Improving the planning, delivery, and management of IT services has become a major challenge for organizations. Business expectations evolve fast, technological advancements occur constantly, and companies are under continuous pressure to improve service quality while minimizing costs and using resources efficiently. This leads to an important question: What can organizations do to strengthen IT service delivery?
Numerous essential principles should be followed in order to create a strong and effective IT service management (ITSM) environment:
The IT department’s structure, processes, and service offerings must align with the company’s overall planned direction. Without this alignment, IT cannot deliver significant value or respond efficiently to evolving business demands.
IT services should be established and managed in line with clearly defined business requirements. Understanding user expectations, workflows, and service performance indicators is fundamental to delivering services that constantly provide value.
Even with strong technology, well-designed infrastructure, and capable staff, service improvements cannot be fully understood without cultural willingness. Both leadership and employees must be willing to accept change, adopt new ways of working, and commit to continuing improvement. Without cultural change, even the greatest IT solutions will fall short of business expectations.
ISO/IEC 20000 and ITIL are among the most widely used IT service management frameworks.
While both provide substantial benefits, they serve different purposes.
ITIL is a framework that presents best practices for IT service management. It includes guidance on several processes and functions, highlighting adaptability and continuous improvement. Organizations can choose which processes to implement based on their needs. ITIL certifications are focused on individuals and demonstrate personal expertise in ITSM best practices.
ISO/IEC 20000 is an internationally recognized standard for IT service management. The standard provides a structured, auditable system for managing IT services. Certification is granted by accredited bodies such as PECB.
Many organizations use ITIL as a practical foundation as they pursue ISO/IEC 20000 certification to formalize and validate their ITSM practices.
There is no single ITSM model that works for every organization. The ideal model depends on your business environment, strategic goals, resource capabilities, and operational needs. Two widely implemented models include:
In this method, the organization owns and manages its entire IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, and systems.
Advantages:
Considerations:
In this model, ITSM platforms are delivered through external vendors using subscription-based services.
Advantages:
When selecting the most appropriate ITSM model, organizations should assess:
Selecting the right IT service management method requires a complete understanding of your organization’s goals, capabilities, and long-term vision. Whether you choose an on-premises model for maximum control or a SaaS-based solution for flexibility and cost efficiency, the objective remains the same: delivering trustworthy, high-quality IT services that improve business performance and meet user expectations. By aligning IT and business strategies, designing services that accurately reflect user needs, and promoting a culture of ongoing improvement, organizations can build a strong and adaptable ITSM framework that keeps pace with rapid technological and operational changes.
PECB can help you and your organization elevate your IT service management practices through globally recognized training, certification programs, auditing services, and expert-designed learning materials and guidance that assist you in interpreting and applying ISO/IEC 20000 requirements.
As an accredited certification body, PECB provides:
Comprehensive training courses tailored for IT professionals and service managers seeking to develop, implement, or maintain an ISO/IEC 20000-compliant ITSM system aligned with leading industry practices.
ISO/IEC 20000 Certification Schemes:
About the Author
Vesa Hyseni is a Senior Content and Campaigns Specialist at PECB. She is responsible for creating up-to-date content, conducting market research, and providing insights about ISO standards. For any questions, feel free to reach out to her at support@pecb.com.
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