You might be looking for ITSM integration because you’re already tired of managing multiple ITSM tools and struggling to keep track of all the data these tools generate. Well, you’re in the right place. IT Service Management (ITSM) integration can help optimize your IT services and bring calm to the chaos. And I will cover everything about it in this article.
I’ll start with the basics, helping you understand ITSM. I’ll then dig further into the ITSM integration story, discussing some case studies and common mistakes we should keep an eye out for.
So let’s dive in!
What is IT Service Management (ITSM)?
ITSM (Information Technology Service Management) is a concept that helps organizations create a framework for delivering IT services in a structured and consistent way.
From handling service requests to managing customer incidents or bugs, all the way to delivering self-service information to customers and employees, it covers every aspect of planning, designing, and improving services in an IT organization.
Think of it as an ongoing practice for managing IT services – providing the right services to the right people, at the right time, in the right way, when they need them.
These services can often include managing customer networks and data centers, developing and maintaining customer applications, or providing technical support and troubleshooting assistance.
Either way, these services need to be managed in a structured and automatic manner so the IT department in your organization can focus on more important tasks.
What is ITSM Integration?
ITSM integration is the process of connecting your ITSM tool with another ITSM or third-party application to get them to interact and share data seamlessly.
For instance, if your organization uses tools like ServiceNow, Freshservice, Jira Service Management, etc, ITSM integration would involve connecting those tools for exchanging the required information.
You can connect your IT teams with other teams and processes and, at the same time, add other IT applications to the process. This helps create a flawless and smooth-flowing process management.
Or you can set up, for instance, a Jira ServiceNow connection or an Azure DevOps GitHub integration to connect your teams working in different ITSM tools.
Types of ITSM Integrations
Information flow can be unidirectional or bidirectional, real-time or near real-time, in batches or as a single unit, automatic or manual, synchronous or asynchronous.
Whatever your information flow requirement, ITSM integrations can typically occur through the following patterns:
- System-to-System Integration: This type of integration involves connecting different ITSM systems or tools with other ITSM systems, external service providers, or third-party vendors. For example, integrating a service desk tool with a sales CRM to automate resource provisioning.
- Data Integration: This type of integration involves integrating ITSM systems to enable data sharing and analytics across different tools. For instance, integrating a monitoring tool with a service desk tool enables real-time incident response.
- Process Integration: This type of integration involves connecting ITSM processes across different tools to improve process management and reduce manual effort. For instance, integrating incident and project management processes to streamline root cause analysis and resolution.
- UI Integration: This type of integration involves connecting ITSM systems with other user-facing tools, such as collaboration tools or self-service portals, to improve the user experience. For instance, integrating a service catalog with a self-service portal helps users request services more easily.
Read more about integration service management and why your team will benefit from doing it the proper way.
What are Some Applications of ITSM?
The ITSM framework aims to deliver world-class services and create value for customers. In doing so, it has identified key processes or areas that help manage and maintain IT services.
We’ll discuss a few important ones here:
- Incident and Problem Management: The key objective is to reduce the time it takes to detect an incident and resolve it, minimizing the impact on the customer. The goal of problem management in ITSM is to identify and eliminate the root cause of recurring incidents, thereby reducing the likelihood of similar incidents occurring in the future.
- Service Request Management: Users can raise various kinds of requests, which could be as simple as requesting access to the printer service or resetting the passwords, or complex ones like configuring an application.
- Configuration management: This includes managing, changing, or updating the configuration of a software application.
- Change Management: Changes must be handled carefully and in a timely manner. The reason for the change, the impact of the change on CMDB (Configuration management database) and people, etc., must be tracked and documented.
The IT service industry has been constantly evolving and striving to deliver IT services to create value for customers and focus on continuous improvement. ITIL is a result of this endeavor.
Let’s see how ITIL provides a strong foundation for ITSM.
ITSM and ITIL: How Are They Related?
ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) is a framework that provides a proven set of guidelines and best practices for ITSM, helping organizations manage their IT services more efficiently.
By following the ITIL framework, organizations can improve service delivery, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction.
The perfect IT service management implementation would have several ITIL processes embedded within its core functionality, including incident and problem management, knowledge management, asset management, etc.
ITSM isn’t simply a concept on paper. ITSM tools help put it into practice.
What are ITSM Tools?
An ITSM tool is a software application that helps organizations deliver IT services and processes. It provides a central platform for IT teams to manage all aspects of service delivery.
They usually come with a range of features and modules, such as a service desk for handling customer inquiries, incidents, and requests, a knowledge management system for sharing information, and a reporting and analytics module for tracking performance and identifying areas for improvement.
Some popular ITSM tools include ServiceNow, BMC Helix, Zendesk, and Jira Service Management. These tools help improve the quality of services with a technology-enabled IT process workflow, reduce IT costs, save time, and improve governance.
Why ITSM Integration?
Since ITSM integrations involve connecting a disjointed technology stack and otherwise complex IT services, they can help your organization:
- Pave the way for a holistic digital transformation, broadening the scope for automation. Automating IT service processes can reduce costly human errors and enable employees to work on tasks that matter.
- Improve the customer service delivery standards through cross-functional collaborations and minimize the time-to-resolution.
- Remove information and IT service silos such that data is no longer locked in specific applications and is accessible to the required employees.
- Make the data readily available and accessible to the right stakeholders.
So how do you see these benefits in action? Of course, through a few ITSM integration use cases.
ITSM Integration Use Cases and Examples
We have discussed ITSM tools and how they facilitate the implementation of IT services. With this context, let’s discuss a few ITSM integration use cases and examples.
Case 1: Speed Up Incident Management
An organization uses Jira for development and ServiceNow for IT service management. By integrating both tools, incidents reported in Jira can automatically create tickets in ServiceNow or vice versa.
This reduces manual data entry and ensures that all teams are on the same page when managing incidents. Your team will also improve resolution speeds and close out more tickets.
Case 2: Activate Self-Service and Knowledge Base Integration
Integrating ITSM systems with knowledge base platforms (like Confluence) allows customers and employees to find solutions to common problems via self-service portals. Some of these problems could be password reset, KYC, or data updates.
This reduces the workload on support teams and also improves end-user satisfaction by providing instant solutions without waiting in long queues for an agent to address their issues.
Case 3: Automate Workflow and Incident Escalation
When an incident or request is created, the ITSM tool can trigger automated escalation workflows to notify the right team members or stakeholders. For example, a ticket coming in from Freshdesk can be routed automatically to ServiceNow.
This helps in meeting SLAs (Service Level Agreements), minimizing downtime, and ensuring that critical issues are promptly addressed.
Case 4: Improve Cross-Departmental Collaboration
ITSM systems can be integrated with project management tools (like Jira), enabling IT teams to collaborate more effectively with other departments.
By enabling seamless information flow across departments, the integration ensures that the right people are involved at the right time, avoiding silos and improving overall productivity.
Case 5: Customer Service and ITSM Integration
Integrating ITSM systems with CRM systems like Salesforce can create a unified view of customer interactions. For example, a support request (Salesforce Case) from a customer can create an associated Freshdesk ticket.
This smoothens customer service delivery by enabling faster and more coordinated responses and enabling the service desk to have all necessary customer context readily available.
Case 6: Facilitate Cross-company Collaborations
Teams based within a single company or a completely different company (cross-company) often need to collaborate for cross-functional processes.
The requirements are stricter and more rigid for cross-company integrations since information flows outside the company borders.
In such a case, integrating IT operations tools with security tools, such as vulnerability scanners and intrusion detection systems, can help companies detect and respond to security incidents more quickly.
Case 7: Consolidate Service Providers or Vendors
Managed Services Providers (MSPs) need to connect with vendors, clients, and more as part of their ITSM integration framework. And these providers can have their own ITSM tools with their unique workflows.
Every ITSM tool will have different custom fields, SLA records, escalations, etc. It is imperative to map all these fields between the integrating platforms carefully. You can achieve multi-vendor ITSM integrations to consolidate vendor communications.
Case 8: Connect Service Management and Development Teams
Integrating ITSM tools like incident management with development tools such as code repositories or issue trackers can help bridge the gap between IT operations and development teams.
An incident created in ServiceNow can automatically create a work item in Azure DevOps to track the necessary code changes required to fix the issue.
Case 9: Connect IT Operations and HR
Integrating IT operation tools with HR tools, such as employee directories or onboarding systems, can help organizations improve the employee experience and reduce the HR workload.
For example, the automatic provisioning of resources when a new employee is onboarded or assigning an incident to the appropriate IT team for resolution, while also updating the customer record in the CRM system to track the issue status.
Case 10: Manage Mergers and Acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions can be challenging. It’s unlikely that the companies involved have a perfectly aligned system right away.
They should have a well-planned ITSM strategy that uses business rules to determine which data should be stored in which system(s) and automate the process.
Such intricate planning will ensure the success of the merger or acquisition and can make it easy for both companies to synchronize their ITSM data.
How to Implement and Maintain Your ITSM Integration
Gone are the days of slow and manual ITSM integrations. In the past, many integrations were hand-coded and not documented well, making them unsustainable and time-consuming. They were often left out of business plans, which made things worse.
But the scene has changed for the better. Modern ITSM integrations no longer rely on costly and laborious ways to achieve their goal.
Modern integration practices run on automated integration platforms that use pre-built integration patterns. These patterns are based on thorough customer research and integration needs and are used to create connections between different ITSM tools. They also provide built-in field mappings and intuitive interfaces to start automatic information flow.
So you can set up your integrations in just a few days without any of the headaches from the past.
What to Consider Before Choosing the Right ITSM Integration Solution?
With ITSM solutions, businesses can reduce the time and effort required to configure integrations manually. They also improve the accuracy and reliability of data transfer.
However, with so many integration solutions available in the market, choosing the right one for your organization can be overwhelming.
Let’s explore some key considerations that can help you make an informed decision.
Customization
The level of customization you require might depend on your specific needs. Some integration solutions may offer more customization options than others, so it’s important to assess what level of customization you require.
Scalability
Your integration needs may change over time, so it’s important to consider the scalability of the integration solution you choose. Make sure the solution can handle the volume of data you need to integrate and can support additional ITSM systems in your technology stack if such a requirement arises.
Security
Data security should be your top priority when selecting an ITSM integration solution. Ensure the solution complies with relevant data protection regulations and offers robust security features like data encryption and access control. It also helps if the solution is ISO 27001:2002 certified.
Ease of Use
Look for integration solutions that are user-friendly and intuitive to use. They will help reduce the learning curve for your team and ensure the integration runs smoothly without requiring interference all the time.
Support and Maintenance
Consider the level of support and maintenance offered by the integration solution providers. Will they provide ongoing support and updates to ensure the integration runs smoothly over time?
Stable documentation and community support can be additional factors you can consider.
Compatibility
Ensure that the ITSM integration solution is compatible with your existing ITSM tools and systems. Say you already use ServiceNow to manage incidents and want to extend the integration to include the CRM (Salesforce) that your service provider uses. It’s important to make sure the ITSM integration solution is compatible with both ServiceNow and Salesforce.
Learn how to integrate Salesforce and ServiceNow to keep sales and IT in sync.
Cost
ITSM integration solutions can vary in price. They can be pay-per-user, pay-as-you-go, pay-per-sync, or have a flat price rate. So, consider your budget when choosing one. Also factor in any ongoing costs such as maintenance and support fees, as well as potential savings from increased efficiency and productivity.
At this point, I would like to introduce Exalate, an ITSM integration solution that could be a great fit for the considerations I just told you about.
Exalate as an ITSM Integration Solution
Exalate is an ITSM integration solution that offers a robust and highly customizable integration platform to connect multiple ITSM tools and synchronize data between them. Its unique decentralized approach to integration ensures secure, reliable, and scalable connectivity for ITSM systems like Jira, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Zendesk, and more.
The customization capabilities of Exalate are powered by its powerful scripting engine. Using Groovy-based scripts, you can implement deep or advanced ITSM integrations.
And now you can even use AI technology in Exalate’s Script mode. This AI feature is called AI Assist, and it functions as a chat interface within your incoming and outgoing sync rules tabs. Simply enter your sync requirements in the chat, and AI Assist will generate the corresponding scripts for you.
These scripts are generated by taking into account your input, existing configurations, and Exalate’s scripting API.
With Exalate, you can automate your ITSM workflows, as well as your customers if you’re a service provider, and ensure seamless collaboration between teams wherever they are located.
It offers a special plan called Exalate for Service Providers: a full-service package to set up an Exalate network. The plan will help you set up and deploy the Exalate network and help consolidate your service providers and customers.
Doing so ensures that you wouldn’t have to worry about the complexities of the integration and its maintenance. The integration experts at Exalate will take care of these concerns.
If you need custom connectors for any system your partner, supplier, or customer is using, Exalate will handle it for you.
You can book a free session with an integration engineer to discuss your specific integration scenario.
Common Mistakes in Implementing Integration between ITSM Tools
There are a lot of reasons why an ITSM integration might fail.
When integrating such systems, it’s important to handle the mappings between these fields carefully before putting the solution into production. Proper planning and scoping of the ITSM integration project are also important.
Even the most experienced solution architects have a hard time convincing the top management of the benefits of ITSM integrations. Sometimes, the team involved in the integration process might lack clear focus, depth, and understanding of the project, leading to failed integrations.
Bringing all the required stakeholders together and making them work as a single unit can be an efficient way to ensure that integration doesn’t go downhill.
Selecting the wrong integration solution can be extremely dangerous for the project and can lead to monetary losses and frustration.
Implementing the ITSM integration isn’t enough. Your focus must not drift away from continually improving it with time. Governance measures are also needed to ensure everything runs smoothly and as expected.
Still not convinced?
Let me show you practically how 2 companies implemented an ITSM integration and had completely contrasting outcomes.
ITSM Integration Case Studies
Let me show you practically how two companies implemented an ITSM integration and had completely contrasting outcomes.
Case Study 1: A Successful ITSM Integration
Verilix is a large IT organization providing managed IT services to clients. The company decided to use an ITSM integration solution to unify its IT processes, data, and tools.
They wanted to integrate the company’s ITSM platform with various IT tools like asset management and service desk.
So, they started the ITSM integration project with a comprehensive analysis of the company’s existing IT infrastructure, processes, and developed a plan for the integration.
Next, they thoroughly tested and validated the solution before rolling it out into production.
The ITSM integration project was a huge success. It helped Verilix to build a successful ITSM integration and:
- Achieve greater efficiency and productivity,
- Reduce errors and improve decision-making,
- Automate many IT processes and reduce manual intervention,
- Identify areas for improvement and optimize resource allocation,
- Provide the company with a comprehensive view of its IT operations,
- Improve the accuracy and consistency of data across the IT environment.
Case Study 2: An Unsuccessful ITSM Integration
Neptogin is a mid-sized IT organization that provides IT support services to a variety of clients.
They wanted to use an ITSM integration solution to integrate their ITSM platform with other IT tools and data sources.
They also wanted to automate the company’s IT processes and reduce manual errors.
The ITSM integration project started well. The project team thoroughly analyzed the company’s IT environment, processes, and tools. They developed a plan and began testing and validation, too.
However, soon things started going south.
First, there were some technical glitches with the ITSM integration solution, resulting in frequent system crashes and errors.
Second, there were organizational hurdles, as teams were resistant to change and did not collaborate effectively.
Finally, the team members were frustrated because there was no training on the new solution. And they also failed to fully grasp its benefits.
The project did not deliver the required benefits. It became increasingly more difficult to manage the IT environment than before. Productivity and efficiency dipped further. In addition, the employee morale suffered the most.
Neptogin even had to invest in additional resources to revert to the old IT processes and tools.
So what did we learn from all this? Follow a few best practices.
ITSM Integration Best Practices
It’s not so hard to get your ITSM integration right.
Follow a few simple best practices, and you’ll be in a much better place.
- Plan ahead.
- Choose the right ITSM integration solution.
- Establish clear communication channels.
- Monitor and measure the ITSM integration.
- Develop a strategy for accommodating scalability.
Phew! I hope that was not too much information.
ITSM integration isn’t a one-off event but a journey. So embark on your journey and share your anecdotes with us. We are all ears!
Conclusion
I hope you’ve gained a better understanding of what an integrated ITSM ecosystem looks like. You also read some tips on how to choose the right ITSM integration solution for your business.
Remember, ITSM integration is an ongoing process, and you must continuously assess and adjust your approach to ensure you meet your business needs.
I encourage you to explore various ITSM integration solutions and take your first step toward creating a coherent IT environment.
Still have more questions about integrating your ITSM solution? Book a call with our engineers right away.
Recommended Reads:
- How Integration Service Providers Can Help Simplify Data Integration
- Exploring Ways To Implement Managed Services Integration
- An Overview of Integrated Service Management (ISM)
- Integration as a Service (IaaS): Everything Explained
- Jira ServiceNow Integration: How to Set up an Integration in 6 Steps
- Implementing Effective SIAM Operational Delivery through ServiceNow
