The Future of IT Operations Management: Why Xurrent Acquired Zenduty
You may have seen our recent press release announcing the acquisition of Zenduty and wondering how this fits into the broader vision for Xurrent. I wanted to go deeper and explain a bit of the reasoning behind the move and why we think our future together is so bright and why this combined offering will be so valuable to you, our customers.
Xurrent, IT Operations Management and redefining the future of IT:
Let’s face it – traditional IT is changing rapidly. The demands of end users’ device and software support is shrinking. Partly a result of the post-covid work from the home era, partly due to the automations provided by AI and partly as devices have become easier to administer through cloud and SaaS services:
“As server management and localized software installation and updates are increasingly managed by cloud and SaaS services, the role of IT is shifting to improving business processes, enhancing operations and increasing cost-effectiveness through improved software management and training.” (Forbes)
While this may mean that the physical ‘IT Helpdesk’ is shrinking – the role of a strong IT organization has never been more important. In fact, the process innovations spearheaded in IT to manage the myriad of problems faced by users efficiently and effectively are now being applied to the broader operations of the organization. What end users may have reported a decade ago through a phone call – are now identified by observability, monitoring or security platforms well before users even know there is a problem.
While Traditional IT may be shrinking – IT Operations is thriving and with it the need for strong IT Operations Management practices. IT teams are uniquely positioned for this challenge as they bring with them all of the lessons learned through decades of servicing end users. Best practices in response time, service level agreements, incident management – learned and implemented in ITSM tools but applied to the broader world of IT Operations Management (ITOM).
This is how we see the world at Xurrent and how we are positioning the Xurrent suite of products to help your organization thrive in this changing environment.
Starting with our acquisition of StatusCast in April – Xurrent began bolstering our ITOM toolset. Statuscast added the ability to communicate incident information out to the entire company through sophisticated status pages. Next up – top quality Incident Management itself. Zenduty’s story is one of innovation and leadership in incident and alert management. The platform has earned a reputation for enabling incident commanders to swiftly gather the right teams into a war room, triage issues, and drive resolution rapidly. Zenduty is not only a full PagerDuty replacement – it goes well beyond with incident playbooks, RCA enablement and the creation of post-incident tasks.
By integrating Zenduty’s world-class tools with Xurrent’s robust IT Service Management (ITSM) capabilities, customers will, for the first time, have comprehensive, end-to-end IT operations capabilities within a single unified platform. With the acquisition of Zenduty we now have an end to end story – from alert to notification and resolution and even beyond to true root cause remediation.
The strength of the Xurrent ITSM platform is in its ability to make sure complex tasks are put in front of the right teams and completed on time and with full accountability. ITSM is the engine that ensures root cause problems are actually tracked and executed, well after an incident. In fact, Incident management is not just firefighting but ensuring your organization can continuously improve between fires. For the first time, when a major incident happens, not only can organizations triage and manage their resolution rapidly, they can now have confidence that the tasks required to ensure the incident doesn’t happen again, are completed. All inside a single platform.
By Phil Christianson, Xurrent
Meet the Xurrent team on stand 521 at the MSP Show and SITS on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London. Register for free here.
Speaker Q&A: Terry Haines, Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Introducing Terry Haines from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Terry has 20+ years’ IT experience, and runs a 24×7 Service Operations team supporting critical MCA systems.
How did you get into the profession?
I began my career in IT Support, starting on the Help Desk and steadily progressing through various roles, becoming a key contact for system support.
I was later headhunted to work as an Applications Consultant, advising local government departments across the UK on critical systems. That led me into a Product Analyst role, where I gathered requirements and eventually stepped into Product Management at Ordnance Survey.
Over time, I realised I had a real passion for leadership, particularly in service environments. A local market research agency gave me the opportunity to lead their IT Service Desk, and that truly sparked my excitement for building and modernising IT Support teams.
In 2020, I joined the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to design and lead their first 24x7 Service Desk. The results spoke for themselves—we improved services significantly and I was honoured with the Chief Executive’s Customer Service Award. That recognition led to a promotion to Head of IT Service Operations, where I now proudly lead a team delivering critical IT support across the entire MCA.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I genuinely enjoy making a difference. In our role, we're not just fixing issues—we’re enabling life-saving work and improving maritime safety.
There’s something really rewarding about seeing continuous service improvement come to life across people, processes, and technology. I love helping teams move faster, deliver more value, and enjoy the journey while doing it.
What’s your most memorable work moment?
There are two that stand out. The first is receiving the Chief Executive’s Customer Service Award in 2022—it meant a lot because it recognised the impact of the 24x7 Service Desk I built from scratch.
The second would be delivering a live talk to over 500 delegates at Ordnance Survey to promote the benefits of OpenData. Both were proud moments that highlighted different sides of what I love about this profession.
What are the key points you’ll be covering in your seminar session at this year’s SITS?
I’ll be sharing the journey of building and running a high-performing 24x7 IT Service Desk in a blue-light environment.
From the challenges we faced to the lessons we learned, I want to highlight the critical role IT Support plays in enabling emergency services.
We’ll also reflect on where we’re heading next, and I hope to remind everyone in IT Support just how vital their contribution really is.
What are you looking forward to the most at SITS?
Definitely the networking. It’s always great to connect with people who are just as passionate about IT services and support.
I’m also excited to explore new tools and technologies—there’s always something innovative that can spark ideas for improving our own service delivery.
Join Terry for the session 'How IT supports saving lives at sea' at 10am, 15 May on Theatre 3.
SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show is taking place on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
Building Trust in AI: SysAid and Dornan Engineering Share Their Journey at SITS
As AI continues to evolve, it’s no longer a question of if it belongs in IT service management, but how to use it responsibly. SysAid is joining the Service Desk & IT Support Show (SITS) to explore exactly that, sharing the practical story of how Dornan Engineering introduced GenAI and Agentic AI into their ITSM environment, with security, compliance, and user trust at the core.
Dornan Engineering’s IT team, supporting a workforce spread across multiple sites, needed a way to bring structure and efficiency to their support operations. Informal channels like Teams chats and emails had become the norm, making it difficult to track issues or prioritize work effectively. With SysAid Copilot and smart integrations, they have been able to deliver a world-class experience for both users and IT staff.
Within the first three months of rollout, the results were clear:
- 3,500 inquiries handled by SysAid’s AI chatbot, achieving a 65% resolution rate and significantly reducing Level 1 ticket volumes.
- 40% increase in service requests via Microsoft Teams, making it easier for employees to log issues in the flow of their daily work.
- 70% of tickets submitted through the self-service portal, empowering users to resolve queries independently while lightening the IT team’s workload.
But beyond the numbers, what stood out was the cultural shift. The AI chatbot quickly became a trusted first stop for employees, helping with routine questions and eliminating the hesitation that can come with asking basic queries. Meanwhile, SysAid’s customizable workflows and real-time analytics gave the IT team better control over priorities and resources, moving from a reactive model to a more proactive, strategic approach.
During the SITS session, Avi from SysAid and Chris from Dornan Engineering will take you behind the scenes of this transformation. They’ll share how Dornan built trust in GenAI, maintained clear oversight through continuous monitoring and data controls, and fostered user confidence along the way.
If you're looking for practical insights on integrating AI into your ITSM operations, without losing sight of governance and transparency, this is the session for you.
Join us at SITS to learn how you can turn GenAI and Agentic AI into trusted partners in your IT service strategy.
By SysAid
Meet the SysAid team on stand 531 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
Xurrent Acquires Zenduty, Completing the Incident Response and Remediation Loop
Xurrent, the service and operations management platform purpose-built for modern enterprises and managed services providers, has acquired Zenduty, a leader in cutting-edge incident and alert management solutions. This acquisition marks another significant milestone in Xurrent’s ongoing journey to transform IT and redefine how organizations handle major incidents from start to finish.
Phil Christianson, Xurrent’s Chief Product Officer, remarked, “Xurrent is excited to announce a major advancement in our ITOM capabilities. Our StatusCast acquisition last April enhanced our platform to dramatically improve organizations’ abilities to communicate details of major incidents. Now, with the acquisition of Zenduty, we will enable IT to automate and streamline incident resolution and root cause remediation, ensuring faster fixes and preventing repeat incidents.”
Zenduty is an innovator in incident and alert management. The platform has earned a reputation for enabling incident commanders to swiftly gather the right teams into a virtual war room, triage issues and drive resolution rapidly. By integrating Zenduty with Xurrent’s robust IT Service Management (ITSM) capabilities, customers will enjoy comprehensive, end-to-end IT operations and service management capabilities within a single, unified platform.
This integration ensures that when a major incident occurs, organizations can not only manage and resolve the issue swiftly but also implement a structured approach to prevent it from recurring. Zenduty empowers incident commanders to coordinate response teams effectively, while Xurrent’s ITSM platform ensures tasks are assigned to the right teams, tracked and completed on time, driving continuous improvement between incidents.
By integrating Zenduty with Xurrent’s ITSM platform, organizations gain the following key benefits:
Automating virtual war rooms for rapid incident response.
Managing and resolving incidents swiftly.
Ensuring accountability for post-incident remediation task completion.
“The combination of Zenduty’s top-quality incident and alert management tools with the power of Xurrent’s world-class IT Service Management, will enable our customers to fully take control of their IT operations and service management with a more modern, connected and automated approach,” said Kevin McGibben, Xurrent CEO. “With Xurrent, teams take action sooner, resolve incidents faster, and ensure they never happen again — completing critical tasks with efficiency, accuracy and full accountability.”
About Xurrent
Xurrent streamlines ITSM and IT Operations Management with AI-powered automation. Our platform simplifies workflows, enhances collaboration, and boosts productivity. Built for scalability, Xurrent seamlessly adapts to the evolving needs of modern enterprises, minimizing effort while maximizing efficiency. Learn more at www.xurrent.com.
About Zenduty
Zenduty is an end-to-end incident and on-call management solution that provides cross-channel alerts via email, phone, SMS, Slack, and Microsoft Teams to ensure your team is promptly notified during service downtimes. Designed to enhance incident response efficiency, Zenduty offers features such as customizable alerting, on-call scheduling, and seamless integrations with over 150 tools, including Datadog, Jira, and Slack. Organizations utilizing Zenduty have reported significant improvements, including reduced downtime, a 50% enhancement in Mean Time to Acknowledge (MTTA) and Mean Time to Resolve (MTTR), and cost savings. For more information, visit www.zenduty.com.
By Xurrent
Meet the Xurrent team on stand 521 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show and the MSP Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
7 Trends & Tips to Boost Your ITSM Performance in 2025
In 2025, it’s time for IT to break out of the silo.
IT service management is the backbone of every business, affecting operations, productivity, and employee satisfaction in a clear and direct way.
That’s why more IT managers are adopting ITSM solutions that support a streamlined, cross-organizational approach.
In fact, while large organizations are leading in the adoption of ITSM platforms, it is the small and medium-sized enterprises that are seeing the fastest growth in adoption rates.
No business should be left behind in the shift towards non-siloed IT operations.
Read on to discover more trends and tips to help make 2025 a year of excellence in IT service and support for your organization:
1. AI-powered ITSM tools
Over the past few years, AI has demonstrated very real benefits for ITOps and ITSM. According to a Stanford/MIT study, IT agents who use AI can speed up their productivity by 14%. By automating a routine IT ticket like password resets, it has been said that businesses can save $1 million a year!
In 2025, IT managers should focus on integrating AI even more deeply across a range of processes, from predictive analytics and smart routing of IT tickets to AI-powered chatbots for 24/7 customer service and support.
2. Hyperautomation
This year, IT leaders are going beyond automation to “hyperautomation.”
Hyperautomation is the process of automating everything in an organization that can be automated. In the ITSM arena, automation can be used to streamline repetitive tasks, such as incident logging and monitoring. Pre-defined escalation and trigger-based workflows can help to automate incident resolution processes, ensuring that tasks are handled without human intervention until absolutely necessary. Managing service requests, such as password resets, software installation and permissions management, automated scheduling and tracking of change implementations, and auto-discovery and tracking of IT assets are all examples of ITSM workflow automation.
3. SLAs vs XLAs (Experience-Level Agreements)
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) typically measure the ‘mechanics’ of the IT service desk – how many tickets are handled in a given period, the time taken to resolve tickets, downtime vs uptime, and more. Experience-Level Agreements (XLAs), on the other hand, focus on the customer experience (CX), and the sentiment of the user about the service provided.
Recently, service level management has begun to shift from traditional SLAs towards XLAs that prioritize user satisfaction as part of the overall outcome.
As CX becomes more central to an organization’s success, ITSM managers should move beyond technical performance metrics, and start considering how to meet customer expectations and deliver customer satisfaction.
4. Streamlining ITSM metrics and business performance
When ITSM metrics improve, this leads to increased efficiency in reaching the organization’s overall business goals. That’s why IT leaders should focus efforts on streamlining IT workflows with organizational metrics.
For example, the IT team can implement an automated workflow to automatically create a CRM account for new sales staff based on their job role, including appropriate permissions and access levels (i.e., sales pipeline visibility, and customer data access). This streamlined approach to employee onboarding ensures that the sales team is always ready and up to date, which may lead to increased sales rates per employee.
The ability to show the connection between IT metrics and organizational goals is key to becoming an IT leader within the organization.
5. Proactive Incident Management
This past year, the trend toward proactive incident management continues, with 68% of organizations using a “proactive” approach.
What does “proactive” incident management actually mean? Predicting and preventing incidents before they occur. To do that, you need to leverage AIOps in your IT workflows. AI provides the ability to correlate log data and metrics and to deliver real-time insights and root-cause analysis, more accurately and quickly than could ever be done manually.
Almost all IT managers (94%) say that investing in AI is key to proactive incident management. Consider implementing an ITSM platform that integrates predictive AI capabilities so you too can become more proactive in incident management.
6. Democratize your IT service infrastructure with low-code platforms
“Agility” is another buzzword in the IT sector, however, it is much more than that.
The ability to quickly adapt and shift IT workflows, priorities, and goals is key to achieving objectives and meeting KPIs. It is also important to keep IT agents motivated and satisfied, giving them opportunities to expand their toolbox and accomplish IT tasks outside of the typical day-to-day demands.
In 2025, IT leaders should transform their team structures to enable a bottom-up hierarchy, using low-code or no-code tools – like IT Care Center – that empower IT staff to build and manage service workflows independently. This enables faster adaptability to organizational needs without heavy reliance on IT developers.
7. Focus on IT governance
The regulatory landscape is becoming stricter and more complex with each passing year. In January 2025, for instance, the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) came into effect, placing tighter controls on cybersecurity. The demand for IT managers to comply with evolving regulations, such as GDPR, ISO, HIPAA, and a host of cyber regulations is increasing steadily.
IT managers should leverage the capabilities of ITSM platforms to automate compliance checks and audits. Set up automated alerts for relevant stakeholders in cases of non-compliance, to prevent potential complications or fines. Using a platform like IT Care Center, which features ready-to-use, ITIL-compliant workflows, will be key to IT governance in the coming years.
8. Integrate smart Knowledge Management in your IT service desk
IT Care Center integrates knowledge management as part of the ITSM dashboard and experience, with a dynamic, AI-curated knowledge base. When a user inputs information into the IT ticket, the platform auto-suggests relevant help center articles, based on keywords in the ticket subject line.
In 2025, IT leaders should leverage AI-based automation in knowledge bases, empowering IT agents and end users alike to handle IT issues independently wherever possible. This leads to reduced resolution times, increased productivity, and reduced downtime. In addition, it frees up time for IT agents to focus on more complex tickets that need human intervention.
Make 2025 your best ITSM success yet
As we enter the second quarter of the 21st century, the IT service industry is looking more ‘futuristic’ than ever. Artificial intelligence is finally coming into its own, shaping many IT functions with automated efficiency. Cybersecurity is moving fast, in the constant race to outsmart complex and sophisticated threats.
Yet alongside these tech advancements, the focus on ITSM is still the customer. It’s up to IT leaders to find ways to improve customer experience and satisfaction while taking full advantage of the benefits of AI, automation, and other technologies.
In 2025, finding the balance between IT teams, IT customers, and IT technologies will be a strong theme. If you are looking for an ITSM platform to help you strike the right balance, contact the ITCC team today.
Written by Michal Hayet, IT Care Center
Meet the IT Care Center team on stand 125 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
Mint Service Desk Launches New Cloud Version available on AWS
Mint Service Desk, a global provider of IT Service Management (ITSM) and Service Desk solutions, is proud to announce the official launch of its Cloud version, developed in close cooperation with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
For years, Mint Service Desk has earned its reputation as a robust and flexible On-Premises solution, trusted by organizations across the globe. With a strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, the company has now expanded its offering to meet the growing demand for cloud-native service desk solutions.
“We’ve always been committed to evolving with our customers' needs. This new cloud version is a natural next step in our journey, and we're incredibly proud to make it available with the support of AWS,” said Pawel Kuzniar, CEO, Mint Service Desk.
A Next-Gen Cloud Solution, Built for Simplicity and Speed
The development of the new cloud version included a complete overhaul of the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI), combining modern design with cutting-edge technology. By adopting a new frontend framework and working hand-in-hand with UX/UI experts, the Mint Service Desk team has delivered a platform that is not only powerful but intuitive and easy to use.
The deployment process has been simplified dramatically:
• Customers can register and pay directly via the Mint Service Desk website
• A ready-to-use cloud instance is provisioned within minutes
• Easy-to-follow documentation and video tutorials help users set up their environment in just a few hours
“No technical background is required. Our goal is to eliminate the barriers that typically delay ITSM implementations. Whether you’re a small IT team or a large enterprise, you can be up and running in no time,” added Jesus Neumann, Account Manager, Mint Service Desk.
Scalable, Flexible, and Budget-Friendly
Mint Service Desk Cloud offers competitive pricing with flexible packages based on the number of agents and selected features. Clients can choose the plan that best suits their needs—without hidden costs or complex contracts.
The On-Premises version of Mint Service Desk will continue to be supported and enhanced, ensuring customers have the freedom to choose the deployment model that works best for them.
About Mint Service Desk
Mint Service Desk is an innovative ITSM and Service Desk platform trusted by companies around the world. With powerful ticketing, SLA management, automation, and asset tracking features, Mint Service Desk provides a complete ecosystem to manage internal and external support operations. Now available both On-Premises and in the Cloud, Mint Service Desk is ready to meet the demands of modern IT.
To learn more, sign up for a free trial, or explore the cloud version, visit: https://www.mintsd.com
By Jesus Neumann, Mint Service Desk
Meet the Mint Service Desk team on stand 221 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show and the MSP Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
What is Agentic AI? Transforming ITSM Through Intelligent Automation
IT Service Management (ITSM) is becoming increasingly intricate as organizations grapple with accelerated digital transformation, growing system complexities, and rising demands. Amid this evolution, a new technological paradigm is emerging to address these challenges head-on: Agentic AI.
This innovative approach signifies more than a technological upgrade. It represents a shift in how IT teams operate, enabling them to move beyond traditional methods and leverage intelligence that adapts, learns, and acts autonomously.
To understand its significance, we must explore what makes Agentic AI unique, why it matters for ITSM, and how it stands apart from other forms of artificial intelligence.
What Is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI is a sophisticated framework of artificial intelligence designed not just to automate tasks but to handle them intelligently and independently. While traditional automation relies on predefined rules and scripts, Agentic AI adapts to context and initiates actions based on dynamic assessments of its operating environment.
This autonomy is key. Unlike straightforward automation, which executes repetitive tasks like clockwork, Agentic AI actively analyzes, learns, and solves problems—even in intricate systems. For IT environments, this means moving from task completion to problem resolution. Examples of its capabilities include:
- Proactive Detection: Recognizing patterns that indicate future issues, such as identifying server instability before it causes downtime.
- Contextual Decision-Making: Weighing various factors to determine the best course of action for resolving issues like ticket prioritization or system resource allocation.
- Continuous Evolution: Learning from past events to improve its future responses, making it better suited to complex IT infrastructures.
Agentic AI works like an intelligent partner operating alongside human IT professionals, bridging gaps and ensuring smoother workflows.
Why Does Agentic AI Matter in ITSM?
Agentic AI is critical for ITSM because it addresses challenges that conventional tools and processes cannot fully resolve. The modern IT environment is not static; it’s dynamic and often unpredictable. Agentic AI thrives in such an environment by enabling IT teams to manage complexity with efficiency and precision.
Reducing Operational Strain
IT personnel often spend much of their time on repetitive tasks that, while necessary, stifle creativity and innovation. Agentic AI frees teams from these constraints by automating routine processes, such as password resets or compliance reporting, while adding an intelligence layer to prioritize and act on more nuanced decisions.
Strengthening Resilience
IT systems are deeply interconnected. A seemingly minor fault in one area can cascade into larger issues elsewhere. Agentic AI enables businesses to identify these vulnerabilities early by correlating data points, flagging anomalies, and suggesting resolutions. It ensures IT operations remain stable and efficient.
Enhancing Strategic Focus
Beyond automation, Agentic AI provides actionable insights that allow IT teams to focus on long-term priorities. Whether it’s optimizing processes for scalability or identifying patterns that highlight growth opportunities, this technology enables teams to redirect their time and efforts toward strategic improvements.
How Agentic AI Differs from Traditional AI and Generative AI
Artificial intelligence exists along a spectrum, and not all AI systems serve the same purpose. To fully appreciate the potential of Agentic AI, it’s necessary to distinguish it from other prominent AI types.
Traditional Automation
Traditional automation is rule-based and operates within rigid boundaries. It succeeds in tasks like executing workflows or triggering alerts, but it struggles to adapt to dynamic conditions. For example, it might process a software update but lacks the capacity to identify how the update affects system performance.
Generative AI
Generative AI focuses on the creation of content or data patterns derived from existing datasets. It excels at producing things like text, images, or chatbot scripts but is not designed to interpret, diagnose, or act on IT operations data independently.
Agentic AI
Agentic AI surpasses these constraints. It operates with autonomy, adapting to environmental conditions, taking initiative, and continuously improving its decision-making capabilities. It’s not just a tool that executes or generates; it’s an entity that evaluates, recommends, and acts.
This makes Agentic AI particularly well-suited for ITSM tasks where variables change frequently, and decisions must often be contextual and timely.
Practical Implications for IT Teams
The utility of Agentic AI is best understood through practical examples within IT Service Management. Consider a scenario where repeated user complaints about login failures arise. A traditional automation system might reset passwords or escalate the issue after recognizing its frequency. Generative AI might draft user guides to address the problem.
Agentic AI, however, can go deeper. It would analyze the root cause, correlating the failures with recent software configurations or changes to network policies. It could then suggest actionable fixes directly to IT personnel or even implement these changes autonomously in low-risk situations.
This capability transforms IT teams from reactive problem-solvers into proactive ecosystem managers, effectively reducing costly downtime and enhancing service delivery.
Where ITSM is Heading
Agentic AI signals a clear evolution in ITSM, enabling not only seamless workflows but also significant advancements in operational intelligence. It addresses immediate needs efficiently while providing long-term frameworks for decision-making and growth.
For IT teams in mid-market and enterprise environments, the implications are vast. By gradually integrating Agentic AI into existing systems, teams can build greater resilience and agility while minimizing disruption to current operations.
The question isn’t whether Agentic AI will play a role in ITSM’s future. It’s how teams will use it to reimagine their approach to problem-solving, strategy, and innovation. With the complexity of IT systems only set to grow, Agentic AI offers a pathway to smarter, more efficient, and more dynamic IT environments.
By taking thoughtful, incremental steps, IT professionals can harness Agentic AI not as a replacement for human expertise but as an indispensable ally in navigating an increasingly complex technological landscape.
Meet the SysAid team on stand 531 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
4 Takeaways from the SolarWinds State of ITSM Report
The SolarWinds State of ITSM Report has arrived. To uncover key trends, challenges, and practices in today's IT Service Management (ITSM) landscape, we’ve analyzed over 2,000 ITSM systems and more than 60,000 aggregated, anonymized data points spanning 13 months from July 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024. Here are a few things we found interesting.
More Agents Isn’t the Answer
The more service desk agents on hand to tackle tickets, the faster issues get resolved, right? Maybe not. Data showed no meaningful impact when comparing the ratio of employees to agents. On the contrary, the findings suggest an inverse relationship between the number of incidents per agent and the average resolution time—agents handling more tickets tend to resolve them faster, challenging the intuitive belief that fewer tickets mean quicker responses. The report suggests that the necessity for agents to focus harder to adapt to higher ticket volumes may, in fact, be a notable efficiency driver.
Automation Saves an Average of Three Hours Per Ticket
The report found that implementing automated processes and protocols reduces average ticket resolution time by over three hours. Strategies like automatic ticket routing, self-service portals, incident identification and categorization, centralized knowledge articles, AI enhancements, and smart notifications can greatly boost efficiency and user satisfaction. The report finds that automation also helps cut missed service-level agreements (SLAs) in half, and that industries embracing automation are seeing faster resolution times across the board.
Teams that Use SLAs Resolve Tickets Two Hours Faster on Average
The findings are clear: teams who create and enforce service-level agreements have an edge over those who don’t. By establishing clear performance benchmarks and consistently monitoring progress towards these goals, SLAs help organizations optimize their operations and drive down resolution times. SLAs function as a learning mechanism, offering the transparency necessary to pinpoint inefficiencies in response times, escalation methods, or other elements of service delivery. From here, organizations can implement accurate, data-informed changes to help bring any lagging standards up to scratch.
Self-Service Portals and Knowledge Base Articles Really Work
Self-service portals are designed to free up service desk agents by enabling employees to find solutions to problems independently, and the report suggests that it's working—self-service portals reduce ticket resolution times by over two hours on average. By creating space for users to submit tickets directly, share details of the issue at hand, and access resources to help find the cause of the problem, self-service portals cut down on time-consuming back-and-forth between the service desk and users. Access to Knowledge Base Articles is a key component of the self-service approach, and it is reaping dividends for companies who embrace it. The report found it enables service desk agents to resolve incidents an impressive six hours faster on average.
Understanding current trends and assessing how your organization aligns with them is essential for advancing your IT Service Management (ITSM). The SolarWinds State of ITSM Report is designed to help you navigate the realities of the industry.
By RJ Gazarek, Director of Product Marketing, SolarWinds
Meet the SolarWinds team on stand 151 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
Mint Service Desk Expands Partnership Network with baramundi
Mint Service Desk, a leading provider of IT Service Management (ITSM) software solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with baramundi, a prominent provider of Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solutions. This collaboration further strengthens Mint Service Desk’s efforts to expand its partner network and deliver comprehensive IT management solutions to organizations worldwide.
The integration with baramundi enhances Mint Service Desk’s service management capabilities, allowing businesses to efficiently monitor, update, and secure their IT assets from a single platform. This partnership streamlines asset discovery, software deployment, and security management, helping organizations optimize their IT operations with improved ease and efficiency.
“We are actively building a robust network of partners to provide the best-in-class IT service management solutions,” said Pawel Kuzniar, CEO of Mint Service Desk. “Our collaboration with baramundi is a pivotal step in that direction. By combining service management with endpoint management, we enable organizations to bolster security, minimize downtime, and boost overall IT performance.”
The Mint Service Desk and baramundi integration offers organizations a comprehensive IT management solution, empowering them to:
- Automate IT asset discovery for accurate and complete device inventories
- Enhance security compliance through timely software and patch management
- Boost service efficiency by integrating endpoint data directly into the service desk environment
- Reduce operational costs by streamlining IT service and asset management processes
Mint Service Desk remains dedicated to building strategic partnerships with industry leaders to expand the functionality and value of its ITSM platform. As part of this initiative, Mint Service Desk will showcase the benefits of this integration at SITS 2025 – The Service Desk & IT Support Show in May, where attendees can learn more and explore partnership opportunities.
For more information about the Mint Service Desk and baramundi integration, visit www.mintsd.com or join us at SITS 2025 this May!
By Jesus Neumann, Mint Service Desk
Meet the Mint Service Desk team on stand 221 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.
Emerging Trends in Data Centers: Redefining the Industry for 2025
Over the past two decades, the data center industry has undergone major transformations. As we move into 2025, key drivers like artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, and edge computing will continue to reshape the landscape, building a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable future.
AI-Driven Optimization: The New Standard
The rise of AI is accelerating changes in data center infrastructure. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that electricity demand will more than double between 2022 and 2026, requiring providers to evolve quickly. At nLighten, we prioritize edge infrastructures to bring computing closer to end users, reducing latency and easing pressure on centralized facilities.
Beyond infrastructure, AI plays a crucial role in optimizing operations. Advanced AI tools enable predictive maintenance, real-time energy adjustments, and efficient cooling system management. This enhances operational efficiency, reduces costs, and minimizes energy waste. As AI-driven systems grow more sophisticated, the industry has an opportunity to meet rising energy demands while improving efficiency.
Sustainability as a Core Principle
Sustainability is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. Growing digital service demands drive higher energy consumption, requiring a rethinking of energy use in data centers. One promising approach is sector coupling, where data centers integrate with local energy systems, using waste heat to warm nearby communities and leveraging renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
At nLighten, we embed sustainability into every aspect of our operations. Our "Harnessing Heat for a Sustainable Data Center" initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions and energy waste. In Germany, we are transforming our facilities into active contributors to the global energy transition, integrating with local grids to enhance sustainability.
The Edge Revolution: Speed Meets Efficiency
Low-latency performance is now an expectation rather than a luxury. With the rise of IoT, 5G, and cloud services, centralized data centers struggle to meet growing demands for speed and reliability. Edge data centers bridge this gap by bringing computing power closer to end users, reducing latency and improving real-time applications in industries such as autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and gaming.
In addition to performance benefits, edge data centers contribute to sustainability by integrating with local energy grids and optimizing energy use. These facilities help balance digital efficiency with environmental responsibility, ensuring a sustainable and high-performance future.
Building the Future: 2025 and Beyond
The data center industry is at a turning point. AI-driven optimization, sustainability, and edge computing are not just trends—they are essential for future success. At nLighten, we’re leading this transformation by integrating these technologies into our infrastructure, ensuring our data centers are more responsive, sustainable, and future-ready.
By embracing these innovations, we’re not just preparing for the future—we’re shaping it. As we enter 2025 and beyond, our commitment remains strong: delivering innovative, sustainable, and efficient solutions that support the next generation of digital experiences.
For more insights into sustainable data center practices, explore our whitepaper on how edge data centers can drive the digital economy while prioritizing sustainability and circularity.
By Christian Zipp, nLighten
Meet the nLighten team on stand 655 at SITS, The Service Desk & IT Support Show on 14-15 May 2025 at Excel London.