Getting User Buy-In for ITIL Implementation

Taking a step further from my last post, I will focus now specifically on getting user buy-in for ITIL implementation. The same logic of getting buy-in for process consulting applies to ITIL as well.

Although, the stakeholders are well aware of the business benefits of ITIL implementation, awareness is lacking in end users about the benefits of the same. Moreover end users are more concerned about the benefits which they will drive from the initiative. Following questions trouble them:

ITIL is for the organization and not for me. Why should I follow the process?

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  What is there in ITIL for me?
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  How is ITIL going to benefit me?
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  How will the ITIL process (es) benefit my team?
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  Is the organization trying to make me replaceable? Am I going to loose my job?

ITIL Consultants should be prepared to answer these questions. Specifically regarding the last question, the consultant should advise the stakeholders to adopt ‘change management’ and take the end users into confidence before trying to roll out the new initiative.

Every ITIL Consultant focuses on benefits of ITIL for the organization. But one should remember that this will just help in getting the ITIL consulting or implementation contract. But in order to make the ITIL initiative a success, one needs to get the buy-in of the end users as well. Consultants should also take out time to answer the above questions which trouble the end users.

(Con’t…)