Effective Deployment of Service Management Systems in SMEs

The deployment of service management systems in SMEs: three case studies Martin Wynn and Emma Tipton E

Overview Introduction Questions and methods Findings Conclusions

Introduction Service management definitions Service management functional elements Service management processes Service management systems Strategic alignment and process improvement

Service management definitions Monitoring and optimising a service to ensure that it meets the critical outcomes the customer values and stakeholders want to provide. J.Hurwitz et al (2009) Combination of software, services and knowledge that assist companies in efficiently delivering service commitments. Webopedia (2011)

Service management definitions Not SOA!! SOA = a way of designing a software system to provide services to either end-user applications or other services through published and discoverable interfaces. Brown et al (2002)

Service management functional elements Goods, services, or contract work Requests and inquiries Human resources SERVICE MANAGEMENT Marketing, sales, operational information Reports

Service management processes Focus on external customers. Can be improved by new information systems. Process modelling.

Service management systems Stand alone best of breed system Or one integrated package ?? Integration required in SMEs.

Strategic alignment and process improvement Evaluation of Information Requirements Information System Strategy Business Strategy The real threat to most companies is not a strategic threat from outside. Instead it is their own failure to align their organization with their strategy and thus ensure good execution. Koopman (1999)

Questions and methods 1. What is the service management process in these three SMEs? Are there major differences or is the process essentially the same in these companies that operate in three different industry sectors? 2. What information systems and support technologies are used to support the service management process? 3. How effective are these systems and are they well matched to the specific requirements of service management in each company?

Questions and methods HQs in the Midlands, UK. Turnover = 2.5m - 4.5m. Staff = 35 50. Intent on increasing turnover

Questions and methods Questionnaires Case studies QUALITATIVE DATA Observations Interviews

Findings Service management processes:

Service management functional elements Goods, services, or contract work Requests and inquiries Human resources SERVICE MANAGEMENT Marketing, sales, operational information Reports

Service management systems TPG: Vision Service Manager (Sybiz) OCL: Workspace collaboration management software MBS: Microsoft CRM, (Microsoft TFS, legacy system)

Service management systems TPG: Vision Service Manager (Sybiz) OCL: Workspace collaboration management software MBS: Microsoft CRM, (Microsoft TFS, legacy system)

Conclusions Service management neither clearly defined nor recognised in some SMEs. 5 main activities are generally recognised. Matching of service management activity to software systems is fragmented and not well co-ordinated.

The end Any questions?