Home | Help Desk Documents | Series 500: ITIL for the IT Support Industry

Do you need ITIL compliant software for your help desk?

World wide, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is the most accepted way to better manage services in the IT sector. Since its introduction by Great Britain's Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in 1992, hundreds of organizations have subscribed to the ITIL philosophy. But do you need ITIL to find the right helpdesk software? For that matter, do you need call tracking software that is ITIL compliant? And what is ITIL compliant anyway?

Let's answer these tough questions in reverse order.

What is ITIL compliant?

Common sense tells you that "ITIL compliant" means that something (like an organization, software, or training program) meets specific standards laid down in the ITIL books. "ITIL compliant" also implies that the Office of Government Commerce has certified that an organization, software, or training program meets the ITIL standards. There's problem is though: the OGC doesn't offer any tests or qualifications to affirm that customer support software or any software applications meet ITIL standards. The OGC also offers no standards to measure call centers, training programs or any type of IT organization. While there are accredited training organizations that offer ITIL certifications to individuals, the OGC doesn't approve nor endorse any company that claims to verify software or business processes.

So in short, there is no such thing as help desk software that is ITIL compliant.

Do you need call tracking software that is ITIL compliant?

Given that ITIL compliant call tracking software doesn't exist: no, you don't.

Do you need ITIL to find the right helpdesk software for you?

This is a much more complicated question. ITIL can help you set up business processes that will better manage your helpdesk and other IT services. Those business practices can help you identify what your call centers needs in call tracking software and might even guide you in finding the right call tracking software. But those practices can't choose the software for you.

ITIL can't tell you that an issue organizer will track your issues or that an asset manager will catalog your computer equipment. ITIL's suggestions can only point out that you need a way to access issues from a customer's desktop or that your call center will run more efficiently if specific types of calls are automatically assigned to specific workgroups.

ITIL is a guide to create better management and thus better business. It can't choose your customer service management software for you. ITIL will improve your IT service management but you need to find the right IT service management software.