In today's rapidly evolving world of IT Service Management (ITSM), the abundance of options can leave organizations grappling with the challenge of choosing the perfect solution. Among the choices, the comparison between BMC Helix vs. TOPdesk has emerged as a focal point for IT decision-makers seeking the ideal ITSM platform.
In this blog post, we’ll compare both platforms, delving into their distinctive strengths and areas for improvement.
Beyond this ITSM tools comparison, we’ll introduce you to an alternative solution that redefines the boundaries of ITSM innovation: InvGate Service Desk. This transformative service desk software embraces the essence of digital transformation, offering streamlined functionalities and a profound opportunity to elevate your IT operations.
Keep reading to make an informed decision that will lead your organization toward ITSM greatness.
Table of contents
- TL;DR
- What is BMC Helix?
- What is TOPdesk?
- Considering InvGate Service Desk as an ITSM solution alternative
TL;DR
- BMC Helix is praised for its enhanced features and customization, responsive support, and stable cloud hosting. It has also been manifested that the UI can be outdated and too complex, the licensing costs can be unpredictable, and there can be challenges with reports and dashboards.
- In TOPdesk's case, customers like the collaboration capabilities and user-friendly interface, as well as its configuration and customization options. On the contrary, they don't like the challenges with Knowledge and Change Management, the complexity in setup and configuration, and the outdated appearance.
- InvGate Service Desk's users highlight the tool's ease of use and modern UI, as well as its Low-Code/No-Code capabilities that simplify configuration. In addition, the platform offers a straightforward migration process and robust automation, reporting, and AI capabilities.
Most looked-at features by buyers
When evaluating IT Service Management options, potential buyers focus on specific features that suit their organization's requirements. Understanding these desired functionalities is vital for making well-informed decisions.
Let's delve into the key aspects prospective buyers commonly consider when comparing ITSM tools.
- Streamlined IT service catalog - Organizations often seek a simplified IT service catalog that provides a centralized platform for users to request specific IT services or resources. This feature simplifies service requests, improves visibility, and aids in effective Service Delivery Management.
- Self-service portal and knowledge base - Buyers highly value a self-service portal that empowers end-users to independently resolve common issues and find relevant information without direct assistance.
- User experience and interface - Ease of use and a well-designed interface are crucial factors for buyers. They value a user-friendly platform with an intuitive interface that enhances user adoption and productivity. Mobile accessibility is also essential for organizations with remote or mobile workforces.
- Customization and adaptability - Buyers appreciate software solutions that offer flexibility in personalizing the platform according to their business needs. This adaptability ensures the software aligns with their unique workflows and processes, resulting in higher user satisfaction and overall effectiveness.
- Ticket Management system - A comprehensive system for managing tickets within the help desk software is highly valued by buyers. This feature enables efficient tracking, assignment, and resolution of customer inquiries and support requests.
- Seamless integration capabilities - The ability to integrate with other systems and applications is a critical requirement for buyers. This ensures smooth data flow and automated processes, adding value by connecting with existing tools and platforms to improve efficiency and provide a unified user experience.
- Support automation and Workflow Management - Buyers actively look for software solutions that offer automation capabilities to streamline routine tasks like ticket routing, approvals, and escalations. These automation features contribute to increased efficiency and productivity.
- ITIL compliance - Many organizations prioritize adherence to ITIL best practices. Buyers may favor solutions that support ITIL processes, including Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management, and Asset Management.
- Scalability and personalization - Organizations with evolving needs seek solutions that can adapt to their growth and allow customization. Buyers look for a solution that enables creating custom fields, workflows, and extensions/plugins to cater to their specific business requirements.
- Efficient IT Asset Management - Users give preference to software with robust IT Asset Management (ITAM) capabilities. This helps maintain accurate inventories and optimize resource utilization within their organizations.
- Informative reporting - Buyers seek help desk software with powerful reporting tools, such as dashboards and reports, to gain valuable insights into their IT operations and performance. This data-driven approach facilitates informed decision-making and continuous service improvement.
- Cost and support - Buyers consider the cost-effectiveness of the solution, including licensing models, subscription plans, and additional costs for features or users. The availability of 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 with the primary goal of assisting organizations in effectively managing their IT services. This platform boasts a wide array of features and capabilities, all geared towards simplifying IT processes and enhancing user experiences.
BMC Software is a well-established American multinational IT company, established in 1976, and headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company specializes in providing a range of software solutions and services for IT Operations Management. Among their diverse product portfolio are IT Service Management, IT Asset Management, IT Operations Management (ITOM), and DevOps solutions. By means of these products, BMC facilitates process automation, asset management, and the optimization of IT performance for organizations.
What users like from BMC Helix
BMC Helix has received accolades from users, as evident from positive Gartner reviews. Let's delve into these benefits in greater detail.
- 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 when utilizing the platform's services.
- Enhanced features and customization - BMC Helix impresses users with its continuous evolution, introducing new features and improved integration with third-party vendors. The platform's flexibility allows for easy customization, making it adaptable to specific company needs and delivering a polished and tailored user experience.
- Responsive support - Users have praised the SAAS group's responsiveness and helpfulness, providing timely support whenever required. Furthermore, the customer success team actively ensures a successful implementation and usage of the tool, elevating the overall user experience.
- Customer-centric and user-friendly interface - The Helix Remedy Platform places a strong focus on customer satisfaction, offering a user-friendly experience. The Digital Workplace portal stands out with its modern and intuitive interface, enabling effortless navigation and interaction for users.
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 explore some of the concerns raised by users.
- Integration and cross-platform challenges - Users have encountered issues related to integration and cross-platform functionality, although not specified in detail. These challenges indicate the need for improvements to ensure a smoother and more seamless user experience.
- Limitations and missing features - Users have reported limitations and missing features, particularly concerning customization in SmartIT and certain capabilities in newer versions of BMC Helix. These gaps in functionality hinder users' ability to tailor the platform to their specific needs.
- Complicated report and dashboard creation - Creating reports and dashboards has been described as a complicated process by users. This complexity can impede effective data analysis and reporting, making it challenging for users to derive meaningful insights from the platform.
- Unpredictable licensing costs - Customers have mentioned that licensing costs can be unpredictable and inflexible, leading to difficulties in budgeting and resource allocation.
- Support issues and lack of SLAs - Customers have experienced delays in issue resolution and frustration when dealing with back-end teams. Concerns have been expressed about support policies and the absence of clear Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in the SAAS environment, leading to uncertainty and dissatisfaction.
- Outdated UI and mid-tier user experience - The user interface has been deemed outdated and not user-friendly. Additionally, the mid-tier user experience has been reported to be unsatisfactory, affecting usability and overall efficiency.
- Complexity and training requirements - While customization is appreciated, some users find the tool overly complex and require extensive training. This complexity may hinder adoption and efficiency, particularly for users who are not well-versed in the platform's intricacies.
What’s BMC Helix’s argument over TOPdesk?
While both platforms have their merits and drawbacks, BMC Helix aims to position itself as the superior choice for organizations seeking a comprehensive ITSM solution. Here are some points that BMC Helix could potentially use to make its case.
- Comprehensive cloud hosting - BMC Helix emphasizes its stable and reliable cloud hosting environment, which ensures consistent performance and uptime for users.
- Continuous evolution and enhanced customization - BMC Helix highlights its commitment to continuous evolution by introducing new features and improved integration with third-party vendors. This ongoing development provides users with enhanced customization options, making BMC Helix more adaptable to specific company needs.
- User-friendly interface and modern design - BMC Helix points to its customer-centric and user-friendly interface, with a special focus on the intuitive Digital Workplace portal. Its modern design offers a more polished and enjoyable user experience.
- Robust customer support and SLAs - BMC Helix's responsive support and active customer success team could be highlighted as a differentiating factor.
What is TOPdesk?
TOPdesk IT Service Management software, created by the Dutch company TOPdesk, offers ITSM solutions to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of IT support services. The platform integrates customer requests, IT assets, and workflows into an easy-to-use system, streamlining the support process and ensuring a satisfactory customer experience. TOPdesk ITSM enables organizations to effectively manage various IT service activities such as Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management, and Request Management.
What users like from TOPdesk
Feedback from users about TOPdesk has been positive, as evidenced by reviews from reputable sources like Gartner. Some key benefits users appreciate are.
- User-friendly interface - The tool offers an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, enabling IT agents to complete tasks effortlessly.
- Stability and reliability - The software ensures stability and reliability, guaranteeing uninterrupted delivery of IT services.
- All-in-one Service Management solution - TOPdesk ITSM serves as a comprehensive and integrated platform that meets all the IT service needs of organizations in one tool.
- Asset and Inventory Management - The software includes extensive IT Asset Management functionality and Inventory Management, providing a holistic view of assets.
- User-friendly self-service portal - The self-service portal is designed with user-friendliness in mind, allowing customers to request assistance or report issues easily.
- Collaboration capabilities - TOPdesk ITSM promotes seamless communication and efficient troubleshooting through collaboration features, fostering collaboration among operators and departments.
- Configuration and customization options - The tool provides extensive configuration and customization options, empowering organizations to tailor the software to their specific needs.
- Versatility and integration - The platform seamlessly integrates with other tools, enhancing its functionality and making it valuable for any IT department.
- API capabilities for automation and integration - The software provides API capabilities that enable automation and seamless integration with other systems, streamlining ITSM processes.
- Powerful engine and dynamic features - TOPdesk ITSM is equipped with a robust engine and dynamic features, enabling efficient and effective IT Service Management.
- Responsive customer support - TOPdesk offers prompt and helpful customer support, ensuring that issues or concerns are promptly addressed with efficient response times.
- Information provisioning - The tool informs organizations about new features, ensuring they stay up-to-date with the latest developments.
What users don’t like from TOPdesk
Despite its positive aspects, users have expressed some concerns and dislikes about TOPdesk, based on reviews from respected sources like Gartner. These include.
- Complexity in setup and configuration - Some users find setting up and configuring specific functionalities challenging, leading to frustrating experiences that could benefit from streamlined processes.
- Front-end aesthetics and customization issues - Some users have encountered challenges with front-end aesthetics and customization options, negatively affecting the user experience.
- Challenges with Knowledge Management and Change Management systems - Some users have encountered issues with these systems, indicating the need for further development.
- Functionality and usability improvements needed - Certain software modules require further development to address user feedback and enhance overall performance.
- Challenges with email triggers - Users have reported difficulties in creating email triggers based on workflows, resulting in communication delays.
- Lack of flexibility in personal and group settings - Users find the personal and group settings in the software to be inflexible, limiting their customization options.
- Inconvenient task separation - Separating tasks across different modules can be problematic and confusing for users, suggesting a need for simplification and streamlining.
- Improvement needed in reporting and dashboard options - Users desire improved reporting and dashboard options to gain more valuable insights and data, enhancing analytical capabilities.
- Implementation delays and consulting service issues - Certain users have experienced delays in implementation and encountered problems with consulting services, affecting software adoption.
- Missed features compared to competitors - Users have noticed missing features or functionalities in TOPdesk, impacting its competitiveness in the market.
- Slow release of updates for Asset Management - The release of updates for Asset Management has been slow, limiting users' ability to benefit from the latest developments.
- Outdated appearance - Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the outdated look and feel of TOPdesk, suggesting that a modernized design would enhance the user experience.
What’s TOPdesk’s argument over BMC Helix?
TOPdesk's argument over BMC Helix focuses on its own unique strengths and advantages that differentiate it from BMC Helix, positioning TOPdesk as a leading ITSM solution. TOPdesk could use the following points to present its case.
- User-friendly interface and easy setup - TOPdesk highlights its intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for IT agents and end-users to navigate and utilize the platform effectively.
- All-in-one Service Management solution - TOPdesk presents itself as a comprehensive and integrated platform that covers all IT service needs within a single tool.
- Extensive configuration and customization options - TOPdesk emphasizes its extensive configuration and customization capabilities, allowing organizations to tailor the software to their specific requirements.
- Collaboration and communication features - TOPdesk underscores its collaboration capabilities, enabling efficient communication and troubleshooting among IT operators and different departments.
- API capabilities for automation and integration - TOPdesk promotes its API capabilities, enabling seamless integration with other systems and automating ITSM processes.
- Asset and Inventory Management - TOPdesk positions its IT Asset Management functionality as a robust and comprehensive solution, providing organizations with a holistic view of their assets.
- Responsive customer support and information provisioning - TOPdesk emphasizes its commitment to prompt and helpful customer support, addressing any issues or concerns efficiently.
Considering InvGate Service Desk as an ITSM solution alternative
In the competitive landscape of IT Service Management, BMC Helix and TOPdesk are major players. However, it's essential to explore other alternatives that align closely with your organization's specific needs. One such compelling option worth considering is InvGate Service Desk.
Let's delve into the extensive features of InvGate Service Desk that make it an attractive choice for fulfilling your ITSM requirements.
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.
Simplified configuration and setup
InvGate Service Desk offers a user-friendly configuration process using a no-code/low-code approach, making it accessible to both new and experienced users. This allows organizations to quickly implement the system without requiring extensive technical expertise, leveraging its powerful ITSM capabilities efficiently.
Comprehensive reporting and analytics
InvGate Service Desk provides extensive reporting and analytics functionalities, enabling 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.
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, thereby reducing the workload on IT staff.
Robust Ticketing and Incident Management
InvGate Service Desk stands out with its powerful features for efficient ticket tracking, collaboration, and resolution. The platform offers automated ticket routing, customizable workflows, and SLA management, enabling IT teams to handle and prioritize incidents effectively.
Customization and flexibility
Organizations can choose between on-premise or cloud-based solutions with InvGate Service Desk, providing the flexibility to cater to various sectors and industries with specific requirements.
Cost-effective solution
InvGate Service Desk delivers 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. Unlike alternatives like BMC Helix and TOPdesk, InvGate Service Desk strikes a balance between cost and functionality.
Comprehensive Asset Management
By integrating with InvGate Insight, InvGate Service Desk offers a holistic view of the IT ecosystem, leading to improved service delivery and reduced downtime. InvGate Insight provides features such as IT Asset Discovery, Inventory Management, Software License Management, and maintenance schedules.
ITSM focus with ESM extension
InvGate Service Desk is specifically designed for ITSM but seamlessly extends its capabilities to Enterprise Service Management (ESM). This allows operational departments to enhance their processes and fully embrace digital transformation, facilitating 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.
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
As organizations seek the ideal IT Service Management solution to streamline their operations and deliver top-notch services, comparing BMC Helix vs. TOPdesk offers insights into their strengths and weaknesses.
While both platforms have their merits, the search for the perfect ITSM solution doesn't end here. There are other alternatives to consider, such as InvGate Service Desk, a platform that stands out with its refreshing approach to ITSM.
Experience the power and efficiency that InvGate Service Desk brings by exploring our live demo. The right ITSM solution can make all the difference, and InvGate Service Desk is here to transform how you deliver IT services and support your business's success.
