Choosing the wrong ITSM tool will inevitably cause your business long-term problems. Therefore, you need to get it right the first time.

Here we examine the most crucial factors to consider when analyzing ITSM tools. We will be highlighting some of the ITSM solution insights to assist you in your research for a suitable ITSM tool.

What is IT Service Management (ITSM)?

IT Service Management (ITSM) refers to how IT teams manage the end-to-end delivery of IT services to customers. Good use of ITSM will lead to efficiency and productivity in your business. For a thorough overview of ITSM processes and activities, see here. 

Are you on a quest for an IT service management (ITSM) tool? Is your company considering purchasing a new help desk or service desk? Kudos to you for taking this first step toward lower costs, higher returns, more defined processes, and more efficiency. 

What happens next from here? You’ve done the research. What now? After all, ITSM tools do so much, but they are not one-size-fits-all solutions. Finding the right ITSM tool that suits your needs requires an in-depth comparison of not just the software tool itself, but also the company that provides it. The process requires an analysis of what you need from the software and the features you require. Not only will the tool serve to report and manage tickets, but it also must support other processes. Evaluation of such tools is crucial to making a well-thought-out choice.

Choosing the right IT Service Management (ITSM) tool that suits your needs is a critical yet difficult decision. However, there are resources in place, like software review sites, that can help you decide which software solution will work best for you in your initial research phase. It’s also important to consider the following factors when analyzing and comparing ITSM solutions, just to name a few:

There are five (5) factors to be considered when analyzing and comparing ITSM tools 

Flexibility  

It’s important that the ITSM tool you choose is flexible, providing the ability to change workflows, fields, forms, and reports. Changes to the software need to be easily done and enforceable and shouldn’t require any external consultation work. These changes also should not affect any future application updates, which could result in unexpected costs. 

Industry best practices for ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) are important. You can design best practices such as out-of-the-box if the tool doesn’t come along with it. An ITSM tool with a good amount of flexibility will allow you to make any necessary changes. Flexibility is essential to the speed of your IT work and cost control. To learn more about ITIL, see how Ivanti breaks it down. 

Integration 

Several important business processes exist that are not detached from ITIL processes, such as contract management and project management. These other processes need to be able to easily communicate with the basics of your ITSM tool, including problem management, change management, and service request management. Often, ITSM software doesn’t work well with other tools. The tool you choose should ideally allow you to integrate these other processes into the same application without any additional software development. This integration will prevent any delays that could be caused by unnecessary information gaps.

Basic Software Features 

It is crucial to know the customization capabilities of any ITSM tool you consider for your business needs. However, knowing the basic functions of the software is critical. It’s necessary to know that the tool possesses the adequate foundations for the project to start and that the software can support existing processes. With any tool under consideration, be sure to identify what is included in the software and if any integration, modules, or additional fees would be required.

User Interface 

Your ITSM tool will be used daily by employees, which requires them to be comfortable with and able to use whichever software is selected. This means the interface of the tool needs to be intuitive, dynamic, and user-friendly. The ITSM software tool can customize both the user operations and the interface.

It will also be useful to have those who will be using the software assist in the selection process. If possible, allow real users to test out the ITSM tools you are considering. Many software tools offer a trial period. A focused evaluation by users of the software can provide more insight into the tool’s user-friendliness, intuitiveness, the range of reporting capabilities, and the speed of time-critical activities, among other criteria. 

Cost of Ownership 

You will want to make sure the tool is cost-effective for your business. The software you choose must be able to support your IT operations for years to come. When analyzing and comparing different ITSM tools, you should calculate the total cost of ownership for a longer period. The overall cost of the ITSM software needs to be taken into consideration, including any operating costs such as maintenance, upgrades, etc. 

What is an ITSM Tool? 

According to Ivanti, ITSM tools are a workflow management solutions that include capabilities that are highly valuable to IT teams. While some free-standing solutions, such as help desk systems and knowledge centers, fulfill aspects of ISTM, they’re not complete solutions and will leave teams trying to piece together a comprehensive approach. 

Insights on the ITSM Tool

The Adaptive ITSM tool will increase your service desk’s efficiency and provide an extraordinary omni-channel customer experience. 

In this age of digital transformation, IT departments will be left in the past if they do not rise to today’s challenges and harness opportunities that cement IT as a business imperative for the future. Simply put, your company’s ability to avoid problems in your IT department. With Adaptive, in partnership with Ivanti, you can take the pain out of upgrades and maintenance by allowing us to configure the system according to your business requirements.

The ITSM tool must evolve to embrace the challenges and opportunities that will shape both the business and IT landscapes in the years to come. With the Adaptive ITSM software tool, your organization can make workflow, the no-code development and delivery platform that serves as the logical foundation for ITSM solutions, ESM solutions, and custom-built workflow applications. 

Look for an ITSM tool that features out-of-the-box integrations or API capabilities with the key software you already use in your IT environment. The importance of the ability of your ITSM tool to easily integrate with other IT management tools should not be undersold, from the submission of monitoring data to the ticketing system and beyond. Both current and future integration needs should be considered when analyzing ITSM tool requirements. 

Selecting a new ITSM platform is a significant investment for any organization. Make sure your company focuses on business needs as much as business outcomes. Because just examining features and functions is not enough. 

It is essential to identify the right criteria for selecting an ITSM tool. Asking the right questions will lead your organization to the correct answers and allow the software to reach maturity within your organization. If you want to learn more on ITSM, we found the Robotics & Automation article of good use on the importance of IT Service Management.

Running a successful business requires a robust approach, processes, and tools. For IT, this approach has developed into IT service management (ITSM) and the tools have taken the form of ITSM software or solutions. See the ITSM.tools article for more tips on choosing a better ITSM tool.  

Click here to learn more about how our agile business software can be configured to meet your exact needs for contract management, IT service management, customer support, and more.