Hello everyone and welcome back to the Cognixia podcast. Every week, we get together to talk about the latest happenings, bust some myths, discuss new concepts, and a lot more from the world of emerging digital technologies. From cloud computing to DevOps, containers to ChatGPT, and Project management to IT service management, we cover a little bit of everything weekly to inspire our listeners to learn something new, sharpen their skills, and move ahead in their careers.
You’ve got a great idea for a new service management solution. How do you convince your boss to invest in it? The key is to show them how it will save time, money, and headaches. Do your research, understand their pain points, and show them how your solution will make their life easier. Don’t just talk about the features, talk about the benefits. But you already knew that, didn’t you? Is that enough? Now, that is the question to ask.
It is not usually easy to convince, so don’t expect otherwise. The senior management y might be happy with the status quo, even if it’s not perfect. First, figure out who you need to convince. Is it the CEO, the CFO, or someone else? Once you know who’s calling the shots, you can tailor your pitch to their specific interests. You’ll probably have a few different types of people to deal with:
- The Supporters: These folks are your champions. They see the value of ITSM and are willing to help you make your case.
- The Detractors: These folks are resistant to change. They might be comfortable with the current system, no matter how inefficient it is.
- The Cautious Ones: These folks want to make sure that any investment is worth it. They’ll want to see hard numbers and a solid business case.
To sell anything, not just ITSM, you must focus on the value of whatever you are selling. By value, we mean the value it would have for whomever you are trying to sell it to. To sell ITSM to the C-suite, don’t just pitch it as an expense. Frame it as an investment that’ll save money and boost your team’s efficiency. Show them how it’ll streamline processes, improve customer satisfaction, and even help you guys focus on more strategic work. Remember, it’s not just about the tech; it’s about making your team more productive and your business more profitable. Focus on the benefits: increased efficiency, improved customer satisfaction, and cost savings. Show them how ITSM can help your team work smarter, not harder. And don’t forget to address their concerns. If they’re worried about cost or implementation challenges, be prepared to offer solutions.
Once you have the basics down, move up to talking about the big picture. An ITSM solution can do wonders for your help desk. Imagine fewer calls, no more clunky Excel spreadsheets, and reports that make sense. Plus, you can automate a lot of the boring stuff, freeing up your team to tackle bigger challenges. It’s a win-win for everyone! But, like any big change, there might be some hurdles to overcome. Be ready to address those and show your boss how ITSM is the way to go.
Dispel the myth of “The best way to do something is how it has always been done”, also known as, “Don’t fix something that isn’t broken”. It is crucial to ditch that mindset. Just because something’s been done a certain way for years doesn’t mean it’s the best way. Sometimes, tradition can hold us back. If you’re looking to improve your organization, don’t let the past dictate the future. Challenge the status quo and look for opportunities to streamline processes and boost efficiency. Remember, change can be good.
Talk to the senior management and C-suite about how ITSM can help your business keep up with the fast pace of innovation. Help them see it as a tool to help you deliver faster, better, and more efficiently. But remember, it’s not just about the tech – it’s about how you use it. To get the most out of ITSM, you need to get your whole team on board. From the top down, everyone should be involved in making the most of this new tool. This means using change management practices to make the transition as smooth as possible. Some changes, like adding more memory or replacing a router, can be automated. Others, like upgrading a big system or responding to a security threat, need more careful planning. The key is to tailor your approach to the specific change. Don’t try to treat every change the same way. Some changes are low-risk and can be done quickly, while others need more careful planning. Use a risk assessment to figure out the best approach for each change.
So, let’s look at the process again, step-by-step.
Step one, begin by introducing why you are there trying to convince them about adopting ITSM, how you stumble upon the idea, what prompted you to make a case for ITSM, and why is it important to you.
Step two, elaborate on the current situation. Go into the details to give the C-suite a clear picture. Focus on the challenges you are facing, the bottlenecks arising, the bumps and hurdles, etc.
Step three, go over the gains of adopting ITSM. What does the company have to gain from investing in adopting ITSM? Talk in a language the C-suite can understand and avoid getting too technical or jargon-y.
Step four, highlights the process improvement gains. This is where you highlight how the challenges and bottlenecks you mentioned earlier will be solved by adopting ITSM. This is the step where you provide ITSM solutions for the problems you mentioned, so plan what you intend to say carefully.
Step five, now is the time to talk money. Talk about how adopting ITSM leads to cost reductions, increased efficiency, improved productivity, quicker operations, more value generation, happier customers, etc.
Step six, finally, presents a financial and general plan with a tentative timeline and approximate costs involved. Include everything – the cost of software and tools, the cost of hiring new employees, the cost of training current employees, any restructuring you might need, any downtime to be expected, the financial gains from the changes, everything. Be thorough, this is your chance to show that you have done your research and have come prepared, genuinely invested in the plan.
Follow these steps to plan how you are going to sell the idea of ITSM to your C-suite and senior management. However, don’t take these as strict rules. Customize your plan to suit your needs and your organization. And, if you have decided to take the plunge, we wish you all the best. Not to forget, if you do plan to get ITIL certified, talk to us, and we will get you started on the path of getting your ITIL 4 training and certification.
With that, we come to the end of this week’s episode of the Cognixia podcast. We will be back again next week with another interesting and exciting new episode.
Until then, happy learning!
