Reliable Services. Clear Commitments. Satisfied Users.
Users and clients expect IT services that are available, secure and supported. ISO/IEC 20000-1 sets out the requirements for a service management system (SMS) that plans, designs, delivers and improves services. We help in-house IT departments and managed service providers build an SMS around their real services and prepare for certification.
IT services are expected to be available, secure and well supported, and clients increasingly ask providers to prove it. ISO/IEC 20000-1 sets out a management system for planning, delivering and improving services against agreed requirements.
We help you formalise the service practices you already have, close the gaps and prepare for certification.
About ISO/IEC 20000-1
ISO/IEC 20000-1 specifies the requirements for a service management system. Organisations can be certified against it by an independent, accredited certification body.
1. Our ISO/IEC 20000-1 Consultancy Services
Our support can cover the whole journey or only the stages you need.
A. Gap Analysis & Readiness Assessment
Every project starts with a clear picture of where you stand. Our consultants compare your current practices, documents and records with the requirements of ISO/IEC 20000-1 and agree the priorities with you.
- Review of existing processes, policies, procedures and records.
- Interviews with top management, process owners and key staff.
- Site walk-through to see how work is actually done.
- Clause-by-clause assessment against ISO/IEC 20000-1.
- Identification of strengths, gaps and quick wins.
- A gap analysis report with a prioritised action plan and an estimated timeline.
B. Service Management System Design & Documentation
We design the service management system around how your organisation really works, so that documents support the work rather than sit on a shelf. Documentation is kept proportionate to your size and risks.
- Definition of the scope, context and interested parties.
- Process mapping and interactions between processes.
- Policies, objectives and performance indicators.
- Procedures, work instructions, forms and records where they add value.
- Risk and opportunity registers.
- Document control and record management arrangements.
C. Implementation Support & Coaching
Our consultants work alongside your team, on site and remotely, while the new arrangements are put into practice and the first records are generated.
- Coaching of process owners and the management representative.
- Support in running the new processes and controls.
- Review of the first records and evidence.
- Practical advice on handling nonconformities and corrective actions.
- Regular progress meetings and status reports to management.
D. Training & Awareness
People make the system work. We train each group on what the standard means for their role.
- Awareness sessions for all staff.
- Workshops for top management on leadership responsibilities.
- Practical training for process owners on their procedures.
- Internal auditor training for your audit team.
- Training records to demonstrate competence.
E. Internal Audit & Management Review
Before the certification audit, the system must be tested. An experienced auditor carries out a full internal audit, and we help top management run an effective management review.
- Internal audit programme and audit plan.
- Full internal audit covering all requirements and all processes in scope.
- Audit report with graded findings and objective evidence.
- Support in root cause analysis and corrective actions.
- Preparation and facilitation of the management review meeting.
F. Certification Audit Preparation & Support
When your system is ready, we help you through certification. The audit is carried out, and the certificate is issued, by an independent accredited certification body; ITA does not issue certificates.
- Guidance on selecting an accredited certification body.
- Readiness check before the stage 1 audit.
- Preparation of your team for auditor interviews.
- Support during the stage 1 and stage 2 audits, where requested.
- Help in closing any findings raised by the certification body.
G. Transition, Integration & Ongoing Support
Management systems need to stay effective after certification. We continue to support you as standards, your organisation and your risks change.
- Transition to new editions of the standard.
- Integration with other management systems such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
- Periodic internal audits and health checks.
- Support before surveillance and recertification audits.
- Help with extending the scope to new sites, products or services.
2. Requirements We Help You Implement
Depending on your scope, our consultants support you across the key areas of ISO/IEC 20000-1, including:
- Service catalogue and service level management
- Incident, service request and problem management
- Change, release and deployment management
- Service availability, continuity and capacity
- Information security management for services
- Supplier and relationship management
- Budgeting and accounting for services
- Internal audit and management review
3. Key Documents and Records We Help You Develop
- Service management policy, plan and objectives
- Service catalogue and service level agreements
- Incident, service request and problem management procedures
- Change, release and deployment procedures
- Configuration management records
- Capacity, availability and continuity plans
- Supplier contracts and supplier performance reviews
- Service reports, internal audit and management review records
Documentation is kept practical and proportionate: we build only what your organisation needs to work effectively and demonstrate conformity.
4. How We Deliver Our Services
Step 1: Understanding Your Organisation
We start by understanding your activities, sites, products and services, current practices, and what you want to achieve: certification, customer requirements, better control, or all of these.
Step 2: Gap Analysis & Project Plan
We assess your current situation against ISO/IEC 20000-1 and agree a realistic plan defining:
- Scope of the service management system.
- Priorities and actions.
- Responsibilities on both sides.
- Timeline and milestones.
- Target date for the certification audit.
Step 3: System Design & Documentation
Together with your process owners, we design the processes, controls and documented information the system needs, building on what already works.
Step 4: Implementation & Training
Your team puts the system into practice with our coaching. We train staff at every level and review the first records to make sure the system is working as intended.
Step 5: Internal Audit
An experienced auditor audits the whole system against ISO/IEC 20000-1. Findings are graded and supported by evidence, and we help you correct them at the root cause.
Step 6: Management Review & Readiness
We help top management review the performance of the system and confirm readiness for certification.
Step 7: Certification & Beyond
We support you through the stage 1 and stage 2 audits by the certification body you choose, help you close any findings, and remain available for surveillance audits and continual improvement.
5. Business Benefits
- Win tenders and keep customers who require certification
- Reduce errors, waste and incidents
- Show regulators and clients that risks are under control
- Give staff clear roles, procedures and objectives
- Build a base for continual improvement
6. Who Can Benefit From This Service?
This service is particularly valuable for:
- Managed service providers and outsourcing companies
- In-house IT departments
- Data centre and cloud service providers
- Telecommunications companies
- Government IT and digital transformation units
- Banks and large enterprises with shared service centres
- IT suppliers bidding for tenders that require ISO/IEC 20000-1
7. Why Choose ITA?
Practical, Not Paper-Based
We build systems around how you actually work, with documentation proportionate to your size and risks.
Experienced Consultants and Auditors
Your project is led by specialists with practical experience of implementing and auditing management systems.
Clear Plan and Accountability
You know from the start what will be done, by whom and by when, with regular progress reporting.
Your Team Learns as We Work
We transfer knowledge throughout the project so that your people can run and improve the system themselves.
Integrated Approach
One system can cover several standards, avoiding duplicated documents, audits and effort.
Bilingual Delivery
We work in Arabic and English, and our training courses are available in all languages.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need ITIL to implement ISO/IEC 20000-1?
No. ITIL is a useful source of good practice, but ISO/IEC 20000-1 sets the requirements. If you already follow ITIL practices, we build on them.
How long does a project take?
It depends on the size of your organisation, the number of sites and the controls already in place. We give you a timeline after the gap analysis.
Do you issue the certificate?
No. Certificates are issued by an independent, accredited certification body. We prepare you and support you through the audit.
Can several standards be combined?
Yes. We can build one integrated management system covering, for example, quality, environment and occupational health and safety.
9. Related Training
We can deliver tailored in-house awareness and practitioner training for your team as part of the project. Browse all training courses or our other consultancy services.
10. Request a ISO/IEC 20000-1 Consultancy Proposal
Tell us about your organisation, sites, scope and target dates. Our team will review your needs and send you a proposal with a clear scope, plan and fees.