According to international financing firm Deloitte, 92% of businesses and service organizations believe that the customer’s experience defines the success of a contact channel. That means that the happiness of your clients should determine how much of your business resources you commit to over-the-phone customer service, online self-help options, and other forms of communications.

Modern businesses rely on ITIL practices to evaluate and improve overall customer satisfaction. But what is ITIL? What types of businesses can benefit from having an ITIL expert on their staff?

Defining ITIL

ITIL is an acronym that stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library. It began in the 1980s as a response to increasing dependence of businesses on information technologies. The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), a department of the government of the United Kingdom, developed the ITIL in an attempt to create a cohesive understanding of IT management practices.

Over the years, the ITIL has evolved with our abilities and needs. Today, the ITIL consists of five books, each detailing specific stages of the IT service cycle. The five volumes cover:

• Service strategy – analyzing business goals in order to map out IT needs.
• Service design – using the expressed needs of the business to create an IT infrastructure.
• Service transition – managing risks, quality assurance, and responding to changing circumstances in a way that allows service operations to continue regardless of conditions. This section refers to the period before services are released to the market.
• Service operation – deals with the day-to-day management of commercial IT services.
• Continual service improvement – monitoring the use and functionality of applications in order to continuously improve the end user experience.

The tools and guidelines contained in the ITIL are general and can be adapted to most business models that use IT in their daily functions. Businesses use ITIL to:

• Improve customer interactions
• Provide higher quality service
• Create extra value for customers
• Simplify all levels of IT management

ITIL implementation reduces operating costs, increases productivity, gives your business a reputation for professionalism, and makes customers happy. Businesses that understand the importance of the customer’s experience owe it to themselves and their shareholders to explore the potential benefits of ITIL.

Businesses That Benefit from ITIL Implementation

Almost every business can benefit from using ITIL in their IT management processes. Here are some of the industries that are using ITIL to increase their profits and customer satisfaction.

Using ITIL, the state of North Carolina was able to improve its ability respond to and quickly resolve reported IT incidents and service request. For residents of the state, ITIL has reduced the burden on their allocated tax dollars while also reducing frustrations and delays caused by IT malfunctions.

• The Victorian State Revenue Office in Australia was the first government agency in the world to gain ITIL certification. The office used their trained IT personnel to shave $2 million a year from their operating budget.
• Since 2002, credit card company Visa has used ITIL to monitor system and network outages. This has resulted in a significant decrease in costly system errors.
• Zurich Life adopted ITIL in the 1990s. Since then, the company has been able to cut their IT staff by two-thirds while still maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Sallie Mae, a financial services company, reduced the length of their help desk calls by 40% and increased first-call resolution rates with ITIL.
• Proctor and Gamble implemented ITIL protocols in 1999. In just 4 years, the company realized a savings of roughly $500 million.

Any business that uses computer networks to manage workflows or customer interactions can benefit from having an ITIL expert on their staff.

How to Become ITIL Certified

Infotec makes it easy for employers to get their IT staff ITIL certified. Our ITIL certifications are designed to build on the IT professional’s existing knowledge to maximize their understanding of ITIL practices. We offer six levels of training to fit the needs of your business. These include:

• ITIL Foundation Certification provides a general understanding of key elements of ITIL.
• ITIL Intermediate Level Certifications concentrate on different elements of ITIL like service strategy, service operation, and service offerings and agreements.
• ITIL Expert certification teaches students how to manage ITIL elements through the IT lifecycle.
• ITIL Master Certifications are available for those who have achieved expert certification and also have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in IT management, leadership, or upper-level advisory positions.

Are you ready to take see what the power of ITIL can do for your business? Contact Infotec today for more information on this valuable training.

For more information about Infotec or any of our programs click here: http://www.infotectraining.com/ or https://ops.infotecpro.com/course_schedule/course_schedule.cfm.