Category: Service Management

Agile Customer Support FAQs addressed in this article:

1. What is Agile Customer Support? – Agile customer support refers to the ability of a business to quickly adapt, efficiently respond to customer needs, and maintain high-quality service, even as demand increases. It’s essential for companies experiencing rapid growth to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty.

2. Why is Agile Customer Support important for growing businesses? – For businesses undergoing rapid expansion, agile customer support is crucial because it helps manage the increasing complexity of customer interactions without compromising service quality. It ensures that businesses can meet and exceed customer expectations, turning new users into loyal advocates.

3. How does rapid growth affect customer support? – Rapid growth can strain customer support systems, leading to longer response times, decreased resolution quality, and a tarnished brand reputation. Agile customer support solutions are necessary to adapt to fluctuating demand without compromising service quality.

4. What are the pitfalls of rapid growth in terms of customer support? – The primary pitfalls include over-hiring, which can impact company culture and finances, and the risk of delivering an unreliable customer experience during growth surges. Both can significantly hinder a company’s long-term sustainability and customer satisfaction.

5. How can businesses implement Agile Customer Support? – Businesses can implement agile customer support by leveraging technology and strategic planning to build a scalable and efficient support system. This includes using automation, AI, analytics, and machine translation to handle increased demand and maintain service quality.

6. What role does technology play in Agile Customer Support? – Technology, including automation, AI, and analytics, plays a central role in agile customer support by reducing the workload on human agents, enabling efficient ticket routing, and providing insights for continuous improvement. It allows for scalable solutions that adapt to changing demands.

7. Can Agile Customer Support improve customer satisfaction? – Yes, agile customer support significantly improves customer satisfaction by ensuring quick, efficient, and high-quality responses to customer inquiries. It helps businesses maintain a positive reputation and foster long-term loyalty among customers.

8. What is Jira Service Management, and how does it support Agile Customer Support? – Jira Service Management (JSM) is an ITSM and customer support tool that embodies the principles of agile customer support. It offers features like automation, self-service portals, incident management, and change management to streamline support operations and enhance customer satisfaction.

9. How does Jira Service Management enhance the efficiency of customer support operations? – Jira Service Management enhances efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, enabling self-service for common inquiries, and providing robust incident and change management features. This allows support teams to focus on more complex issues and improves overall service quality.

10. Why should companies consider pursuing Agile Customer Support with JSM? – Companies should consider agile customer support with JSM because it offers the agility, scalability, and efficiency required to navigate the challenges of expansion while ensuring customer satisfaction remains a priority. It’s a strategic advantage in today’s competitive landscape. 

In the fast-paced world of business, rapid growth is often seen as the ultimate indicator of success. However, this exhilarating expansion brings with it a set of challenges that, if not managed carefully, can quickly overshadow the triumphs. 

Among these challenges, maintaining high-quality customer support in the face of surging demand stands out as a critical hurdle. As companies scale, the complexity of managing customer interactions grows exponentially, making agile customer support not just beneficial, but essential for sustaining growth and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Why Agile Customer Support?

The importance of agile customer support in this context cannot be overstated. It represents the ability of a business to adapt quickly, respond to customer needs efficiently, and maintain the quality of service that customers have come to expect, even as the volume of those needs increases. This agility in customer support becomes a linchpin for companies navigating the turbulent waters of rapid growth, ensuring that they can not only meet but exceed customer expectations, turning new users into loyal advocates.

In the following sections, we will explore the pitfalls of rapid growth, such as the impact of over-hiring on company culture and finances, and the risk of delivering an unreliable customer experience during growth surges. We will also delve into how businesses can leverage technology and strategic planning to build a customer support system that is not only agile but also scalable and efficient. 

Through this exploration, we aim to provide a roadmap for companies looking to embrace growth without the fear of success, ensuring that their customer support remains a beacon of excellence no matter how fast they grow. 

The Pitfalls of Rapid Growth

Some powerful arguments were made in a recent Forbes article about rapid growth. While often celebrated as a sign of success, it can introduce significant challenges that, if not addressed, may hinder a company’s long-term sustainability and customer satisfaction. Two primary pitfalls stand out in this context: over-hiring and its impact on company culture and finances, and the risk of unreliable customer experience during growth surges.

Over-Hiring and Its Impact

In the rush to meet increased demand, companies may fall into the trap of over-hiring. This rapid expansion of the workforce is intended to bolster capacity but can inadvertently lead to several issues. 

• Financially, the increased payroll can strain budgets, especially if the growth slows or becomes more variable. 
• Culturally, injecting a large number of new employees into an organization can dilute the established company culture, leading to disengagement and reduced productivity among both new and existing staff. 

The challenge, then, is to scale operations without disproportionately increasing the workforce, maintaining a balance that supports growth while preserving the company’s core values and financial health.

Unreliable Customer Experience During Growth Surges

Perhaps more directly related to customer support, rapid growth can strain existing support channels to the breaking point. 

As the volume of customer inquiries and issues escalates, companies may find their support teams overwhelmed, leading to longer response times, decreased resolution quality, and ultimately, a tarnished brand reputation. This scenario underscores the importance of scalable and agile customer support solutions that can adapt to fluctuating demand without compromising service quality.

Principles of Agile Customer Support

Agile customer support is not just about responding quickly to customer inquiries; it’s about creating a responsive, flexible, and efficient support ecosystem that can adapt to changing demands and scale with the company. Drawing from the insights shared in the Forbes article and the capabilities of modern support solutions, here are key principles that underpin agile customer support:

Automation, Bots, AI, and Analytics for Efficiency

Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are at the heart of agile customer support. By automating routine tasks and responses, companies can significantly reduce the workload on human agents, allowing them to focus on more complex and high-value interactions. Bots can handle initial customer inquiries, triage support tickets, and even resolve common issues without human intervention. 

Analytics play a crucial role in this ecosystem by providing insights into customer behavior, ticket trends, and agent performance, enabling continuous improvement and strategic planning.

Machine Translation for Global Audience Support

In today’s global marketplace, offering support in multiple languages is a competitive advantage. Machine translation technologies enable companies to provide timely and accurate support to customers worldwide, regardless of language barriers. 

This capability ensures that businesses can expand into new markets with confidence, knowing that their customer support system is equipped to handle a diverse customer base.

Human Touch for Complex Issues and Relationship Building

Despite the advances in AI and automation, the human element remains irreplaceable in customer support. Human agents are better equipped to handle complex issues, provide empathetic responses, and build relationships with customers. 

An agile customer support system seamlessly integrates technology and human expertise, ensuring that customers receive the right level of support at every interaction. This balance between technology and human touch is essential for creating meaningful customer experiences and fostering long-term loyalty.

Jira Service Management: A Tool for Strategic Agility

Jira Service Management stands out as a powerful ITSM and customer support tool that embodies the principles of agile customer support. It offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline support operations, enhance efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction.

Overview of Jira Service Management Features

• Automation and AI: JSM includes robust automation rules that can handle repetitive tasks, route tickets based on priority and category, and even escalate issues as needed, all without manual intervention.
• Self-Service Portals: With JSM, companies can set up customized self-service portals that allow customers to find answers to common questions, submit tickets, and track their progress, reducing the demand on support agents.
• Incident Management: JSM’s incident management features enable teams to quickly respond to and resolve incidents, minimizing downtime and customer impact.
• Change Management: The platform supports agile change management processes, allowing teams to implement changes with speed and efficiency while maintaining control and minimizing risk.

By leveraging JSM, companies can implement a scalable, efficient, and responsive customer support system that aligns with the principles of agile support.

Getting the Most Out of Your JSM-Powered Agile Customer Support System

Expanding on the strategies for implementing agile support with Jira Service Management, it’s crucial to delve deeper into how these strategies can be applied effectively to enhance customer support operations. Here are more detailed insights and actionable steps for each strategy:

Setting Up a Scalable Support Structure

• Customization for Specific Needs: Beyond basic customization, consider leveraging JSM’s advanced features like dynamic forms and conditional fields that adapt based on previous answers, providing a more tailored experience for users. This level of customization ensures that the support process is as efficient as possible, gathering all necessary information upfront.
• Integration with Existing Systems: To achieve a truly unified service management approach, utilize JSM’s extensive API capabilities for deeper integrations. For example, integrating JSM with analytics platforms can provide real-time insights into customer satisfaction and agent performance, while integration with development tools can streamline the bug reporting and resolution process.
• Scalable Architecture: For organizations expecting significant growth, leveraging JSM’s cloud offerings can provide the flexibility and scalability needed without the overhead of managing infrastructure. Cloud solutions offer the added benefit of automatic updates, ensuring you always have access to the latest features and security enhancements.

Integrating AI and Machine Learning for Automated Ticket Routing and Responses

• Leverage JSM’s Automation Rules: Advanced use cases for automation include setting up multi-tiered support workflows that escalate issues based on complexity or time to resolution. This ensures that customers are always interacting with the agent best suited to resolve their issue, improving resolution times and customer satisfaction.
• Implement AI-driven Responses: When integrating AI-driven chatbots, consider training them not just on FAQs but also on historical ticket data. This allows the chatbots to provide more accurate and contextually relevant responses. Additionally, implementing natural language processing (NLP) can enhance the chatbot’s understanding of customer queries, making interactions more natural and effective.

Utilizing Jira’s Reporting and Analytics for Continuous Improvement

• Data-Driven Insights: Implement custom dashboards within JSM to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as average resolution time, customer satisfaction scores, and ticket backlog. These dashboards can be tailored to different levels of the organization, providing relevant insights for both frontline agents and executive leadership.
• Feedback Loops: Utilize JSM’s survey features to automate post-resolution customer feedback collection. This feedback can be directly linked to specific tickets and agents, providing actionable insights for individual and team performance improvements.
• Proactive Problem Management: Employ predictive analytics to identify potential issues before they become widespread. By analyzing trends in ticket data, you can anticipate customer needs and create knowledge base articles or FAQs to address common concerns proactively.

Implementing these strategies with Jira Service Management not only enhances the agility and efficiency of customer support operations but also positions organizations to better manage the challenges of rapid growth. By focusing on customization, integration, and continuous improvement, businesses can ensure that their customer support systems scale seamlessly with their growth, maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and operational excellence.

Case Studies: Agile Support in Action

Global Tech Manufacturing Leader

A leading technology company, with over 160,000 employees and generating more than $100 billion in annual revenue, faced a significant challenge. Despite collecting vast amounts of data from service interactions, leveraging this data for efficient service delivery and customer delight remained elusive. Partnering with Cprime, the company implemented Jira Service Management, transforming its service management approach and realizing potential savings of millions of dollars annually.

• The Challenge: The tech giant struggled to utilize the extensive data collected from customer service interactions effectively. The data, stored as freeform text within Jira issue tickets, made identifying trends and root causes a manual and labor-intensive process. This inefficiency hindered the company’s ability to deliver fast and convenient solutions to customer issues, impacting both cost control and customer satisfaction.
• The Solution: Cprime recommended a customized implementation of Jira Service Management to make the data instantly actionable. This solution involved setting up a new JSM Data Center instance, creating custom data fields, and configuring a database for enhanced data analysis and reporting. Additionally, custom integrations with other tools were developed to support data gathering, reporting, and workflow automation.
• The Results: The implementation of JSM led to a 15-minute reduction in average handling time per issue, enabling greater productivity and enhancing customer satisfaction. The service teams can now leverage the data more effectively, identifying trends and root causes within ten defect types across dozens of custom fields. This scalability and efficiency have resulted in forecasted annual savings of millions of dollars.

Global Lifestyle Retail Brand

A multinational lifestyle retailer, with over 26,000 employees and a presence across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, sought to improve its ITSM and internal service desk infrastructure. Collaborating with Cprime, the retailer implemented a customized Jira Service Management solution, significantly enhancing communication, support efficiency, and proactive issue resolution.

• The Challenge: The retailer faced difficulties in maintaining effective ITSM due to communications bottlenecks, especially in supporting corporate staff and store workers across its extensive retail network. The lack of clear reporting methods and a single service funnel for all requests led to inefficient routing and unproductive churn.
• The Solution: Opting for Jira Service Management to integrate seamlessly with its existing Atlassian ecosystem, the retailer engaged Cprime to customize JSM to its specific needs. The project focused on establishing support queues for Facilities and Change Management and Approval systems, followed by tackling the more complex Corporate and Retail Service Management systems.
• The Results: The implementation of JSM has already shown significant improvements in communication and user adoption. The streamlined service request intake process has reduced the time required to direct support team members to pending tasks. Management now benefits from enhanced reporting, providing essential information for proactive issue response and identifying service bottlenecks.

These case studies demonstrate the transformative impact of Jira Service Management in enabling agile support, from a tech giant saving millions through efficient data utilization to a global retailer streamlining its ITSM processes. Through Cprime’s expertise, both organizations have achieved strategic agility in their customer support operations, setting a new standard for excellence in service delivery. 

Is it Time to Pursue Agile Customer Support with JSM?

The journey towards sustaining rapid growth while maintaining exceptional customer support is complex, yet achievable with the right tools and strategies. Agile customer support is not just a necessity but a strategic advantage that can set your business apart in today’s competitive landscape. 

Jira Service Management stands out as a pivotal tool in this endeavor, offering the agility, scalability, and efficiency required to navigate the challenges of expansion and ensure customer satisfaction remains at the forefront.

Are you ready to elevate your customer support to new heights and embrace the opportunities that come with rapid growth? Cprime’s expertise in Jira Service Management solutions offers a pathway to achieving agile, scalable, and efficient customer support tailored to your business’s unique needs.

Also check out the first article in this 3-part series, The Customer Journey is Key to ESM Success. 

Enterprise Service Management (ESM) represents an optimized combination of the right software solution, well-thought-out processes and workflows, and customized automation that effectively supports a customer-centric, data-driven approach to each service an internal business unit undertakes.

It’s quickly becoming imperative for organizations to remain competitive and satisfy increasingly demanding customers, both inside and outside the organization.

Yet, many enterprises grapple with its implementation, either hesitating at the onset or stumbling after initial attempts. This article seeks to shed light on the integral roles of automation and integration within ESM, offering a roadmap to mastery. With this foundation laid, let’s delve deeper into the transformative power of automation.

This article is based in part on the webinar, “The Keys to Optimal ESM are Automation and Integration”. Click here to watch the webinar at your convenience.

Delving deeper into the role of automation in ESM

Automation in ESM is not a mere luxury; it’s a necessity. 

Beyond simplifying processes, it plays a pivotal role in data entry, reporting, and establishing continuous feedback loops. By automating repetitive tasks, organizations can free up valuable resources, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives. 

A salient concept here is the identification and management of “waste.” Processes that are redundant or inefficient should be targeted. If they cannot be eliminated, they should be automated, ensuring that every step adds value and no effort goes to waste.

Integration: Laying the groundwork for automation

Before the wonders of automation can be fully realized, the groundwork of integration must be laid. 

Integration ensures that various tools, platforms, and processes within an organization communicate seamlessly. This interconnectedness is vital, as it prevents data silos and ensures that information flows smoothly across departments. 

By establishing robust integration, organizations can ensure that their systems are not just talking to each other but are also working in harmony. This sets the stage for subsequent automation, where processes are streamlined, and efficiencies are realized. 

Operationalizing ESM: A phased approach

Implementing ESM demands a phased approach: 

1. Initiating with individual business functions and addressing their distinct service requests sets the stage. 
2. Progressively, by dismantling silos, cross-functional value emerges. 
3. The pinnacle is reached when design thinking is integrated, leading to regular and iterative value delivery across the enterprise. 

Key takeaways for successful ESM implementation

Cross-functional collaboration is paramount for ESM. Every stakeholder has a crucial role to play. Moreover, centering initiatives around the customer ensures that services are not only efficient but also impactful. While the benefits of ESM are manifold, it’s equally important to acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead.

Challenges and hesitations in ESM implementation

Enterprises naturally encounter obstacles. Common apprehensions span from resource allocation to securing stakeholder buy-in. However, with a lucid roadmap and insights into potential pitfalls, these challenges can be adeptly navigated.

Conclusion

ESM is not merely a competitive edge but an organizational imperative. By leveraging automation and integration to align non-IT teams, enterprises can streamline operations and deliver unmatched service to both internal and external customers.

Dive deeper by watching the full webinar on demand: The Keys to Optimal ESM are Automation and Integration.

Organizations today are constantly seeking ways to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive value. One such approach that has gained traction in recent years is Enterprise Service Management (ESM). But what exactly is ESM, and why is it becoming a cornerstone for many businesses?

The following content is based on the webinar, ESM Foundations: Do You Understand Your Customer’s Journey. Learn more by watching the 30-minute webinar on demand.

Definition of ESM

You’re likely already familiar with IT Service Management (ITSM). The basic concepts of ITSM are present in ESM as well, but at its core, ESM offers a foundational framework that emphasizes the relevance of service management across an entire organization. It’s about breaking down silos and creating a unified approach to service delivery, ensuring that every department, from Marketing to HR to IT and beyond, operates with a service-oriented mindset.

But why consider ESM at all?

Market trends and data

The shift towards ESM is not without reason. 

Over the past 3-5 years, there’s been a noticeable movement of organizations adopting an ESM approach. This shift is evident in the data, which shows a 50% increase in ESM strategies being implemented. Interestingly, a majority of organizations now consider their ESM strategies to be advanced. However, it’s worth noting that a small fraction (11%) of companies still remain skeptical about its value. 

When we dive deeper into which business units are leading the ESM charge, three stand out: 

• Customer Support
• Business Operations
• HR

Their inherent service-oriented functions make them natural adopters of this approach.

How to approach an ESM program

So, you’re interested in pursuing ESM in your own organization. What should you consider in your approach?

Leveraging a product mindset:

Transitioning to ESM requires more than just a change in tools or processes; it demands a shift in mindset. Adopting a product mindset can be a game-changer. This approach emphasizes iterative value creation, ensuring that businesses, customers, and users all benefit from the services provided.

Product and service roadmapping

To make ESM tangible and actionable, organizations need to invest in product and service roadmapping. This involves taking abstract service management concepts and translating them into concrete actions and strategies.

Core elements of an ESM solution:

For ESM to be effective, there are a few core elements that organizations must have in place:

1. User Portal: A user-friendly interface where service requests can be raised.
2. Workflow: A clear and efficient process that tracks a request from initiation to completion.
3. Service Catalog: A detailed list of services, complete with documentation, service level agreements, and other pertinent details.

Understanding the customer journey

The heart of ESM lies in understanding the customer journey. It’s about being customer-centric, ensuring that every decision, process, and strategy is aligned with delivering the best possible outcomes and value to the customer. This means stepping into the customer’s shoes, understanding their needs, and ensuring that the services provided meet those needs effectively.

ESM design thinking

Design thinking in ESM is about empathy. It’s about understanding the customer experience from their perspective, identifying their goals, and being proactive in meeting those goals. This approach not only enhances the customer experience but also fosters innovation within the organization.

Onboarding experience

A prime example of the importance of the customer journey in ESM is the onboarding experience. A seamless onboarding process, where the end user feels valued and understands every step, can set the tone for their entire journey with the organization. Whether it’s HR providing resources or marketing sending a welcome package, every touchpoint should be orchestrated to make the new employee feel valued and integrated.

What is the future of ESM?

As we look ahead, the future of ESM is promising. It’s about scaling service management across all facets of an organization. By combining the right software with well-designed processes and automation, ESM can support a customer-centric approach in every business unit. The ultimate goal is to foster collaboration and alignment, driving efficiency, quality, and consistency in service delivery.

In conclusion, Enterprise Service Management is not just a trend; it’s a paradigm shift in how organizations view and deliver services. By understanding the customer journey, adopting a product mindset, and implementing the right tools and processes, businesses can elevate their service delivery to new heights. 

For those keen to delve deeper into the intricacies of ESM and its potential benefits, we recommend watching the full webinar on demand: ESM Foundations: Do You Understand Your Customer’s Journey. Your journey to mastering ESM starts there.

And, stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog series, Optimal ESM: Automation and Integration are Key.

Migration of a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) from on-prem architecture to Jira Service Management (JSM) Cloud is a topic receiving increasing attention, particularly since Atlassian Server applications will no longer be supported as of February 15, 2024. 

That aside, there’s still been a significant push towards cloud-based solutions. Whether you are considering or planning a migration, understanding the intricacies of the process is crucial. This post outlines the vital aspects of CMDB and its migration to the cloud.

(This content is based on a webinar entitled, A Pre-flight Checklist for Moving Your CMDB Onto Jira Service Management Cloud. Click to watch the full webinar with a deeper dive into the material and software demos of both Jira Service Management and Device42.)

The business value of a CMDB

As companies are trying to demonstrate mindfulness and effectiveness in the way they steward their resources and IT budget, the need for a CMDB has become increasingly apparent. A CMDB is a tool used to capture all the different components of the IT ecosystem of a company. It is a clear path to demonstrate the business value of IT investments. The rising demand for CMDB and CMDB best practices indicates its growing importance in ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in business operations.

Many companies are pushing towards the cloud to reap the benefits of scalability, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, automation, and innovation. However, migrating to a cloud-based CMDB can present challenges and risks.

Challenges of a CMDB migration

Migration of CMDB metadata is a complex and intricate task, requiring careful planning and meticulous execution. The challenges faced can be multifaceted and present serious risks if not handled with the utmost caution.

• Data Loss: The transfer of information between different systems or versions might lead to inconsistencies or outright loss of vital data. Implementing a robust backup system and using specialized tools for migration can mitigate this risk.
• Downtime: The migration process can lead to downtime, affecting the day-to-day operations of the business. Coordinating with all stakeholders and planning migration during non-peak hours can reduce the impact on business functionality.
• Missing Integrations: A migration may result in missing connections or integrations with other systems. Ensuring that all necessary integrations are identified and re-established post-migration is crucial.
• User Acceptance and Enablement: People are at the core of any system, and changes can lead to resistance or difficulties in adaptation. A clear communication strategy pre- and post-migration can help to educate users about the changes and benefits. Tailored training programs can further ensure user enablement.
• Compliance and Security Concerns: Ensuring that all regulatory requirements are met during migration is vital. Conducting regular audits and consulting with legal teams can ensure that all compliance aspects are addressed.

The migration of CMDB metadata is a challenging task, but with careful planning, stakeholder collaboration, and adherence to industry best practices, these challenges can be transformed into opportunities for growth and innovation.

Mitigating the risks: The Discovery and Design phases in migration

To best mitigate the risks and challenges associated with migrating your CMDB, we recommend carrying out both a Discovery phase and a Design phase in preparation for the migration.

Discovery phase

A successful migration of the CMDB requires a comprehensive understanding of its current state. This stage is instrumental in recognizing what needs to be transferred and how to do it efficiently. Below is a more detailed breakdown of the key elements:

1. Use Cases Examination: Identifying the specific use cases of the CMDB within the organization will help define what functionalities must be retained or enhanced during the migration. This ensures that the system continues to meet the unique needs of the business.
2. Stakeholders Identification: Recognizing who is affected by the CMDB, from IT professionals to business leaders, ensures that their needs and concerns are addressed. Engaging with stakeholders during the discovery phase can foster collaboration and reduce resistance.
3. Investigating Existing Data Models: Understanding the current data structure, including how information is stored, categorized, and accessed, is paramount. Analyzing this structure helps identify potential challenges and opportunities for improvement.
4. Analysis of CMDB Objects: Investigating the specific objects within the CMDB (e.g., hardware, software, services) provides insights into what assets are managed and how they are interrelated.
5. Catalogs Exploration: This involves reviewing the existing catalogs and classifications within the CMDB. Knowing what assets are categorized and how they are organized can guide a more effective migration process.
6. Integrations Analysis: Mapping out the current integrations with other systems is critical. A clear understanding of how the CMDB interacts with other platforms ensures that these connections can be re-established post-migration without disruptions.
7. Dependencies Mapping: Identifying the dependencies between different objects within the CMDB is crucial for maintaining the integrity of relationships post-migration. It’s important to map these connections to ensure a seamless transition.
8. Risk Assessment: Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment at this stage helps in foreseeing potential issues and planning mitigations. By anticipating challenges, the organization can be better prepared.
9. Regulatory Compliance Check: Ensuring that all existing compliance measures are understood will make it easier to maintain adherence to regulations during and after migration.
10. Alignment with Business Goals: Ensuring that the migration plan aligns with overall business objectives, including Agile transformations and digital strategies, is vital for creating synergy with broader organizational initiatives.

The Discovery Phase sets the stage for a successful CMDB migration by offering a clear, well-defined understanding of the existing system. It lays the foundation for informed decisions and strategic planning, turning the complexity of migration into a manageable, step-by-step process that aligns with the needs and goals of the organization.

Design Phase

The Design Phase plays a crucial role in shaping the migration process, transforming insights gathered during the Discovery Phase into a structured plan. It ensures that the migration aligns with organizational goals and meets user expectations. Here’s an in-depth look at the key components:

• Defining the Desired Data Model: 

1. 1. 1. New Structure: Understanding the needs of the organization allows for the creation of an optimal data model that fits current and future requirements.
      2. Mapping Old to New: A crucial part of this stage involves mapping the existing data structure to the new one, ensuring no loss of essential information.

• Assessing Target Platform Limitations:

1. 1. 1. Technology Constraints: Evaluating the capabilities and constraints of the target platform ensures that it can support the newly designed data structure.
      2. Compatibility Analysis: Checking the compatibility with existing systems and integrations is vital to avoid potential conflicts or performance issues.

• Identifying New Capabilities:

1. 1. 1. Functional Enhancements: This includes outlining features that may enhance the user experience, such as improved search capabilities, analytics, or custom reporting.
      2. Alignment with Agile and Digital Strategies: Ensuring that the new design supports Agile transformations and digital strategies within the organization.

• Establishing Acceptance Criteria:

1. 1. 1. Quality Standards: Setting clear quality standards for data integrity, performance, and usability ensures that the migration meets organizational expectations.
      2. User Acceptance: Determining what will be considered a successful migration from the users’ perspective, including functional requirements and user-friendliness.

• Creating a Detailed Migration Roadmap:

1. 1. 1. Phases and Timelines: Defining a clear schedule, including milestones, dependencies, and deadlines, keeps the project on track.
      2. Resource Allocation: Planning who will be responsible for each part of the migration, from technical teams to stakeholders, ensures efficient execution.
      3. Risk Mitigation Strategies: Identifying potential risks and planning how to address them helps in avoiding unexpected challenges.

• Enhancing User Experience and Data Organization:

1. 1. 1. User Interface Design: Creating an intuitive interface that aligns with the users’ needs enhances their interaction with the system.
      2. Data Access and Permissions: Planning how data will be organized and who will have access to what ensures that the right information is available to the right people.

• Compliance and Security Measures:

1. 1. 1. Regulatory Alignment: Ensuring that the design adheres to all relevant regulations protects the organization from legal issues.
      2. Security Protocols: Implementing robust security measures protects the data during and after migration.

• Monitoring and Feedback Mechanisms:

1. 1. 1. Performance Metrics: Setting up ways to monitor the migration’s success against the defined criteria ensures continuous alignment with the goals.
      2. Feedback Loops: Incorporating mechanisms for continuous feedback from users and stakeholders fosters a more responsive and successful migration.

The Design Phase is where vision turns into strategy, crafting the blueprint for a successful migration. A thoughtful and well-structured design ensures that the migration will be carried out efficiently, meeting the goals, enhancing user experience, and aligning with the broader strategies such as Agile transformations and workforce management. It provides the road ahead, filled with clear directions and well-defined success criteria.

Migrating the CMDB to Jira Service Management (JSM) in Atlassian Cloud

Cprime’s runbooks detail the steps involved in migration, including:

1. Deploying the Target Environment: Procuring licenses, configuring settings, and instituting a change freeze.
2. Migrating in a Test Environment: Doing a full dry run with zero impact or disruption, just to make sure everything is functioning as expected.
3. Migration Execution: Handling Jira issue data and CMDB metadata separately using tools like Jira Service Management Cloud migration assistant, site import, CSV, or API.
4. Going Live: Continuous monitoring, maintaining the old environment in read-only state, and customized enablement support.

Migrating your CMDB onto Jira Service Management Cloud is a complex yet rewarding process. Understanding the business value, recognizing and overcoming challenges, reaping the benefits of the cloud, and carefully planning the discovery, design, and migration phases can set the stage for a successful transformation. 

To gain a deeper understanding and see thorough software demos of both Jira Service Management and Device42 applications, we invite you to watch the full webinar, “A Pre-flight Checklist for Moving Your CMDB Onto Jira Service Management Cloud“. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore real-life examples and insights from industry experts.

Customer Management is a vital component of a thriving ITSM practice. But what is it? Why is it vital? And how can you go about perfecting it so you see all the impressive benefits?

This is the third in a three-part series covering ITSM principles and applying them using JSM:

• Enabling ITSM Change Management With JSM
• Streamline Your ITSM—Service Catalog and CMDB Powered by JSM 
• Perfecting Your ITSM Customer Management Using JSM

(This content is based in part on the webinar, “Perfecting Customer Management Using Jira Service Management”. To learn more and see an in-depth software demo showing how to practically apply this information, watch the video!)

What is customer management?

In this context, customer management refers to the process of managing and optimizing interactions with internal and/or external customers over the life cycle of the relationship.

It’s about putting the customer first

This is vital because it supports one of the key values of the popular ITIL framework for ITSM: customer-centricity. In contrast to “the technology orientation” to which many organizations default—the IT team is solely focused on handling their own tasks, and the customer’s requests are viewed as an interruption or even a burden—a customer-centric view puts the customer’s satisfaction first and foremost, prioritizing other IT tasks and updating processes accordingly.

An example of a change that reveals the adoption of a customer-centric approach could be the wording used in the form fields on a customer service portal:

Since many customers are not, themselves, IT professionals, adjusting the terminology to be simpler and clearer exemplifies customer-centricity.

Defining the IT value stream

This aligns well with the Agile concept of value streams. The value the IT department provides is not measured in items checked off a list, it’s measured in satisfied customers. So, an ITSM “value stream” begins with the end in mind—a satisfied customer—and identifies every point along the path from problem to solution, with the customer at the forefront.

Once value streams are identified and established for every customer request type, customer-centric processes can be standardized and (to the extent possible) automated. This allows for quick and efficient decision making and solutioning without sacrificing the customer’s satisfaction in the pursuit of speed.

Key components of Customer Management

Effective Customer Management requires three vital elements:

Understanding the customer’s needs and expectations

Logically, you can’t put the customer first in your service delivery or effectively establish value streams if you don’t fully understand what the customer wants in the first place. And, you need to understand the customer’s expectations—whether they’re realistic or not. (Sometimes, effective Customer Management will involve managing those expectations kindly but firmly.)

Capturing customer feedback

The way you come to understand the customer is by constantly soliciting feedback from them. Keep the lines of communication open before, during, and after the ticket resolution process. 

Realistically, customer needs and expectations change over time. So, feedback should be an ongoing loop. Effective Customer Management—and all other aspects of high-quality ITSM—is not just a set-it-and-forget-it proposition. It should constantly evolve with your customer.

Continually improving service delivery

If you’re focused on the customer, and you keep that communication flowing, then you will routinely uncover opportunities to improve and streamline your service delivery. Don’t put off making those changes. Continuous improvement is the key to maintaining your competitive edge.

The power of “shifting left”

In the context of ITSM, “shifting left” refers to arranging tools and processes in such a way that problem resolution occurs as close to the customer and their initial request as possible.

The ITIL framework defines five support tiers that your team can utilize to solve a customer problem:

The IT team that focuses on building their Tier 0 capabilities will experience significant benefits, including:

• Reducing resolution time
• Optimizing the use of IT resources, reducing cost
• Enhancing the customer experience

Building up the knowledge and experience of your Tier 1 support team offers all the same benefits in those more complex situations that may have previously required the help of busy (and expensive) Tier 2 staff. And the pattern goes on.

Putting Customer Management into action

Putting the theory into practice will require a tool that supports effective Customer Management. Jira Service Management (JSM) offers many features and capabilities that align with the concepts described above. 

For example:

• Defining the IT value stream – JSM offers tremendous customization so you can build portals, workflows, a knowledge base, and integrations, all based around the value you need to deliver to your customers.
• Capturing customer feedback – A robust Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) feedback and scoring module and other communication and collaboration tools within JSM keep the lines of communication open, supporting continuous improvement.
• Shifting left – JSM supports self-service through customizable portals, automated ticketing, and streamlined integrations with knowledge base materials, chatbots, and AI.

For an in-depth demonstration of how to put all these concepts into practice using JSM, watch the webinar, “Perfecting Customer Management Using Jira Service Management”. And, if you’re ready to move forward with perfecting your own Customer Management practice, speak to our ITSM experts today.

Effective IT service management (ITSM) is critical for modern enterprises. Two key components of a mature practice are the ITSM service catalog and configuration management database (CMDB). In this post, we’ll explore how Jira Service Management (JSM) provides powerful native tools to implement service catalogs and CMDBs, enabling teams to deliver streamlined, high-value services.

For an example of the impact of a scaled ITSM practice, read about a major JSM implementation at an iconic luxury retailer.

This is the second in a three-part series covering ITSM principles and applying them using JSM:

• Enabling ITSM Change Management With JSM
• Streamline Your ITSM—Service Catalog and CMDB Powered by JSM
• Perfecting Customer Management Using JSM

The role and importance of ITSM service catalogs

A service catalog is a centralized list of all the services and solutions IT provides to the business. Well-defined service catalogs offer many benefits:

• Streamlined request creation and fulfillment. Categorizing requests into services simplifies triage and handling for service agents.
• Enhanced value to the business. Efficient request management frees up resources to work on higher-value initiatives.
• Foundational for ITSM accountability and governance. The service catalog links requests and changes to defined services with owners.
• Facilitates SLAs monitoring. The service catalog can define unique SLAs per service like time to first response.
• Integrates with change, incident, and problem management. Problems, changes, and incidents are associated with affected services in the catalog.

Within the ITIL framework, the service catalog is critical for mature service management. It is the central repository detailing the services IT provides.

Examples of services

ITSM service catalogs categorize requests at a high level. Examples include:

• Hardware provisioning: laptops, workstations, printer setup
• Software provisioning: installs, upgrades, licensing
• Network services: VPN, WiFi, access provisioning
• Business application support: Jira, Salesforce, custom apps
• Cloud services: AWS, Azure, VM provisioning and management
• Data services: reporting, analytics, business intelligence
• Disaster recovery: backups, redundancy planning and testing

The specifics will vary across organizations based on size, industry, and technology landscape. Larger entities will have more extensive catalogs. The key is balancing detail while maintaining usability.

Defining and refining the ITSM service catalog

Developing an optimal service catalog requires discovery, planning, and refinement. Starting from a basic list, teams should:

• Identify value streams from the customer perspective
• Map request types to service categories
• Define service tiers like L1, L2, L3
• Assign owners and points of contact
• Outline the scope covered for each service

This exercise enables organizations to right-size their catalogs. Too few categories creates gaps; too many becomes unwieldy. The goal is partitioning requests into logical groupings that make fulfillment straightforward.

Periodic reevaluation of the catalog ensures it evolves appropriately as the business and technology landscape changes. The service catalog is a living framework that guides daily operations.

For more context around building an ITSM practice using the ITIL framework, download our white paper, The Key to Unlocking Optimized ITSM.

Leveraging Jira Service Management’s service catalog

JSM provides built-in functionality to define and manage catalogs. The “Services” section enables teams to:

• Create and categorize services
• Define service tiers like L1, L2, L3
• Assign service owners and points of contact
• Set up SLAs per service (like response time)
• Link services to changes, incidents, and problems
• Integrate with OpsGenie for on-call scheduling

This service catalog capability streamlines request fulfillment. Customers easily submit requests for defined services. Agents can quickly triage and resolve based on established workflows.

JSM also connects services to broader ITSM processes through its native integration with the Insight Asset Management app. Teams can build extensive CMDBs linking all IT assets and configurations to defined services and owners.

The role and value of a CMDB

A configuration management database provides a centralized repository of all IT infrastructure and assets. It tracks relationships between components to provide a single source of truth.

CMDBs deliver several benefits:

• Effective asset management: inventory hardware, lifecycles, utilization
• Streamlined incident resolution: understand downstream impacts of outages
• Informed change management: identify risks and affected services/users
• Continuous improvement: optimize costs based on utilization data

Within ITSM, the CMDB is the definitive record of your IT environment configuration. It integrates tightly with incident, problem, and change management processes.

Types of configuration items (CIs)

CMDBs track various types of CIs including:

• Hardware: computers, mobile devices, network gear
• Software: operating systems, applications, licenses
• Cloud services: AWS instances, Azure VMs, custom cloud platforms
• Organizational: users, departments, locations

CMDB best practices

Effective CMDB management involves:

• Federated data integration from multiple sources
• Automation to keep CIs updated in real-time
• Intuitive interfaces tailored to user needs
• Scheduled audits and reconciliation

Proactive data management is key. Allowing the CMDB to become outdated severely reduces its value. Integrations and workflows should ensure accuracy and completeness at all times.

Larger organizations will often manage multiple federated CMDBs integrated into a single system. JSM’s native integration makes consolidating data easy.

Integrate ITSM service catalogs and CMDBs using JSM

Jira Service Management brings CMDBs and service catalogs together into a single intuitive interface.

The asset management capabilities provided by Insight Asset Management integrate directly with JSM’s service catalog. Teams can easily build extensive records of all IT components and map them to defined services and owners.

Key features include:

• Customizable asset schemas: Build CMDBs tailored to your environment
• Federated data integration: Sync data from multiple sources
• CMDB-driven request forms: Assets assigned to users prepopulate
• Automation to update CIs: Changes can trigger CMDB updates

These capabilities enable mature ITSM practices. With JSM, you get powerful service catalog and CMDB functionalities built right into a single trusted platform designed for enterprise service delivery.

Real-world use case

Imagine a help desk agent receives a request to replace a broken laptop. The user simply selects the hardware asset assigned to them when submitting the ticket.

Behind the scenes, the integrated CMDB automatically attaches all relevant details like serial number, warranty status, specs, etc. The agent has all the info they need to rapidly resolve the issue.

Upon resolution, automation can update the asset’s status. The CMDB self-maintains with no manual effort required.

Realize the potential of mature ITSM

Mature IT service management, guided by frameworks like ITIL, requires extensive use of service catalogs and CMDBs. ITSM powered by Jira Service Management provides innovative native tools specially designed to help IT teams leverage these best practices.

With simplified service offering definitions, comprehensive configuration data, and the latest service management technology, teams can deliver efficient, business-focused services. 

Don’t miss the thorough demo of how to leverage JSM to optimize your service catalog and CMDB. Watch the second half of the webinar here!