Vodafone Case Study

Journal

Abstract

In today’s technical era, it is important to manage IT Services in a consistent manner to gain maximum profits out of the business activities. Business and corporate world demands for flexibility, efficiency, speed and accuracy, therefore, it is critical to develop a robust IT strategy. Similarly, Vodafone Ireland is an esteemed outlet that have got millions of customers and it is very important to keep the processes running to avoid any kind of inconvenience to the valuable customers. The main motive of this analysis is to study the current business activities being carried out at the outlet and to make strategic modifications to make the services better in different ways.

The firm aims at enhancing the existing IT capabilities and the proposed services as well as aligning them to suit the current business demands. In the lack of efficient and motive-based delivery system, the following challenges are faced by the company so far:

• Absence of a structured service integration model or framework.
• The scope, roles and responsibilities of the vendor is not well defined.
• Lack of strength and absence of a consolidated business plan.
• Inconsistent and inappropriate service standards.
• Inadequate and inappropriate knowledge among the employees about the processes.
• Absence of a proper tracking of vendor’s work progress.
• The fundamental process management components are not in accordance to the business deliverables.

A robust and effective IT service management strategy is being proposed to attain higher profits and outcomes from the existing resources. Risk management, process management as well as change management processes is being aligned within the Vodafone Ireland environment to stay to the ITIL v3 guidelines within a fixed duration of time.

Introduction

Vodafone delivers high quality communication services to the end customer. The services includes mobile services, fixed line services, data packages, customized products, roaming services on a subscription  to the customers. Due to a very close competition with the competitors, Vodafone Ireland need to boost up the sales graph and this is only possible by implementing and executing a well defined and structured IT Service Management strategy and framework.

ITSM is considered as the bridge between the IT and the business in ITIL v2 framework. ITIL v3 has strengthened the position as it considers ITSM responsible for offering IT value to the corporate and the business world (Van Haren, 2008). The recognition of this framework within the business will raise the profile of the business to a greater extent. The IT services must deliver the proposed services as per requirement and the conditions of the customer. The price mechanisms have laid a competitive edge for the services. The competition has been increased to a greater extent and this compels the firm to reduce prices to match customers demand and to win over the existing competitive environment.

Part 1: An Overview over the Importance of IT Service Management at Vodafone Ireland

IT service management strategy describes the need to manage the IT framework, structure, disciplines, as well as the philosophies within the organization. Though the ITSM lays down an effective approach to manage the IT as well as the dependable business processes in an efficient manner, it is important to understand the actual worth of the respective strategy to undergo remarkable modifications and alterations in the proposed services. In a way or another, it can help deriving higher profits and the benefits from the existing business operations. It is better  known by the unique characteristics that emphasized on adopting or or implementing a pre-defined practices as well as a structured approach within the firm. The firm must focus on providing the best services and offerings to the customers and a constant modification and updates be made to the existing processes as per the changing requirements of the customers as well as the industry.  

It is of immense importance to analyze the service criteria and the revenue and benefits of other companies of the same caliber and competition at this stage to understand the strategy that make them successful. Later on, the operational parameters and the business activities can be altered accordingly to stay and lead the competitive phenomena. This will result in boost up the performance of the employees, bring the sales graph up and earn more profits as well.

There are certain modifications that can be made to the operational processes and the existing technology; as this would help the firm in boosting up the sales graph to a higher extent.

Modern and Latest Communication System: In a telecommunication industry, it is important for the firm to offer round the clock services to the customers and keep the operations and activities in a running mode. The speed and efficiency are two major aspects that make the Vodafone services more scalable. Adopting latest trends and technologies would help in running the operations in an efficient manner (Van H, 2008) . Offering the customers with a flexible, uninterrupted and reliable communication channel would help gaining their trust and confidence and this would help running a profitable business.

...