It service strategy helps senior managers understand how their organization will differ from competing alternatives and thereby satisfy both customers and stakeholders.Properly done, these core strategic concepts can and should lead to powerful and practical insights – where is the organization headed and what does it need to do to get there?

Operational efficiency is necessary but not sufficient

IT services are now part of the fabric of the business and customers expect guaranteed levels of service.

Service strategies are required to create long-term value for Customers and Stakeholders.

Whilst CIO’s will still care about achieving ‘operational excellence’ in order to deliver robust services to the Business and its Customers…

• Unacceptable levels of Service availability
• Unclear and uncontrolled Service costs
• Inability to respond to changing Business needs
• Ineffective Service improvement Programmes
• Inconsistent reporting of Service performance
• Inability to react effectively to major Service Events or Crisis
• Perception of poor quality and inconsistent ways of working
• Unclear compliance against Software Licence Agreements
• Complex infrastructure and unclear end-to-end IT Services

…CIO's will also need to understand how to shape service strategies that create value for Business and its Customers