The Gartner® ITSM report is a popular guide for IT leaders. They use it to stay updated on ITSM platforms. The report shows which platforms can best help them meet their business goals. The Gartner Market Guide for ITSM tools 2025 dives deep into several service management platforms that are key players in the industry.
Let’s look at some of the compelling information to be found in the report. We’ll also examine if the major players are the right fit for mid-market IT teams.
3 Key Takeaways from the Gartner ITSM Report
When IT leaders begin their tool search, they consider the tactical objectives that they need to address within the next one to two years. They must also think about the long-term usefulness of the service management ITSM tool the choose. They consider scalability, how processes will mature, and even if it’s fit for enterprise-wide usage.
As such, leaders must consider tomorrow’s trends and how ITSM providers are addressing these within their solutions. The Gartner Market Guide ITSM addresses three notable trends.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence in ITSM helps support business objectives by speeding up work and improving customer experiences. Vendors are seeking new ways to incorporate AI into their platforms. Examples of AI usage in ITSM are summarizing ticket data, conversational chatbots or knowledge generation.
Enterprise Service Management (ESM)
Enterprise service management is a digital transformation initiative that pushes service management principles into business units outside IT. In ESM, teams like HR and facilities deliver their services in a value-added way. They use tools like those found in IT settings. These may include service portals, knowledge bases, real-time reporting, and ticketing.
Automation
When teams automate repetitive tasks, they improve response times and enhance the overall user experience. Tools that leverage advanced process managers aid I&O teams in meeting these goals.
Many ITSM Tools Fall Short for Mid-Market Leaders
While keeping trends in mind is important for IT organizations, mid-market leaders need to balance “bells & whistles” with practicality. Too often, teams over-buy their ITSM solution which leads to big spending and little value. Mid-market buyers need to be aware of the following when considering an ITSM investment.
Enterprise desire on a mid-market budget
Enterprise solutions have enterprise price tags. By their nature, they are not designed for budget conscious buyers.
In contrast, mid-market ITSM vendors fill the gap. They may not be well-known names because they are not always in the Gartner Market Guide. However, they provide high-quality ITSM solutions that fit the needs of mid-market buyers.
For example, vendors may offer a concurrent user pricing model to help businesses save on licensing costs.
People powered: lack of time and skills reduce value
Hefty tools built for enterprise environments require a lot of set up and administration. From challenging integrations and workflow customization to feature overload and complex CMDBs, the setup and maintenance of enterprise solutions is a huge commitment. It generally requires increased headcount or significant service costs.
Avoiding this is critical for the mid-market buyer. A better option is to find a solution that:
- Offers managed options. Let the experts handle updates, security and patching.
- Aligns with your core needs. Don’t try to do everything at once. Consider starting with incident management. Aim to expand from that point.
- Has pre-configured workflows. If your aim is to mature the organization, begin with pre-built workflows. This allows you to get started by leveraging the expert knowledge. Then, you can adapt these to fit your specific needs as you gain experience.
Need for speed: implementations are too slow.
Few mid-market players can wait a year before they enhance their infrastructure and operations departments. Yet, implementation time with enterprise solutions can take that long – or longer.
Most midsized businesses need to be nimble. They must innovate to keep pace with their markets. They need their IT organizations to keep up.
In talking with vendors, ask about their project management and onboarding speed with organizations similar to yours. How fast did they become operational?
Evaluate ITSM Tools Beyond the Market Guide
According to Gartner, there are hundreds of ITSM solutions in the market. Only 20 vendors are identified in the Gartner Market Guide, so there are many others to explore. In fact, the Guide itself indicates that exclusion from the report does not mean that a product lacks viability.
This is good news for the mid-market buyer when choosing an ITSM tool. They aren’t simply stuck with the same old 20 vendors. Beyond basic features, ITSM software evaluation should a holistic view on the offering and vendor.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
The total cost of ownership is the total of all items needed for a long-term solution for your company. Consider costs beyond the licensing price tag, such as:
- Modules and add-ons
- Usage costs, like texting or social media
- Costs related to hosting
- Cost increases as you scale
- Services and support for customizations, integrations, or configuration
- Data migration services
- Training
- End user onboarding
Flexibility and Integration
Flexibility is a crucial consideration. Ultimately, you’re not just putting money into current requirements. You should be forecasting your needs into the future so that you find a solution that will scale with your business. Points to investigate include:
- Workflow adaptation. How easily can workflows be adapted? Does it need extra development services? Is it low-code / no-code, allowing internal teams to manage it effortlessly?
- Pay as you grow. Are you required to cover all expenses now? We noted earlier that ITSM buyers often pay for more than they are able to use right now. Instead of having HR workflows available on day one, for instance, ask if these can be added later.
- Self-service savings. As you change, can you easily modify the solution internally. For instance, can you update the service portal on our own? Are you able to administer it internally?
Support and Service Options
Of course, if you’re considering internal administration, make sure to have product support experts available. They can assist you when you’re feeling lost. Training and customer service should be top priorities when engaging with vendors. Understand the vendor’s: - SLAs. Will you be able to reach someone quickly and easily enough to ensure business operations? Do they have 24/7 operations? Are representatives regional to your area?
- Support channels. Are there specific processes to follow? Will you have a dedicated Customer Success Manager who you can contact to resolve issues?
- Onboarding. Is the procedure clear? Do you know what to expect for configuration, integration and training? Are there established processes to expedite the rollout?
Conclusion
As a flexible ITSM solution, OTRS deserves a look. It’s built with ITSM best practices in mind and has over 17 pre-configured ITSM processes on board. Highlights of the offering include:
- Request management/ticketing
- CMDB/asset management
- Reporting and analytics
- Knowledge management
- Customizable service portal
- Easy-to-use process manager
Add OTRS to your shortlist. As a mid-market purchaser, keep in mind that this and other alternative options are available to you.
And, take time to read the Gartner Market Guide. It offers perspective on the market and trends that are shaping the industry. You will think about what’s possible and your own vision for the future – regardless of your team’s size.
