How to Maximize Your IT Service Management Investment

IT service management involves overseeing and supporting different areas of the business. Typically, this requires various solutions to address different issues — for example, one product for problem tickets, one for security and another for asset management. But juggling multiple solutions and integrating these disparate systems while keeping operations running smoothly quickly becomes its own challenge.

Managing multiple vendors is difficult for a host of reasons, including lack of standardization, operational disconnects, poor communication and a lack of continuity in support. So how can organizations maximize their investments in these vendors and manage IT operations effectively?

Opt for One Support Vendor

Even though IT service management may require multiple vendor solutions to address myriad operations, having only one support vendor that can address all issues can limit the headaches. A single vendor with the depth and breadth of expertise to manage a range of vendor products and services can help by:

• Standing in as a single point of contact for all IT service management needs.
• Ensuring software and hardware integration to deliver the highest level of performance from each product.
• Helping proactively identify areas of concern or new technologies that can improve IT operations.

Having only one support vendor limits complexity and allows for a strategic partnership where IT and the vendor work together to achieve business objects and maximize IT investments.

Embrace Cloud Brokerage

Many vendors’ products are now being deployed in the cloud. A cloud brokerage service, which acts as an intermediary between the business and vendors, can help govern the complexity of managing multiple vendors.

A cloud brokerage service provider can add value to an organization because it can:

• Negotiate price breaks due to its close relationships with cloud vendors.
• Rely on its extensive experience working with multiple cloud providers to address concerns effectively and efficiently.
• Improve security and reduce the complexity of integrating and consuming cloud services.

These advantages allow IT to focus on strategic initiatives and help ensure cloud services are being delivered and utilized in a way that maximizes the investment.

By implementing an IT support strategy with the expertise to manage multiple vendors, IT teams can more productively allocate their time and resources and feel confident they’re getting the most for the products and solutions they’ve invested in.

• By: Becky Lawlor