to the actual user of the service, while "Customer" refers to the entity that is paying for the service. ITSM tools are frequently applied to other aspects of business, this practice is often called enterprise service management (ESM). One of the big pushes in ITSM is automation of mundane tasks, this allows people who perform these task to take on more critical tasks, this process called IT process automation. The ITIL approach considers the service desk to be the central point of contact between service providers and users/customers on a day-to-day basis. It is also a focal point for reporting incidents (disruptions or potential disruptions in service availability or quality) and for users making service requests (routine requests for services). ITIL regards a call centre or help desk as similar kinds of service desk which provide only a portion of what a service desk can offer. A service desk has a more broad and user-centered approach which is designed to provide the user with an informed single point of contact for all IT requirements. A service desk seeks to facilitate the integration of business processes into the service management infrastructure. In addition to actively monitoring and owning Incidents and user questions, and providing the communications channel for other service management disciplines with the user community, a service desk also provides an interface for other activities such as customer change requests, third parties (e.g. maintenance contracts), and software licensing. See also Call centre Customer service Network and service management taxonomy References External links Telephony Customer service Services marketing