IT service desks are stretched thin. Users want instant answers and the ability to solve problems on their own, but most organizations can’t keep up. Industry research shows that 81% of people want more self-service options, yet only 40% of businesses believe they provide enough. And of those that do, there’s a disconnect between perception and reality. More than half of businesses (53%) believe users are very satisfied with self-service, while only 15% of users agree.*

That gap between expectation and delivery is putting pressure on IT teams and creating demand for new approaches. Service desks need a way to scale support, reduce friction for users, and ease the workload on staff—all without sacrificing quality.

Generative AI Brings New Intelligence to ITSM

Gen AI adds an intelligence layer within IT service management, plugging directly into service desk platforms, knowledge bases, and monitoring systems, where it takes on the repetitive work that slows teams down. It handles routine tasks and brings the right information forward when it’s needed, so service desks can move faster while users get the reliable support they expect.

With the ability to understand context and generate responses, Gen AI in ITSM can:

• Triage and route tickets: Analyzes requests, sets priorities, and directs users to the right queue
• Resolve routine issues: Handles common problems like password resets and access requests
• Manage the knowledge base: Keeps information accurate and current
• Support agents in real time: Gives service desk staff relevant fixes, summaries, and recommendations while they work tickets
• Identify root causes: Detects patterns across logs and incidents to speed up troubleshooting
• Deliver automated self-service responses: Gives users instant, reliable answers through chat or portal interactions.

The Ripple Effect on the Business

Embedding GenAI into IT service management changes how service desks run, how users get support, and how IT leaders measure value, resulting in:

• Better service quality: GenAI reduces inconsistencies by applying the same logic to every request, so responses are accurate and predictable. It also cuts down on errors by identifying the right fixes faster, which means fewer escalations and cleaner resolutions.
• Greater user satisfaction: End users no longer wait hours (or days) for routine issues to be resolved. With self-service responses and instant access to knowledge, they get help when they need it
• Healthier (and happier) IT teams: Removing repetitive tickets from the queue frees up staff to focus on complex problems that require human judgment. That shift reduces burnout and creates more space for growth, skill development, and job satisfaction.
• Operational efficiency that lowers costs: Automated triage and faster resolution cycles shrink ticket backlogs, lowering the average cost per issue. Over time, IT can support more users without adding headcount, keeping budgets under control.
• Clear ROI: The impact is measurable through metrics like ticket deflection, resolution time, and a reduction in downtime—numbers that translate directly into savings and productivity.

Generative AI is becoming the backbone of modern IT service management. Organizations that adopt early will define the standard for speed, consistency, and user experience.

At Melillo, we help companies integrate GenAI into their ITSM tools and workflows to solve the problems service desks face every day and give end users faster, more reliable support. Learn more here. 

* https://get.nice.com/Digital-CX-Research-Report.html