Generally, when we think of “relationships” we immediately think of the people aspect. In ITSM we are referring to the relationships between third-party vendors, suppliers, customers, and many other stakeholders necessary to deliver the optimum service. It is mandatory to be able to manage those relationships at the appropriate level. One way to understand the “organization and people” involved in those relationships is to understand the constructs of a “Service Relationship” . ITIL provides us this model. Starting from the bottom of the diagram and moving up, let's discuss the critical elements of a Service Relationship: Resources – All resources including people, process, and technology. In ITIL terms that includes resources from all Four Dimensions: People and Organizations Information and Technology Partners and Suppliers Value Streams and Processes Products – A configuration of resources provided by the service provider that are potentially valuable to their cus