Let’s talk about the need to change ITSM tool. So much has changed in the IT service management (ITSM) world in the last few years, but what about the traditional levels of ITSM tool churn? It’s time to get more industry data or, to be more precise, to obtain up-to-date insight into the state of ITSM tools and why organizations need to change ITSM tool. It has been a while since I last saw any data on ITSM tool churn. There was the Axelos ITSM Benchmarking Report (requires a subscription) from early 2022 and the 2021 State of Service Management report. But as highlighted in the latter report, the ITSM industry appeared to be changing ITSM tools for different reasons in the 2020s than in the 2010s.
Please help @ITSM_tools help the #ITSM community through more up-to-date data points by taking this quick two-question poll about the need to change ITSM tool. Click To TweetSo please help us to help the ITSM community through more up-to-date data points by taking this quick two-question poll about the need to change ITSM tool:
The poll results:
Why getting the right ITSM tool is important
It’s an obvious point to state, but beyond the anecdotal evidence – usually of organizations struggling with the wrong ITSM tool – it’s rare to see data on the importance of getting the right ITSM tool (as well as the need to change ITSM tool).
If you have an #ITSM tool – Why did you, or will you, change ITSM tool? Please answer this @ITSM_tools poll. Click To TweetData on the need to change ITSM tool is out there, though, perhaps in tool vendor customer communities or behind paywalls, such as this insight from a piece I wrote for Axelos based on its 2022 ITSM Benchmarking Report. The report shared the level of ITSM tool “happiness” as follows.
Less than half of organizations (46%) thought their ITSM tools were “great,” while one quarter (24%) wanted to replace theirs. Surprisingly, 11% of survey respondents stated that they don’t have an ITSM tool.
How do you feel about your organization’s primary ITSM tool?
| Response | Percentage |
|---|---|
| It’s great, we’ve used it for years | 28% |
| It’s great, it’s less than two years old | 18% |
| Undecided | 19% |
| We are replacing it (now or soon) | 15% |
| We’ll replace it when we can | 9% |
| We don’t have an ITSM tool | 11% |
| Don’t know | 1% |
Source: Axelos, ITSM Benchmarking Report, 2022
However, some later correlation analyses found something perhaps even more interesting (and helpful) related to the link between ITSM tools and ITSM success.
While we must remember that “correlation does not imply causation,” the organizations that reported “great” ITSM success – from the options “great,” “good,” “we’re getting there,” and “we’ve still much to improve upon” – were the happiest with their ITSM tools. They were also at least twice as likely to have used their ITSM tools for over two years. These are the orange blocks in the bar chart below.
ITSM success and ITSM tool “happiness”
Source: Axelos, ITSM Benchmarking Report, 2022
All the organizations that reported “great” ITSM success also had an ITSM tool. Whereas the organizations not reporting ITSM success, i.e., the “we’re getting there” and “we’ve still much to improve upon” responses, made up most of the organizations without an ITSM tool or planning to replace their ITSM tool.
However, whether the ITSM adoption and improvement issues these organizations suffered were tool-related or the ITSM tool was a scapegoat for poor decisions was unknown from the captured data.
So much has changed in the #ITSM world in the last few years, but what about the traditional levels of ITSM tool churn? Help us find out. #servicedesk Click To TweetSo please take our latest “Why Do Companies Need to Change ITSM Tool?” poll
It should take you less than 60 seconds to answer the following questions:
- How do you feel about your organization’s primary ITSM tool?
- It’s great, we’ve used it for years
- It’s great, it’s less than two years old
- Undecided
- We are replacing it (now or soon)
- We’ll replace it when we can
- Don’t know
- If you have an ITSM tool – Why did you, or will you, change ITSM tool? (The primary reason)
- We don’t have an ITSM tool
- Old tool failed to deliver the expected benefits
- Tool dissatisfaction related to: ITIL-alignment, usability, manual activity, flexibility, or customization
- Multiple service desk and tool rationalization project
- Corporate cloud strategy, a larger transformation project, a senior employee dictated it
- New ITSM process adoption required a new tool, including enterprise service management support
- Dissatisfaction with vendor support and/or relationship
- Excessive costs related to maintenance fees, admin effort, or upgrading the existing tool
- Tool was end-of-life or simply outdated or a homegrown ITSM tool was no longer workable
- Liked the look of an alternative tool or convincing vendor marketing or industry hype
- Other
The “Why Do Companies Need to Change ITSM Tool?” poll results will be shared in a future ITSM.tools article. Plus, used in other helpful pieces across articles, eBooks, papers, and presentations. Thank you in advance for your input and help.
The poll results:
Stephen Mann
Principal Analyst and Content Director at the ITSM-focused industry analyst firm ITSM.tools. Also an independent IT and IT service management marketing content creator, and a frequent blogger, writer, and presenter on the challenges and opportunities for IT service management professionals.
Previously held positions in IT research and analysis (at IT industry analyst firms Ovum and Forrester and the UK Post Office), IT service management consultancy, enterprise IT service desk and IT service management, IT asset management, innovation and creativity facilitation, project management, finance consultancy, internal audit, and product marketing for a SaaS IT service management technology vendor.
