In layman’s language, IT Ticketing systems are like a virtual help desk that keeps track of tech problems and fixes them systematically.
The “ticket” in such a system refers to an issue with all the log details that a person is facing on their PC, this ticket then goes to an IT professional who solves that issue for you. It’s a simple and organized way of tracking progress and ensuring tech problems are handled efficiently.
In this blog, we’ll cover all that you should know regarding this technology and also provide you with the top IT ticketing systems, which could be handy for you in your daily technical needs.
Key features of IT Ticketing Systems
Here are some main features that are required in IT ticketing software to streamline problem resolution, improve efficiency, and enhance user satisfaction:
- Ticket creation and tracking: Users can easily report issues, and the system creates tickets to track the problem’s status from start to finish.
- Categorization and prioritization: Tickets can be categorized, for example, as software or hardware, and also be prioritized based on urgency or impact, ensuring critical issues are resolved first.
- Automation: Automates repetitive tasks, such as assigning tickets to the right team or sending notifications, to improve efficiency.
- Self-Service Portal: Enable users to check on their tickets, FAQs, or common problems they may encounter and be able to resolve them by themselves.
- Collaboration Tools: Helps IT teams communicate with one another and share updates, and it helps the teams solve complex issues within the system.
- Knowledge Base Integration: Stores solutions to recurring issues, so teams and users find quick fixes easily.
- SLA Management: Tracks the Service Level Agreements for the proper resolution of the issues within the time agreed upon.
- Reporting and Analytics: Enables tracking of ticket trends, resolution times, and performance for continuous improvement.
- Mobile Access: Enables users and IT teams to create, update, or resolve tickets from mobile applications.
- Customization: Allows for custom business needs such as workflows, templates, or reporting formats.
- Integration with Other Tools: Works with other systems, such as email, chat, or marketing project management tools to streamline processes.
- Audit and History Logs: It keeps a record of all the updates and actions on tickets for accountability and compliance.
Why Do We Need IT Ticketing Software?
It comes out with its problems and solutions, more like every day in the market, here’s the reasons why one needs to add these IT ticketing systems in their tech life:
- Centralized issue management: It is the single point of logging, tracking, and resolving all IT issues so that nothing falls through the cracks.
- Organized workflow: Categorizes and prioritizes issues so that critical problems are addressed first.
- User-friendly: Simplifies the process for users to report issues, check updates, or access self-help resources.
- Boosts productivity: Automates repetitive tasks such as assigning tickets or sending reminders so that IT teams can focus on problem-solving.
- Transparency and Accountability: Track who is working on what, log updates, and ensure every issue is followed through.
- Data-Driven Insights: Reports and analytics to identify recurring problems, optimize IT processes, and improve performance.
- Scalability: Grows with the organization, handling more requests without overwhelming the IT team.
- Compliance with SLAs: Ensures that issues are resolved within agreed timeframes, maintaining quality of service.
- Knowledge Sharing: Stores solutions to past issues helping resolve similar problems faster in the future.
- Improved communication: Keeps the users and teams of IT people updated therefore enhancing better collaboration and resolution.
Top 15 IT Ticketing Systems
1. Freshservice
Freshservice is a cloud-based IT service management platform designed to streamline customer support and internal IT processes.
It provides a full-featured feature set, advanced automation, an extremely intuitive user interface, and deep integrations with popular business applications like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace.
Freshservice provides teams with automation capabilities, helping teams to get rid of repetitive tasks like ticket routing, prioritization, and follow-ups so that they can focus on more complex issues.
It also provides customizable workflows, an asset management module, self-service portals, and analytics tools. It supports organizations of all sizes.
Freshservice is easy to use and scalable, thus making it a popular solution for businesses that want to boost efficiency and improve their IT service management processes.
Features:
- Cloud-Based Platform
- Advanced Automation
- User-Friendly Interface
- Robust Integrations
- Customizable Workflows
- Asset Management
- Self-Service Portal
- Analytics and Reporting
- Multi-Channel Support
Pricing:
- Starter: ₹1,399/agent/month, billed annually
- Growth: ₹3,599/agent/month, billed annually
- Pro: ₹6,999/agent/month, billed annually
- Enterprise: ₹8,799/agent/month, billed annually
Website: https://www.freshworks.com/freshservice/
2. ServiceNow
ServiceNow offers a robust, cloud-based platform that contains comprehensive information on IT support tools such as asset management, incident management, knowledge management, etc.
It has been mainly designed to simplify the flow of organizations’ IT service management to provide more complex features required for automating workflow performance-based tracking and enhanced delivery service.
ServiceNow scalable architectures make it well suited even for large enterprises and make it flexible in providing complexity for it.
With powerful integrations and analytics, it enhances the efficiency of businesses in making decisions and maintaining a high standard of service across all IT operations.
Features:
- Asset Management
- Incident Management
- Knowledge Management
- Change Management
- Problem Management
- Service Catalog
- Automation and Orchestration
- Self-Service Portal
- Performance Analytics
- Integration Capabilities
- Service Level Management (SLM)
- Cloud Management
- Security Incident Response
Pricing: they offer customized prices according to the client’s requirements.
Website: https://www.servicenow.com/
3. SolarWinds Service Desk
SolarWinds Service Desk is an IT service management platform that includes all the advanced capabilities to deal with complex IT support environments.
The major features included are change management, problem management, and release management, which ensures smooth handling and efficient changes in handling IT incidents and changes.
The platform also includes asset management, incident tracking, and a self-service portal where users can submit and track tickets easily.
The SolarWinds Service Desk helps IT teams automate workflows, manage service requests, and maintain consistent service delivery across the organization. Its robust reporting and analytics tools provide insights into performance, which help in optimizing IT support operations.
Features:
- hange Management
- Problem Management
- Release Management
- Asset Management
- Incident Management
- Self-Service Portal
- Automation and Workflows
- Service Catalog
- Knowledge Base
- Performance Analytics
- Reporting Tools
- Multi-Channel Support
- SLA Management
- Mobile Access
- Integration Capabilities
Pricing:
- Essentials: $39 per month, per technician
- Advanced: $79 per month, per technician
- Premier: $99 per month, per technician
Website: https://www.solarwinds.com/service-desk
4. Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is an all-in-one customer service platform that streamlines support workflows and enhances customer satisfaction. Its features include multi-channel ticketing, automation, knowledge base management, and reporting tools.
With its strong integration capabilities, Zoho Desk can connect easily with other Zoho products, such as Zoho CRM, as well as third-party applications, to create a unified support ecosystem for businesses.
The customizable workflows, reporting analytics, and AI-driven tools help organizations deliver efficient and personalized customer service, and improve response times, and overall user experience.
Features:
- Multi-Channel Ticketing
- Automation and Workflows
- Knowledge Base Management
- AI-Powered Assistance (Zia)
- Customizable Dashboards
- Reporting and Analytics
- Integration with Zoho Products
- Third-Party Application Integrations
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
- Self-Service Portal
Pricing:
- Express: ₹420/user/month, billed annually
- Standard: ₹800/user/month, billed annually
- Professional: ₹1,400/user/month, billed annually
- Enterprise: ₹2,400/user/month, billed annually
Website: https://www.zoho.com/desk/
5. SysAid
SysAid is an all-rounder service desk solution designed to simplify IT service management and better customer support.
It boasts a range of powerful features including live chat support, knowledge base management, and automation tools to optimize workflows and boost efficiency.
In addition, SysAid provides a robust reporting and analytics functionality for businesses to track performance, monitor service levels, and make data-driven decisions.
Customizing an interface and integration options enables SysAid to tailor it to the needs of a specific organization, making it an ideal solution for efficient IT services and support request management.
Features:
- Live Chat Support
- Knowledge Base Management
- Automation Tools
- Incident Management
- Self-Service Portal
- Customizable Interface
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
- Reporting and Analytics
- Asset Management
Pricing: they offer customized prices according to the client’s requirements.
Website: https://www.sysaid.com/homepage
6. ConnectWise
ConnectWise is a full-service management platform tailored for MSPs. This service provides one central console to streamline all client communications and IT service management with all the tracking of their interactions, tickets, and workflows in one place.
The customizable dashboards enhance visibility and reporting, which enables businesses to tailor the system according to their specific needs.
ConnectWise Manage provides ticketing, time tracking, billing, project management, and automation, helping MSPs optimize their operations and, in turn, improve their service delivery to clients.
Its ability to integrate strongly with other tools makes its value lie in delivering the most efficient IT support and business management.
Features:
- Centralized Console
- Customizable Dashboards
- Ticketing System
- Time Tracking
- Billing and Invoicing
- Project Management
- Automation Tools
- Client Communication Management
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
- Reporting and Analytics
- Mobile Access
Pricing:
- One: $29 per month (billed monthly), $24 per month (billed annually)
- Standard: $49 per month (billed monthly), $39 per month (billed annually)
- Premium: Pricing starts at $29 per seat per month.
Website: https://www.connectwise.com/
7. BMC Helix ITSM
BMC Helix ITSM, formerly Remedy, is an enterprise-class IT service management suite aimed at enhancing the delivery of services and making the entire IT operation smoother.
This solution provides robust automation to enable the automation of most tasks so that manual intervention can be minimized and efficiency enhanced. Advanced analytics enables BMC Helix ITSM to allow better insights into IT service processes, identify bottlenecks, and optimize resource usage.
The platform supports ITIL best practices and has multiple features, such as incident management, change management, problem management, and asset management.
Its scalability and flexibility make it ideal for large organizations looking to expand their service management and support functions.
Features:
- Incident Management
- Change Management
- Problem Management
- Asset Management
- Service Catalog
- Automation and Orchestration
- Advanced Analytics and Reporting
- Self-Service Portal
Pricing: they offer customized prices according to the client’s requirements.
Website: https://www.bmc.com/it-solutions/bmc-helix-itsm.html
8. Zendesk
Zendesk is a well-known customer service and IT ticketing platform with robust features and user-friendly design. It offers a full suite of tools for managing customer support and IT tickets, including multi-channel ticketing, knowledge base management, automation, and reporting.
It has an intuitive interface and vast customization options, which is why businesses often turn to it to tailor the platform to their specific needs.
With its strong integrations and scalability, Zendesk helps organizations enhance their support operations, streamline workflows, and deliver superior service to their customers.
Features:
- Multi-Channel Ticketing
- Automation and Workflows
- Knowledge Base Management
- Self-Service Portal
- Customizable Dashboards
- Reporting and Analytics
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
- Collaboration Tools
- Integration with Third-Party Applications
Pricing:
- Support Team: US$ 19 per agent/month, billed annually
- Suite Team: US$ 55 per agent/month, billed annually
- Suite Professional: US$ 115 per agent/month, billed annually
- Suite Enterprise: Custom pricing
Website: https://www.zendesk.com/in/
9. Jira Service Management
Jira Service Management is a service management platform designed for agile teams, combining powerful project management tools with efficient issue tracking.
It enables teams to effectively manage service requests, incidents, and changes while integrating with Jira Software for development projects.
This makes it an ideal solution for organizations focused on continuous improvement since it offers customizable workflows, automation, and real-time collaboration.
Jira Service Management also features SLA management, knowledge base integration, and reporting tools, all of which help to improve service delivery and ensure that teams can meet service expectations. It is flexible and scalable, so it suits organizations of any size or industry.
Features:
- Incident Management
- Change Management
- Service Request Management
- Customizable Workflows
- Automation Rules
- SLA Management
- Knowledge Base Integration
- Self-Service Portal
- Reporting and Analytics
- Real-Time Collaboration
Pricing:
- Free: $0 (for 3 agents)
- Standard: $19.04 per agent/month
- Premium: $47.82 per agent/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing (billed annually)
Website: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/service-management
10. Ivanti
Ivanti is a full-service management platform that has been famous for its user-friendly interface, no-code integration, and other capabilities.
Organizations use it to customize workflows and automate repetitive tasks to reduce the overall manual effort involved in service management.
Ivanti includes all features of incident management, change management, and problem management, which streamline processes and enhance service delivery within IT.
The platform supports ITIL best practices and allows for flexible deployment options, thus making it a good solution for organizations that wish to improve efficiency and drive continuous improvement without requiring extensive technical know-how.
Features:
- Incident Management
- Change Management
- Problem Management
- Customizable Workflows
- No-Code Integration
- Service Catalog
- Self-Service Portal
- Knowledge Management
- Automation of Repetitive Tasks
- Multi-Channel Support
- Asset Management
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
Pricing: they offer customized prices according to the client’s requirements.
Website: https://www.ivanti.com/company/history/cherwell
11. HappyFox Help Desk
HappyFox Help Desk is a very user-friendly platform that allows the easy management of customer support and IT service.
It easily integrates with some of the most popular business applications like Salesforce, QuickBooks, and Slack to keep teams in touch with the respective support tickets without leaving those other tools.
HappyFox offers several features like ticketing, automation, reporting, and knowledge base management to provide better services to customers.
Being quite simple and powerful in its integration capabilities, the platform will be an excellent choice for organizations seeking a reliable, easy-to-implement help desk solution.
Features:
- Ticketing System
- Multi-Channel Support
- Automation and Workflows
- Integration with Salesforce, QuickBooks, and Slack
- Knowledge Base Management
- Customizable Dashboards
- Reporting and Analytics
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management
- Self-Service Portal
- Customizable Ticket Fields
- Canned Responses
Pricing:
- Basic: $9 per agent/month
- Team: $39 per agent/month
- Pro: $89 per agent/month
- Enterprise PRO: Contact Sales
Website: https://www.happyfox.com/
12. Kayako
Kayako is a web-based customer support platform whose goal is to make an IT support team and customers more collaborative and communicative.
It offers a group of tools that help automate ticket management, which therefore helps teams respond to client queries faster and more conveniently.
Kayako has features and interfaces that make giving the customer support experience seamless and better.
From channel support management to integrating applications third party, Kayako brings together the whole process.
Features:
- Multichannel Support
- Ticket Management
- Collaboration Tools
- Knowledge Base
- Customizable Workflows
- Real-time Chat
- Self-service Portal
- Automation & Triggers
- Customer Satisfaction Surveys
- Reporting & Analytics
Pricing:
- Essential: $49 per agent
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Website: https://kayako.com/
13. osTicket
osTicket is an open-source support ticketing system developed to make the customer service process easier and more efficient.
It allows businesses to create a fully customizable platform to manage support requests coming in from various channels such as email, web forms, and phone. The robust feature set includes automated ticket routing, customizable workflows, ticket escalation, and an integrated knowledge base.
It also allows support agents to collaborate through internal notes and ticket updates. Its open-source nature provides flexibility to integrate with third-party applications and custom plugins.
It is ideal for businesses of all sizes, which helps improve efficiency, track issues, and provide better customer support through a centralized ticket management system.
Features:
- Ticket Management
- Multichannel Support
- Automation and Workflow
- Knowledge Base
- Collaboration Tools
- Customizable Interface
- Reporting and Analytics
- Security and Access Control
- Integrations and Extensibility
Pricing:
- Open Source (Free): Free to use with community support, ideal for businesses with technical expertise.
- Cloud-hosted: Starts at $12/agent/month with no installation required and a 30-day free trial.
- Virtual Appliance: Customizable, self-hosted solution with pricing available upon request.
Website: https://osticket.com/
14. Spiceworks
Spiceworks IT Help Desk is free, cloud-based software that aims to assist organizations in managing IT support tickets efficiently. It offers several features such as ticket management, knowledge base creation, and asset management.
This solution allows users to easily track issues across multiple channels, set service-level agreements, and generate customizable reports. Another collaboration support is provided by the platform, which integrates well with other tools for a better-streamlined experience with IT support.
Spiceworks offers this solution with no subscription fees at all, making it one of the most cost-effective options for businesses of any size looking to implement a reliable IT help desk system.
Features:
- Ticket Management
- Knowledge Base
- Asset Management
- Customizable Reports
- Multi-channel Support
- SLA Management
- Collaboration Tools
- Email Notifications
- Reporting and Analytics
- Mobile Access
Pricing: it’s a free-of-cost help desk service provider.
Website: https://www.spiceworks.com/free-cloud-help-desk-software/
15. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is an affordable, user-friendly IT service management (ITSM) platform that streamlines IT support operations.
It includes essential features such as asset tracking, incident management, change management, and a self-service portal for users to submit requests and access knowledge articles.
The platform supports the automation of IT workflows, enabling teams to improve response times and reduce manual intervention.
It is suitable for small and large organizations alike, with a customizable interface, reporting tools, and robust integrations to provide a comprehensive solution for IT help desk needs.
Features:
- Incident Management
- Change Management
- Problem Management
- Asset Management
- Service Catalog
- Self-Service Portal
- Knowledge Base
- Automation of IT Workflows
- SLA Management
- Customizable Dashboards and Reporting
Pricing:
- Standard Edition: Starts at $1195 annually for 10 technicians.
- Professional Edition: Starts at $495 annually for 2 technicians and 250 nodes.
- Enterprise Edition: Starts at $1195 annually and includes help desk, ITIL, asset, and project management features.
Website: https://www.manageengine.com/
How to Choose The Right IT Ticketing Systems?
Now that you’re aware of the best options, here’s how you should assess your choice to make a beneficial decision:
Understand Your Needs: Begin by determining what your organization needs. How many issues do you handle every day? What types of problems arise? Consider your team size, user roles, and workflows so the system fits perfectly now and in the future.
Ease of Use: Something that would make it easy enough for all to use it reporting a fault or repairing one. Expect an intuitive interface that does not require hours of tutorials to master.
Features and Functionality: Focus on what matters most. You would want to see basic ticket tracking and automation, but those extra niceties about SLA tracking, support for multiple channels, or even a knowledge base would really make efficiency pop up.
Customization: Every organization is different. So pick one that lets you tweak it, whether you are talking about workflows, ticket templates, or a dashboard. In this sense, you should be assured that the system works according to your working style instead of vice versa.
Integration Capabilities: The system should play well with your existing tools, such as email, project management apps, or CRM integration. Smooth integration means no manual data transfers and better workflow efficiency.
Scalability: As your business grows, so will your IT needs. Make sure the system can handle more users, tickets, and processes without breaking a sweat.
Mobile Accessibility: Sometimes you need to solve issues on the go. A mobile-friendly platform or app lets your team stay on top of things, no matter where they are.
Reporting and Analytics: Good insights lead to better decisions. Seek systems that provide clear reports on ticket trends, resolution times, and performance by your team, helping to identify areas for improvement with time.
Support and Training: Even the best systems need occasional help. Check if the vendor offers good customer support and has resources like training videos or guides to make onboarding easy.
Cost and Value: Find a system that fits your budget but still delivers on features. Flexible pricing plans, like pay-per-user or tiered options, can help ensure you’re getting your money’s worth.
Security and Compliance: Protect your data. Ensure that the system meets industry standards for security, with features such as encryption and access controls to protect your information.
Trial and Feedback: Test it out before you buy. Most systems offer free trials; take advantage of that. Also, get feedback from your team to ensure that the system works well for everyone.
Conclusion
Now that you have a guide all read out, we hope that you have found all your answers. From understanding the need for such a tool to choosing amongst the best ones after evaluating your needs, you know all of it.
So go ahead and make your and your organization’s tech life easy and efficient with a swift tool like the IT ticketing systems.
A perfect system will, regardless of whether you are a small or large enterprise, ensure efficient issue resolution, increased productivity on your team, and smooth flow.
FAQs
Do IT ticketing tools allow for mobile access?
Many IT ticketing tools allow mobile apps or mobile-accessible interfaces, enabling the IT staff and users to access tickets from anywhere at any time, thus solving problems on the go more easily.
Can users view the status of their tickets?
Yes, most IT ticketing tools provide self-service portals where users can view the status of their tickets, check updates, and even resolve common issues using knowledge bases or FAQs.
How do IT ticketing tools help with SLAs (Service Level Agreements)?
IT ticketing tools help manage SLAs by tracking response timand es, resolution times, and ensuring that issues are addressed within agreed-upon timeframes. Automated reminders and escalation features also help IT teams meet SLA commitments.
Are free IT ticketing tools available?
Yes, some IT ticketing systems offer free versions with basic features. These are great for small teams or businesses with limited needs. However, for more advanced features, integrations, or scalability, paid versions may be necessary.
Can IT ticketing tools be used for non-IT issues?
While IT ticketing software is primarily designed for managing tech-related issues, some platforms allow customization, enabling them to be used for other types of requests or issues within an organization.
