From relatively humble beginnings as data center management tools, IT service management (ITSM) solutions have become an indispensable part of modern business. Backed by the right ITSM platform, companies can fully align their IT services with business objectives—enhancing efficiency and driving customer satisfaction in the process. Simply put, ITSM has the capacity to optimize IT across the entire organization, promoting visibility and control within every relevant service. Companies around the globe are recognizing the need for effective ITSM.
A large number of ITSM solutions have sprung up to meet this need. Unfortunately, with such a crowded market, it can be difficult for organizations to find the solution that best fits their needs. Here, we will be taking a close look at two prominent players in the ITSM landscape: ServiceNow and Freshservice. Each of these options offer unique features and benefits, and understanding what they bring to the table is key to making an informed choice.
Before we get into the specifics of their ITSM offerings, let’s take a high-level look at each of the two options:
ServiceNow was founded in 2004 and has since grown to become a leader in the ITSM industry. Known for its comprehensive cloud-based framework, ServiceNow specializes in automating and improving workflows across various business functions. The Now Platform®, the centralized platform on which all ServiceNow® solutions are built, offers extensive capabilities that extend beyond ITSM to include human resource management (HRM), security operations (SecOps), and customer service management (CSM). Backed by advanced AI and machine learning features, this comprehensive approach allows organizations to unify and enhance their operations through data-driven decision-making and seamless integration.
ServiceNow’s reputation for innovation and reliability has earned it a strong presence in the enterprise market. The platform's scalability and flexibility make it uniquely suited for large organizations with complex needs. ServiceNow focuses on user experience and continuous improvement, helping companies transform their service delivery processes to boost productivity and customer satisfaction. With a global presence and a wide range of features, ServiceNow remains on of the preferred choices for enterprises looking to optimize their IT operations
Freshservice is a part of Freshworks, a company established in 2010 that provides a suite of business software solutions. Freshservice is designed to simplify ITSM for organizations of all sizes, with particular focus on small to medium-sized businesses. The tool is known for its user-friendly interface, which facilitates quick adoption and minimal training requirements. Freshservice provides basic ITSM functionalities.
Freshservice likewise offers a set of tools to manage IT operations, but as these tools include incident management, problem management, change management, and asset management, they actually fall under the umbrella of ITSM.
Freshservice's focus on simplicity has made it a popular choice for small IT teams seeking a more simplified (though typically less-powerful) IT service management solution.
The difference between ServiceNow and Freshservice ITSM goes deeper than just the size of the businesses that can benefit from them. Both IT service management toolsets bring their own advantages and distinct capabilities. Among the most noteworthy differences are:
ServiceNow
ServiceNow offers advanced approval workflows with customizable rules. Its AI-driven intelligent automation streamlines the approval process, helping ensure compliance while effectively reducing costly bottlenecks.Freshservice
Currently, Freshservice lacks the kind of dedicated workflow features found with ServiceNow. Approvals must be addressed manually, which can lead to inefficiencies, delays, and increased administrator workloads.
ServiceNow
ServiceNow's IntegrationHub supports seamless integration with hundreds third-party applications and other ServiceNow modules. Additionally, ServiceNow includes a range of configuration and configuration features (such as creating or modifying applications through the ServiceNow App Engine), allowing organizations to tailor the ITSM solution to better meet their needs.Freshservice
Freshservice supports integrations less than twenty apps but fails to achieve the sheer number and range of integrations available through ServiceNow. Likewise, the Freshservice API allows for custom integrations, but the range and depth are less comprehensive than ServiceNow.
ServiceNow
ServiceNow leads in AI and automation, featuring predictive analytics, machine learning, and automated incident management. These tools help organizations proactively address issues and optimize IT operations. Now Assist for ServiceNow ITSM takes things even further, applying generative AI (GenAI) solutions to optimize IT agent productivity.Freshservice
Freshservice offers automation capabilities focused specifically on ITSM processes, with workflow automation and some basic AI features. While effective for many use cases, it does not match the advanced AI functionalities prioritized by ServiceNow. Freshservice offers AI powered capabilities, such as Freddy Copilot as an add-on for an extra $29 per agent per month. These features are only available in Freshservice’s highest tiered packages, Pro and Enterprise.
ServiceNow
ServiceNow is designed to meet the evolving needs of any business, from small enterprises to large corporations. Its cloud-native architecture supports dynamic scaling, allowing organizations to expand their ITSM capabilities without significant reconfiguration.Freshservice
Freshservice scales well for small to medium-sized businesses, but only to a point. Its scalability is limited when it comes to large enterprises with complex IT requirements. Businesses that use Freshservice may find themselves having to trade up to something more powerful once they outgrow their current ITSM solution.
Overall, ServiceNow provides a more powerful, more rounded set of features, integrating easily with systems and tools. This gives enterprise businesses an ITSM solution that is a match for their complex needs. Andere reasons to choose ServiceNow include:
- Proven scalability
ServiceNow’s unmatched scalability is more than theory; it’s a fact. With the infrastructure and proven experience that comes from supporting some of the largest companies around the world, ServiceNow understands the needs of your enterprise business and can accommodate even the most significant growth—without skimping on performance. - Extendable platform that spans the entire organization
Where other ITSM solutions confine themselves to the boundaries of IT service management, ServiceNow delivers benefits organization-wide. Optimize communication and workflows across departments, apply advanced automation solutions, enjoy intelligent analytics and predictive insights, and maximize your investment. - Dedicated cloud infrastructure
With ServiceNow, customers benefit from a dedicated instance in a private cloud. This eliminates the need to rely on public cloud hosting for previously on-premises software, ensuring better control and security over the data that matters the most. - Unified platform
While ServiceNow ITSM includes customization and integration options for third-party applications and tools, keeping everything within the same ecosystem provides even more advantages. This is because all ServiceNow solutions share the same codebase, which ensures seamless integration across the platform. This unified approach simplifies the management of different services, enhances overall efficiency, and effectively eliminates the friction that comes from working with multiple disparate systems. - Leading ITSM capabilities?
Your business is important, so why not work with the best? ServiceNow is widely recognized as the gold standard in ITSM and beyond. Its comprehensive capabilities make it the top choice for enterprises looking to fully optimize their IT operations.
The world is run by IT, and that goes double for businesses. ITSM solutions empower organizations to get more out of their IT services, aligning their crucial technologies to support essential organizational goals. ServiceNow offers the most comprehensive and powerful ITSM solution available today, with unmatched scalability, advanced AI capabilities, and seamless integration across the Now Platform. This makes ServiceNow particularly well suited for large enterprises with complex IT needs. That said, smaller businesses can likewise benefit from ServiceNow's flexible scaling, extensive customization options, and dedicated cloud infrastructure.
If you are considering ITSM for your business, go with the solution that has the power to carry your organization into the future. See the ServiceNow difference; demo ServiceNow today!