IT Service Management requires an integrated approach to effectively deliver those services that truly meet customer and business requirements. To do this, established and professional methods and processes are needed.
A recognized solution to this problem is to use an IT Service Management System (ITSMS) based on ISO/IEC 20000, the international standard for IT service management. Certification to this standard enables you to independently demonstrate to your customers that you meet best practice.
ISO/IEC 20000 is aligned with and complementary to the process approach defined within ITIL from the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).

ISO/IEC 20000 consists of two parts:

ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 Information Technology – Services Management – Part 1: Service management system requirements

ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 – defines the requirements for a service provider to deliver managed services. It is based on BS 15000-1, which has been superseded.

ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 promotes the adoption of an integrated process approach to effectively deliver managed services to meet business and customer requirements. For an organization to function effectively it has to identify and manage numerous linked activities. Co-ordinated integration and implementation of the service management processes provides the ongoing control, better efficiency and opportunities for continual improvement.

Organizations require increasingly advanced facilities (at minimum cost) to meet their business needs. With the increasing dependencies in support services and the diverse range of technologies available, service providers can struggle to maintain high levels of customer service. Working reactively, they spend too little time planning, training, reviewing, investigating, and working with customers. The result is a failure to adopt structured, proactive working practices. Those same service providers are being asked for improved quality, lower costs, greater flexibility, and faster response to customers.

In contrast, effective service management delivers high levels of customer service and customer satisfaction. It also recognizes that services and service management are essential to helping organizations generate revenue and be cost-effective. The ISO/IEC 20000 series enables service providers to understand how to enhance the quality of service delivered to their customers, both internal and external.

The ISO/IEC 20000 series draws a distinction between the best practices of processes, which are independent of organizational form or size and organizational names and structures. The ISO/IEC 20000 series applies to both large and small service providers, and the requirements for best practice service management processes are independent of the service provider’s organizational form. These service management processes deliver the best possible service to meet a customer’s business needs within agreed resource levels, i.e. service that is professional, cost-effective and with risks which are understood and managed.

ISO/IEC 20000-2:2019 Information Technology – Services Management – Part 2: Guidance on the application of service management systems

ISO/IEC 20000-2:2019  represents an industry consensus on guidance to auditors and offers assistance to service providers planning service improvements or to be audited against ISO/IEC 20000-1. 

Organizations require increasingly advanced facilities (at minimum cost) to meet their business needs. With the increasing dependencies in support services and the diverse range of technologies available, service providers can struggle to maintain high levels of customer service. Working reactively, they spend too little time planning, training, reviewing, investigating, and working with customers. The result is a failure to adopt structured, proactive working practices. Those same service providers are being asked for improved quality, lower costs, greater flexibility, and faster response to customers.

In contrast, effective service management delivers high levels of customer service and customer satisfaction. It also recognizes that services and service management are essential to helping organizations generate revenue and be cost-effective. The ISO/IEC 20000 series enables service providers to understand how to enhance the quality of service delivered to their customers, both internal and external.

The variety of terms used for the same process, and between processes and functional groups (and job titles) can make the subject of service management confusing to the new manager. Understanding the terminology is a tangible and significant benefit from ISO/IEC 20000

1. Complete a questionnaire
2. Apply for an assessment
3. Conduct an optional pre-audit
4. Conduct an initial audit (stage 1)
5. Conduct the certification audit (stage 2)
6. Conduct surveillance audits
7. Conduct the re-certification audits

1. Improved outcome of process
2. Professional image
3. Increased customer confidence 
4. Better marketability
5. Clarity of responsibility and authority
6. Better and defined system
7. Consistent Quality