Strategic Business Value will be realised through the intelligent union of IT Service Management with Strategic Business Relationship Management
I love bold statements like that, but this is one of those statements that carries absolute truth and certainty. Let me explain…
Business Relationship Management (BRM) provides the essential linch pin between the line of business consumers of business services and the provider of those business services. In this context the service provider is IT (or business technology to be accurate) and the line of business consumers are all the users of technology provided by the business technology group (previously known as the IT department).
BRM serves to ensure that business value is being derived from those business technology services and new business technology driven business initiatives.
So what is business value?
Business value is the value to the business as it aligns to the over-arching business strategy, direction, goals and outcomes of the business.
So if we take that perspective and definition, we need to equip the BRM function with the ability to map all the service provider capabilities to the line of business processes, outcomes, initiatives and objectives. The service provider capabilities are stored and managed in the IT Service Management system of record and includes services, process deliverables, applications and technology infrastructure.
When you establish the relationship(s) between those two worlds you then have the capacity to link IT Service Management to Strategic Business Value.
When BRM is able to demonstrate value for both day to day business technology service provision and technology linked business initiatives, and help ensure that those investments for the initiatives derive value linked to business strategy, then (and only then) will the business technology group be invited to all business transformational discussions.
As cloud, mobility, big-data, customer experience and the internet of things become truly world transformational, there has never been a greater opportunity for the business technology groups…this is all technology based guys! However, that opportunity can only be realised if business technology converges with the very business outcomes it serves and enables. If it refuses to converge and continues to fail to demonstrate business value, then ‘the business’ will have no choice but look elsewhere for business technology services, support and innovation.
Sollertis have built a rich set of BRM capabilities within the industry leading Cherwell Service Management software platform (CSM). These capabilities, that have built inline with the BRMI (Business Relationship Management Institute) Body of Knowledge, complement the standard CSM offering and enable Business Relationship Managers to fully manage the continual value based relationship with business partners, customers, associates and other stakeholders, ensuring that IT services and technology driven business initiatives converge with business strategy and outcomes and consistently deliver business value.
If your organisation would like to benefit from this capability please contact us.
SMART ITSM = ITSM + BRM
