{"id":7539,"date":"2017-08-22T14:59:39","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T14:59:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multiacademstg.wpengine.com\/20000academy\/?p=7539"},"modified":"2024-12-12T13:52:23","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T13:52:23","slug":"8-crucial-activities-to-maintain-the-iso-20000-based-sms-after-the-certification-audit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/blog\/2017\/08\/22\/8-crucial-activities-to-maintain-the-iso-20000-based-sms-after-the-certification-audit\/","title":{"rendered":"8 crucial activities to maintain the ISO 20000-based SMS after the certification audit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It would be wrong to claim that implementing an ISO 20000-based Service Management System (SMS) is an easy job. Quite the contrary \u2013 it could be quite a complex project. But, implementing the SMS is (a kind of) one-time job, but that\u2019s not the end of the story.<\/p>\n<p>What you need to be aware of is that, after the certification audit confirms that your SMS is compliant with the <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/what-is-iso-20000\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ISO 20000<\/a> standard, maintaining the SMS requires various activities. The efficiency of the SMS (i.e., \u201cthe return on your SMS investment\u201d) depends on those activities, and that puts significant importance on them.<\/p>\n<h2>What to do?<\/h2>\n<p>So, your SMS is compliant with the standard\u2019s requirements, but the following activities will ensure that the <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/iso-20000-documentation-toolkit\/?rel=sms-related-documents&#038;doc=service-management-system-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SMS<\/a> adds value to your business and that the SMS maintains compliance with the standard:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1) Run the SMS<\/strong> \u2013 Sure, the fact that you need to run, i.e., operate the SMS is nothing new, but I have seen many companies that have implemented ISO 20000 return to old habits. Once you implement the SMS, procedures are documented and implemented, roles and responsibilities are defined, and all necessary records are generated. So, stick to those rules on a daily basis and in all activities.<br \/>\n<div id=\"middle-banner\" class=\"banner-shortcode\"><\/div><script>loadMiddleBanner();<\/script><br \/>\n<div id=\"side-banner-trigger\" class=\"banner-shortcode\"><\/div><br \/>\n<strong>2) Measure\/monitor<\/strong> \u2013 Besides the fact that the standard requires that you perform the measurements, many operational activities and obligations towards your customers require regular measurements and continuous monitoring. Take the <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/documentation\/sla\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Service Level Agreement (SLA)<\/a> signed with the customer as an example. Usually, service availability or service capacity parameters are defined in such an agreement, or time to resolve incidents. So, in order to avoid penalties (if defined in the agreement) \u2013 you need to have measurements and do the monitoring. Additionally, measurement is one of the foundations for improvement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3) Manage suppliers<\/strong> \u2013 Almost never will you be able to do everything by yourself. Meaning, a <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/documentation\/supplier-contract\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">supplier<\/a>\u00a0(or third party) is needed. But, don\u2019t forget that their performance is (usually) visible to your customers. And, you have the responsibility for it (in the eyes of your customers). So, it\u2019s in your best interest to keep your suppliers under control (and the ISO 20000 standard requires you to do that).<\/p>\n<p><strong>4) Maintain customer satisfaction<\/strong> \u2013 The primary aim of the ISO 20000 implementation (and, I\u2019m sure, of your business) is to keep your customers satisfied. So, you need to know how you are doing. Luckily, there are many opportunities, within the scope of the SMS, to do just that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Performing <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/documentation\/customer-satisfaction-survey-iso-20000\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer satisfaction surveys<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Getting inputs through Business Relationship and Service Level Management (they are directly involved with your customers)<\/li>\n<li>Reacting actively to <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/iso-20000-documentation-toolkit\/?rel=relationship-and-agreement-processes&#038;doc=customer-complaint-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">customer complaints<\/a> (or compliments)<\/li>\n<li>Use incidents (if you are using a tool to support the process) to get users\u2019 feedback<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>5) Improve<\/strong> \u2013 Generally, everything can be (or be done) better. The same goes for your SMS and its performance. The above-mentioned monitoring and measurement provides you with one of the inputs. Customer <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/iso-20000-documentation-toolkit\/?rel=relationship-and-agreement-processes&#038;doc=customer-satisfaction-survey\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">feedback<\/a> (it doesn\u2019t necessarily need to be a complaint or compliment) is also a good input to trigger improvement initiatives. Your own people (remember, they are constantly in touch with your services and customers) are also an excellent source. Documentation, processes, tools, etc. are also subject to improvement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6) Internal audit<\/strong> \u2013 Besides it being required by the standard, the internal audit will tell you where you are. If performed objectively, it could be of great help to tell you what is not compliant with the standard\u2019s requirements, or what is compliant but could be done better.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7) Perform Management Review<\/strong> \u2013 This is one of the most important activities. This activity involves your top management and requires thorough preparation. But, once you get them in a meeting, that\u2019s where major decisions will be made, like approving the budget or changes in the scope of the SMS.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8) Training and awareness<\/strong> \u2013 By implementing the SMS, you introduced new (or changed existing) processes and roles. According to those changes, and in order to keep the SMS functional, your people need to be trained. Once you train them, you need to continually communicate with them about the performance of the SMS and fulfilling the targets. It\u2019s important for the people involved in the SMS to be aware of the purpose of the SMS, its performance, and their own roles. In this way, you\u2019ll \u201cget them on board.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It is important to emphasize that the above-mentioned activities will ensure that the information and records needed for the next audit are available, and make the SMS Manager\u2019s life easier. Trying to do all of this, i.e., ensure all necessary records, improve the SMS, update the documentation, make people aware of the SMS &#8230; just a few days or weeks before the next audit generates questionable results and (in my opinion) is a waste of the resources invested in the SMS.<\/p>\n<h2>The purpose<\/h2>\n<p>So, the certification audit is done and the auditors are gone. But, they will come back, again and again. Surveillance audits can be stressful, but there is a lot you can do to make your life easier. The above-mentioned points are not only needed to prepare for next audit, but also to make your SMS functional end efficient. The next audit results will confirm that; but, even more importantly \u2013 your customers will, too. And who needs better motivation than that?<\/p>\n<p><em>To implement ISO 20000 easily and efficiently, use our<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/iso-20000-documentation-toolkit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ISO 20000 Documentation Toolkit<\/a> <em>that provides step-by-step guidance for full ISO 20000 compliance.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It would be wrong to claim that implementing an ISO 20000-based Service Management System (SMS) is an easy job. Quite the contrary \u2013 it could be quite a complex project. But, implementing the SMS is (a kind of) one-time job, but that\u2019s not the end of the story. What you need to be aware of &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":7540,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[256,533,400,366,498,369],"class_list":["post-7539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-certification","tag-customers","tag-implementation","tag-iso-20000","tag-maintenance","tag-sms"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7539"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7539\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17940,"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7539\/revisions\/17940"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/20000academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}