Modern IT Service Management (ITSM), what should be on your agenda?

AI implementation 

From rapid conversational support questions, to productivity and efficiency solutions for smart service operations, the rise of AI can be used to aid automation and productivity, and address repetitive tasks, allowing service desk team members to work on more difficult requests.  

With the modern workforce working more flexibly, using an integrated AI driving chatbot within programs such as Microsoft Teams can provide a more convenient approach to resolving requests such as software installations and group access. This type of approach is not only mobile friendly from within applications users are already using, but convenient as it collects the relevant information before being triaged to the best team. Key takeaways and thoughts to consider:   

• Support users with AI chatbots that can address typical queries, walk them through troubleshooting processes, and escalate issues as needed  

• Use machine learning to analyse incident data and uncover patterns to determine the fundamental causes of repeated incidents 

• Use AI-driven processes to automate the fulfilment of typical service requests like password resets, software installations, and access requests. 

Automation  

Implementing automation can be one of the quickest and easiest wins as part of an ITSM journey; this includes not only service desk incidents, but also licencing assignment, asset management, and even user provisioning as part of the joiner/leaver and move process.  

Automation can be utilised for purposes other than incident management, such as automating the change management process for approval procedures, or updating knowledge articles in response to incidents and problems. This saves manual work and speeds up service delivery, resulting in faster and more consistent service for users. Key takeaways and thoughts to consider:   

• Automatically assign incidents to the relevant teams based on their category, severity, and expertise  

• Automate change approval processes to ensure timely approvals  

• Automate routine service requests to reduce manual interaction and speed up delivery.  

Data driven 

Data metrics provide a comprehensive view of what your IT Service achieves in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, as well as the influence they have on your end users. ITSM platforms collect a large amount of data such as contract management, assets, and knowledge articles, however there are a few simple things that can be derived from this data when used across the platform. 

One of the main data points is identifying areas for improvement; using metrics to understand where bottlenecks exist, analyse trends, and compare performance amongst operating services. From here, you can begin to make data-driven decisions to define priorities, allocate resources, and assess the success of changes. As a result, you will increase user satisfaction by listening to feedback, addressing pain areas, setting clear goals, and tracking progress. Key takeaways and thoughts to consider:   

• Automatically correlate events from many monitoring tools to detect potential problems 

• Dashboards are automatically updated in real time with data from multiple ITSM operations 

• Create and deliver regular reports on service performance, compliance, and other important metrics. 

User experience focus 

Self-service portals require not just a user-friendly design, but also substantial knowledge base articles so that users may fix common difficulties on their own. ITSM goes beyond effective incident and request management by streamlining tickets and keeping users informed in real time, as well as providing users with an efficient communication and feedback mechanism. User research is essential to understanding how a platform will be used, and how individuals can get the most out of it by accessing it via mobile devices, as well as what their preferred means for logging requests are, such as chat, e-mail, or phone. Key takeaways and thoughts to consider:   

• User-centric service design by conducting surveys, interviews, and usability testing to understand the needs and pain points of users.  

• Design self-service portals with a clear, straightforward layout that allows users to easily access information and submit requests.  

• Pre-filled forms, auto-suggestions, and clear instructions can help simplify the ticket submission process. 

Always looking to the future 

At Waterstons, we use Freshservice as our ITSM tool and are always looking ahead to see how we can provide not only the best customer satisfaction using CSAT as a measure, but also help our clients ensure that their ITSM processes are in order, from asset management to improving first response service level agreements (SLA). Our dedicated Freshservice consultants will get you up and running quickly within the product, as well as a team of service managers who can help elevate and develop your ITSM journey.  

To find out more about how you can modernise your ITSM, get in touch at james.noakes@waterstons.com