security and compliance.

Zero-touch provisioning

Process automation makes sense in many areas. In this case, software and updates are on an MDM server. This server can automatically or on-demand send updates and installations directly to a device.

Everyone involved has to invest significantly less time and effort. You can carry out configurations with minimal effort.

Find out how OTRS can help you with device management.

Best practices for
device management

Organizations can benefit from device management in many ways. They can save time and money, improve security, and ensure compliance. Device management also helps with scalability.

The best practices mentioned here show how professional device management can be better implemented and its benefits maximized.

Best practice #1:
Use geofencing

Geofencing, or “geographical fence,” lets administrators limit device use based on where they are. If a device is located within a defined area, the system automatically restricts or blocks certain functions.

For example, employees are often only allowed to access sensitive company data within an office building. Access from home or even from abroad is then automatically blocked thanks to geofencing. In schools, this technology ensures that devices are used only for teaching and learning.

Best practice #2: Central administration with

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

The term Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) describes a central platform for managing and securing end devices in an organization. The aim is to simplify IT processes and eliminate security risks.

MDM and UEM solutions help. They enforce uniform rules for devices - regardless of whether they are company-owned or private, or whether they are used in the office or at home.

Tobias Kortas

Best practice #3: Introduce clear BYOD guidelines

If employees want to use their own devices for work, they should link this to clear guidelines. This should requireme them to access internal company data and resources securely.

Here are some examples of guidelines:

Require device enrollment
Clearly separate personal and business data
Implement encryption and password protection
Enable an option to delete company data remotely without affecting personal data

Best practice #4: Maintain an inventory list carefully

Every device that is used in an organization or network should be listed on an inventory list.

The following information is usually included for each device:

User
Device model
Operating system
Serial number
Installed applications

It is important that the relevant information is up-to-date, correct and complete. For example, regular audits can easily guarantee that no unauthorized users or devices are accessing a network.

Best practice #5: Consider the entire life cycle

Devices travel a long way in organizations. Administrators and other stakeholders, provision, implement and monitor devices. However, this is not the end of the story. The life cycle includes procurement to deployment, maintenance, user changes and disposal.

If there are well-defined processes in place, this works well. Devices are always up to date. They do not pose any unnecessary risks – such as unsecured sensitive data. Users do not use them beyond a defined service life.

Best practice #6: Run regular backups

Regular backups are essential, especially when it comes to important company data. Test backups to ensure that you can restore data completely and correctly in an emergency.

Best practice #7: Combine with a ticket system

Combining a highly developed device management system with a ticketing system makes sense in many respects. Users benefit from an all-in-one solution. They can combine areas such as ITSM with efficient device management.

Combining inquiries, problem management, service processes and device management creates excellent control over IT-relevant processes.

Conclusion: The many advantages of efficient
device management

Mobile device management is an area that can play a huge role for companies, organizations and institutions. Sophisticated device management – supported by an adequate software solution – make IT administrators’ day-to-day work easier.

Organizations as a whole also benefit from greater efficiency, functional processes and fewer IT problems. The time savings alone have significant monetary value, not to mention the reduced risks from security gaps.

It is important to take a closer look at this area. Implement a suitable solution and apply best practices. By using it consistently and integrating it into your day-to-day IT work, you will benefit immensely. You will also ensure a high return on investment.

Find out how you can make the most of device management.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, Digital Transformation, ITAM

Containerization: Revolutionizing Software Deployment and Management

Benjamin Müller — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:22:18 +0000

Containerization: Revolutionizing Software Deployment and Management

2024-10-07
Benjamin Müller

Best Practices, Using OTRS

Containerization has emerged as a state-of-the-art technology, transforming how software applications are developed, deployed, and managed. This article explores the concept of containerization, its key differences from virtual machines (VMs), how OTRS is adapting to this technological landscape, and the numerous advantages it offers our customers.

Containerization: An Overview

Containerization encapsulates an application and its dependencies into a single, portable unit known as a container. These containers are isolated from the host system and other containers, ensuring consistency and reproducibility across different environments. Containers share the host OS kernel, making them lightweight and efficient, allowing for rapid deployment and scaling of applications.

Benefits of Containers:

Portability: Containers run consistently across various environments, regardless of the underlying infrastructure.

Isolation: Containers are isolated from each other and the host system, reducing conflicts and ensuring security and stability.

Resource Efficiency: Containers use fewer resources compared to traditional VMs, resulting in faster startup times and reduced overhead.

Environment Security: Containers only include components needed to run the application, reducing potential attack vectors.

Network Security: Fine-grained policies for communication between components enhance security.

Differences Between Containers and Virtual Machines:

Architecture

Containers share the host OS kernel, making them smaller and more efficient.

Resource Utilization

Containers are highly resource-efficient and can be densely packed on a single host.

Deployment Speed

Containers can be spun up and down rapidly, ideal for dynamic, scalable workloads.

Architecture

VMs emulate an entire physical computer, including a full OS, leading to larger resource overhead and slower startup times.

Resource Utilization

VMs consume more resources during startup, making them less suitable for rapid scaling.

Deployment Speed

VMs are heavier in terms of resource usage, as they require a complete OS for each instance, leading to wasted resources and increased infrastructure costs.

OTRS’ Dedication to Containers

At OTRS, we are dedicated to following the containerization trend and are working intensively on enabling the operation of OTRS in a containerized environment. This results in several advantages for our customers:

Consistency: Containers provide a consistent runtime environment, reducing the “it works on my machine” problem and ensuring applications behave the same way across different environments. Because containers provide all required dependencies (like Perl version and CPAN dependencies, NPM modules, database and ElasticSearch requirements and many more) installation and update procedures are greatly simplified and result in reduced operating costs.

Portability: Containers encapsulate an application and its dependencies, making it easy to move applications between different environments, such as test or production systems, and even across different platforms or infrastructure types. For on-premise customers, this means applications can be seamlessly deployed across various data centers or hybrid environments without worrying about hardware or operating system compatibility.

Isolation: Containers are isolated from each other and the host system, enhancing security and stability by preventing conflicts between applications. For on-premise customers, this isolation provides significant security advantages by ensuring that each container operates independently with its own resources, filesystem, and network stack. This reduces the risk of one compromised application affecting others or the host system.

What We Are Currently Working On

We are constantly making necessary changes to OTRS to fully comply with the container philosophy. Key aspects include:

Refraining from Storing Files Locally: We now support the use of the de facto standard protocol “S3” for ticket content and attachments. We are also moving the processing of processes and ACLs from the local file system to a distributed cache using Redis.

Accessing Logs: We are working on enabling centralized access to logs from containerized applications, especially in a horizontally scaled operation.

New SaaS Infrastructure: We are developing a new SaaS infrastructure using Kubernetes to orchestrate containers, ensuring security, isolation, and optimal resource utilization.

What You Can Expect in Upcoming Releases

In upcoming OTRS releases, changes and functionalities will be introduced to make containerized operation fully possible. Each change, such as the introduction of support for S3 as an article backend, can be used immediately and not only with the introduction of containers.

Strategic Outlook towards a Containerized Future

Containerization has revolutionized software development and deployment practices, offering a lightweight, portable, and efficient way to package and run applications. Containers align with modern software development practices, such as DevOps and microservices, and their compatibility with cloud-native architectures has driven their adoption.

Container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes have further accelerated the adoption of containers by providing robust automation and management capabilities. As the technology continues to evolve, containers are likely to play an even more central role in the future of software development and deployment.

Organizations that embrace containerization stand to gain a competitive edge by delivering software faster, more reliably, and with greater efficiency. This is why we are dedicated to introducing containers for the containerized operations of OTRS.

Benjamin Müller

Benjamin Müller is Chief Technical Officer of OTRS AG and responsible for OTRS Solution Management. With his team, he shapes the solution portfolio and researches innovative ideas.

Best Practices, Using OTRS

IT Operations: definition, applications, best practices

Tobias Kortas — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 07:50:14 +0000

IT Operations: definition, applications, best practices

2024-09-27
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

Definition: What is ITOps?

In IT operations, or ITOps, processes and tools are managed. This helps keep the business running smoothly.

The goal is to provide and manage high-quality IT services. These services should be available at all times for both internal and external users.

IT operations must enable companies and their customers to have permanent access to suitable software, cloud solutions, tools and data. It is also responsible for the IT infrastructure, ensuring quick problem solving and high levels of security.

Meaning in ITIL^®

ITOps is a core area in IT Service Management (ITSM) and defined in the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL^®️ is a registered trade mark of Axelos Limited. All rights reserved.). It is responsible for ensuring that the IT infrastructure and supporting services – both in day-to-day business and during maintenance – function without any problems.

In principle, ITOps covers all ITIL processes. For example, it is important to respond quickly and consistently to incidents in ITIL Incident Management. This helps ensure that ongoing operations are not affected. IT Operations is closely paired with Problem Management to determine the underlying causes of incidents.

ITOM and ITSM

ITOM is the abbreviation for IT Operations Management. It oversees the work of ITOps. It manages services and aligns the IT requirements of a company with the work being done. This leads to quality business operations.

Essentially, ITOM should ensure that the IT infrastructure is ready and permanently available. It also keeps an eye on the capacity and performance of the respective resources.

ITSM falls under ITOM and includes other areas, such as continuous improvement, IT strategy and service design. Sub-disciplines, such as change management, are subordinate to this. ITOM is hardly visible to the end user as it focuses on service management behind the scenes.

Background: A key difference of ITOM is that it is proactive. It does not react to reported incidents, problems or change requests alone. Rather, it works proactively to avoid that incidents in the first place.

In contrast, incident management in ITSM does. With ITOM, IT teams notify users about possible problems ahead of time. This is different from ITSM, where users report incidents to the teams.

Connection with DevOps

ITOps and DevOps both aim to run IT systems reliably and efficiently. However, their roles and responsibilities differ. ITOps enables the stable and smooth functioning of the infrastructure. DevOps enables the agile and collaborative provisioning of software applications.

In a modern IT environment, it is advisable that ITOps and DevOps to work closely together. This ensures that all relevant areas are seamlessly covered. Additionally, they can both benefit from automation and the principle of continuous improvement.

ITOps: areas of application

IT operations have an impact on various processes and factors. This section deals with the individual areas to which they relate.

IT infrastructure

IT Operations enables the IT infrastructure to be efficient, secure, stable, available at all times and scalable. It works to prevent service interruptions.

Infrastructure management also ensures better use of resources. It helps follow guidelines, like compliance, and supports new technologies. By automating and standardizing processes, ITOps builds a strong and cost-effective infrastructure. This infrastructure meets the needs of the company.

Networks

ITOps operates and monitors networks. This involves data center management, security and other factors, such as the hardware used. The network infrastructure and its integrity are very important. Communication, network security, and remote access also play key roles.

IT Operations monitors and maintains networks so that they are permanently available without outages.
By sensibly regulating load distribution and managing traffic, ITOps creates good network utilization and speed.
By implementing firewalls, VPNs or intrusion detection systems, ITOps protects networks from attacks.
By adapting networks to increasing requirements, ITOps creates scalability – for example through segmentation and cloud-based solutions.
Rapid responses to network disruptions and root cause analysis help to solve problems and prevent future outages.

Security

IT Operations can prove to be extremely important for security and incident response. For example, by monitoring systems, suspicious activity and threats can be detected at an early stage.

To support this, regular updates and patches can eliminate security gaps. ITOps is also responsible for access controls, encryption techniques and other measures to protect sensitive data. If security incidents have already occurred, incident management restores systems and minimizes damage.

Problem solving

Solving problems adequately is extremely important for IT operations. Ideally, this starts with predicting potential problems and creating opportunities for prevention. Understanding how a specific problem could affect you helps you see how serious it is and how quickly you need to act. If problems do occur, the aim is to respond and recover as quickly as possible.

In general, ITOps should effectively manage ongoing operations as well as possible. This leads to IT weaknesses being handled as well as outages, security incidents and other events being thwarted.

Best practices for IT operations

IT operations should not only function, but also have the best possible impact. After all, it’s about achieving relevant goals, making a difference, and ideally, being efficient in the process.

Analyze and audit data

One thing is certain: Data must form the basis for IT process decisions and business services. Consistent, target-oriented and robust decisions can only be made with accurate data.

This presupposes a number of requirements for data, such as the following:

Accuracy
consistency
comprehensive content
timeliness

On this basis, meaningful measures can be developed to optimize IT operations.

Evaluate solutions

In order to optimize IT operations, the existing IT landscape should be regularly compared with available solutions. A good knowledge base of internal processes on the one hand and suitable solutions on the other are crucial. Of course, a decision can also be made that the existing IT landscape is already completely sufficient.

In order to arrive at an ideal solution, a dedicated comparison is required:

What requirements do the IT processes and the status quo entail?
What are the current ITOM goals? How can they be achieved?
Which specific solutions fit the requirements and objectives?

Align with KPIs

IT should work – that is already clear. It must also support relevant growth in business services. Its operations have long since become a decisive factor in achieving corporate goals.

This means that IT operations acts as a strategic business unit. To fulfill this role, they should establish KPIs that align with corporate level goals.

Introduce automation

Anything that runs automatically saves effort and costs and frees up time for more value-added and innovative activities. More importantly, however, automation reduces errors and prevents the resulting problems.

However, steps such as process automation or workflow automation must be well thought out and require clear work steps. Anyone who automates a process that is not sufficiently good will duplicate errors and produce them again and again.

Check AI implementations

Increased use of AI is not just a trend. It makes perfect sense in many areas. When used correctly, AI leads to fast and satisfactory results, fewer errors and more time for value-added activities.

AI in ITSM is a pioneering area. It promises benefits such as shorter resolution times, better and more flexible service and increased efficiency.

However, IT teams should carefully evaluate which AI and machine learning solutions promise real improvements. They must understand individual use cases and practical applications.

While AI offers many benefits, practical experience and clear goals are what truly matter. These factors help decide which solutions, tools, services, and features make a real difference.

Embrace collaboration

Collaboration has many benefits. They can only achieve a solid overall result if they collaborate closely with each other.

For IT operations, this applies above all to areas such as DevOps or IT security. It also serves as a partner to the business. Teams should collaborate with various operational teams about needs and expectations.

Team members should take responsibility to collaborate frequently.

Design clear documentation

Clearly documenting configurations, processes and changes is a basic requirement. It is crucial that this is also clear and can be viewed and understood by all those involved via a knowledge base. In practice, missteps and mistakes occur too quickly, so a granular approach is needed.

Plan with scalability in mind

The world is constantly changing, and the IT infrastructure is changing as well. What works today may be inadequate tomorrow. Those responsible need to be aware of this and keep an eye on possible future developments. If the company and the associated IT requirements grow, the infrastructure must reflect this.

Engage in proactive monitoring

Problems don’t usually appear out of nowhere. They announce themselves. When people who monitor systems and services are dedicated and organized, they can find problems quickly. This helps them prevent incidents from happening.

The main point is to keep working on this task in real time. They should aim to stop problems from happening before they start.

ITOps and the use of ticket systems

IT operations is a core area in ITSM. It requires a high level of responsibility as well as a pronounced need for organization, structure and an overview.

By covering these requirements, a ticketing system creates efficiency, transparency and traceability. It helps manage areas such as critical processes, problem solutions, service request handling and changes. In short: work is faster and more reliable, which improves the relationship with the business and its customers.

This starts with systematically recording, prioritizing and assigning inquiries and problems. Clear documentation of all processes is very important. It provides a central source of information for key tasks. This includes solving problems and managing changes.

In addition, analyses and statistics integrated into a ticket system can serve to optimize processes. For example, it may bring current or recurring problems to light.

Finally, it improves communication both inside and outside the organization. Users can interact clearly and focus on tasks while staying well-informed.

Conclusion: ITOps – an important pillar for business success

IT operations plays a key role as a core ITSM area. Modern companies are highly dependent on functional and goal-oriented IT. It forms an important pillar of success for companies as a whole.

With many challenges, change requests, detailed security needs, and problems, keeping regular IT operations running is often hard. Aligning IT effectively with KPIs and business goals, introducing meaningful automation and implementing relevant AI complicates the task.

It is therefore clear that those responsible in ITOps have important roles with a high impact. This work needs a clear structure. It can improve a lot with best practices and a good ticket system.

Learn how OTRS can support and optimize your IT operations.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

20 Best Practices for IT-Change-Management

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:42:05 +0000

20 Best Practices for IT-Change-Management

2024-09-18
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

IT change management is a structured approach to handling technology changes. It plays an important role in IT service management (ITSM). In other areas of the company, change management may deal with adaptations to goals, processes or teams as well.

Companies should understand how to start a change management process. The best practices below will help teams improve their processes. These tips are based on others’ experiences, key frameworks, and useful knowledge.

Why is change management important?

Changes to critical IT systems and services can cause serious interruptions and disruptions that might affect users. Suppliers and service providers should avoid this as far as possible.

A thought-out change management process evaluates the potential impact of suggested changes to ensure minimal disruptions.

Of course, dedicated change management is also useful in many other areas, including the following during:

Introduction of new systems and software
Implementation of new processes
Process optimizations
Organizational restructuring
Introduction of new project methods
Adaptation of business strategies
Relaunches and implementation of new marketing channels
Implementation of new communication channels such as AI chatbots

In these areas processes involved can be critical to the business and extremely error-prone. It is therefore obvious that the right best practices make a huge difference in change management. In many cases, success depends on how exactly those responsible initiate, implement and follow up the change processes.

10 ITIL^®-Related Change Management Best Practices

The following best practices are aligned with the ITIL (ITIL^®️ ist ein eingetragenes Warenzeichen von Axelos Limited. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.) framework and are particularly relevant for ITSM teams. They could also be adapted for other areas. Changes to IT services and infrastructures should be systematic and structured in order to be successful and minimize risk.

The practices mentioned here can be modified, revised and expanded upon based on your business. (More on this in the following section.)

Practice #1: Develop a format for change requests (RFC)

Every change should begin with a Request for Change (RFC). It should include all relevant information, such as the change’s benefits, risks, implementation details and a rollback plan.

Practice #2: Set up a Change Advisory Board (CAB)

Establish a team of key stakeholders who evaluate, prioritize and approve upcoming changes. An Emergency CAB (ECAB) can be established for urgent cases. The CAB should have an established approval process in place for determining if a change should be implemented.

Practice #3: Categorize upcoming changes

Assign upcoming changes to categories. This makes it easier to have a quick overview of how important and urgent they are. The following classification can be useful:

Standard changes have been approved in advance, are often recurring and carry only a low risk.
Normal changes require formal approval.
Emergency changes. These should be carried out as quickly as possible to resolve critical problems – faster approval is used.

Practice #4: Clearly define roles and responsibilities

Managing change typically requires a:

Change Manager – person who oversees the entire process
Change Requester – person who asks for the change
Change Implementer – person who ensures that changes are implemented

It’s not necessary to keep these titles and breakdown of responsibility. What is important is for clear responsibilities to be defined so that change processes run in a structured and effective manner.

Practice #5: Conduct risk assessments

Changes are always associated with risks – sometimes these are smaller and sometimes larger. Question how the change may negatively impact:

operations,
processes and workflows
security
compliance
data protection
employees
other technology, or
customers

Ideally, stakeholders should be aware of these risks at the onset and take steps to mitigate them when possible.

Practice #6: Ensure effective communication

Regularly discuss changes with stakeholders to promote the positive aspects of the change and increase its acceptance. This also helps people and teams prepare themselves for the upcoming change. In most cases, basic information on planned changes, status and potential problems are sufficient.

Practice #7: Conduct testing

Before making a change, test the technology and its implementation methods, especially in critical environments and processes. Do so in a safe environment such as a test system.

Practice #8: Conduct and document audits

Change management processes should be documented so that they can be analyzed. This ensures compliance. Regular audits check how effective the processes are and identify potential areas for improvement.

Practice #9: Schedule a change review

Change management does not end with the implementation of a change. Rather, in the post-implementation review (PIR), change managers ensure that changes are successful. They evaluate results and check for errors.

Practice #10: Continuously improve technology and processes

Changes that have been made become part of an ongoing process and thus become routine. To ensure long term success, teams should subject them to continuous improvement.

10 Best Practices – Independent of ITIL

While ITIL forms an excellent basis for IT change management, the framework simply offers recommendations. To improve your change management and set yourself apart from the competition, go beyond ITIL. Consider these additional best practices in addition to the framework.

Practice #1: Consider ITIL as a guideline

To use the ITIL framework profitably, don’t try to follow it strictly. Rather, align your teams around precisely those points that prove helpful for in your company. ITIL is simply a stable foundation on which ITSM teams can build.

“It seems strange: But a good practice can be to throw good practices overboard and replace them with more suitable ones.”

Tobias Kortas

Practice #2: Communicate change goals and benefits

Why is a change necessary at all? Too often, teams only have a basic understanding of this. Instead, the background should be clear.

For example, a team requests a change to implement granular authorization management in the software, because certain customers have problems with their compliance requirements. The customers are threatening to leave.

The benefit for the company would be to avoid current customer churn as well as offer prospective customers an additional advantage. Stakeholders should understand this.

Practice #3: Get communication teams involved

Marketing, PR, and internal communications should know about important changes. This way, all communication channels can be used effectively.

The knowledge manager is also a key communicator. They can be made easier for people to adapt to the change by keeping documentation in a knowledge base.

Practice #4: Remember project management

Implementing change management is only one step towards making changes successful. Project management should be considered to keep tabs on the timeline and budget of the pending change.

Practice #5: Redefine the CAB’s scope

The ITIL Change Advisory Board (CAB) is a helpful approach. However, it can make changes more complicated and slow them down. Experienced teams, in particular, should be able to work agilely, quickly and flexibly.

This can be achieved by only requiring approvals for risky changes. In this way, the CAB supports teams strategically.

Bonus tip: Checklists, automation and peer reviews are quick alternatives to engaging the CAB on smaller changes.

Practice #6: Weigh individual risk tolerance

Making a decision based on risks depends on how much a team or company can handle those risks. The higher the risk tolerance, the more proactively and freely extensive changes can be made. Discuss this with management and leadership teams.

Practice #7: Track data to improve long-term decision

Ongoing adjustments and iterations will be needed until the desired result is achieved. Collecting data, like the effects of a new implementation or customer feedback, helps teams improve change management over time.

Practice #8: Automate change processes

There are definitely some change processes for which automation makes sense. Standard and routine changes are particularly suitable for this. With the right software, teams can work together better. This helps them save time and effort.

It is a good idea to automate processes that are already efficient and well-developed. These processes are easier to repeat and have fewer errors.

Practice #9: Celebrate successes

Successes do not happen by chance. Celebrating them can increase productivity and motivation immensely.

This does not mean that managers have to call one celebration after another. However, the employees involved in change management should experience appreciation and recognition. This will make them feel better and be more motivated to perform, making overall projects much more likely to succeed.

“Celebrating successes creates a good basis for further - sometimes even greater - successes.”

Tobias Kortas

Practice #10: Evaluate long-term impacts

Many change projects fail because they are too short-term. The long-term consequences and the wider context often remain unclear. After all, it is a considerable challenge to recognize these, assess them, and keep an eye on them in the long term.

However, if these are known at an early stage, teams can act with foresight and anticipate the subsequent effects. The best situation is when we know as many factors as possible. Changes should focus on long-term effects. This includes both the change project itself and its context.

Conclusion: Best Practices Pave the Way for Good Changes

Change for the better: This is the epitome of the Japanese Kaizen method for process optimization and the aim behind so many management initiatives. Clearly planned changes in ITSM and other areas help businesses achieve this goal.

The right practices and methods are of immense value to teams. They can bring quality to change management and optimize it sustainably.

In any case, best practices offer more guidance than fixed rules. They provide valuable assistance in identifying the most promising procedures. How companies, teams or individual employees proceed is, however, almost always an individual matter.

Seeking to automate change management practices? Learn how OTRS can support your change management team today.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

IT Service Catalog: Definition, Benefits and Best Practices

Tobias Kortas — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:51:14 +0000

IT Service Catalog: Definition, Benefits and Best Practices

2024-09-11
Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

The world of IT services is complex. Numerous services are available in the modern corporate world. A catalog identifies these and provides users with an overview about what’s possible. This article provides an overview of the service catalog and how it may be structured.

What is an IT service catalog?

A service catalog can be compared to a menu in a restaurant: Customers or end users are given a clear and organized overview of which IT services, hardware options, and software options they can take advantage. It is a central directory of all available IT services.

The IT service catalog serves an important instrument of communication between the IT department and the end users. It offers transparency about offered services.

It also highlights what information and steps are needed to obtain each service. This improves overall efficiency because service requests are standardized.

Background: The IT service catalog has its origins in Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL^®️). (ITIL^®️ is a registered trade mark of Axelos Limited. All rights reserved.); it was officially introduced as best practice in ITIL V3.

What is the difference between an IT service catalog and a self-service portal?

In IT Service Management (ITSM), the self-service portal and the ITIL service catalog both play a role, albeit a slightly different one in each case.

Where a service catalog provides information about available IT services, a self-service portal allows users to request services directly, find answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and obtain further information.

In short, the catalog is informative, providing structure and definition. The portal is interactive. It empowers employees to take advantage of the IT services offered by an organization.

What Should Be Included in an IT Service Catalog?

Think of the menu again: It outlines dishes, ingredients, and the price. A service catalog is just a little more extensive than a menu card.

If you are building an IT service catalog, consider the following as part of the structure:

Overview

Name – preferably according to an established and intuitive nomenclature
Brief description of the service
Category, such as network, application or security services

Description of the service – What does the service include?

Target group – specific departments, end users, external customers, etc.
Benefits and purpose for each service
Requirements for successful implementation
Limits of the service – What does the service not (or no longer) cover?

Scope and availability

Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Response and resolution time
Performance indicators (KPIs), if applicable – How is performance measured?
Availability – usually a percentage for a guarantee (e.g. 98%)

Terms of use

Access – Who may use the service? / How is access regulated
Technical requirements and organizational prerequisites

Provider

Responsible persons and contact persons
Ordering – What is the procedure?
Support information – What is the best way to contact the service desk? How can the helpdesk and escalation procedures be used?
Which processes need to be run through?

Costs and billing

Pricing model – How are the costs and fees broken down?
Billing details – How is billing carried out

Depending on the requirements, there may be additional points. In some cases, information on:

security and compliance,
relevant processes,
supporting services, or
the expiration date of services may be important.

A service catalog should leave as few questions as possible unanswered so that users are fully informed and only need to contact the right person if they have unusual questions.

IT Service Catalog Benefits

A user friendly IT service catalog is essential for managing IT more effectively and providing better service. Both providers and end users benefit greatly.

These are the key benefits of an IT service catalog:

Benefit #1 – Clear and organized overview

An IT service catalog clarifies exactly which services are available. This means that everyone involved knows what’s offered and how to use the existing services. All users receive standardized information so that there are no misunderstandings or communication problems.

Benefit #2 – More efficient use

By documenting IT services centrally, there are fewer redundant inquiries or unnecessary deployments. Users select the appropriate services and don’t waste resources. Service delivery is improved as service request management can be standardized and even automated to a certain extent.

Benefit #3 – Optimized service quality

Clear service level agreements (SLAs) define exactly what users can expect and what the IT department is obliged to do. SLAs also make it easier to monitor and control performance and quality. All this increases service quality as it provides structure and clarity.

Benefit #4 – More budget control

The catalog provides information on the costs of individual IT services so that users can plan their budgets realistically and with foresight. On the other hand, providers can better analyze demand and optimize their service portfolios accordingly.

Benefit #5 – Higher customer satisfaction

The principle is simple: if users can learn about IT services quickly and easily, their satisfaction increases. It also sets clear expectations so that there is no dissatisfaction caused by misunderstanding.

Benefit #6 – IT strategy and governance

With a catalog, IT services can be better aligned with goals – simply through transparency and clarity. Service catalog management helps enable IT governance.

Benefit #7 – Good communication of innovations

Providers can easily integrate new services into the existing catalog, making it easier for them to implement new technologies and services. Users are also more likely to adopt them because they can clearly understand the benefits.

Best Practices for Creating an IT Service Catalog

Implementing and maintaining an IT service catalog requires a strategic approach. Here are some best practices for creating and managing an IT service catalog:

Involve stakeholders

Encourage users to provide qualified input. Constantly communicate with users (employees, customers, etc.) during the creation of a service catalog and incorporate their feedback. Even the finished catalog can be subject to continuous improvement based on surveys or stakeholder meetings.

Start with the most popular services

This much-quoted principle applies to the content of service catalogs. Companies should start with IT services that are in high demand, such as incident management. In this way, users quickly understand the value of the catalog. Additional services can then be added to the catalog.

Describe services clearly and precisely

It may seem trivial, but good descriptions are extremely important. Don’t let details get lost in or essential information missed. For example, the purpose and benefits of the service in question should be stated first. It is also important to explain exactly what it does and does not include.

“Intuitive navigation is key: users need to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible.”

Incorporate restrictions

People need different IT services depending on their role, position, department and other requirements. Show services dynamically based on role. This significantly improves the overview and user experience and prevents confusion.

Integrate the catalog into ITSM software

IT service catalogs can be perfectly integrated into IT service management (ITSM) software. This creates seamless processes and workflows for agents and end users. Process automation is also recommended to effectively manage orders, provisioning, approvals and more.

Prioritize user-friendliness

The user interface is extremely important: the catalog should be intuitive to use, including easy navigation and clear menus. Visual elements such as icons and diagrams can help. As a general rule, if something is not easy to use, users will quickly put it aside.

Make it easily accessible – even on mobile devices

The catalog should be easily accessible, such as through a self-service portal. Also, consider mobile access. This is crucial so that users can access the catalog from anywhere.

Offer training

No one should simply present users with an IT service catalog and expect them to be able to use it on their own. Basic training is important. In many cases, short videos and instructions added to a knowledge base or FAQs are sufficient. The important thing is that users are informed and know how to use the catalog.

Conclusion: IT Service Catalog – An Important Tool

An IT service catalog is an important tool – especially for complex and multi-layered IT services. It is of great importance for IT service management. Ideally, it provides users with transparent and clear information, resulting in a noticeable improvement in service quality. Providers also have more control over their IT strategy, can communicate more effectively and enjoy greater customer satisfaction.

The overview helps everyone understand the scope of services, service level agreements, terms of use, responsible parties, contact persons and information on costs and billing.

When creating an overview, it is advisable to involve stakeholders immediately, start with the most popular services and focus on clear and precise descriptions. User-friendliness and easy access – including mobile access – are of great importance. Integrating the catalog into ITSM software and offering users training on how to use the IT service catalog are also important.

Learn how OTRS can support you with ITSM and an IT service catalog.

Tobias Kortas

Best Practices, ITSM

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