Service management doesn't have to just be a buzzword. It can be a foundation of efficient operations where IT Service Management (ITSM) plays a crucial role in keeping businesses running smoothly. But what truly sets exceptional ITSM apart from the rest? It’s not just about having a sleek user interface — it’s about the powerful features and functionalities that operate beneath the surface, improving user satisfaction and driving operational excellence. From automated incident management to self-healing capabilities, the true power of ITSM lies in its ability to anticipate and resolve issues before they become problems.

The power underneath: what truly matters

Beneath the surface of sleek interfaces and user-friendly designs lies what makes service management indispensable. While a polished UI can improve the user experience, it’s the underlying functionality and efficiency that determines the success of any service management system.

For employees, it’s the speed and effectiveness with which their requests are handled that matters. When an employee submits a request, they expect it to be actioned and resolved quickly. Delays lead to frustration and a decline in productivity, which ripples through the entire organization.

Employees also highly value transparency and communication. They expect to be informed of the status of their requests and any potential delays. By providing regular updates and maintaining clear lines of communication, IT teams can significantly improve satisfaction and trust in the service management process.

For IT professionals, the stakes are equally high. They need the right solutions to efficiently address and resolve issues. The ability to handle incidents at the initial level, often referred to as Level 0 support, is crucial. This means resolving simple issues quickly without escalating them, which can drastically reduce the number of tickets that need to be managed.

In the end, the true test of employee satisfaction with the service management system is in the results it produces. The speed and efficacy with which issues are resolved, the quality of communication received, and the overall impact on their day-to-day productivity are key metrics.

Beyond the Flashy UI: The Core Capabilities of Service Management

The underlying architecture and processes are what actually make service management strong. At the heart of any good service management solution is the ability to streamline workflows, which can greatly increase efficiency. When processes are optimized, teams can focus on more important work, reducing the time and effort spent on mundane, repetitive tasks. This not only increases productivity, but also ensures that the IT department can respond more effectively to the needs of the business.

Automated incident management is another critical component that often goes unnoticed. By automating the detection and resolution of issues, organizations can drastically reduce response times.  These self-healing capabilities are a game-changer in modern service management. Ensuring that problems are identified and remediated before users even log them, leading to higher user satisfaction. Additionally, users are less likely to experience disruptions, and when issues do arise, they are resolved quickly and efficiently. This proactive approach not only improves the user experience but also helps in maintaining a positive perception of the IT department.

Integration capabilities are another essential aspect that often gets overlooked. A service management solution that seamlessly integrates with various enterprise applications and services ensures all components work in harmony. This eliminates silos and ensures that data flows smoothly across the organization, improving overall operational efficiency.

However, it’s important to note that not all vendors deliver on their low-code/no-code promises. While many claim to offer these features, the reality often involves more coding than advertised. True low-code/no-code solutions should minimize the need for extensive coding, making it easier for IT teams to deploy and manage services without requiring deep technical expertise.

The digital employee experience is more than just surveys. It involves a comprehensive 360-degree view of how employees interact with various aspects of the service management system, including applications, security and devices. Proactively identifying and addressing issues across these areas can significantly improve the overall employee experience.

Features that make service management great

But what are the specific features that elevate service management from a mere tool to an indispensable solution? One of the most transformative features is automation. By automating routine tasks and ticket resolution processes, service management solutions can significantly improve user satisfaction while reducing the workload on IT teams.

Self-service portals are another game-changer. These portals empower users to resolve simple issues on their own, such as password resets or software installations, without needing to involve the IT department.

Advanced analytics are also crucial for modern service management. By providing deep insights into service performance and user behavior, these analytics enable organizations to proactively address issues before they become major problems. For example, predictive analytics can identify patterns that may indicate an impending system failure, allowing IT teams to take preventive action.

Mobile access is also key. With the increasing mobility of the workforce, it’s essential that IT support is always available, no matter where users are. Mobile-friendly service management platforms enable users to submit tickets, track progress and receive updates on the go.

Finally, AI is increasingly becoming a crucial aspect of successful service management. AI-driven tools can automate more complex tasks, provide intelligent recommendations and even predict and resolve issues before users are even aware of them. However, it’s crucial that these AI systems are transparent and trustworthy, ensuring they operate ethically and in the best interests of the organization and its users.

How Ivanti Helps

This is where Ivanti comes in. We provide a suite of solutions that not only make service management more efficient but also enhance the core aspects of service management. We do this through our AI-driven service management capabilities that make the service desk smarter, faster and more efficient. With AI-driven capabilities, we can summarize incidents and tickets, generate knowledge articles, classify incidents and even create dashboard widgets.

In today’s digital world, security is top of mind for all organizations. That’s why we’re the only ITSM vendor to have signed the Secure by Design pledge. We don’t just say we’re secure — we build security into our products.

Our robust security is complemented by our extensive enterprise integration capabilities. With over 1,000 connectors, our platform can seamlessly integrate with a wide range of third-party systems, both IT and non-IT. Our low-code/no-code approach, powered by the leading iPaaS platform, makes it easy to extend ITSM automation and workflow to external systems without requiring deep technical expertise.

In addition, we offer five out-of-the-box (OOTB) enterprise workflows for HR, facilities, project portfolio management (PPM), governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) and security operations. These aren't just templates — they're fully functional business objects that can be customized to meet your specific organizational needs.

The low-code visual editor is a powerful feature that allows organizations to build and modify workflows across all IT and non-IT processes. This capability allows for the creation of custom solutions that align with unique business requirements, minimizing administrative effort and maximizing productivity. The platform’s integrated DevOps capability, with OOTB bi-directional connectors for Jira, Azure DevOps, GitHub and Jenkins, extends this flexibility to DevSecOps.

One of the most innovative aspects of Ivanti’s platform is its self-healing capabilities. Proactive service management ensures that issues are identified and resolved before they impact users, significantly reducing mean time to resolution (MTTR). This proactive approach not only improves service quality but also improves the overall digital employee experience. Ivanti is the only ITSM vendor that measures the digital employee experience, providing insights into employee sentiment and the performance of devices, applications and security measures.

In a landscape of rapid technological change, Ivanti’s solutions offer the flexibility and security required to lead the pack. Through the power of advanced AI, resilient security and seamless integration, Ivanti equips organizations to deliver exceptional service and spearhead digital transformation with confidence.

Want to learn more? Check out our webinar, Beyond the Surface: Unveiling the True Power of ITSM, to take a fresh look and elevate your service management game to gain a competitive edge.