Other approval

Financial approval

Menu selection

Process activities, methods and techniques

Request Models

Some Service Requests will occur frequently and will require handling in a consistent manner in order to meet agreed service level s. To assist this, many organizations will wish to create pre-defined Request Models (which typically include some form of pre-approval by Change Management). This is similar in concept to the idea of Incident Models already described in paragraph 4.2.4.2, but applied to Service Requests.

Request Fulfilment offers great opportunities for self-help practice s where users can generate a Service Request using technology that links into Service Management tools. Ideally, users should be offered a ‘menu’-type selection via a web interface, so that they can select and input details of Service Requests from a pre-defined list –where appropriate expectations can be set by giving target delivery and/or implementation targets/dates (in line with SLA targets). Where organizations are offering a self-help IT support capability to the users, it would make sense to combine this with a Request Fulfilment system as described.

Specialist web tools to offer this type of ‘shopping basket’ experience can be used together with interfaces directly to the back-end integrated ITSM tools, or other more general business process automation or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools that may be used for management of the Request Fulfilment activities.

One important extra step that is likely to be needed when dealing with a service request is that of financial approval.

Most requests will have some form of financial implications, regardless of the type of commercial arrangements in place. The cost of fulfilling the request must first be established. It may be possible to agree fixed prices for ‘standard’ requests – and prior approval for such requests may be given as part of the organization ’s overall annual financial management. In all other cases, an estimate of the cost must be produced and submitted to the user for financial approval (the user may need to seek approval up their management/financial chain). If approval is given, in addition to fulfilling the request, the process must also include charging (billing or cross-charging) for the work done – if charging is in place.

In some cases further approval may be needed – such as compliance-related or wider business approval. Request Fulfilment must have the ability to define and check such approvals where needed.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-23