Incident vs Demande de service : quelles différences?

The line between an incident and a service request is often quite blurry and causes even the hardcore ITIL (IT infrastructure library) and ITSM (IT service management) geeks among us to disagree. As per ITIL v2, there was no such differentiation to begin with. All the issues and requests raised by users were collectively grouped together as incidents under incident management. 

However, with the launch of ITIL v3, the framework most service desk software today were originally based on, incidents split into two categories: service requests and incidents. This differentiation was also accompanied by the new request fulfillment process introduced specifically to manage service requests.

La différence entre un incident et une demande de service est souvent assez confuse, et crée des discussions explosives parmi les plus fervents geeks ITIL d’entre nous. Au départ, d’après l’ITIL v2, il n’y avait aucune différence. Tous les problèmes et demandes soulevés par les utilisateurs étaient collectivement regroupés en tant qu’incidents dans la gestion des incidents. Mais avec le lancement de l’ITIL v3, le référentiel sur lequel la plupart des logiciels de service desk se basent aujourd’hui, les incidents sont répartis en deux catégories : demandes de service et incidents. Cette différenciation est également accompagnée du nouveau processus d’exécution des requêtes, qui a été introduit spécialement pour gérer les demandes de service.

Différence : Incident vs Demande de service

Incident

L’ITIL v3 définit l’incident comme une « ‘interruption non prévue d’un service informatique », ou une « réduction de la qualité d’un service informatique »..’ Lorsque tout fonctionne de la manière prévue, le service en question opère sans problème. Mais lorsque quelque chose ne fonctionne pas, cela cause des ‘interruptions non prévues’ dans le service et crée donc un incident. L’objectif principal de la gestion des incidents est de fournir une résolution rapide pour corriger l’interruption et restaurer le service à sa pleine capacité. Ces interruptions peuvent prendre n’importe quelle forme, de votre ordinateur qui ne s’allume pas au Wi-Fi qui ne fonctionne pas.

[Télécharger : Checklist pour configurer votre processus de gestion des incidents]

Demande de service

Les demandes de service, quant à elles, sont des «demandes officielles d’un utilisateur pour quelque chose qui doit être fourni – par exemple, une demande d’information ou de conseil ». En d’autres termes, vous créez une demande de service lorsque vous souhaitez vous procurer quelque chose que vous n’avez pas. Cela peut être par exemple soit l’accès à une imprimante, ou la mise à niveau vers une version supérieure d’un logiciel.

Voici un autre facteur qui distingue les demandes de service des incidents :, les demandes de service, plus que les incidents, ont une probabilité d’inclure des changements préapprouvés ou standard. Il s’agit des changements présentant un faible risque et ne nécessitant pas un long processus d’analyse et d’approbation. Imaginons, par exemple, que la politique d’une entreprise consiste à fournir à chaque employé de l’espace de stockage supplémentaire en cas de besoin. Si un employé fait la demande d’espace de mémoire supplémentaire, il s’agit d’une demande de service, ainsi qu’un changement pré approuvé, standard, qui ne nécessite pas d’examen plus approfondi pour être accordé.

En résumé

Identifier ces types de changements spré approuvés peut vous faire gagner beaucoup de temps. C’est là que la distinction entre les demandes de service et les incidents peut vous aider à mieux opérer. En catégorisant et en résolvant les changements informatiques préapprouvéspré approuvés en tant que demandes de service, vous pouvez garantir qu’ils n’entrent pas dans un processus de travail inutilement compliqué. De plus, une fois que vous avez créé un système solide de demande de service, vous pouvez introduire le libre-service en ajoutant un catalogue de services pouvant être utilisé par vos utilisateurs afin de sélectionner le service précis dont ils ont besoin. Pour finir, faire la distinction entre gestion des incidents et demandes de service  peut également vous aider sur le long terme, étant donné que cela permet à votre équipe d’identifier la nature des tickets que vous recevez, et de décider de la meilleure affectation de vos ressources. Cela vous permet également de diminuer le stress des agents de votre service desk !

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Workflow differences between incident and service request management

The distinct workflows for incidents and service requests reflect their different objectives and urgency levels:

Incident management workflow

1. Detection and logging

   • The user reports the issue via multiple channels.

   • Automatic monitoring alerts trigger tickets.

   • The issue is initially categorized as an incident.

2. Immediate triage

   • Priority assessment is conducted based on impact and urgency.

   • The incident is quickly assigned to an available technician.

   • The SLA timer starts immediately.

3. Investigation and diagnosis

   • Rapid troubleshooting begins.

   • The knowledge base is consulted for known errors.

   • Complex issues are escalated if needed.

4. Resolution and recovery

   • A fix or workaround is applied.

   • Service restoration is verified.

   • The solution is documented for future reference.

5. Closure and review

   • The user gives a confirmation of resolution.

   • Post-incident review is conducted for major incidents.

   • The knowledge base is updated.

Service request workflow

1. Request submission

   • The user selects from the service catalog.

   • They complete the request form with requirements.

   • The system validates eligibility.

2. Approval process

   • Manager approval is sought for cost items.

   • Technical approval is sought for access requests.

   • Automated approval is done for standard items.

3. Fulfillment planning

   • Work order is created.

   • Resources are allocated.

   • Scheduling is done based on availability.

4. Execution

   • Procurement is done if needed.

   • Configuration and setup is done.

   • The user is communicated the progress.

5. Delivery and validation

   • Service provisioning is completed.

   • User acceptance is obtained.

   • Satisfaction survey is sent.

Incident vs service request ITIL guidelines

ITIL provides clear guidance on distinguishing and managing both incidents and service requests:

ITIL incident management principles

• Speed over root cause: Focus on restoring service quickly rather than finding underlying problems.

• Escalation paths: Define clear escalation criteria based on impact, urgency, and time elapsed.

• Major incident procedures: Establish separate workflows for business-critical incidents.

• Communication protocols: Send regular updates to affected users and stakeholders.

ITIL service request management principles

• Service catalog foundation: All requestable services documented with clear descriptions

• Standardized fulfillment: Pre-approved workflows for common requests

• Request models: Templates defining steps, approvals, and fulfillment tasks

• User portal access: Self-service interface for request submission and tracking

ITIL integration points

Both processes must integrate seamlessly with:

• Change management: Service requests often involve standard changes

• Configuration management: Track relationships between requests and configuration items

• Knowledge management: Leverage solutions for both incident resolution and request fulfillment

• Service level management: Define and monitor SLAs for both processes

Proper classification in ITIL: Incident request vs service request

Accurate classification is the foundation of effective IT service management. 

Impact of misclassification

1. Incorrect prioritization: Service requests treated as urgent incidents leads to resource wastage 

2. SLA breaches: Wrong workflows lead to missed deadlines

3. Poor metrics: Inaccurate reporting skews performance data

4. User frustration: Inappropriate handling creates negative experiences

Best practices for classification

Initial assessment questions:

• Is an existing service disrupted or degraded? → Incident

• Is the user requesting something new? → Service request

• Can the user continue normal work? → Likely a service request

• Is immediate action required? → Likely an incident

Automated classification helpers:

• Keyword detection in ticket descriptions

• Service catalog integration for clear request paths

• Decision tree workflows in ticketing systems

• AI-powered classification suggestions

Training requirements:

• Regular training for service desk staff

• Clear classification guidelines documentation

• Examples of edge cases and their proper classification

• Feedback loops for continuous improvement

Common challenges in differentiating and managing incidents and service requests

Organizations face several challenges when implementing separate workflows:

User confusion

Challenge: Users don't understand the difference and submit everything as "urgent" Solution:

• Clear service portal design with guided selections

• Educational campaigns explaining the difference

• Examples in ticket submission forms

Gray area requests

Challenge: Some tickets could be classified either way Solution:

• Define specific scenarios in your classification guide

• Default to incident for service-impacting issues

• Regular review of borderline cases

Tool limitations

Challenge: ITSM tools may not clearly separate the processes Solution:

• Configure distinct forms and workflows

• Use automation to route based on keywords

• Implement different SLA policies

Reporting complexity

Challenge: Separate metrics make holistic reporting difficult Solution:

• Create unified dashboards showing both types

• Track overall ticket volume trends

• Measure first-contact resolution across both

Best practices for managing incidents and service requests

Implement these strategies to optimize both processes:

1. Establish clear service catalogs

• Document all available services with descriptions

• Include fulfillment times and requirements

• Make the catalog easily searchable and accessible

2. Implement smart automation

• Enable auto-classification based on ticket content

• Automate workflow for standard requests

• Create escalation rules for time-sensitive incidents

3. Create comprehensive knowledge bases

• Create separate sections for incident solutions and request procedures

• Make regular updates based on new issues

• Create self-service options for common requests

4. Define appropriate SLAs

• Make incident SLAs based on business impact

• Create service request SLAs based on complexity

• Clearly communicate expected timelines

5. Provide ongoing training

• Give regular refreshers on classification

• Offer updates on new services and procedures

• Conduct feedback sessions to address challenges

6. Monitor and optimize

• Regularly review classification accuracy

• Analyze workflow bottlenecks

• Conduct user satisfaction surveys for both types

Streamline incident and service request management with Freshservice

Freshservice transforms the complexity of managing incidents and service requests into a streamlined, efficient process with purpose-built features for each type:

Intelligent classification and routing

Freshservice uses AI-powered automation to:

• Automatically categorize tickets based on content analysis

• Route incidents to available technicians immediately

• Direct service requests through appropriate approval chains

• Suggest classifications to agents for accuracy

Unified yet distinct workflows

• For incidents: Priority matrix, escalation rules, and major incident management

• For service requests: Service catalog, approval workflows, and fulfillment tracking

• Shared benefits: Single dashboard view, consistent SLA tracking, integrated reporting

Self-service excellence

Reduce ticket volume while improving satisfaction:

• AI-powered service catalog guides users to the right request type

• Knowledge base deflects common incidents before ticket creation

• Automated fulfillment for standard service requests

• Clear status tracking for both incidents and requests

Advanced analytics and insights

• Separate metrics for incident trends vs. request patterns

• Unified reporting for overall service desk performance

• AI-driven insights to identify improvement opportunities

• Real-time dashboards for proactive management

ITIL-aligned implementation

Freshservice comes pre-configured with ITIL best practices:

• Incident management workflows with proper escalation

• Service request fulfillment with approval chains

• Integration with change and problem management

• Comprehensive audit trails for compliance

Ready to bring clarity to your incident and service request management? Start your free trial of Freshservice today and experience how proper classification and workflow automation can transform your IT service delivery.

To summarize

Identifying these pre-approved changes can be a significant time-saver in service desk operations. This is where distinguishing between service requests and incidents can help you run your operations more effectively. By categorizing and resolving pre-approved IT changes as service requests, you can ensure that they do not enter an unnecessarily complicated workflow. 

Also, once you create a strong service request system, you can initiate self-service by adding a service catalog with which your users can select the exact service they need. And finally, distinguishing between incident management and service requests can help you in the long run too, because it enables your team to identify the nature of tickets you’re receiving and to decide where your resources are best allocated. This will also help you in reducing your service desk agents' stress and improve their productivity.