Email in ServiceNow CSM
An overview of email in ServiceNow CSM and how it supports omnichannel customer engagement.
Overview
Email remains one of the most widely used and trusted communication channels in customer service. ServiceNow Customer Service Management includes email as a core omnichannel capability, allowing customers to contact support using a familiar channel while enabling organizations to manage those interactions within a structured, workflow driven platform.
With email in ServiceNow CSM, customers can send messages directly to support addresses to create new service requests, continue conversations, or provide additional information. These emails are captured by the platform and handled alongside other channels such as messaging, chat, and phone, all within a unified agent experience.
Email conversations are asynchronous by nature. Customers and agents can communicate over time without requiring a live session, while maintaining full conversation history and context throughout the lifecycle of the request.
Email as a customer service channel
The email channel enables customers to initiate and continue support interactions using their email inbox. From the customer perspective, the experience is simple and familiar. They send an email to a designated support address and receive responses back in the same channel.
From the platform perspective, ServiceNow interprets incoming emails and ties them to structured records that agents can work on. This ensures that email based requests are visible, tracked, and managed with the same rigor as other omnichannel interactions.
Email is commonly used when customers need to provide detailed descriptions, share attachments, or communicate outside of real time support hours. It also plays an important role in follow ups, confirmations, and ongoing conversations that span multiple exchanges.
Two email workflows in ServiceNow CSM
ServiceNow CSM supports two complementary workflows for handling customer emails. Organizations can choose one or both approaches depending on their service model and email volume.
Email to case
In the email to case workflow, an incoming customer email automatically creates a Case record. The subject and body of the email populate the case fields, and any attachments are added directly to the case.
Subsequent replies from the customer are threaded into the same case, allowing the entire conversation to live in one place. Agents respond directly from the case, and outbound replies are sent back to the customer via email and recorded on the case activity timeline.
This workflow is well suited for scenarios where most customer emails represent formal service requests that should be tracked through to resolution.
Email as interaction
In the email as interaction workflow, incoming customer emails first create an Interaction record rather than a case. This allows agents to review and respond to the email before deciding whether a formal case is required.
Email interactions are routed through Advanced Work Assignment and handled by agents using the same workspace experience as other channels, with full customer context and conversation history preserved.
If additional tracking or workflow is needed, the agent can convert the interaction into a case while maintaining all communication and context.
This workflow is commonly used when
- A high volume of emails are informational or quick questions
- Agents need flexibility to resolve issues without opening cases
- Organizations want tighter control over case creation
Email as Interaction
Incoming emails are handled as interactions in the configurable workspace, allowing agents to review context and respond before creating a case. If needed, the interaction can be converted into a case without losing any communication or history.
Routing and omnichannel alignment
Email based work participates in the same omnichannel operating model as other ServiceNow channels. Incoming emails can be routed automatically to the appropriate agent or team based on predefined criteria.
Email interactions appear alongside other channel work items in the agent workspace, allowing agents to manage email, messaging, chat, and phone work from a single interface.
ServiceNow also supports unified routing of email and other channels through contact center integrations. For additional detail, refer to the ServiceNow article on the Contact Center Integration Framework:
Common use cases for email in CSM
- Customers prefer email for detailed or formal communication
- Attachments such as screenshots or documents are easy to include
- Conversations can continue over time without requiring immediate responses
- Customers can reply directly to notifications or agent messages
- External users can engage without portal access
