Extending service management beyond IT

Extending service management beyond IT, known as enterprise service management (ESM), means applying service management principles to other functions. HR onboarding, facilities requests and finance approvals are all services, each with requesters, providers and service levels, so the same disciplines can be applied to them.

• The appeal is consistency. ESM offers employees a single, consistent experience and gives the organisation a shared platform. As John Pearce puts it, a request is a request, whether it is for a new laptop or a new starter.
• IT processes do not transfer unchanged. The main trap is assuming they do. Each function has its own language, compliance needs and working rhythms, which an IT-designed process will not automatically reflect.
• Avoid imposing IT vocabulary. Importing ITIL® terminology wholesale into other departments is likely to meet resistance, so adapt the language to the function rather than forcing the function to adopt IT's terms.
• Start small and let demand pull. Begin with one function, one high-volume service and a genuine pain point. Prove the value locally and learn the domain, then let demand from other areas pull the model outward rather than pushing it across the organisation.