When I first got certified with ITIL4, I was curious about what it was all about. It covered topics like creating value, the service value chain, guiding principles, and more.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand the purpose and how you should focus on value.

But the question remained: Why should people adopt ITIL?

Then, it hit me. I realized…

ITIL4 is like moving IT from the back office to the boardroom, where it's not just fixing problems but helping drive business strategy.

And, integrating incidents with assets is one of the results in this shift in mindset.

Seeing how incidents impact assets

When you think of IT Asset Management, you think of keeping inventory of your workstations and supplies in a spreadsheet. You’re able to track vacant assets, assign workstations to new employees, and monitor warranties.

But the problem is, it stops there.

More than ever, companies rely heavily on services to serve customers. And any asset-related disruption can impact their ability to serve customers.

This makes assets essential for ensuring service delivery.

Without visibility into how incidents impact assets, how can you guarantee the services your customers depend on are delivered?

Visibility: Immediate learn asset context

In a large team, communication with other members can be limited, especially when everyone is busy fixing problems.

There’s also the possibility that the same asset has broken down before.

Without proper context, troubleshooting can take longer since the team might miss the chance to apply a proven fix from a previous incident.

Visibility: Predict which assets perform better over time

Aside from context, over time, the integration helps gather data. You’ll be able to spot patterns.

If certain models or brands tend to last longer, you can prioritize those—even if they’re more expensive—when it’s the smarter choice for the business.

For example, investing in a high-quality oven that costs more upfront but has a longer lifespan could save money on repairs and replacements down the line.

Visibility: Predict which assets are likely to fail

This allows you to forecast potential outages and costs, enabling you to plan upgrades or replacements before issues escalate—keeping the business running smoothly.

Additionally, linking incidents to assets makes it easier to secure approval. Accounting and finance will better understand the justification for replacements.

And, of course, you'll keep them happy—surprise costs are the last thing they want, as they disrupt their bottom line.

Remember: Visibility brings clarity. Clarity gives direction.

That’s it for this week. See you next Tuesday.

Ciao!