Enterprises Embrace Unified Service Management

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.