Seven Steps
for Success
The right way to implement a new
IT Service Management (ITSM) tool
Thoughts from Barclay Rae for Cherwell Software
Hurray! We’ve selected a new tool. Job done.
It’s easy to think that after a long selection and
procurement process, the job of implementing
an IT Service Management tool is done or
nearly done.
This is far from the truth.
This is where the project starts and where you
need to make it work.
A tool won’t deliver
improved service quality,
but the right vendor
might help you
achieve it.
(Think partnership
not product.)
Vendors &
Implementers
Be clear.
What does your customer want from this project?
How will you manage this? How will you set and achieve expectations?
Focus on
your customer’s business goals
. Don’t simply take instruction
from staff who may have their own requirements or needs that don’t
fit the business goals.
Demonstrate quality and integrity
in what you propose. “This is realistic
and achievable, and we fully understand your requirements.”
Deliver knowledge and expertise.
Don’t expect your customer
to specify everything exactly as he or she expects to see it.
Act in a consultative role.
Show your customer simple solutions,
and point out gaps where decisions need to be made.
Buyers
Leverage
your knowledge and value
during the implementation process.
Be clear on
your business objectives
.
•
What measurable improvements or capability will the tool bring?
•
How will success be measured and communicated?
•
How will we work with the vendor?
The vendor and its approach is equal to the tool and its functionality.
•
Are they a good fit for our organisation?
•
Do they understand our needs and goals?
•
Can we work with them and their team?
Both Parties
Work together to help and
support each other.
Fill in the gaps where actions
and/or resources are missing.
Engage in a spirit of
mutual engagement
and teamwork.
Stop.
Sorry for the interruption.
We’d like to share an example about teamwork and partnership.
At the 2013 UCISA Support Services Conference, Cherwell customer Nici Cooper from
the University of Wolverhampton likened Service Desk tool selection to dating. Yes, dating.
Nici and Cherwell’s Peter Andrew shared some of their key, teamwork ‘lessons learned’:
collaboration, honesty, long-term view. Exactly what you
would expect when describing a positive partnership.
Yes, a partnership can exist between a vendor and a customer.
Cherwell and the University of Wolverhampton learn
from each other, grow together and share and celebrate
each other’s achievements.
Good
project management
and
open, collaborative
teamwork
will determine success more
than technical capability or
ITSM/ITIL process adherence.
The real
challenge
Risk Management
– the biggest area missing
from ITSM projects.
Look at each other’s resources, capabilities,
skills, people, etc. Make an assessment of the
level of risk associated with the engagement.
Make contingency plans to avoid
disappointments.
Time and attention paid to project
management and governance helps
to ensure success.
Welcome to
ITSM Goodness
Vendors
• Engage across the customer organisation • Solve the customer’s problems
• Encourage customer engagement • Demonstrate understanding of issues • Risk assessment/culture fit?
Clients
• Arrange 1-2-1 meetings on improvements • Let them use their own words
• Keep the meetings short
• Ask them about specifics – date, times, key people • Get out and observe
• Risk assessment/culture fit?
Engage and listen to customers
It’s difficult to challenge
someone’s authority, but this is
where relationships are key.
You need to be able to openly raise
issues across both organisations.
Engage and
Listen to
Customers
Vendors
• Support a Service First approach
• Provide guidance and practical learning
• Be clear on project logistics, structure, people, roles, responsibilities
• Promote engagement at all levels • Use your emotional Intelligence
Clients
• Build and visualise a simple view of services
• Organise into a relevant, useful structure hierarchy • Start to populate the services with information
• Use this as the data store for other service documentation • Think outputs/metrics
Build a structure of services
based on business outcomes
It’s a massive bonus to any vendor,
regardless of how good its
technology is, to have good people
in place committed to delivering
business outcomes.
A Service Desk should
not just be a token gesture
staffed with friendly people.
Your Service Desk is the
flagship for all of IT –
support it.
Engage and
Listen to
Customers
Vendors
• Nudge to ensure the Service Desk is fully involved • Spend time on the ground to build trust and quality • Show the Service Desk the bigger picture
Clients
• Get in control of statistics and motivation • Get the department on side and get authority • Make tools and processes work for you
• Build a Service Desk code of conduct • Make it an aspirational place to work • Be clear on basic rules and goals
• Know your stats, but keep an eye on the bigger picture
Build a structure
of services based
on business outcomes
Invest in the
Service Desk
Problem Management
– the dark horse no one
does terribly well or
consistently well across
the industry.
Get Problem Management working
Engage and
Listen to
Customers
Build a structure
of services based
on business outcomes
Invest in the
Service Desk
Vendors• Encourage to ensure this gets done and built in • Challenge customers on approach
• Engage at senior levels • Show how it works
Clients
• Successful problem management will start to turn things around • Think role and person more than process
• Top 10 department problems – what are yours? • Visibility helps to find solutions
• Too often seen as administrative
• Analysis should lead to ‘how to resolve’ • Needs clout and strong communications/ project managment skills
Get Problem
Management
Working
Engage and
Listen to
Customers
Build a structure
of services based
on business outcomes
Invest in the
Service Desk
Vendors• Clearly explain potential or inputs/outputs
• Take initiative to produce reports the customer wants • Hand over report writing skills
• Show value across stakeholders • Engage at senior levels
Clients
• Use the service structure and business input to drive reporting
• Get a single page RAG view and work backwards • Give teams and individuals the right information
for them
• Establish a variety of regular reporting views and outputs
• Don’t give your customers stuff just about what you do • Keep checking and reviewing for relevance
Report on useful stuff
We overcomplicate things –
present in a way people understand.
Simplify and clarify the basics
of what we’re doing. Our challenge is:
How can we simplify and make it work?
It’s not just about the Service Desk.
Everyone has a part to play,
and this needs to be made clear
and managed with governance.
Get Problem
Management
Working
Engage and
Listen to
Customers
Build a structure
of services based
on business outcomes
Invest in the
Service Desk
Report on
useful stuff
Vendors• External perspective and influence
• Clients need your help to inform, train, argue, engage
• Clarity on resources and technical info/data needed • Ownership
• Emotional Intelligence
Clients
• It’s not just the Service Desk
• It’s not just about process – governance is key • Processes, RACI, etc., must be end-to-end • Use reporting to highlight issues across teams • Establish common goals and visions
• Iron fist, velvet glove –
management and common sense • Ownership, Ownership, Ownership
Success needs to be
communicated and marketed.
We’ve done a good job!
Get Problem
Management
Working
Engage and
Listen to
Customers
Build a structure
of services based
on business outcomes
Invest in the
Service Desk
Report on
useful stuff
Vendors• Use marketing resources to drive customer approach
• Clients need your help to explain, simplify, visualise • Joint approach – shared success
Clients
• Define and promote success
• Establish and communicate good stories • Simplify and visualise
• Think of the audience you are communicating to • Produce glossy and fun versions of the message • Check the message is being heard
• Communicate success and value • Keep on doing this
Get all of IT
working together
One...
One
plan
One
set of objectives
One
steering group
One
set of success criteria
One
team
One
approach
One customer/sponsor
Two...
Two
risk assessments
Two
groups of resources
Two
different cultures
Two
organisations with communication needs
Final thoughts
to ponder
Everyone in the IT organisation should spend time on
the Service Desk. When the CIO does, things change.
Customers see servers as waiters and architecture
as buildings – we don’t speak the same language
as our customers.
About
Barclay Rae
Barclay Rae is an experienced ITSM mentor and business manager. During the past 25 years,
he has worked on approximately 500 ITSM projects.
Barclay started his professional life on the operations side of IT, setting up and running Help/
Service Desks. Since then, he has worked for a number of ITSM organisations and was the
MD of e2e Customer Services for 10 years up until 2004.
Barclay is the writer and presenter of ITSMTV, including the ‘Service Desk Inspector’
series. He also participates in the ‘ITSM Rest of the World’ weekly podcast.
www.barclayrae.com www.ITSMGoodness.com [email protected]
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/barclayrae
