ISO 20000: The standard for professional IT service management

ISO 20000 is the international standard for Service Management Systems (SMS). It helps organizations set up an effective IT service management system that meets the needs of both the business and its customers. Kiwa supports you throughout the ISO 20000 certification process with expert guidance, a hands-on approach and years of experience in IT certification.

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What is ISO 20000?

ISO 20000 focuses on establishing and maintaining a Service Management System (SMS). This includes the policies, processes and procedures needed to deliver IT services in a structured, reliable and customer-focused way. Based on best practices like ITIL, ISO 20000 offers a certifiable framework to professionalize IT service delivery and improve customer satisfaction. While certification is not mandatory, it is widely recognized as a strong quality mark for IT service providers.

Key benefits of ISO 20000

  • Improved service quality: Consistent and reliable IT services.
  • Increased customer satisfaction: Customer-oriented processes in alignment with expectations.
  • Efficient service delivery: Streamlined processes and fewer errors lead to cost savings.
  • Better risk management: Proactively manage risks to avoid disruptions.
  • Data-driven decisions: Continuous improvement based on measurable performance.

For which organizations is ISO 20000 useful?

ISO 20000 is especially relevant for IT service providers, including:

  • IT administrators
  • Application managers
  • Cloud providers
  • Managed Service Providers (MSPs)

It is particularly valuable for larger organizations with multiple locations or complex IT environments looking to demonstrate compliance with international quality standards.

 

The five core processes of ISO 20000

Inspired by ITIL, ISO 20000 is centered on ensuring high-quality IT services. Its five core process areas are:

    Service delivery

    Focuses on planning and delivering IT services that meet agreed service levels. Includes capacity, availability, continuity and service level management.

    Relationship

    Manages relationships with customers and suppliers to ensure clear communication and strong collaboration.

    Resolution

    Covers incident and problem management, aiming to resolve issues quickly and prevent recurrence.

    Control

    Manages changes and configurations within the IT infrastructure, including asset management.

    Release

    Involves planning, testing and implementing new or modified services or components.

ISO 20000 vs. ISO 27001

While there is some overlap, ISO 20000 and ISO 27001 focus on different areas. ISO 20000 is designed to ensure reliable, high-quality IT service delivery through structured and auditable service management processes. ISO 27001 is focused on information security, protecting customer data and other sensitive information from risks like data breaches or cyberattacks.

Similarities:

  • Both standards emphasize continual improvement, management reviews and document control.
  • Both follow the Harmonized Structure (HS), a standardized format that makes it easier to implement multiple ISO standards within one management system.
  • They can be combined and certified through an integrated approach.

ISO 20000 Certification with Kiwa

Kiwa is a trusted and experienced certification body for ISO standards in the IT sector, with deep expertise in both IT and security frameworks. They offer the option to integrate ISO 20000 with other standards, such as ISO 27001, enabling a more streamlined and efficient process. Integrated audits can also save your organization time and money.

Prepare with a pre-audit/GAP analysis

Are you planning to certify your organization according to a specific standard but unsure where to start? Or have you already implemented a management system in line with, for example, ISO 9001, ISO 27001, or ISO 14001, but you're uncertain if it fully meets the certification requirements? Discover more about our pre-audit/GAP analysis.

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