Local government agencies are using Enterprise Service Management (ESM) to strengthen operational efficiency and improve responsiveness to internal stakeholders and the public.
ESM is an extension of IT Service Management (ITSM) that agencies can use to modernize common functions across government. Where ITSM automates IT service requests and supports IT project management, ESM applies similar principles to managing nontechnical functions such as facilities, human resources and, ultimately, public services.
ESM relies on a single enterprise platform that integrates with systems across multiple departments. These no-code platforms offer easy-to-use, visual tools that let business users design their own automations and services. They offer seamless integration with existing systems to automate complex workflows and data access. They also support self-service functions for internal government users and the public.
Here's how government entities are putting ESM to work.
AUTOMATING EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING AND OFFBOARDING
After adopting ITSM to automate IT service tickets and provide self-service options,Pima County, Ariz., is beginning to automate processes in other departments.
“That’s something the organization is really just starting to comprehend as a vision,” said Mark Hayes, who was the county’s information technology leader until his retirement in January 2024. “We’re starting in IT, so that they can see the possibilities as we move forward with our digital transformation and expand outside of IT.”
Pima County adopted an ITSM platform from TeamDynamix to automate processes and offer self-service for employees. The solution helps the county address IT resource constraints and reduce IT staff burnout caused by repetitive manual tasks.
County leaders immediately saw the potential for making similar improvements in other parts of the organization.
“The drudgery of working through mundane, repetitive tasks doesn’t just exist in IT,” Hayes said. “The more we can reduce toil within the departments that we support, the more people are going to buy in and understand the value of what we’re trying to achieve.”
To that end, Pima County is automating other processes, starting with employee onboarding and offboarding. That’s a critical process, as the county’s goal is to have employees start their first day with everything they need to work. Offboarding is equally important — revoking access to critical systems is vital for security and frequently audited for compliance.
“We’re starting small, hoping to use automation to take tickets and automatically deploy software to endpoints, and onboard and offboard users with Active Directory and distribution groups,” Hayes said.
Once these processes are automated, the county will expand the initiative beyond IT to provide true enterprise service management. “There’s nothing like success to breed more success,” Hayes said. “And once other departments see the benefits, they’re going to want these tools, too.”
IMPROVING SERVICES FOR RETIREES
Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) in Florida used the TeamDynamix platform to create a unified system for managing projects, incidents, service requests and IT accounts. No-code tools enable IT staff to create customized integrations between TeamDynamix and other software programs using a simple drag-and-drop process.
GRU used the no-code platform to solve an IT support challenge that affected thousands of its retirees. Because they are no longer city employees, retirees don’t have an Active Directory account, which is required to submit IT support tickets online. Retirees couldn’t use GRU’s online service portal to resolve problems with their pension checks, which are issued by the utility’s Workday financial system.
GRU Business Systems Analyst Tristina Grywalski worked with the TeamDynamix implementation and process consulting team to solve the issue using the platform’s flexible configuration options.
Now GRU retirees don’t need to call IT support staff during normal business hours, wasting valuable time for everyone involved. Instead, they can use the online service portal just like current employees with an Active Directory account can, resulting in faster and better service.
Within two months of the change, more than 150 GRU retirees had submitted service requests online. “The service team is very grateful for this solution,” Grywalski said, noting that it lets them address retiree issues more efficiently.
STREAMLINING MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL WORKFLOWS
With 14 departments serving nearly 100,000 residents, the city of Avondale, Ariz., is using ESM to improve processes and workflows that cross departmental lines.
Avondale’s ESM journey began in the city’s IT department, where a self-service portal powered by TeamDynamix transformed service delivery.
“We have much better communication now, and tickets are getting handled much faster,” said CIO Jeff Scheetz. “TeamDynamix saves everyone a lot of time and helps us make sure that nothing gets lost in the shuffle.”
Now other city departments are implementing the technology to streamline their own processes. The HR department is adopting the TeamDynamix platform to manage its service delivery. Facilities and finance are coming onboard, too.
ESM can improve interdepartmental collaboration. For example, onboarding new employees is a multistep process that could be slow and cumbersome. Along with completing HR paperwork, new hires need network privileges from IT, they must be added to the city’s payroll system by finance, and they require access to the office from facilities.
Now, the entire workflow is initiated with a single service request that is routed to the various departments automatically. “We can make sure we’re addressing all of our needs expeditiously,” said Scheetz.
In addition, ESM provides data and analytics to help department leaders manage their operations. With a common data source for multiple tasks, managers can see what service requests are most common. Armed with this information, leaders can reallocate resources, justify additional hires, and identify opportunities for additional training and support.
“We can see trends and patterns that help us deploy our limited resources in a more intelligent manner,” Scheetz explained. “Everybody has a limited staff. Having a system like TeamDynamix makes a huge difference.”
MAKING ESM A REALITY
To deploy ESM successfully, IT leaders need an implementation strategy that identifies departmental needs and engages stakeholders in addressing them.
Best practices for implementation include:
Evaluate needs and define goals. IT leaders can conduct workshops with departmental stakeholders to identify the most valuable use cases and understand which systems must integrate with the ESM platform.
Choose the right ESM platform. Key criteria include no-code capabilities that allow nontechnical staff to develop and update automations, as well as pre-built integrations for commonly used government systems. Flexibility and scalability are also critical to support any expansion of ESM. Cloud-based platforms with built-in integration and automation capabilities meet these criteria while reducing the need for technical resources.
Launch, measure and iterate. Start small with a pilot focused on one important function in one department such as HR or facilities. Use feedback and analytics to measure the impact of the pilot and revise and update automations as needed. Repeat this approach with ESM across the enterprise as other departments express interest.
Learn more about actionable strategies and best practices for implementing ESM in your organization.
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