An IT services catalog is a document that describes all the IT services offered by a company, and that also gives customers an idea of what their expectations for these services should be.
Making a catalog of services may seem like a simple task at first sight, however, the truth is that the creation of this document requires some specific strategies for it to be carried out successfully.
Do you want to create a catalog of services that exceeds the expectations of your customers? Then you should read on. Discover below some keys that can help you build a quality IT service catalog.
What should an IT services catalog look like?
An IT services catalog is a tool that facilitates communication between customers and suppliers. Through it, customers can get accurate information about what existing services are, what level of performance they should expect, among other things.
The catalog of IT services also allows for better structuring of the Information Systems, since it provides information regarding who provides what service, for what public, how the continuity of the services is guaranteed, and what level of performance should be expected.
The catalog also provides information about the stage of the life cycle in which each service is; so that assets can be managed more efficiently. Services also have a life cycle. They are born, they live and they die. The catalog of services makes it possible to integrate these data and make them a coherent and manageable whole.
What are the characteristics of a good IT Service Catalog?
Not all service catalogs are the same, but there are undoubtedly some important features that everyone should have.
A good IT Services Catalog should then:
#1 Be a clear channel of communication between your company and customers
In order to do this, you must accurately and exhaustively represent all the services offered by your company, as well as the conditions that apply in order to provide them.
In this context, it is important that your company takes the time to get to know the clients, in order to offer an offer that really fits their needs.
#2 Dispense with a sophisticated vocabulary
Although it should normally be an expert (or experts) in the field who collaborates in the creation of the IT catalog, the language used should be as non-technical as possible. Remember that the document is addressed to different people, and not all of them are IT professionals.
That’s why you should make sure your catalog is expressed in simple language that allows customers and senior management to easily understand all the information the catalog specifies. Also, keep in mind that, first and foremost; the catalog should not be presented as an inventory full of complex terms.
#3 Be able to evolve
The needs of customers are constantly evolving; your company must be able to evolve with them to respond effectively, the catalog too.
This means that in no way the IT services catalog can represent a static document, on the contrary, when creating it you must make it clear to customers that your company constantly participates in a process of continuous improvement with the intention of offering the highest possible quality of service.
#4 Comply with ITIL/ISO 20000 good practices
This means that before you submit it, your catalog must be evaluated and standardized according to the best practices proposed by frameworks such as ITIL or ISO 2000. Ideally, you should use an ITSM tool such as Freshservice, which has a functionality that allows you to create service catalogs based on ITIL.
Remember that as it also represents a commitment to your customers; so this must also have SLA‘s, and well-defined performance indicators.
# 5 Be pragmatic
Simplicity goes hand in hand with good IT services catalog. So try to organize it in a pragmatic way, that is; identify existing services and first show those most requested, critical or used. In this way, it will be easier for customers to locate the information they are most interested in.
Finally, don’t forget that this document represents another of your company’s business cards; so try to give it a design that also reflects the professionalism of your organization.
Do you want to create a catalog of services that exceed the expectations of your customers? Then you must use the best IT tools. Luckily, at GB Advisors we have what you need. Contact us for more information about Freshservice and other ITSM and ITsec tools.
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