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What is business relationship management in ITIL?

BRM or Business Relationship Management focuses is a strategic ITIL process and is focuses on anticipating and fulfilling the current and future needs of the business and customers by the IT service provider. This is detailed in the Service Strategy phase which also contains:

  • Demand management
  • Service portfolio management
  • Financial management for IT services
  • Strategy management for IT services

Simply put, BRM helps in optimising service delivery for the customers and also strengthens the relationship between the organisation and the client.

But, Service Strategy is not the only part of the ITIL lifecycle that BRM affects. Training Creatively, the premier training management provider in the UK, outlines how BRM impacts various parts of the ITIL lifecycle.

  1. Service Design

Service Design and Service Strategy share a close relationship, which includes SLMs, Demand Management, Capacity Management, Service Portfolio Management, Service Catalogue Management, Finance Management and Design and Coordination process. This is why a few of the processes need the principles of BRM.

However, it is often noticed that the line between BRM and SLM is not defined properly. It is the duty of the SLM to make sure that service levels are consistently delivered to customer outcomes’ requirements and this requires the Business Relationship Manager to get involved in the processes.

Other processes related to SLM like the Capacity and Availability are also affected by the involvement of the BRM.

  • Service Operation

The Service Operation part of the ITIL lifecycle provides opportunities for the BRM to take part in Problem Management and Incident Management. The BRM is tasked with being the liaison between the organisation and the client regarding incidents and also collecting feedback from customers. When knowledge of incidents are escalated, the Business Relationship Manager spots incident trends and together with Problem Management stakeholders, work toward resolving the issue by taking corrective steps.

  • Service Transition

It is likely that the BRM will be the member of a company’s CAB or Change Advisory Board. The CAB is part of the formal change management process. They advise change managers on the best way to optimise, as well as, manage change.

Specifically, the BRM provides important information on the needs of consumers and incidents that involve the clients.

Additionally, the Business Relationship Manager is also responsible for the following:

  • Service Strategy KPIs – The BRM is associated with Service Strategy because the impact of BRM is felt across all the processes in this part of the lifecycle of the ITIL. Service Strategy is strengthened by KPIs to ensure the organisation is going on in the right track. Some of these metrics include new customers, lost customers, completed surveys, complaints, customer satisfaction as per services offered, new strategic initiatives and so on.
  • Demand Management process – The Demand Management process is also enabled by the BRM. Demand management influence the demands of the clients for the products or services of a company. Therefore, a huge part of the process is to maintain a strong relationship with the customers and the management of feedback and complaints.
  • Service Portfolio Management – The BRM holds the key to unlocking brand new services, as well as retiring services and is actively involved outcome-achieving current services delivered through the service catalogue. He/she is given the task of actively look for opportunities that the organisation can leverage on.
  • Financial Management – Proprietary financial systems can be accessed by the BRM. He/she contributes to the issuing of reports on the pricing and cost models, evaluating the worth of the current assets and making relevant recommendations to the consumer and the service provider.

It is confirmed that the BRM is a core thread in the tapestry of the lifecycle of ITIL. It starts at Service Strategy and works its way through service transition, service design, service operation and continual service improvement as it contributes to the continuous alignment of the service to current business strategic objectives. In fact, BRM touches every part of the lifecycle of ITIL.

If you wish to know more about the responsibilities of a Business Relationship Manager or you are aspiring for that coveted job role, you can contact Training Creatively. We are engaged in providing virtual, classroom, and online Business Relationship Management Professional (BRMP) courses at affordable rates. Our online BRMP course comes with virtual tutor support and you can learn, as well as, sit for the exam at your convenience from any location and at any time.

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