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Starting a new business can bring a lot of excitement, but managing services may not be a top priority especially in, ITIL for Startups and SMBs. On the other hand, if you’re an established small or medium-sized business, you may believe that comprehensive IT service management is only applicable to large corporations
Don’t get caught in these mistakes.
Establishing effective service management practices increases your likelihood of having a thriving business in the long run. By putting in place a structure to guide service delivery at the outset, you can cultivate a culture that:
- Providing excellent service to customers
- Delivering business value to shareholders
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Reputation depends on service management
A business’s success or failure depends on its reputation. The foundation for this reputation is based on how the company interacts with and handles customer interactions.
Many startups fall short of reaching their full potential, not due to poor product quality or insufficient funding, but rather an inadequate customer service. Service management offers a structure that helps to meet and exceed customer expectations, thereby building a strong customer base.
However, many organizations, regardless of their size, often argue that “customer service is not our primary focus.” If that’s the case, what measures do you need to implement in order to deliver exceptional service to your customers? Both small businesses and startups understand the immense value of each and every customer.
The ITIL for Startups and SMBs framework for service management
ITIL is the most widely adopted framework for service management, and it is currently in its fourth version with a clear emphasis on delivering business value. Startups should consider incorporating a plan to implement the parts of the framework that are most relevant to their needs into their business planning phase, even before they begin serving customers.
Implementing service management practices after a production error leads to the delivery of thousands of defective products to your customers is too late. Most startups encounter mistakes and setbacks along the way, and how you handle these incidents will determine whether you join the few successful startups or become just another failure in a competitive market that demands excellence.
For small and medium-sized businesses, the situation might be different. Despite overcoming challenges, you may not be entirely satisfied with the level of service delivery and customer experience.
Fortunately, you can leverage your existing knowledge and experience to use ITIL as a tool for transforming service management at any time.
ITIL 4 practices for ITI SMBs and Startups
The ITIL 4 framework can be overwhelming when viewed for the first time, so where is the best place to begin?
Adopt a “less is more” approach
ITIL’s advice is to take a “less is more” approach when implementing the framework. Assess your business model and products, and determine the areas in the supply chain where you are most likely to encounter difficulties. Then, carefully review the framework and select the practices that are most likely to mitigate or resolve the potential challenges you may face.
Start with customer-facing practices
Focusing on customer-facing practices is likely to provide the most significant benefits. Consider starting with the practices that make up this aspect of the framework, such as incident management and service request management.
To establish these practices, it’s crucial to communicate with your customers and provide them with a clear point of contact for obtaining the assistance and information they need. The most effective way to do this is to set up a service desk function.
Enable change and agility
In the startup world, two auxiliary practices that are likely to bring substantial benefits are:
Combining these with incident management and request management will result in:
- The necessary interaction with your customers.
- The flexibility required to swiftly identify issues and initiate the necessary modifications to resolve them.
ITIL and service management, in general, can be the deciding factor between success and failure for a company by establishing a clear, well-defined process with designated responsibilities. This ensures that the appropriate individuals will focus on resolving customer problems and maintaining their satisfaction, freeing up others to concentrate on growing the business.
Don’t go overboard
When determining the level of service management you need to implement in your start-up or small company, it’s important to remember the phrase “rigor without rigmarole.” This means having a structured process in place without getting bogged down by excessive bureaucracy.
The key is to strike the perfect balance with service management in your start-up or small company. You want to implement enough processes to guide how your operational and product teams manage launched products, but not too much that it slows down their ability to adapt or grow to meet market demands.
Bring in an expert
It is advisable to bring in some service management expertise, even temporarily, if your team does not have it. Properly executing this aspect of the service value chain will significantly impact your success in the long run.
Service management tools for ITIL for Startups and SMBs
Is it necessary to invest in a service management toolset for successful implementation? While some might argue that a toolset is not essential for effective service management, a purist would suggest that good service management practices can be achieved without one.
However, in actuality, it will be a smoother journey if you begin with a scalable IT service management (ITSM) tool that can grow with your business. The appropriate tool will enable you to automate numerous procedures, reducing room for error and guaranteeing that customer concerns and requests are not lost during the hectic period after new product or service releases.
Investing in a toolset based on ITIL can provide the advantage of previous experiences and lessons learned. Such tools have been refined and improved through the use of numerous service management professionals, offering a wealth of knowledge that can allow you to quickly establish effective service management systems.
The time is now
Developing your service management skills is never too late. You’re in the proper place if you’re completely new to it. Even if you have overlooked this crucial business function, you can simply set up a working front entrance that faces customers.