Companies must deliver a growing range of IT services to end users as business activities turn digital. A seamless and reliable experience is essential for retaining employees, partners, and customers. This is where IT service delivery comes in.
What Is IT Service Delivery?
IT service delivery is a mechanism that allows an organization to provide end users access to its IT services through designing, developing, and deploying technical resources (e.g., accessing applications and providing data storage.)
A service-level agreement (SLA) establishes key performance indicators (KPIs), allowing a company to gauge the effectiveness of IT service delivery provided by an internal department or a third-party vendor.
An IT service delivery framework includes three components: service design, service transition, and service operation. These processes involve many tools, including:
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A help/service desk application
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A service catalog
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An issue management tool
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A configuration management database
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A workflow management software
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A performance and log monitoring application
Who Can Benefit From IT Service Delivery?
Organizations that have to deploy complex software or hardware, meet diverse compliance and business requirements, handle dynamic IT configurations, maintain high uptime, and meet demanding user expectations can benefit most from a formalized IT service delivery system.
IT service delivery also helps companies, especially those in highly regulated industries, to prevent shadow IT, where employees use unapproved software to handle sensitive data and put the business at risk of violating data privacy regulations.
Examples of IT Service Delivery
IT service delivery ensures the effective and high-quality provision of IT services to end users based on roles and permissions. Here are some examples:
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New user account provision (e.g., email, storage)
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Credential and password reset
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New hardware request (e.g., laptop, smartphone)
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End-user equipment repair (e.g., printer)
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New software or cloud service package implementation
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Storage resources request
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Ongoing maintenance of hardware, software, cloud services, etc.
The Benefits of Partnering with IT Service Delivery Experts
The high demands and user expectations mean that internal IT teams are under more pressure as they perform IT service delivery on top of their other responsibilities — resulting in long lead times, a frustrating end-user experience, a damaged reputation, and low team morale.
On the other hand, well-managed IT service delivery can help you lower support costs, improve customer and employee experience, reach a larger market, automate workflows, and leverage data to improve cost-efficiency.
That’s why more organizations partner with third-party experts to optimize IT service delivery. The dedicated support helps them improve KPIs while freeing up internal resources to focus on strategic initiatives. Here are the benefits of partnering with a managed services provider (MSP) for IT service delivery:
Access Expert Knowledge
It’s hard for in-house teams with many other responsibilities to keep up with fast-evolving technologies and best practices in IT service delivery.
A reputable vendor can help you design a strategic approach, establish KPIs that align with your business objectives, and address complex IT issues. It can also take care of the day-to-day operations and continuously fine-tune the processes to meet user expectations and improve cost efficiency.
Reduce Operating Costs
Hiring and training new team members to keep up with IT service delivery is costly. It could take months to find the right person to fill a role. Also, hiring full-time employees means you must account for administrative overheads like payroll and benefits.
When you partner with a third-party provider, you get an experienced team that can hit the ground running from day one. Plus, you don’t have to manage the administrative tasks, shoulder the recruitment costs, purchase additional equipment, or rent extra office space.
Boost Your Bottom Line
No matter who your end users are, an excellent IT service delivery experience is good for business. It allows employees to access the services and applications they need when they need them to minimize downtime and stay productive. It also helps improve the employee experience and increase retention rates.
An experienced vendor can also help you deliver timely services to improve the customer experience and become more competitive. Satisfied customers are more likely to stay with your brand, buy more from you, and refer others to your company.
How To Choose the Right IT Service Delivery Partner
IT service delivery requires unique expertise, and not every MSP has the resources to cover it. In particular, your vendor must have a user-centric mindset and prioritize end-user satisfaction.
Additionally, a provider must have a track record of offering IT service delivery and the resources to deliver reliable, round-the-clock support to end users. Its philosophy must align with your value and company culture. It should also cultivate a long-term relationship with your team to help you make continuous improvements based on user feedback and KPIs.
When you partner with Compugen, our team is here to look out for you, keep your business ahead of the turn, and track problems through to a successful resolution. Get in touch to see how we can help you level up your IT service delivery.
Download this quick guide to know if and when it’s time to seek an IT partner.