Service Management

1 September, 2025

Service Management

Dear valued reader,. Today, I would like to touch upon one of the most valuable topics in ITIL — Service Management. I hope this article will be interesting not only for those working in IT services but also for friends involved in other service-related fields. The article might be a bit long, so please bear with me — it is not a topic that can be covered briefly. 🙂

Before diving into the definition of Service Management, I would like to break down the term itself: What is Service? What is Management? Then, we will explore what these words mean when combined. So, let us begin:

What is a Service?

You may have come across various definitions of the term Service in different contexts. However, a simple and understandable definition could be:

A means of enabling desired outcomes for customers while reducing their specific risks and costs.

The term Service can have different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. For example:

In the context of Economics and Business:
A service is an activity or benefit that one party offers to another, which is essentially intangible and does not result in ownership of anything.
Examples:Insurance, Education, Cleaning services, etc.
In the context of Technology or IT:
A service refers to a set of functions provided by a device, system, or software to fulfill a specific purpose.
Example:A web service facilitates communication and data exchange over the internet.
In the context of Customer Service:
A service refers to the assistance and advice provided by a company to those who buy or use its products or services.
In the context of Public Service:
A service refers to activities and duties carried out for the benefit of the public or its institutions.
In general usage:
A service simply means helping someone or performing a task for them.

What is Management?

Management refers to the process of efficiently and effectively coordinating and utilizing resources within an organization or business to achieve specific goals.

There is a particularly important word in this definition — Resources!

So, what does Resources mean here, and what does ITIL imply by it?

In this context, resources typically refer to people, technology, infrastructure, money, and so on.

Now, let us define Service Management

Based on the definitions of Service and Management above, we can roughly define Service Management as:

Helping people achieve outcomes while reducing their costs and risks, and doing so by using resources more efficiently and effectively.

However, I would also like to share the official ITIL definition in English:

Service Management is a set of specialized organizational capabilities for enabling value for customers in the form of services.

Let is take a deeper look at the core phrase in this definition — “a set of specialized organizational capabilities.”

To better understand it, let us break it down:

Set – A collection of different but complementary elements. It is not just one skill, but a combination of related skills and resources.
Specialized – These are not ordinary skills; they are specifically developed to create, deliver, and manage services.
Organizational Capabilities – These are the abilities an organization possesses, based on knowledge, skills, processes, resources, and experience, to achieve specific objectives.

So, what is Service Management ?

Service Management refers to the collective organizational capabilities specifically designed to provide value to customers through services.

But we must remember: Having resources is not enough — the ability to use them effectively is key. To create a service, it is not just about technology; people, processes, tools, and experience must all be considered together. These collectively form the Specialized Capabilities.

Let us conclude with an example:

Imagine a company called ABC IT. This company wants to provide Helpdesk or Technical Support services to its customers. To successfully deliver this service, the organization must have: