Best IT Service Management (ITSM) Software & Tools

What are ITSM Tools?

The term "IT Service Management", or "ITSM" for short, includes all measures which establish and optimize IT services for end-users using people, processes, and specific technologies. Typically, appropriate service management applications, known as ITSM tools, are used. It is not uncommon for ITSM to be reduced to technical support, but the discipline encompasses much more. At its core, ITSM tools are workflow management solutions that facilitate control and efficiency of IT service processes.

Good ITSM software brings, among other things, the following features or advantages:

• Standardization and efficiency enhancement of IT service processes following an ITSM framework - usually ITIL, COBIT, ISO, eTOM, or MOF.
• Features for managing service requests, failure reports, etc.
• Tracking of internal service requests and incidents at micro and macro levels.
• Organization and management of IT resources.
• Centralization of a company's IT service knowledge.

These are popular ITSM providers

• Zendesk Support Suite

• TOPdesk

• SysAid

• NinjaOne

  Freshservice

• Zoho Desk

  Jira Service Management

• Bird Eats Bug

How does ITSM software work and what advantages does it provide?

ITSM solutions aim to help companies develop or provide more efficient, standardized, and ultimately more effective IT services. These software solutions typically follow an ITSM framework and can offer a myriad of functionalities to users – including service desk elements, asset management, incident management, change management, and knowledge databases. They also allow for consistent, repeatable workflows for various IT activities. Moreover, IT interactions can be easily tracked from start to finish using such tools. Those interactions can also be audited with greater clarity and managed better. ITSM Tools are not only part of the daily workflow of IT service teams - end users also utilize these solutions, such as an ITSM ticketing system, user-oriented knowledge databases or troubleshooting self-help tips.

What are the core functions of IT Service Management Software?

Below are some core features of ITSM tools:

• Standardization: ITSM solutions assist organizations in aligning their processes and policies with a standard framework. ITSM tools typically indicate the framework(s) for which they were developed. If an organization is already using a specific framework, an ITSM tool should be chosen that aligns with that framework.
• Service Desk: As the name suggests, a core element of many IT Service Management tools is a Service Desk application. Companies can organize internal requests via an IT ticketing system. With the help of a service catalog, listing different types of problems or requests, internal users can be helped with a variety of concerns.
• Asset Management: ITSM tools aid companies in tracking their internal IT resources. With these programs, IT teams can monitor company-owned devices and generally hardware and any hardware infrastructure and thus efficiently organize when these elements need to be deployed and/or when maintenance is due.
• Incident Management: ITSM tools provide features for incident management, allowing teams to track issues. With these active tracking features, companies maintain an overview of recurring problems, which is, of course, very advantageous for optimizing specific products.
• Change Management: Changing policies, procedures, or structures is a difficult process for companies. With the change management features provided by ITSM tools, operations can track changes from the individual to the organizational level more thoroughly, increasing transparency and aiding in locating potential weaknesses.
• Reporting and Dashboards: ITSM tools can come equipped with comprehensive reporting and dashboard features that provide a more in-depth insight into the service delivery of the entire IT organization. Many solutions offer the capability to personalize these reports.
• Integration: Considering the multitude of tools and infrastructures involved in providing IT services, ITSM tools usually can be integrated into existing architectures.
• Automation: Many providers of ITSM tools implement automation features as standard components. Particularly, these allow for the efficient handling of repetitive tasks, which can result in significant time savings for both IT staff and end users.
• Configuration Management Database (CMDB): Some ITSM solutions include a CMDB feature, which allows companies to track how various hardware and software systems relate to each other. This provides more clarity regarding how the components of an architecture work together, which can be very helpful when searching for errors.

What types of ITSM software are there?

IT Service Management Tools can generally be used as ITSM open source software, SaaS, or on-premise. There are two focuses of such tools - the interaction with service seekers/requesters (Service Desk) and the management of internal processes related to the service (Incident and Change Management). Of course, suites can also be used, which combine many features.

Service Desk Specialized service desk programs, for instance, can be connected to a call center or an ITSM ticketing system. They fundamentally fall under customer service. Such assistants are also known in other industries under the name "Helpdesk". The Service Desk comes into play when there are problems or questions with IT services. These tools form an essential interface between companies and customers or between users and IT.

Incident and Change Management Tools for incident management support companies in maintaining and optimizing IT services. They include, for example, an automated alert function that reports occurring errors. As such, IT teams are always the first to be informed when there is a need for action and can swiftly intervene. Incidents, or disturbances, are of course also reported by customers, making the boundaries between Service Desk and Incident Management fluid. If changes are required, these can be efficiently planned and implemented using a change management tool. Its main function is to document all planned and carried out changes. Therefore, the entire program history can always be seen and made traceable. Any necessary repetitions or revisions are consequently easier.

ITSM Suites ITSM Suites often combine features as listed below. It is definitely possible to get such large ITSM software open source, but with restricted features.

• Service desk tools
• Ticketing system open source or paid
• Incident management tools
• IT asset management tools
• Specific self-help options and knowledge databases for end users
• License management tools
• Analytics and reports

What should be particularly important when choosing an ITSM tool?

Functions ITSM tools can have very different characteristics in terms of functions. One solution might offer the ability to automate a wide range of standard IT tasks, while another focuses primarily on problem-solving. Which option is best depends, of course, on the company's specific requirements. Interested parties should therefore initially precisely identify which processes of their IT service they want/need to support and to what extent. A list of the most needed features, ordered by priority, allows the software selection team to proceed with a clear understanding of what to look for.

Integration Once it's clear which functions are needed, interested parties should work to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the ITSM tool fits into the existing software architecture. There are often several specialized IT management tools in use. Therefore, it is crucial to consider these, as an ITSM solution will touch all of these tools in some way. It is important to ensure that the software under consideration really integrates perfectly into the system.

Security ITSM is a highly sensitive endeavor. Current security standards and compliance are absolutely necessary. When searching for an ITSM solution, companies should ensure that the software they want to use demonstrably meets compliance and high security standards to protect company data. GDPR is also an important topic here.

Prices and ongoing costs Interested parties should be aware that a comprehensive ITSM software incurs costs. These must, of course, be clearly determined – both short- and long-term. Central cost factors here are the required standard functions. However, whether a separate production, staging, training, or development environment is needed, whether a local or cloud-based solution is available, possibly third-party hosting is required and other aspects, play a major role. Compared to costs, a cloud software often appears very attractive because initially, not so much money has to be spent all at once. However, in the long run, it might mean more costs than a robust on-premise solution.