An entire business operation would not run smoothly without a having a concrete and a comprehensive IT system. The rise of the Information Age has shaped the way businesses now rely on an effective IT structure to function more than 100 percent and to deliver impeccable results to meet its objectives.
The most commonly used IT framework is service desk management. This framework serves as the basis for establishing a highly effective IT system that is designed to assist businesses in effectively identifying, planning, supporting, and delivering IT services within.
Due to a technologically driven age, businesses today have devised numerous IT systems and practices within their company. However, unknown to some owners, some of these IT infrastructures are doing more harm than good. So during the 1980’s, United Kingdom’s Central Communication and Telecommunications Agency devised a set of the best IT practices for businesses around the world which are known today as the Information Technology Infrastructure Library or the ITIL.
The ITIL and the ITIL Certification
The Information Technology Infrastructure Library or commonly known as the ITIL is the widely used best practice service management framework. This structure helps business manage risks, improve customer management, and enable a smooth growth for the company by helping meet its objectives.
Today, the ITIL has published a 3rd version of the guidelines that is grouped into five publications. Each publication focuses on Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement. Like the medical professionals, the ITIL also holds a certification exam that increases an IT professional’s proficiency for the job.
It is highly recognized as one of the world’s key certifications for IT professionals.
The certification comes in five levels, namely: the foundation, the intermediate level, managing across the life cycle, and the expert level. Each level represents an entirely different practice and introduces IT professionals another aspect of the ITIL that is applicable to the situation of the current company they work for.
The bottom line is, is it truly worth it to be ITIL certified?
The Benefits of ITIL for the Individual and the Business
Businesses today have found the importance of developing a stable IT infrastructure that helps them meet their objectives and exceed client expectations. Highly skilled IT people are required for such a job.
And although experience in the industry counts, it pays to be educated and certified in the real ropes of building a highly efficient IT system that can bring your business to new heights. Of the many IT certifications around, ITIL certification holds quite a weight among companies who are looking for highly dynamic and competent IT professionals who can bring results to the company.
And these are the top benefits why having an ITIL certified individual is more than just an additional staff on your roster of employees:
- It teaches you how to create an effective IT infrastructure.
ITIL is the golden standard of IT infrastructure for a long time. The certification is the bridge that connects common IT knowledge to the best practices in the industry. It gives you the knowledge in creating an IT system that meets the needs of the business that you are in. The best practices serve as a foundation that will decrease if not eliminate the risks of day to day business interruptions that can affect overall productivity.
Whether it’s improving the customer-service system or pumping up the company’s data system, the ability to build an effective infrastructure that brings a business’ goals into fruition is truly invaluable to have.
- It improves the way an entire company runs itself.
One of the most frustrating things about running a business is when the current IT system fails you. Besides the loss of data, you would find that many of your company’s day to day operations that include servicing the customer and communicating internally with employees have been greatly affected as well.
Today, businesses rely heavily of technology and information to ensure that goals and objectives will be met. If the IT system in your business hinders you from performing even a simple everyday task such as communicating with the rest of the employees, it’s time to give it a revamp. The certification serves as a guide in developing specific areas of your current IT system that needs improvement or than needs an entire upgrade. The practices that are dictated in ITIL is catered specifically to certain aspects of an entire IT system and will provide you with the necessary steps to grow your business.
- It keeps the entire business on a highly competitive edge.
The greatest advantage of having an ITIL certification is that it provides you with the necessary skillset to formulate great IT practices that can be used by the company. Many companies, who are limited by certain legal limitations, can take advantage of having an ITIL certified IT personnel in their roster of employees.
ITIL provides you with the many options, through their guidelines on what works best for a specific kind of business. If you are a customer-service based company, then you need to focus on improving the aspects of your system such as the service support to ensure that you deliver optimal results to your customers. Aligning your IT infrastructure with your business objectives is a great combination that puts your business above the rest.
ITIL certified IT professionals are an important addition to your company. Besides having the knowledge and the training, they provide you with the guidance that you’ll need to keep your business up and running. To stay competitive in a technologically world, a strong IT system with equally competent IT professionals is a deadly combination that should be a part of your business’ arsenal. Because of these reasons, NST is highly regarded as a leader in the IT support community as All Senior NST Staff and Management have undergone ITIL training and certification.