Who is the Customer in the service provider model? Part 1

05. Aug, 2009 0 Comments

In a service provider model, we typically find a multi layered supply chain delivering services under ITIL OLAs to support a final deliverable to the end consumer under an ITIL SLA. The end consumer (or customer) is invariably the Business Unit but there are many internal consumers who also participate in the order and consumption of services within the IT supply chain. It is invariably these internal consumers who are the direct Storage Customer.

clouds_3201 A customer is typically defined as the entity that places an order for consumption of goods or services in return for a payment of some kind. In the service provider model (SPM), this payment concept may exist only if the organization has adopted a charge back policy or has some other process to make the service selection subject to economic rationale. Thus it is more appropriate to use the term consumer rather than customer when identifying the entity that orders and consumes the services provided under the SPM

To satisfy the end consumer, typically the business unit, the service provider model calls for the supply of IT services from a supply chain of internal Service Providers (SPs) as illustrated in the following diagram

capture

Each layer in the supply chain can place demand on the next lowest level in the supply chain. This demand is expressed in service terms and placed by way of an Order Fulfillment procedure that is supported by a Service Catalog of offerings. The selection process is often supported by some form of service level request questionnaire or dialog (SLRQ) to assist logical selection of the most appropriate service

The supply chain layer (Service Provider) that actually provides the services, is solely responsible for designing the technology architecture needed to deliver the selected services.

to be continued…

- Dick Benton, GlassHouse Principal Consultant