In the world of technology management, knowing “who’s who” goes far beyond a simple org chart. With the release of ITIL 5, the dynamic between those who deliver technology and those who receive it has been refined to reflect the complexity of modern digital products. The focus is now on co-creation, where success depends on clear interaction among different parties.

In this article, we’ll break down the roles in service relationships in ITIL 5, explaining how this structure helps your organization eliminate silos—and how you can use this knowledge to accelerate your career in IT governance.

Read also: The Definitive Guide to ITIL 5

What Are Service Relationships in ITIL 5?

A service relationship is not a one-way street. In ITIL 5, it’s seen as cooperation between two or more organizations to create value. For this to work, the framework defines an organization as any person or group that has its own functions, responsibilities, and authority to achieve objectives.

That means an organization can be:

• An entire company
• A specific department (such as HR or Marketing)
• A single independent professional

The big insight in ITIL 5 is that these roles are fluid. An IT team can be the provider when it delivers an app to end customers, but it becomes the consumer when it contracts a cloud service from an external supplier.

The Main Players: Provider, Consumer, and Vendor

To map any Value Chain with precision, you need to identify three fundamental roles:

• Service Provider: The organization responsible for delivering and supporting services. Its focus is ensuring the technology is available and working.
• Service Consumer: The organization responsible for acquiring and using services. Without consumer engagement, value is not co-created.
• Digital Product Vendor: This role stands out in ITIL 5. It is responsible for creating and continually improving the digital products that underpin service offerings.

Often, the service provider and the digital product vendor roles merge—especially in SaaS (Software as a Service) companies.

The Three Faces of the Consumer: Customer, User, and Sponsor

A common mistake in IT management is treating all consumers the same. ITIL 5 breaks the consumer role into three specific functions, each with different needs and expectations:

1) Customer

The customer defines the requirements for products and services. They are accountable for the outcomes expected from consuming the service. If the system doesn’t support the business, the customer is usually the first to feel the impact.

2) User

The user is the one who actually uses the service day to day. Their focus is usability, performance, and support. A service might get a green light from the customer, but if users hate it, value co-creation suffers.

3) Sponsor

The sponsor authorizes the budget. They look at cost-benefit and return on investment (ROI). Without the sponsor’s approval, the Value Chain doesn’t even get started.

Practical example: Imagine a company contracting a mobile phone plan. The CIO is the customer (defines requirements), employees are the users (use the devices), and the CFO is the sponsor (approves payment).

How Do These Roles Fit Into the Value System?

All of these roles operate within the Value System. When responsibilities are clearly defined, the transition between Value Chain activities—such as planning, designing, and delivering—happens smoothly.

Understanding roles in service relationships in ITIL 5 helps you:

• Improve communication with stakeholders
• Design services that align better with real needs
• Justify investments more strategically to sponsors

For IT professionals, this clarity is a competitive advantage. You stop being “just technical” and become a business enabler—able to navigate both the sponsor’s financial priorities and the user’s operational pain points.

Take the Next Step in Your Career with PMG Academy

Mastering ITIL 5 is essential for anyone who wants to lead digital transformation and IT governance in modern organizations. Truly understanding how to manage these roles and relationships is what separates specialists from beginners.

Want to become an authority on the topic and earn your official certification? Explore PMG Academy’s courses. Our training is practical, up to date, and focused on what the market actually demands.

Did you find this useful? Comment below on how you identify these roles in your organization—or share your experience transitioning to ITIL 5!