What is Enterprise Service Management?
Every organization has its own service ecosystem—the collective set of all services that it provides to customers, employees, partners, and suppliers. In most organizations, it’s a fragmented landscape. It isn’t managed as a collective ecosystem with shared customers. Different teams use different tools (from sticky notes to spreadsheets to specialist functional applications—which are rarely connected). Some teams have established processes; other don’t. Handovers between teams are done manually, or through a patchwork of complex integrations that need to be maintained. The enterprise service ecosystem isn’t managed strategically as an asset to the organization.
Enterprise Service Management (ESM) is a strategic, unifying approach to managing this ecosystem to improve services, eliminate waste, reduce costs, and accelerate innovation. That means different teams (like HR, Facilities, IT, Finance, and any other service providers) all get involved in transforming the way services are transacted and executed—whether that happens within one team, or across teams. Through coordination and collaboration, ESM is an opportunity for large organisations to provide better service experiences to customers and employees, helping them keep both.
Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) are now critical to business success
Research shows that 74% of customers buy based on the quality of experience alone. And 86% of customers switch brands after just two poor experiences. Organizations with the best products and services lose customers when the experience that surrounds a purchase is awkward or confusing.
Likewise, 46% of job seekers say the quality of the employee experience is an important factor in choosing an employer. Employees need to feel fully supported in the mission for which they were hired. Digital transformation is powered by people, so in the age of the great resignation and the war for talent, organizations cannot afford to lose people because their internal service ecosystem isn’t working for employees. Plus, there is a clear link between employee experience and customer experience. When employees get a great workplace experience, they’re more engaged and productive. Research shows that organizations that invest in EX generate twice as much revenue. And organizations that provide great customer experiences enjoy 30% more engaged employees.
Simply put, both customers and employees expect frictionless digital service experiences—every time. And they expect near-instant delivery of digital outcomes. Enterprise Service Management makes it simple to achieve both.
READ: Experience is the new battlefield
How ESM solves for CX and EX
Enterprise Service Management is defined by three digital transformation pillars: a common service platform, transformation of the customer experience, and transformation of service execution—the way services are delivered.
A common service platform means all service providers in an organization operate in one platform. Customer experiences can be co-designed and managed by stakeholders spanning teams. Processes flow quickly and smoothly from team to team. Business leaders get visibility of demand for services across the whole organization—and how demands are shifting. Every aspect of the enterprise service ecosystem is managed: channels, customer journeys/experience design, execution workflows, automations, customer feedback, and more. The quality of the customer experience is no longer left to chance. Nothing is invisible. This centralization and consolidation of an organization’s service ecosystem is an extremely powerful strategy for the improvement of CX and EX.
More about Enterprise Service Management solutions
Digital transformation of the way you transact services is the second key component—replacing slow and expensive one-to-one channels (like phone calls and emails) with instant and scalable digital options. The hub of activity is a common service portal where customers, employees, partners, and suppliers can get the services, support options, and updates that are relevant to them.
Find out more: Automate customer interaction
Digital transformation of the way you execute service delivery is the third pillar. By establishing planned (rather than haphazard) execution of responses to predictable demands (service requests and routine support work), responses can be orchestrated for maximum speed and efficiency. When work is guided on the rails of a process, outcomes are quick and consistent—meeting the customer’s expectations every time. The next step is to fully automate process actions for instant delivery of customer outcomes—and an exponential boost in productivity.
Find out more about workflow orchestration and work automation
Digital transformation of service streamlines your organization
ESM is digital transformation of the entire enterprise service ecosystem, giving you a complete picture of demand and supply across the whole organization. That means no more blind spots. No more guesswork. No more surprises. Customers and employees get what they need, wherever they are, whichever device they're using, and in the way that works best for them.
Teams in your organization work better together because everyone can see the big picture. Work flows quickly. Waste is easily spotted and eliminated. And many workflows can be fully automated to cut up to 80% of routine work. People spend less time on the phone and more time focusing on improvements and projects that make a difference. It’s a way to break the log-jam of routine operational work that stands in the way of progress. So if you’re struggling to execute your digital transformation agenda, start with transforming the way your organization works on the inside.
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