What is ITSM (IT Service Management)?

ITSM (IT Service Management) is the practice of designing, delivering, managing, and continually improving the IT services an organisation provides to its employees or customers. Rather than treating technology as a series of one-off fixes, ITSM frames IT as a set of services, each with defined processes, owners, and quality targets such as SLAs.

It typically covers incident management, service requests, problem management, change management, and a service catalogue, often guided by a framework like ITIL. Why it matters: consistent processes mean faster resolutions, clearer accountability, and measurable performance instead of firefighting. For an SME, full ITSM suites can be heavy, so many start with a focused helpdesk that handles tickets, SLAs, and a knowledge base, then mature into wider ITSM practices as the team grows.