Why Is Automation on the Rise in ITSM?

If you work in IT service management then you know there is a real push to ‘do more with less’ with the right ITSM Software. It’s nothing new within the industry but what is changing is the amount of work that we’re expected to do.

The InfoWorld blog tells us that, ‘business and IT pros who don’t look to employ automation in the coming year face losing their competitive edge. This is especially true for service providers; Gartner estimates a 25 percent drop in customer retention in 2019 for those failing to incorporate automation into their roadmap.’

Those who automate are going to be able to tackle work faster and more accurately which will appeal, not only to the customer using the services but also to the staff members involved in providing them.

The rate of increase in workload that we’re seeing cannot be tackled simply by throwing more people at it. We need something that can work quickly, accurately and intelligently which is why automation is the words on everybody’s lips right now.

Growing Pressure in IT Service Management

As well as an increase in workload, customer expectations are at an all-time high too.
We live in a world now where we can get what we want quickly and easily. Need a recipe? The information is at your fingertips with Google. Want to watch a movie? Your Netflix library is accessible in seconds on any of your devices. Want a new laptop? You don’t even need to leave the house, Amazon Prime will have it with you tomorrow.

Technology is making us impatient and demanding so when we stumble across an issue that we cannot get resolved quickly, or have a question that we cannot find an answer to immediately, we get tetchy.

IT departments, particularly the IT service desk, are feeling the pressure to meet these growing end-user expectations. Slow, reactive IT support and management just isn’t cutting it anymore.

There is real pressure on IT departments to deliver more (and better) services than ever before, and, due to this increase in workload and expectations, we’re recognizing that something needs to change.
We need a solution that can help us get through the growing workload while at the same time retain, or indeed exceed, our current levels of service.

A 2017 report by Fujitsu stated that ‘over three-quarters of those providing feedback in a recent multinational survey of senior IT professionals said the pressure on operational processes is increasing.

How Can Automation Help to Reduce the Growing Pressure Within IT Service Management?

There are a number of benefits that automation can bring to ITSM that will not only help us to tackle a growing workload but will also help us to exceed our customers’ expectations and even save our organizations’ money.

So, how can automation help to reduce the growing pressure within our IT departments? Let’s take a look:

REDUCES WORKLOAD

When we apply automation to our processes we can reduce our workload by automating simple admin tasks. If we look at the IT service desk, tasks such as ticket logging, categorization, even triaging, can all be automated freeing up our service desk agents to tackle more complex jobs.

WORKS 24/7

Automation never takes a holiday, a sick day, not even a lunch break. When your IT staff have gone home your automation keeps on working for you. This means you can increase your support hours without spending money employing more people.

REDUCES HUMAN ERROR

Automated workflows help to reduce human error which can save both time and money as less remedial action is required. Automated processes aren’t going to have a bad day or lose focus on tasks which means they offer more accuracy and consistency.

The time we would usually spend fixing the errors we have made can now be input into dealing with tasks that actually add value to the organization.

IMPROVES PRODUCTIVITY

Automated processes work quickly and accurately to improve productivity. Automation can help us to avoid manual delays, duplication of effort, and can help us to find and fix problems much faster than we have previously managed.

Research suggests that 73% of operations staff spend significant time on infrastructure or platform admin and management.

These simple admin tasks can be removed from staff workloads freeing them up to spend more time on the work they were hired to do.

INCREASES STAFF AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

One of the biggest factors of demotivated employees is the fact that staff feels as though they are not adding any value. Because automation reduces workload and takes away menial, repetitive tasks, employees are happier as they can focus on work that engages and challenges them.

Customer expectations are growing and automation can help us to meet, or even exceed, these demands. Automation means processes are consistent, accurate and completed quicker than manual efforts which are far more in line with the proactive support that end users have come to expect.

Automation within ITSM is rapidly on the rise due to the number of benefits it offers to customers, employees and, as a result, the organization as a whole.

With the benefits of automation clear, the question of whether or not processes should be automated is no longer relevant. The question now is when will your organization begin its automation journey?

To learn more about Mint Service Desk and how its automation abilities could help your organization, click here.

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