This is the FIRST blog in our series that solves the equation that has been puzzling IT professionals ever since the acronym “ESM” gained traction on the Internet: Does ITSM + EAI = ESM? Here, we explain the evolution of Enterprise Service Management (ESM). Our second post outlines the steps you should take for Shifting Your Corporate Culture from ITSM to ESM. In our third and final article, we will explain the main steps (along with a few best-practices) that you should follow to Build a Strong Enterprise Service Management (ESM) Strategy.
Services—in various forms—have been around for hundreds of years. There were (and still are) legal services, transportation services, cleaning services, repair services, government services, and many other forms of assistance that utilize the concept of leveraging additional resources to complete specialized tasks. Information Technology (IT) services, on the other hand, have existed for a much shorter timeframe. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term “information technology” was first used in 1978. Although computers (in various forms) existed long before 1978, they were mainly utilized to perform complicated “computing” tasks before anyone ever considered using them for running common business applications.
The concept of information technology jobs (differentiated from “computing” jobs) first emerged in the early nineteen-seventies. The evolution of networks and PCs resulted in computers being placed on the desks of non-computing staff. The application of computing to business processes required the creation of specialists to develop, adapt, and maintain the hardware and software required to support business activities. Once computers were applied to indexing and sorting written information, the term “information technology” quickly gained momentum and popularity.
The IT Service Desk got a formal boost at the end of the 1980s with the advent of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) guidelines. This library of documents led to the rise of IT Service Management (ITSM), which created guidelines around the types of services that an IT department provides and legitimized the costs associated with these services via a wide range of best practices.
Over the past few years, ITSM has evolved into a more general category of “service management,” by applying its principles to departments and areas other than IT. Service management, in the general sense, is even more valuable than ITSM because it enables a structure for managing data and resources that can be adapted to the culture of almost any part of an organization. Employees who work within this structure quickly appreciate the flexibility and autonomy they are given to perform their tasks quickly and easily. Internal and external customers begin to expect consistent value from the services they receive. Management is rewarded for putting a structure in place that promotes efficiency, reduces costs, and keeps customers satisfied. Properly implemented service management is a big win for everyone!
Enterprise Service Management (ESM), as it is known today, was born at the intersection where employees, customers, and managers finally realized the benefits that service management provides to a company and the services it delivers. But the real magic happens when we add Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) to the equation.
EAI is how we bridge the gap between disparate software programs. EAI enables data to flow from one program to another and provides interfaces to manage that flow. When implemented correctly, EAI allows companies to realize the entire benefit of their software investments by utilizing data to its fullest potential, thereby increasing interoperability between departments.
Independent software systems for Human Resources, Finance, and Compliance, for example, achieve what is required of them for a specific purpose. The only downside is that they work in isolation, causing congestion in the performance of business processes and problems that can add additional financial risk to the organization. EAI is an essential component of the digital transformation strategy for businesses today because it addresses many of these problems and risks.
EAI helps tear down inter-departmental boundaries and create a collaborative business ecosystem with a unified user experience. When an ITSM application—such as SunView Software’s ChangeGear IT Service Manager—is integrated with common business applications, the following benefits sweep through your entire organization:
By enabling ESM in your organization, you will create a feeling of equality between IT and other departments through your implementation of an effective and efficient service solution. The primary benefit of ESM in any organization is being able to take IT service management and have it used (and managed) by individual departments without the involvement of IT. Instead, employees are given the ability to raise issues quickly and easily—and have them managed and resolved in a way that works for every department involved. When implemented correctly, everyone can benefit from your ESM solution. Business processes can be created to help:
Posted under: