As an IT project manager, you’re always looking for faster, more efficient ways of coordinating, managing, and executing IT projects and services — particularly ones that you perform on a routine basis. That’s where IT service management templates shine. Templates offer a roadmap to success, bringing clarity and focus to projects that may otherwise suffer from bloated and confusing processes.
Armed with an IT project template, you’ll be equipped to organize and execute IT services and projects in a more efficient and productive manner. But, what makes an IT project management template so useful? And, what sets Wrike’s IT service management template apart from other industry templates? Read on to find out!
Why use a project management template?
Before we dive into the specifics of IT project templates, let’s talk briefly about the benefits of project management templates in general. Many PMs fully embrace the idea of templatizing their processes. However, others view templates as a crutch or a “cookie-cutter” solution that doesn’t allow for nuance or flexibility. The reality, though, is that templates can help you save valuable time that would otherwise be spent drafting new documents for every project and service request.
Here’s a quick look at some of the benefits of using project management templates:
- Decreasing project delivery time
Delivering projects on time and on budget are top priorities for any PM. Project management templates help reduce project launch and execution times by providing a predetermined, proven framework for mapping out the documents and processes that the project requires. - Reinforcing processes and best practices
Another major benefit of using project templates is the standardization it brings to your processes. Templates help reinforce processes and best practices for you, your teammates, and your employees. This is especially beneficial for new hires who are just starting to learn team processes.
Additionally, project templates are great training tools that can help new project managers get up and running faster and easier. - Setting expectations
When you create documents based on a template, they follow the same structure every time. This helps set expectations for both your project team members and your clients. It also makes it easier for them to quickly find the information they need whenever you send a new document. - Reducing risk
By templatizing and standardizing your project processes and best practices, you also reduce the risk of missing or losing relevant data or information that could be detrimental to the project’s success. A project template can include a list of common problems or liabilities that have hampered similar projects in the past. This can help to ensure the smoothest delivery with the least amount of hiccups along the way.
Why use an IT project template?
It’s clear that templates can help any project-based business organize and execute projects more efficiently. But, IT service management templates offer even more specific benefits to IT providers, including:
- Streamlining work and increasing bandwidth
Consider this: the faster you can onboard new clients and initiate streamlined IT service projects, the more bandwidth you’ll have to take on additional clients. After all, more clients equal more revenue.
Additionally, the more you use your IT service management template, the more refined your intake processes and service timelines will become. This means you’ll continuously improve your operations and increase your customer base over time. - Automating manual processes
If there’s one thing that absolutely kills productivity and efficiency, it’s manual processes that could easily be automated. Tasks such as updating project statuses, generating an IT status report, and assigning resources can suck up inordinate amounts of time that could be spent in more productive ways. The right ITSM template can help automate tasks like these and save you and your team members’ valuable time. - Consolidating communication and feedback
It’s true that automation and IT project management tools can help streamline workflows and increase productivity. At the same time, though, too many tools can have an opposite effect. Instead of using emails, calls, instant messaging platforms, spreadsheets, and meetings to discuss projects, an IT service management template can help you consolidate communication and feedback in a single space that’s easily accessible by all involved parties.
Introducing Wrike’s IT Service Management Template
The IT professional services definition is more than just working on tickets. With Wrike’s IT service management template, you’ll be able to manage service requests, incidents, changes, and problems using proven ITSM workflows. What’s more, this powerful template will enable your team members to do their jobs more efficiently while constantly improving and updating processes.
Wrike’s ITSM template contains:
- Five custom workflows that follow standard IT service management processes
- Two standardized request forms
- An IT team dashboard to monitor work progress
- An IT team calendar to visualize upcoming requests
- Automated reports to analyze results
If you’re ready to see exactly how Wrike’s IT service management template can help you streamline IT service operations, fill out the form to get started with a free two-week trial today!
