Talbot said the problem with many so-called 'experts' is that they have textbook knowledge, but not real-world implementation experience.

There are the 'textbook' people - consultants who make big claims, and the subject matter experts provided by suppliers.

"Our initial challenge with IT Service Management was that there were far too many 'experts' out there; I know certification isn't easily obtained so that lends credibility, but you need some experience under your belt as well."

Talbot, who was speaking at an IT Service Management Forum (itSMF) roundtable in Sydney this week, said another stalling point is lack of executive sponsorship.

Fortunately, he said, the bank had a "depth of active sponsorship" when it started its A$1.5 billion (US$1.14 billion) transformation project.