The latest release of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) promises a much richer set of standards than those we have been using, and expands the V2 release. ITIL V3 offers a wide reach in terms of service management and is certain to become the pre-eminent publication suite for IT delivery disciplines.

Given such a high-profile launch, it is tempting to assume that ITIL will supply answers to every aspect of service delivery. But V3 does not provide the solutions ­ or even any key performance indicator ­ for the complete IT service lifecycle. This is not a criticism of ITIL but a warning that standards on their own do not guarantee good performance.

Good processes are a prerequisite for building a service proposition, but they do not deliver the goods themselves ­ this is what we employ people for. Unlike products, service is less tangible and relies more on the way it is delivered. A good service experience endears customers to suppliers.

An important aspect of service is that of implied quality. For many types of transaction, such as with retailers, it is impractical to publish information about the way customers will be dealt with and any SLA is limited to a complaints procedure. However, consumers form long-lasting and often commercially damaging opinions about a company based on their service experience, in what is known as a moment of truth (MoT).

An MoT occurs every time a customer and a supplier interact. Each MoT might only last a few minutes, but that experience of an organisation’s service delivery will affect the customer’s perception of the business.

Teaching your IT staff about customer values based on the MoT principle is as important as teaching them about ITIL or server architecture.

Another set of standards designed to help define good service relationships is the IT supplier code of best practice, more commonly known as the 10 commitments.

Drawn up by Intellect, the trade association for IT and related industries in the UK, this code outlines 10 commitments that a supplier should adhere to so as to establish a good relationship with a customer.
While this was originally developed for public sector customers, its relevance extends to commercial firms as well, since the commitments are based on sound business principles.

The code’s aim is to facilitate a more mature acquisition and delivery relationship that avoids the customer or the supplier having to take entrenched and unhelpful positions in the delivery of IT services.

Intelligent use of the code of best practice and the MoT help deliver a mutually beneficial relationship.

So use ITIL as it is intended. Do not ignore it or adapt it because it is the most widely used set of standards available. But once it is in place, concentrate on the skills, attitudes and orientation of your suppliers and the IT staff who look after your customers. It is this aspect that will deliver service and pay the bills.

Peter Wheatcroft is principal consultant at Partners in IT and a BCS contributor