The IT service delivery model is the reason many IT teams feel understaffed even when headcount has increased.
Tickets keep coming.
Backlogs grow.
Leaders hear the same request again and again. We need more people.
But in many organisations, the problem is not staffing.
It is how IT work is designed and delivered.
The Real Problem With the IT Service Delivery Model
Most IT teams operate inside service delivery models that evolved by accident.
- Processes were added to handle growth.
- Approvals were added to manage risk.
- Queues were added to distribute work.
Over time, the IT service delivery model becomes complex, fragmented, and reactive.
This is what poor design looks like in practice:
- Work flows through multiple queues
- Ownership shifts constantly
- Teams spend time coordinating instead of resolving
- Effort increases while outcomes stay flat
The system absorbs effort without producing stability.
Why This Matters to IT Leaders
When the IT service delivery model is poorly designed, pressure shows up everywhere.
- Leaders struggle to plan capacity
- Teams feel permanently behind
- Business stakeholders lose confidence
- Hiring becomes the default response
Adding people can help temporarily, but it rarely fixes the root issue.
Without redesign, new hires inherit the same inefficiencies.
Why Hiring Alone Does Not Fix the Problem
Staffing feels like the fastest solution, but it often masks deeper issues.
1. Demand is unmanaged
Requests arrive without clear prioritisation or filtering.
2. Work is fragmented
Tasks move between teams without clear accountability.
3. Decision making is centralised
Small decisions require escalation, slowing flow.
4. Metrics reward activity
Volume and utilisation matter more than outcomes.
In this environment, headcount increases workload visibility, not effectiveness.
What an Effective IT Service Delivery Model Looks Like
Teams that operate sustainably focus on design before scale.
An effective IT service delivery model usually includes:
- Clear service ownership
- Fewer handoffs and queues
- Defined prioritisation rules
- Work designed around resolution, not movement
The goal is not to push more tickets through the system.
The goal is to reduce unnecessary work and variability.
How Teams Improve the IT Service Delivery Model in Practice
Redesign does not require a full rebuild. It requires deliberate changes.
In practice, teams start by:
- Mapping demand patterns
Understand why work arrives, not just how much. - Simplifying service definitions
Reduce categories and routing paths. - Clarifying ownership
Every service has a clear owner responsible for outcomes. - Stabilising workflows before automating
Automation supports good design. It does not replace it.
Platforms like Freshservice can support this approach when the service delivery model is clear. The tool provides structure and visibility, but design decisions come first.
A Pattern We See Repeatedly
Before
- Constant backlog growth
- Teams stretched thin
- Hiring seen as the only option
Intervention
- Service consolidation
- Clear ownership
- Fewer handoffs
After
- More predictable workload
- Reduced escalation
- Teams focused on improvement
No increase in headcount. Just better service design.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating staffing as the primary fix
- Designing processes around tools instead of outcomes
- Optimising local teams instead of end to end flow
- Automating unstable workflows
These mistakes create busyness, not capacity.
Quick Self-Check: Is Your Model Helping or Hindering?
Ask yourself:
- Do tickets move between teams frequently?
- Is ownership unclear for many requests?
- Does hiring feel like the only lever available?
- Do metrics reward volume over resolution?
If yes, the IT service delivery model likely needs redesign.
What to Do Next
When IT teams feel understaffed, the issue is often not people. It is the system they work within.
We help organisations assess and redesign their IT service delivery model to reduce load and improve outcomes.
Book an ITSM Operating Model Review and identify where to start.