As IT organizations seek to better align their activities with the plans and goals of the business, and aim to build better, more collaborative relationships with end users, we see the role of the IT service desk evolving. Gone are the days when the IT support professional was tasked with simply answering questions or responding to technical problems. Today’s IT service desk teams must ensure that all systems are operating at peak levels, helping end users – and the business as a whole – carry out its strategic mission.
Photo by mah_japan
And, in order to successfully fulfill their new charter, IT organizations will need to automate and enhance key processes.
Bringing The IT Service Desk and ITAM Together
The experts agree that the key to maintaining a world-class IT service desk is through seamless integration with IT asset management (ITAM) activities. In fact, in a report issued last year, Gartner analysts Patricia Adams and David M. Coyle discuss how the alignment of these two core IT processes can substantially improve service and support. Yet, they also state that – in spite of the benefits – less than half of IT organizations have unified their service desk with their ITAM tools.
Who Can Benefit?
Many companies recognize the importance of bringing the two together, but can’t do so due to disparate solutions (i.e. those built by different vendors on different platforms) that won’t integrate easily. But, without insight into the complete history of each asset, IT support teams will be challenged to efficiently and effectively handle and resolve issues. For example, without full knowledge of all prior repairs, upgrades, maintenance, software installations, etc., a support professional may be unable to properly troubleshoot and precisely identify a problem. This, in turn, can drive up the expenses associated with IT service delivery.
But, this integration won’t just benefit the IT service team – it will also be advantageous to those who oversee IT asset management. For example, understanding how an asset has been serviced and supported will aid in a variety of activities, such as software license compliance and asset disposition, while reducing total cost of ownership throughout the asset’s lifecycle.
White Paper: IT Asset Management Business Case
Learn how to build a compelling business case for IT asset management.
Download our building the business case for IT asset management white paper.
