In today's fast-paced and technology-driven world, selecting the right IT Service Management (ITSM) solution has become a critical decision for organizations aiming to optimize their operations and deliver exceptional service. The market is filled with prominent contenders like BMC Helix vs. Freshworks, each offering a unique set of features and advantages that cater to specific business needs.
In this blog post, we’ll embark on a comprehensive comparison of BMC Helix and Freshworks, shedding light on their distinctive characteristics and capabilities. But that's not all. We’ll also introduce an alternative solution that stands out amidst this competition: InvGate Service Desk. This powerful service desk software not only offers streamlined functionalities but also places a strong emphasis on digital transformation, presenting organizations with a unique opportunity to elevate their IT operations to new heights.
Let's embark on this ITSM tools comparison, discovering the ITSM solution that best aligns with your organization's goals and empowers you to excel in today's competitive IT landscape.
Table of Contents
- TL;DR
- What is BMC Helix?
- What is Freshworks?
- Considering InvGate Service Desk as an ITSM solution alternative
TL;DR
- BMC Helix receives accolades for its advanced functionalities, customizable options, responsive customer support, and reliable cloud hosting. However, some users express concerns about the outdated interface, unpredictable licensing costs, and difficulties with reports and dashboards.
- Freshservice excels in ticketing, customer support, knowledge base, automation, and mobile app. However, concerns exist about stability, limited reporting, pricing, customization, integration, and search.
- InvGate Service Desk excels in ITSM and ESM with its strong ticketing system, user-friendly options, comprehensive reporting, and unmatched cost-effectiveness.
Most looked-at features by buyers
When prospective buyers assess IT Service Management solutions, they focus on specific functionalities that align with their organization's needs. Understanding these desired features is crucial for making well-informed decisions.
Let's now explore the main aspects that potential buyers commonly consider when comparing ITSM tools.
- Streamlined IT service catalog - Buyers often seek a simplified IT service catalog that centralizes user requests for specific IT services or resources. This feature simplifies service requests, improves visibility, and aids in effective service delivery management.
- Seamless integration capabilities - The ability to integrate with other systems and applications is a critical requirement for buyers (particularly with ITAM tools). This ensures smooth data flow and automated processes, enhancing efficiency and providing a unified user experience.
- Support automation and Workflow Management - Automation capabilities are sought after to streamline routine tasks like ticket routing, approvals, and escalations, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
- User experience and interface - Ease of use and interface design are critical factors for buyers. A user-friendly platform with an intuitive interface enhances user adoption and productivity. Mobile accessibility is also important for organizations with remote or mobile workforces.
- Self-service portal and knowledge base - A self-service portal is highly valued as it empowers end-users to independently resolve common issues and find relevant information without direct assistance.
- Ticket Management system - Buyers highly value a comprehensive Ticket Management system within the help desk software. This feature facilitates efficient tracking, assignment, and resolution of customer inquiries and support requests.
- Scalability and personalization - Organizations with changing needs seek solutions that can adapt to their growth and allow customization. Custom fields, workflows, and extensions/plugins are essential to cater to specific business requirements.
- ITIL compliance - Adhering to ITIL best practices is a priority for many organizations. Buyers may prioritize solutions that support ITIL processes, including Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management, and Asset Management.
- Informative reporting - Buyers look for help desk software with powerful reporting tools like dashboards and reports, providing valuable insights into their IT operations and performance. This data-driven approach aids in informed decision-making and continuous service improvement.
- Customization and adaptability - Flexibility is highly valued by buyers. They prefer software solutions that can be personalized to align with their unique workflows and processes, resulting in higher user satisfaction and overall effectiveness.
- Efficient IT Asset Management - Buyers prioritize software that offers robust ITAM capabilities to maintain accurate inventories and optimize resource utilization.
- Cost and support - Buyers consider the solution's cost-effectiveness, including licensing models, subscription plans, and additional costs for features or users. Reliable customer support, comprehensive documentation, and accessible training resources also influence the decision-making process.
What is BMC Helix?
BMC Helix ITSM, developed by BMC Software, is a Service Management platform designed to assist organizations in overcoming the challenges they face while managing their IT services. The platform offers a wide range of features and capabilities that aim to simplify IT processes and improve user experiences.
BMC Software is a multinational IT company founded in 1976 and headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company specializes in delivering software solutions and services for efficiently managing IT operations. Their product portfolio includes IT Service Management, IT Asset Management, IT Operations Management (ITOM), and DevOps solutions. Through these offerings, BMC helps organizations automate processes, manage assets, and optimize IT performance.
What users like from BMC Helix
Users have expressed their satisfaction with BMC Helix, as evidenced by positive reviews from Gartner. Let's now explore the advantages in more detail.
- Customer-focused and user-friendly interface - BMC Helix places a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and delivers a user-friendly experience. The Digital Workplace portal, in particular, stands out with its modern and intuitive interface, enhancing user engagement and usability.
- Stable and reliable cloud hosting - BMC Helix ensures a stable and dependable cloud hosting environment, guaranteeing consistent performance and uptime for users. This reliability contributes to a seamless and uninterrupted experience while using the platform.
- Enhanced features and customization - Users appreciate the ongoing evolution of BMC Helix, which introduces new features and improves integration with third-party vendors. Additionally, the platform allows for easy customization to suit specific company needs, resulting in a tailored user experience that meets individual requirements.
- Responsive support - Users have found the SAAS group to be highly responsive and helpful, offering timely support when needed. Moreover, the customer success team takes a proactive approach to ensure successful implementation and smooth usage of the tool, further enhancing the overall customer experience.
What users don’t like from BMC Helix
While BMC Helix has its strengths, it has also faced criticism from customers, as highlighted by reputable sources like Gartner. Let's now explore some of the concerns that have been raised.
- Outdated UI and mid-tier user experience - The user interface is considered outdated and not user-friendly. Additionally, users have expressed dissatisfaction with the mid-tier user experience, impacting usability and efficiency.
- Limitations and missing features - Some users have mentioned limitations and missing features, particularly regarding customization in SmartIT and certain capabilities in newer versions of BMC Helix.
- Integration and cross-platform challenges - While not specified in detail, users have mentioned issues with integration and cross-platform functionality, indicating that improvements are needed in this area.
- Inconsistent experience and poor cross-platform integration - Users have reported experiencing inconsistencies and a lack of seamless integration across different modules of the platform. This results in a fragmented user experience and hampers productivity.
- Support issues and lack of SLAs - Resolving issues can sometimes take a long time, and dealing with back-end teams can be frustrating. Users have raised concerns about support policies and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in the SAAS environment.
- Unpredictable licensing costs - Users have mentioned that licensing costs can be unpredictable and inflexible, causing difficulties in budgeting and resource allocation.
- Complexity and training requirements - While customization is appreciated, some users find the tool complex and require intensive training. This complexity can hinder adoption and efficiency for certain users.
- Complicated report and dashboard creation - Users find the process of creating reports and dashboards to be complicated, which can impede effective data analysis and reporting.
What’s BMC Helix’s argument over Freshworks?
Although both BMC Helix and Freshworks are prominent contenders in the ITSM sector, BMC Helix presents a set of compelling reasons that set it apart from Freshworks. Let's delve into these distinguishing factors.
- Comprehensive enterprise-grade Solution - BMC Helix offers a comprehensive platform integrating IT Service Management, IT Operations Management, and IT Asset Management capabilities, catering to large enterprises with complex IT needs.
- Extensive customization options - The platform provides organizations with the flexibility to customize the system to suit their specific requirements, making it an ideal choice for enterprises with diverse and unique business processes.
- Stable and reliable cloud hosting - BMC Helix ensures consistent performance and uptime, a crucial aspect for large organizations that require uninterrupted services to support their operations effectively.
- Customer-focused and user-friendly interface - The Digital Workplace portal stands out with its modern and intuitive interface, enhancing user engagement and usability, promoting a positive user experience.
- Responsive support - BMC Helix's SAAS group offers timely and proactive support, ensuring successful implementation and smooth usage of the platform for customers.
What is Freshworks?
Freshservice is an IT Service Management platform designed to effectively assist organizations, from small to large enterprises, in managing their IT services. Operating on the cloud, the platform offers a wide range of features, including IT Asset Management, incident and service request resolution, workflow automation, and a comprehensive knowledge base.
With its user-friendly interface and an impressive rating of 4.5 out of 5 from Gartner, Freshservice is a dependable option for organizations seeking to streamline their IT operations and provide exceptional service to their employees.
Freshworks, the company behind Freshservice, was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California, USA.
What users like from Freshworks
Freshservice has received positive customer feedback, as analyzed by reputable sources like Gartner and G2. Here are some notable benefits of the platform.
- Knowledge base - This Freshservice's feature is well-regarded as it empowers customers to access self-help resources. By providing helpful information, reduces the need for repetitive support requests and enables users to find answers to their questions independently.
- Ticketing system - The platform's ticketing system has received praise for its effectiveness in managing, tracking, and facilitating collaboration on tickets. This feature streamlines the ticketing process, contributing to efficient issue resolution.
- User-friendly interface - Users highly appreciate Freshservice's interface for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows users to navigate effortlessly, enhancing their overall experience.
- Automation and Workflow Management - Users have praised the software’s automation capabilities. The platform's workflows, automated responses, and escalations enhance efficiency by streamlining processes, leading to quicker and more effective handling of tasks.
- Mobile app - Freshservice's mobile app is considered a convenient tool for on-the-go access and management of tickets. It offers a user-friendly experience similar to the web version, allowing efficient remote support and access to services wherever users may be.
- Customer support - Freshservice's customer support is highly rated for being responsive and helpful. Knowledgeable support teams promptly address user concerns, delivering a satisfactory and positive customer experience.
What users don’t like from Freshworks
While Freshservice has numerous strengths and positive attributes, customer feedback and reviews from reputable sources like Gartner and G2 have shed light on certain concerns regarding specific aspects of the platform. Here are some of the issues raised.
- A steep learning curve for advanced features - While users generally find Freshservice's basic features user-friendly, some have reported difficulties navigating and utilizing the platform's more advanced features. This steep learning curve can pose challenges for users trying to take full advantage of the platform's capabilities.
- Pricing structure - Certain users have expressed concerns about Freshservice's pricing structure, considering it expensive, especially when additional features or agent licenses are required. The cost of scaling the platform to meet specific needs has been a point of contention for some customers.
- Limited customization - Some users have voiced a desire for more customization options within the software, particularly in terms of ticketing workflows and interface personalization. The platform's current level of customization falls short of meeting the specific requirements of certain organizations.
- Integration challenges - Users have encountered challenges when integrating Freshservice with third-party tools or systems. Improvements in integration capabilities would foster a more seamless and efficient workflow for users.
- Platform stability - Some users have encountered stability issues while using Freshservice, experiencing occasional system glitches, slow performance, and instances of downtime. These technical challenges have impacted user experience and overall efficiency.
- Limited reporting and analytics - Several users have mentioned that the tool’s reporting capabilities could be improved, as they feel there are limited options available. Enhancements to reporting and analytics features would enable users to derive more valuable insights from the platform's data.
- Search functionality - Some users have experienced difficulties with the search feature within Freshservice, finding it less effective in locating specific information or tickets. Enhancing the search functionality would improve the platform's usability and make it easier for users to access the information they need.
What’s Freshworks’ argument over BMC Helix?
Let's examine Freshworks' key advantages over BMC Helix.
- Specialized core features - Freshworks focuses on core ITSM functions such as ticketing, knowledge base, and automation, delivering targeted solutions that cater to essential business needs.
- Mobile app - Freshservice's mobile app provides a convenient and user-friendly tool for on-the-go access and management of tickets, enabling efficient remote support and access to services from anywhere.
- Responsive customer support - Freshworks' customer support is highly rated for its responsiveness and helpfulness, ensuring that users receive timely assistance when facing challenges or requiring technical support.
Considering InvGate Service Desk as an ITSM solution alternative
While BMC Helix and Freshworks stand as prominent rivals in the ITSM industry, it's crucial to explore alternative solutions that closely match your organization's specific needs. In this regard, InvGate Service Desk emerges as a compelling option worthy of careful consideration. Let's delve into the comprehensive features of InvGate Service Desk that make it a valuable choice for fulfilling your organization's ITSM requirements.
Strong self-service capabilities
InvGate Service Desk provides robust self-service functionalities, including a user-friendly portal, an extensive IT service catalog, and a knowledge base. These features empower end-users to independently resolve common issues, access various IT services, and utilize self-help resources, reducing the workload on IT staff.
Customization and flexibility
InvGate Service Desk offers flexible deployment options, allowing organizations to choose between on-premise or cloud-based solutions. This adaptability ensures the platform can cater to the specific requirements of different sectors and industries.
Robust Ticketing and Incident Management
InvGate Service Desk excels in providing powerful features for efficient ticket tracking, collaboration, and resolution. IT teams benefit from automated ticket routing, customizable workflows, and SLA Management, enabling them to handle and prioritize incidents effectively.
Simplified configuration and setup
InvGate Service Desk offers a streamlined configuration and setup process using a no-code/low-code approach. This user-friendly approach allows both new and experienced users to implement the system without extensive technical expertise, leveraging its powerful ITSM capabilities quickly.
ITSM focus with ESM extension
InvGate Service Desk is purpose-built for ITSM and seamlessly extends its capabilities to Enterprise Service Management (ESM), enabling operational departments to enhance their processes and fully embrace the benefits of digital transformation. It facilitates streamlined workflows and comprehensive digital transformation initiatives across all departments.
ITIL-certified readiness
InvGate Service Desk has obtained the esteemed ITIL4 certification from PINK Elephant, demonstrating its commitment to upholding ITSM excellence. Whether organizations are starting their ITIL journey or managing complex operations, InvGate Service Desk offers a user-friendly and feature-rich experience aligned with industry best practices.
Comprehensive Asset Management
Integrating InvGate Service Desk with InvGate Insight offers organizations a holistic view of their IT ecosystem, leading to improved service delivery and reduced downtime. InvGate Insight provides IT Asset Discovery, Inventory Management, Software License Management, and maintenance schedules.
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Exceptional user experience
InvGate Service Desk prioritizes delivering an exceptional user experience through meticulous design and adherence to UI/UX best practices. Its intuitive interface promotes quick adoption and minimizes the need for extensive training, ensuring a user-friendly design that maximizes productivity.
Comprehensive reporting and analytics
InvGate Service Desk provides extensive reporting and analytics functionalities, allowing organizations to gain valuable insights into their IT operations and performance. The platform offers ready-to-use reports and customizable dashboards, empowering IT teams to analyze data, identify patterns, and make informed decisions to enhance their services.
Cost-effective solution
InvGate Service Desk offers a cost-effective solution without compromising functionality. It provides a comprehensive range of ITSM features at a competitive price point, making it an appealing choice for organizations seeking affordability without sacrificing capabilities. In comparison to alternatives like BMC Helix and Freshworks, InvGate Service Desk strikes a balance between cost and functionality.
Fast ROI and ongoing innovation
InvGate Service Desk ensures a fast return on investment through efficient implementation processes. Within weeks, organizations can start experiencing the benefits of this robust ITSM solution. Additionally, regular feature updates keep users at the forefront of technology without incurring additional costs.
Next steps
In the comparison between BMC Helix vs. Freshworks, each platform caters to different market segments and offers unique advantages that can significantly impact organizations' IT operations.
Additionally, exploring alternative options is essential to find the perfect ITSM solution that aligns precisely with your organization's goals. One such noteworthy alternative is InvGate Service Desk. This platform proves to be an excellent choice for those seeking optimization and efficiency in their ITSM operations.
Download our free ITSM implementation checklist, a comprehensive resource that will guide you through the steps to map out a successful implementation strategy. Make an informed decision that pave the way for a seamless and productive IT Service Management experience!
