Companies adopt platforms that extend automation and orchestration beyond IT, seeking greater responsiveness, efficiency, ISG Provider Lens^® report says

Enterprises are increasingly adopting enterprise service management (ESM) platforms to unify technology and business operations, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm.

The 2025 ISG Provider Lens^® global Enterprise Service Management — Software report finds that organizations are seeking ESM platforms that have evolved from traditional IT service management to enterprise-wide integration. ESM software adoption is accelerating as companies carry out strategies to improve responsiveness, efficiency and decision-making across all essential functions, including finance, HR, customer service and operations.

“Enterprises are rethinking how technology supports their business structure,” said Andy Miears, partner, ISG. “A mature ESM framework unifies workflows and enables real-time collaboration that makes service delivery faster and more consistent.”

By automating workflows and orchestrating systems across functional areas, organizations are achieving measurable gains in operational efficiency, the report says. Automated processes produce quicker resolutions, minimize human error and improve the consistency of service delivery across business units. As enterprises introduce automation, orchestration ensures seamless data flow among applications and departments, helping companies modernize legacy systems and enhance agility.

Most ESM software vendors are sharply focused on advancements in AI, especially agentic AI, and enterprises increasingly seek to reap the benefits of these technologies, ISG says. AI tools embedded into IT service management allow ESM systems to monitor system performance and deliver automated self-help to service customers. Agentic AI, which a few providers have commercialized, is pointing the way toward autonomous service operations in which agents can detect and diagnose problems, then independently plan and execute resolutions without explicit human instruction.

As enterprises embrace ESM, a broader cultural and operational shift is under way, the report says. ESM adoption supports cloud-centric and customer-focused business models, in part by breaking down silos and aligning technology use with corporate strategy. Organizations that successfully implement comprehensive ESM frameworks realize tangible business outcomes such as faster service turnaround, improved compliance tracking and higher employee productivity.

“Organizations adopting broad-based ESM platforms are not just optimizing workflows but transforming operational structures,” said Ashwin Gaidhani, analyst, ISG Provider Lens Research, and lead author of the report. “Service management is now a business discipline supported by automation and AI, enabling enterprises to achieve higher resilience and scalability.”

The report also explores additional ESM software trends, including the integration of low-code platforms for workflow customization and the use of cloud-native architectures to support scalability and continuous innovation.

For more insights into the service management challenges facing enterprises worldwide, plus ISG’s advice for addressing them, see the ISG Provider Lens^® Focal Points briefing here.

The 2025 ISG Provider Lens^® Enterprise Service Management Software report for Global Markets evaluates 23 providers across one quadrant: Enterprise Service and Workflow Management Platforms.

The report names Atlassian, BMC Software, Freshworks, Ivanti, ManageEngine, ServiceNow, SolarWinds and TOPdesk as Leaders in the quadrant.

In addition, Matrix42 is recognized as a Rising Star — a company with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in the quadrant.

The 2025 ISG Provider Lens^® global Enterprise Service Management — Software report is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens^® Research

The ISG Provider Lens^® Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

About ISG

ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data, in-depth knowledge of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,600 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014898212/en/

Enterprises are rethinking how technology supports their business structure. A mature ESM framework unifies workflows and enables real-time collaboration that makes service delivery faster and more consistent.