At IFS, we’re incredibly excited to be announcing the latest version of our popular enterprise service management (ESM) platform: IFS assyst.
This is the first release of the platform since assyst became part of the IFS portfolio—and we have a whole host of exciting new features to support existing and new customers in their business transformations.
But more than that—we’re taking traditional IT service management (ITSM) to the next level, offering employees across the entire enterprise the opportunity to work better and smarter.
Here’s what you need to know about the new release.
assyst 11.4: Ahead of a shifting market
In the last few years, a revolution has been brewing in the world of IT and service management: democratization. The rise of distributed working, cloud computing and software as a service (SaaS) is putting everyday employees in charge of the technology they use—in a way that would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. Though this was happening before 2020, the pandemic has accelerated the trend.
This democratization of technology has meant that non-technical teams are becoming citizen developers—meaning they’re increasingly in charge of the research, development and roll-out of the tech tools they need to achieve their objectives.
We spoke with Brian Hopkins, Vice President of Emerging Tech Portfolio at Forrester Research who said:
“What we see today is a totally different approach to technology — one where tools like process automation and low code tools are empowering all business departments to build their own technology.”
IT is no longer the gatekeeper of technology. This makes sense because, ultimately, nobody understands the needs of HR, Facilities, Finance, Admin and other teams better than they do.
But when it comes to traditional IT service management (ITSM) tools, this creates a challenge. Legacy ITSM tools were designed for a world where everything is run by IT—making it tough HR, sales and marketing teams take their digital destiny into their own hands. ITSM needs to evolve fast—extending the service management functionality that IT teams have long enjoyed right across the enterprise.
That’s where assyst comes in.
assyst in action
At its heart, the goal of ESM is to recreate ITSM for the world of distributed working and citizen developers. Complex tools designed just for IT teams simply don’t cut it in today’s agile world. With assyst 11.4, we’re making it easy for every worker in the enterprise to collaborate, find information, research new tools, and get the job done.
The beauty of assyst is that it means something different to everyone using it. For a customer it could mean quickly finding out how their order is progressing without having to call. But for a sales worker, it might mean being able to instantly search and find relevant information on a potential customer. The possibilities are endless.
Here’s a look at some of the fascinating ways assyst is being used right now:
- A nursing trust in the UK is using assyst to improve their incident response. The platform lets them fill in incident responses forms on mobile phones and tablets, ensuring documents are saved in the right place for compliance.
- A whisky distillery in Scotland uses assyst workflows to track and automate COVID test reporting for their front-line factory workers. This makes it easy to ensure everyone is properly tested—keeping their workers safe while maintaining seamless productivity.
- assyst is being used to help a UK school keep track of facilities maintenance tasks like boiler services, PAT testing and school gate maintenance. Scheduled job triggering, work order creation, ticket update, and invoice filing are all automated—eliminating human error.
Whether you’re a school or a nursing hospital, a retailer or a manufacturer, assyst can help you and your team work better, faster and smarter.
What’s new in IFS assyst 11.4?
The latest version of IFS assyst makes it easier than ever for customers, employees and IT teams to get work done. After all, if service management isn’t working towards that ultimate goal—it’s not doing its job properly.
That could involve a customer checking on an order, an HR manager trying to find a document or and IT leader monitoring access permissions. Whatever the situation, assyst gets you to your goal quickly and smoothly.
But how do we achieve that? What features make it easier for people to work – and how does this differ from previous version of assyst? Here’s a closer look at some of the new features:
- Full mobile access means anybody can use assyst on the go—perfect for the world of distributed work.
- Improved virtual chatbot experience which makes it easy for end users to find information. Just ask what you need and the chatbot will take care of it.
- The chatbot also integrates with Microsoft Teams so you can get help without leaving Teams.
- The new version has full ITSM and ITOM capabilities—continuing to serve the growing needs of IT departments.
- IFS assyst is currently ITIL 3 certified and will soon be fully ITIL 4 certified.
These features ensure employees and customers everywhere have a seamless digital experience—whatever their task may be.
Can we assyst you?
Our goal for IFS assyst is to make it easier for everybody to get more done. Whether it’s through a MS Teams chat, chatbot or by accessing information on the go, this update brings us closer to fulfilling the vision of simple service experiences.
Here’s what our Chief Technology and Product Officer Stephane Maes has to say on:
“We’re making ESM and assyst bigger and more expansive than ever. For the first time, users will have access to a genuine low-code ESM tool that reaches right across the enterprise. That’s in addition to all the traditional ITSM features.”
IFS assyst 11.4 is here. Ready to find out what it can do for you?
