This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sep20
Defining A Service Catalogue
SaintGroup has an established and well defined Service Catalogue that defines the ranges of services available to customers that can meet specific service requirements, or that can be combined to offer a full and comprehensive Managed Service.
This article provides more detail on the purpose and the importance of having an up to date and accurate Service Catalogue.
According to ITIL, the official definition of a Service Catalogue is:
A database or structured document with information about all live IT services, including those available for deployment. The Service Catalogue is published to Customers, and is used to support the sale and delivery of IT services. The Service Catalogue includes information about deliverables, prices, contact points, ordering and request processes.
The main aims of an IT Service Catalogue include:
• Document and publish the specific range of available services;
• Standardise service deliverables;
• Establish service level expectations; and
• Determine associated costs of services for customers.
A Service Catalogue must be a living, functional document that deals with practical deliverables and steers away from ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes’. The language must be free of technical jargon (and any used must be clearly explained) to ensure that its wide readership is not lost or alienated.
The document should have a clear owner with agreed input from relevant departments and/or individuals for validating, updating and adding services. It is important that those services that are no longer offered or superseded by other services are removed from the Service Catalogue
For the customer the Service Catalogue should be laid out in a clear and concise structure that allows the reader (and potential decision maker) to quickly understand the services being offered. In particular the reader must be able to relate the service metrics (service levels, hours of service etc) to their own business circumstances.
Typically the customer roles that will need to review and assist in service definitions and requirements gathering to refine the Service Catalogue may include:
• IT Manager;
• Operations Manager;
• IT Director;
• Internal service delivery teams; and
• Service desk manager.
Once the requirements have been gathered it should be possible to quickly edit the Service Catalogue in to a customer specific and tailored document that accurately reflects the services, together with Service levels, of those contracted by the client. Any agreed exclusions or variations to the standard service should be documented.
The Service Catalogue must be familiar to internal as well as external users. Internally key users of the Service Catalogue will include:
• Sales – to assist in the Sales engagement process;
• Pre Sales – helps to define specific services against customer requirements;
• Service Delivery – in order to manage customer expectations and the delivery of services; and
• Support teams – defines the services to be delivered and managed.
The importance of a clearly defined Service Catalogue in agreeing, specifying and documenting deliverable IT services cannot be overemphasised. The Service Catalogue provides a robust and consistent foundation to those services to be delivered. It also offers an important first step to any ITIL improvement initiative.
Please click here to view our full range of services.
A database or structured document with information about all live IT services, including those available for deployment. The Service Catalogue is published to Customers, and is used to support the sale and delivery of IT services. The Service Catalogue includes information about deliverables, prices, contact points, ordering and request processes.
The main aims of an IT Service Catalogue include:
• Document and publish the specific range of available services;
• Standardise service deliverables;
• Establish service level expectations; and
• Determine associated costs of services for customers.
A Service Catalogue must be a living, functional document that deals with practical deliverables and steers away from ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes’. The language must be free of technical jargon (and any used must be clearly explained) to ensure that its wide readership is not lost or alienated.
The document should have a clear owner with agreed input from relevant departments and/or individuals for validating, updating and adding services. It is important that those services that are no longer offered or superseded by other services are removed from the Service Catalogue
For the customer the Service Catalogue should be laid out in a clear and concise structure that allows the reader (and potential decision maker) to quickly understand the services being offered. In particular the reader must be able to relate the service metrics (service levels, hours of service etc) to their own business circumstances.
Typically the customer roles that will need to review and assist in service definitions and requirements gathering to refine the Service Catalogue may include:
• IT Manager;
• Operations Manager;
• IT Director;
• Internal service delivery teams; and
• Service desk manager.
Once the requirements have been gathered it should be possible to quickly edit the Service Catalogue in to a customer specific and tailored document that accurately reflects the services, together with Service levels, of those contracted by the client. Any agreed exclusions or variations to the standard service should be documented.
The Service Catalogue must be familiar to internal as well as external users. Internally key users of the Service Catalogue will include:
• Sales – to assist in the Sales engagement process;
• Pre Sales – helps to define specific services against customer requirements;
• Service Delivery – in order to manage customer expectations and the delivery of services; and
• Support teams – defines the services to be delivered and managed.
The importance of a clearly defined Service Catalogue in agreeing, specifying and documenting deliverable IT services cannot be overemphasised. The Service Catalogue provides a robust and consistent foundation to those services to be delivered. It also offers an important first step to any ITIL improvement initiative.
Please click here to view our full range of services.
