Russian ITSM Systems Market

Company name	What systems is ITSM/Service Desk developed by the company
Rikitlab	TIKITRIK, Tikitrik Asset Management
[[R-Vision (Р-Вижн)|R-Vision	R-Vision ITSM]]
Rockitsoft	RockIT Manager ITSM on Comindware
1C and Desnol Soft	1C:ITILIUM
[[Интравижн (Intravision)|Intravision	IntraService, Intradesk]]
Amber	Amber Service Desk
First Form	BPM-based Service Desk "First Form"
Security Vision	Service Desk (SD)
EvaTeam	EvaServiceDesk
Транссеть	TRS.ITSM, TRS. ServiceDesk
AccountantBackground Service	1C-Connect
Citeck (SL Soft)	Service Desk based on Citeck low-code platform
[[Radiant System (Радиант Систем)|Radiant System	Radiant Service Desk]]
Directum|[[Directum ESM	Directum ESM]]

^{* Companies did not provide revenue data to TAdviser or failed to allocate revenue to target IT market segment}

Trends in the Russian ITSM market in 2024-2025

The growth of the Russian ITSM market in 2024 was due to a set of interconnected factors, among which import substitution, state regulation, digital business transformation and increased cyber threats became key.

The departure of Western vendors created a vacuum that domestic developers began to fill. This process was strengthened by the inclusion of Russian ITSM solutions in the register of domestic software, which made them mandatory for the public sector and critical infrastructure. At the same time, heterogeneous dynamics was observed: the first half of the year was characterized by active import substitution, while in the second half of the year some companies took a wait-and-see attitude, assessing the prospects for the return of foreign solutions or adapting to new conditions.

After the departure of foreign ITSM vendors, many companies had to quickly look for local alternatives, and this opened the market for Russian solutions. But there is also a second driver: the need to replace the ITSM system due to restrictions associated with it. Previously, there were only a few such requests, now we see the emerging confident demand. Organizations are tired of "fighting" with outdated, clumsy, methodically unfinished systems. Trying to improve their processes, rebuild taking into account modern realities, they fall into the trap of architectural, technical and functional restrictions formed by the vendor 10-15 years ago, - said Oleg Skrynnik, managing partner of Cleverics.

Most importantly, many customers realized that changes in the IT market, including in the ITSM segment, are long-term. If in 2022-2023 the companies took a wait-and-see attitude, then by 2024-2025 they switched to active import substitution. At the same time, this trend developed against the background of a general decrease in IT costs for most customers of commercial software. In practice, we observe that even those budgets that were previously considered protected have undergone optimization this year. Since ITSM solutions are not always key for business, we can expect that this segment will show more restrained dynamics this year, "says Ilya Kaigorodov, CTO of Citeck, SL Soft.

An important factor is the growing awareness by business all these years of the value of ITSM not just as a support tool, but as a basis for managing services (ESM) and digital operations. Large enterprises have moved from formal import substitution to building full-fledged systems that integrate incident, change, asset and service management. This is especially true for industries where service failures and the opacity of SLA management lead to significant losses: the financial sector, telecom, state-owned enterprises.

The development of domestic solutions, including the introduction of AI/ML, chatbots and low-code platforms, has increased their confidence, although experts note that the functional maturity of Russian products is still inferior to foreign counterparts.

Another important factor was the development of domestic vendors. They continued to grow and evolve, which directly affected demand: when customers see that solutions reach an acceptable level of maturity, they are considering the introduction of Russian systems with great interest and confidence, "said Alexey Lykov, head of ITSM at Softline Group of companies.

State policy played a decisive role: subsidies, tax breaks and regulatory requirements (FSTEC, Central Bank, Ministry of Digital Development) accelerated the transition to domestic solutions. Although the main laws restricting the use of foreign software in the public sector and critical infrastructure were adopted a long time ago, law enforcement practice tightened after 2022.

This trend is accelerating the development of Russian ITSM platforms focused on the specifics of the Russian market, security requirements and integration with other corporate systems.

The Russian authorities adopted a number of initiatives aimed at supporting the domestic IT sector, which created favorable conditions for the development of the ITSM market. The introduction of bans on foreign IT solutions and the stimulation of purchases of domestic systems had a significant impact on customer preferences. The state allocated grants and subsidies to promote domestic products, creating incentives for local manufacturers to develop competitive ITSM systems, - comments Nikolay Panov, Director of Business Development at IT Expert Group.

State support, the development of the register of domestic software create a favorable environment for customers and developers, which further stimulates market growth. Together, these factors form the sustainable dynamics of the development of the Russian ITSM market, aimed at increasing the maturity of processes, technological innovation and focusing on creating real business value, "says Dmitry Rubin, director of the operating business of NAUMEN.

In 2024, the demand for ITSM systems in Russia was unevenly distributed. They were most actively introduced by industries in which three key drivers intersected: mandatory import substitution, regulatory pressure and the internal need for digital transformation.

Additional market growth factors in 2024 include cyber threats. The increase in the number of information security incidents forced companies to implement ITSM for centralized control.

The threat of cyber attacks and data privacy violations have pushed organizations to modernize their IT infrastructure and manage services through modern ITSM solutions. Requirements for compliance with regulatory rules (for example, data protection laws) have caused an increase in demand for specialized ITSM solutions that ensure control over information security, Nikolay Panov notes.

With the increasing complexity of IT infrastructures and the desire to move to a service model of management, IT companies have increasingly implemented ITSM systems for automating helpdesk, incident management, SLA and internal processes. Separately, it is worth noting the increase in information security requirements: the strengthening of cyber threats and the regulatory regulations of the FSTEC stimulated the demand for ITSM as an element of integrated protection. Regulatory changes also influenced: strengthening the requirements for personal data (152-FZ), new standards of the Central Bank and FSTEC - all this contributed to the introduction of certified solutions in banks, telecoms, industry, - adds Arsen Blagov, General Director of the Lukomorye IT ecosystem (RTK IT Plus LLC).

In 2025, according to experts, the ITSM market shows steady growth, but its pace and nature differ depending on segments and influence factors. The active introduction of domestic ITSM solutions in key sectors of the country's economy continues. There has been a significant expansion of ITSM applications - systems go beyond classic IT support and become platforms for managing end-to-end business services and digital processes.

There are fewer and fewer companies that continue to wait for better times to replace outdated solutions, "says Vadim Sorokin, director of business development at BPMSoft (part of IT holding LANSOFT).

It is too early to evaluate 2025 - it is still in the process. But already now we can say that the current dynamics logically continues the trends of the second half of 2024. There is still cooling in the market: activity has decreased, companies have focused on carefully working out solutions and preparing for future projects. The situation remains mobile, changes are possible at any time. Now the market is more likely in the phase of rethinking and waiting than in the phase of active movement, - adds Alexey Lykov, head of ITSM at Softline Group of companies.

The structure of demand is undergoing changes. If earlier the main growth drivers were import substitution and replacement projects for outdated systems, now the focus is shifting towards expanding the functionality and integrating ITSM solutions into wider ESM landscapes.

We are seeing a smooth but meaningful migration from isolated claim management systems to a single service management system. Especially active demand growth is noted in the production and logistics sectors, where ESM gives tangible operational savings, - comments Andrei Vishnyakov, Director of Business Products at SimpleOne, ITG Corporation.

Technological trends play a significant role in the development of the market. The demand for cloud and hybrid solutions is increasing, due to the desire of companies to reduce infrastructure costs and accelerate the scaling of services. In addition, the integration of artificial intelligence into ITSM platforms is increasingly being discussed, which will open up new opportunities for automation and efficiency.

According to analysts of the IT holding T1 for 2024, 90% of sales were On-Anticipate solutions, of which 76% were in the Enterprise segment. But now customers want to receive all the advantages of ITSM without the need to maintain a complex infrastructure, especially if we are talking about medium-sized businesses, - said Natalya Builina, CPO of the ITSM stream of the Sphere platform.

Industry dynamics are also heterogeneous. The greatest growth is provided by the public sector, finance and big business, where digital transformation remains a priority. At the same time, there is a decrease in the number of new projects in some segments where companies are focused on supporting and developing already implemented solutions.

The impact of macroeconomic factors remains mixed. On the one hand, a high key rate and uncertainty in the regulatory sphere can restrain investment activity. On the other hand, the steady demand for ITSM solutions is due to their direct impact on the operational efficiency of the business, which makes this market less sensitive to short-term economic fluctuations.

Alexander Domnitsky, head of the low-code practice of the division Outsourcing "and services IBS," separately notes a possible wave of transfusions in the coming years. Some of the companies that switched to domestic solutions in 2022 were dissatisfied with the results, and taking into account the life cycle of systems (3-5 years), 2025 may become a period of repeated implementations.

So far, there are few of them, since the budgets for this are frozen, but next year I think there will be more, especially when the interest rate is reduced, "the expert says.

Prospects for the coming years

In the future, experts expect a qualitative market change associated with the transition from highly specialized service solutions to full-fledged corporate service management platforms.

One of the key growth factors will be the expansion of ITSM principles into new industries such as medicine, education, agro-industrial complex, oil and gas sector, retail and logistics. This is due to the increasing digital maturity of these sectors and the growing demand for a systems approach to service management. Special potential is noted in the segment of medium and small businesses, where the implementation of ITSM is just beginning. For many companies of this level, service management can be a real discovery in the coming years.

An important driver of development will be technological innovations, including AI, low-code/no-code platforms, predictive analytics and cloud models. The introduction of AI will significantly improve performance by automating routine tasks, self-service and instant responses. Low-code/no-code tools will simplify the adaptation of solutions to specific business processes, which is especially important in the context of the growing complexity of IT infrastructures.

A breakthrough is possible due to new types of services provided by AI at ITSM. We are talking about changing the approach to services and raising productivity by at least 50-100%, introducing mass self-service, instant answers and much more, "says Yuri Bloshchinsky, General Director of KSK TECHNOLOGIES.

Import substitution remains a key factor driving demand for domestic ITSM solutions. Sanctions pressure and the transition to Russian software and equipment create certain conditions for the development of local vendors. However, consolidation awaits the market, as the current glut of Service Desk solutions will inevitably lead to the departure of weak players. Only those companies that can offer comprehensive products with advanced functionality, including hardware and software asset management, will remain.

We see a particularly strong demand for solutions that integrate with existing business processes. Companies no longer want isolated IT systems, they are looking for platforms that can connect IT service management with the organization's common business processes, "said Igor Prostokvashin, a leading analyst at Comindware.

Demand in regions where digital transformation is only gaining momentum will also create new momentum for market growth.

Another promising area will be the export of Russian ITSM solutions to the markets of the CIS, Southeast Asia and Latin America. This opens up additional opportunities for the growth of domestic developers. At the same time, risks associated with the foreign policy situation and sanctions pressure remain. The stability of the market will depend on the ability of Russian companies to develop R&D, standardize integration interfaces and train qualified personnel.

In the future of the next three years, I think that market growth will be in the region of 20-30% per year with a possible exit of 50-60 billion in total by 2028, mainly due to large business, - said Alexander Domnitsky, head of the low-code practice of the Outsourcing and Services division of IBS.

According to Oleg Skrynnik, managing partner of Cleverics, the growth rate of the Russian market exceeds global rates.

The basis of this drive is import substitution, business digitalization, the growth of the ESM model, cloud and AI technology. This trend promises a long-term strengthening of the market and the transformation of ITSM solutions into full-fledged intelligent ESM platforms, - comments Oleg Skrynnik.

It is expected that the market will develop with double-digit annual growth - about 15%, which is due to several key factors. First, the ongoing digital transformation in government and corporate structures is driving demand for modern ITSM solutions that can provide transparency, automation and service lifecycle management. Secondly, strengthening the import substitution policy and active state support for domestic developers create favorable conditions for the large-scale introduction of Russian products. Expanding the use of ITSM beyond classic IT support - in the management of business processes, resources and projects - opens up new opportunities for market growth and deepening the integration of ITSM with the digital ecosystem of enterprises, adds Dmitry Rubin, director of the operating business of NAUMEN.

The possible return of foreign vendors to the Russian ITSM market will lead to a change in the competitive environment, but experts agree that there will be no radical redistribution of the market. In recent years, Russian players have significantly strengthened their positions, adapted to the requirements of the local market and regulators, and also developed the functionality of their solutions, in some cases surpassing their foreign counterparts.

We are sure that the point of no return has already been passed. The vacated niches are occupied by Russian solutions, a new ecosystem of suppliers and partners has formed. Even if foreign players return, it will be radically more difficult for them to compete in these new conditions, - comments Artem Khizhny, General Director of RIKITLAB.

Key factors that will limit the influence of foreign vendors include:

• loss of trust on the part of Russian customers due to the previous departure of Western companies, which created risks of loss of support, updates and licenses;
• strict regulatory requirements, including the mandatory presence of domestic software in the register, certification FSTEC and a ban on the use of foreign software in the public sector;
• difference in business models: Western vendors are often focused on SaaS and recurrent payments, while Russian customers prefer on-prem solutions, perpetual licenses and guarantees of compliance with information security standards.

Nevertheless, a partial return is possible to international companies and private business outside of critical infrastructure, - said Vadim Sorokin, director of business development at BPMSoft (part of the IT holding LANSOFT).

Even in the case of a hypothetical return of Western vendors, the question for Russian customers will be not only about functionality, but, first of all, about reliability and trust. In recent years, Russian vendors have proven their ability to quickly adapt, work on-prem, meet strict regulatory requirements and understand the specifics of the local market, "adds Andrey Vishnyakov, Business Product Director of SimpleOne, ITG Corporation.

The market is probably segmenting. The public sector and strategically important industries will remain behind domestic decisions due to regulatory restrictions. Big business, which has already switched to Russian platforms, is unlikely to return to foreign products due to the high costs of re-migration and loss of confidence. Medium and small businesses can partially return to foreign vendors if they offer dumping prices, but even here the risks of blocking and incompatibility with Russian IT infrastructures will reduce their attractiveness. International companies and private businesses outside critical infrastructure may remain or return to Western solutions, but their market share will not be dominant.

It is important to understand that the market has changed dramatically over the past two to three years. Domestic platforms, during this time, greatly strengthened the product base and gained mature client practice. The return of foreign players will lead to increased competition in the upper segment, but is unlikely to displace local leaders. In the event of a full-fledged return of Western solutions, domestic vendors will have to actively develop unique advantages - adaptation to Russian realities, integration with internal systems, licensing flexibility and transparency of implementation. But the likelihood of foreign decisions dominating in the foreseeable future is extremely low, especially given the ongoing import substitution policy. Many companies perfectly and for a long time remembered how they were deprived of support, access to updates, to documentation, made it impossible to purchase licenses, - comments Oleg Skrynnik.

In my opinion, there is the only option for a possible return that could have long-term success: dumping. That is, you need to offer Russian companies an option that will block all risks. That's the price. But the key question of the appropriateness of this behavior: the ITSM market is small, growing slowly, how and when to beat off the costs of such a strategy? Therefore, I would assess the chances not for return, this may be, but for the success of the return of Western vendors as close to zero. Their positions, in my opinion, are lost forever, - said Kirill Fedulov, founder and development director of Okdesk.

At the same time, experts note that foreign vendors will face the need to adapt to new conditions: integration with Russian OS, DBMS and equipment, licensing flexibility and accounting for local requirements. Even if returned, their impact will be limited and competition will shift towards total cost of ownership (TCO), speed of implementation, quality of support and ability to quickly adapt to customer demands.

Of course, competition will increase, but everything will depend on the conditions for the return and the moment when this event will happen. Probably the return of foreign vendors will be of serious importance only for those companies that, for one reason or another, decided not to replace Western products. At the same time, the trend for import substitution will not change, due to the fact that the risks will continue in the future. And as practice has shown, these risks are not ephemeral at all, "says Ilya Kaigorodov, CTO of Citeck, SL Soft.

According to analysts' forecasts for 2025, foreign vendors will rather return through hybrid models and partnerships, adapting to local conditions than immediately occupy dominant positions. As a result, the market will become more polyphonic and technologically saturated, but at the same time retain the advantage of domestic developments. For Russian companies, this is a signal to the need to strengthen ecosystems, actively develop standards and increase competencies, as well as to form long-term partnerships with business and the state. This approach will allow domestic decisions not only to maintain positions, but also to reach new levels of maturity, combining national specifics and world trends, - comments Dmitry Rubin.

Thus, the return of Western players, if it happens, will rather increase competition in individual segments, but will not lead to their dominance - the market has already rebuilt, and domestic decisions have taken a strong position.

In the long term, Russian vendors have a chance not only to keep the market, but also to reach the international level, especially with the support of the state, including a reduction in the key rate and financing of developments.

The main advantage of Russian solutions now is not only understanding the specifics of the local market, but also the speed of reaction to changes. When a client needs a new feature, we can implement it in weeks, not months. Western vendors with their corporate processes and global priorities cannot afford it. But the most interesting thing is that competition will take place at a new level. If earlier we caught up with Western standards, now in many aspects we are ahead of them. The return of foreign competitors will only be a confirmation that the Russian ITSM market is ripe for exporting its own solutions, sums up Igor Prostokvashin.

Development of import substitution

Despite the rapid growth of the Russian ITSM market after the departure of Western vendors, the full-fledged transition of large and medium-sized companies to domestic solutions still faces a number of serious barriers. The main obstacles to the complete transition of companies to domestic ITSM platforms are both organizational and technical in nature.

Among the organizational barriers, conservatism and fear of change dominate, especially in traditional industries, where Russian decisions are still perceived as a kind of opinion.

The culture in companies, when units operate in isolation, complicates the implementation of not only ITSM, but also a larger ESM approach. Financial constraints, budget priorities and human resources issues also play a significant role, since migration requires not just the installation of the system, but a full-fledged project with process restructuring and personnel training.

Technical difficulties include functional limitations of some Russian platforms, especially in terms of advanced analytics, predictive analysis, flexible ML-based case routing, powerful low-code designers and support for international methodologies such as ITIL 4 and COBIT. This is especially important for companies with a high level of maturity of processes, for which ITSM is not just ticketing, but an end-to-end tool for managing the service model.

At the moment, domestic solutions can fully replace Western solutions in small and medium-sized projects. In large projects, Russian systems cannot yet be equivalently replaced. De facto, customers who have implemented large Western solutions can use them if they do not fall under the strict requirements of the state. And since the margin of functional strength in developed Western solutions is quite large, many are in no hurry to spend money on replacement, - notes Yuri Bloshchinsky, General Director of KSK TECHNOLOGY.

Most domestic platforms still require improvements when introduced into the existing IT landscape, especially if it contains Western systems. API limitations, lack of ready-made connectors, unstable load scalability in distributed structures slow down the transition, turning it into reengineering processes.

The transition process is also hampered by the integration of new software into the existing IT infrastructure, as it affects absolutely all business areas of the company. Since Western solutions were previously provided together with external expertise and process methodology, which closed the need for in-depth study of the mechanisms of operation of ITSM platforms, now during import substitution, customers are faced with a lack of sufficient internal expertise, which significantly complicates the stages of examination and design of requirements for settings, detailing requirements that are critically necessary for high-quality full implementation of ITSM. Such projects require very serious work not only from the manufacturers of ITSM systems, but also from the customers themselves, and given the current shortage of personnel and competencies, not every manager can decide to allocate sufficient resources for the project. However, a different approach and delay in making a decision, oddly enough, provokes even greater risks for the IT department, - explains Nikolai Chetverikov, managing partner of InfraManager.

The shortage of expertise on Russian solutions, unlike established Western platforms, also complicates migration. It is more difficult for companies to find performers, assess the cost and timing of the project, and scale the system after implementation.

In addition, Russian solutions still lack a mature ecosystem - from ready-made integrations with SaaS services to module marketplaces, partner extensions, process templates. This reduces the flexibility of solutions and increases the dependence on the vendor.

Economic risks, such as hidden costs of migration, adaptation and training, are also deterring companies, especially those with Western systems still functioning. The transition to new systems requires significant unplanned investments, especially in the context of a high key rate.

Psychological barriers include distrust of domestic decisions, inertia of thinking, and resistance to change. Many executives, accustomed to foreign systems, doubt the reliability of Russian counterparts, despite their growing maturity. This is especially true for executives who have made decisions to implement Western ITSMs since before 2022. Only the presence of convincing cases of successful migration and the demonstration of specific winnings - in SLA, cost of ownership, speed of incident processing - can convince them.

At first glance, the cost of owning Russian platforms may be lower, but in practice, the hidden costs - for migration, adaptation, training, development of new modules - may be significant. Especially if the organization has complex custom scenarios tied to established processes. Many companies still underestimate the amount of work necessary for a full-fledged transition, and therefore postpone migration or partially implement it, "explains Arsen Blagov, General Director of the Lukomorye IT ecosystem (RTK IT Plus LLC).

Customers do not have a choice problem as such. There are many systems on the market, there is real competition, in terms of functionality, top products more than overlap a typical set of client requirements. The problem is quite often in the heads. In the heat of import substitution, when you need to quickly replace many business systems, some companies treat migration from a foreign ITSM solution to a domestic one as a simple task. There is no migration of an average and large company in three months, this is a utopia that costs a client who has chosen a strange approach to replacing software. The task from 'just replace' turns into an asterisk task. There is a solution, and the approaches to migration have already been worked out and debugged. It is necessary to approach such a task seriously, prudently, in a planned way. And with a reliable partner, - comments Oleg Skrynnik, managing partner of Cleverics.

Absolutely any transition to a new solution is a complex organizational and financial process. And it is also obvious that migration from ITSM solutions, like ITSM solutions themselves, is not everywhere business-critical. This means that the transition to domestic solutions takes place on a residual basis. On the other hand, those who first "approached the shell" in terms of automating service management and service processes have no choice problems. Western solutions in this case can only be considered in view of some special dislike for the domestic, "says Kirill Fedulov, founder and development director of Okdesk.

Experts also distinguish:

• complexity and duration of migration from deeply customized solutions, data migration from ServiceNow, Jira;
• unrealistic expectations of customers: "the vendor of the used foreign system will return, and we will simply update it";
• false economy: the old system formally works, it is supported by 1-2 people, but the user suffers - the interface is inconvenient, the processes are not automated;
• lower IT budgets.

Successful migration cases demonstrate that transition is possible with a competent approach. Large companies have successfully switched from foreign solutions to domestic ones, not only preserving functionality, but also improving processes. The key success factors were a clear understanding of goals and a focus on critical processes. Some companies note that after the transition, quality performance has even improved. An additional incentive is government support through grants for the migration of corporate solutions.

Examples of successful experience include the transition from international market leaders to Russian solutions, the implementation of custom Digital Operations scenarios on domestic platforms, the migration of ESM systems to domestic products, the launch of Russian discovery and monitoring systems.

All successful migration cases combine a clear understanding of the target result and a phased approach. It is more important to provide flexibility and maintain repeatability of processes than to immediately reach the previous level of maturity. Successful companies choose solutions that are not only included in the register of Russian software, but also provide technological independence through the use of open components. They use special migration programs and begin by transferring critical processes to one division, "comments Igor Prostokvashin, a leading analyst at Comindware.

The maturity of domestic solutions allows you to implement even the largest and most complex projects. For example, in 2024, the largest ITSM project in Russia was successfully implemented on our BPMSoft platform - IT4IT in the company ″ Gazprom Neft, ″ having successfully migrated from a foreign solution, adds Vadim Sorokin, director of business development at BPMSoft (part of the IT holding LANSOFT).

Russian companies continue to show distrust of domestic software, considering it underdeveloped and limited in functionality. Nevertheless, in the field of automation of ITSM processes, leading Russian solutions are confidently proving their competitiveness, often surpassing imported analogues in many important indicators. As an example, we can cite the successful transition of PJSC MMC ″ Norilsk Nickel ″ from a powerful foreign product that automates not only IT, but also business functions to a domestic solution. Moreover, the transition was carried out not only without loss of quality, but also with the implementation of new functionality and reengineering of processes in the interests of business, - notes Nikolay Panov, Director of Business Development at IT Expert Group.

In the long term, the development of No-code platforms, built-in AI, deepening in support of industry standards and integration scenarios, as well as the introduction of Russian IT management methodologies will help domestic solutions finally gain a foothold in the market.

Convincing cases are critically important, because they are the ones that can relieve skepticism, prove the maturity of solutions and launch the wave effect of the transition among corporate customers.

Challenges, challenges and opportunities to overcome

The Russian ITSM market faces a complex of interconnected problems that slow down its development. The key challenge is the acute shortage of qualified personnel, noted by almost all experts. The need for specialists with not only theoretical knowledge, but also real experience in building and managing processes, is several times higher than the offer. Their shortage leads to a decrease in the quality of implementations and an increase in the timing of projects. The problem is aggravated by the insufficient maturity of customers, many of whom have little understanding of the specifics of adapting ITSM practices to Russian business realities.

The implementations were carried out quickly and according to foreign patterns, which do not always take into account the specifics of large Russian business. Therefore, it is necessary to rebuild them not only from the point of view of the system, but also from the point of view of methodology. We have to face weak methodological support from the customer. The company often lacks competent specialists: they are either in senior positions or in consulting, - comments Alexander Domnitsky, head of the low-code practice of the Outsourcing and Services division of IBS.

On the side of the integrator or internal competence center responsible for the implementation of ITSM processes, highly qualified specialists with experience in organizing IT service management should be involved. At the same time, the customer should identify the ITSM process managers who will ensure the most efficient application of the implemented system for its intended purpose. Only such synergy of automation and methodology will allow building and maintaining ITSM processes that fully meet the needs of the business, "adds Nikolay Panov, Director of Business Development at IT Expert Group.

Despite the abundance of vendors and solutions, neither customers nor developers often still do not have clear standards for implementing ITSM. This complicates the creation of effective processes, although they are at the heart of service management, "says Natalya Builina, CPO of the ITSM stream of the Sphere platform.

Economic factors create additional barriers. The high key rate, which reached an all-time high in 2024, forces companies to cut IT budgets, postpone investments in automation and optimize human resources.

Artem Khizhny, General Director of RIKITLAB, considers this factor to be a key barrier:

It directly or indirectly affects all companies and forces the postponement of projects, including those related to ITSM.

The high key rate led to the fact that companies had to abandon a number of resources, reduce personnel, eliminate all ″ unnecessary ″ expenses, increase the criticality of downtime, while maintaining the previous level of requirements for performance and quality assurance of the services provided. This has become a real challenge for IT departments in general and their specialists. Now the trend towards a decrease in the rate is visible, which means that business will eventually have opportunities and motivation for changes, - notes Nikolai Chetverikov, managing partner of InfraManager.

At the same time, there is a decrease in state financing, which is especially critical, since the public sector remains the main customer of ITSM solutions. Under these conditions, companies face a financial barrier: on the one hand, the need for savings forces them to abandon expensive solutions, on the other, it is ITSM platforms that could become a tool for optimizing costs by automating processes and increasing the transparency of IT infrastructure.

Another problem is associated with increased competition between Russian vendors. The market is beginning to consolidate, companies are forced to significantly increase development and marketing costs, which increases the cost of products. The disparity of technology stacks, the lack of uniform integration standards and the complexity of interaction of ITSM systems with heterogeneous IT landscapes of companies increase the time and cost of implementations.

The complexities of integrating with customers' diverse IT ecosystems also remain a significant barrier. Modern enterprises use many specialized systems and platforms, and it is important for ITSM to seamlessly interact with them.

In addition, methodological disunity remains on the market: IT management frameworks (ITIL, TOGAF, etc.) are often used fragmentally, without linking to each other, which reduces the effectiveness of implementations.

Each methodology well describes a separate area of ​ ​ IT management, but interfaces, terms, roles are not always synchronized between them. An important step in solving this problem is the development of an open IT methodology, which is offered by the Russian Code of Knowledge of RITM. Rational IT methodology does not reinvent best practices, but connects them with each other and adds real experience of Russian companies, - comments Dmitry Rubin, director of the operating business of NAUMEN.

The problem is the discrepancy between business expectations and the real value of ITSM solutions. According to experts, many companies do not see a significant effect from the introduction of complex corporate systems, receiving returns only from the automation of operational processes. This creates an imbalance in the market: expensive end-to-end solutions remain inaccessible to small and medium-sized businesses, while simpler and cheaper alternatives, not positioned as ITSM but effectively solving automation problems, do not always receive sufficient support.

Government support plays a critical role in market development. The register of domestic software, tax incentives for IT companies, programs to support the implementation of Russian software for SMEs, subsidies and obligations to use Russian software in the public sector have created the basis for growing demand for domestic solutions.

To overcome challenges, a system approach is required. First, we need large-scale investments in personnel potential through cooperation between universities and vendors, the creation of training centers, the development of educational programs, certification of training consulting hubs on ITSM and Digital Operation. The development of professional communities and training initiatives such as ITSMF Russia, which bring together experts, organize knowledge exchange and promote best practices, is becoming extremely important.

Secondly, it is important to promote standardization, including the development of open methodologies, the unification of integration solutions and the simplification of interaction between different IT systems.

Thirdly, it is necessary to shift the focus from selling "heavy" ITSM platforms to demonstrating their real business value through cases, improving the quality of consulting services and flexible implementation models that allow automation to gradually scale.

Market participants propose to expand state support measures, paying special attention to small and medium-sized enterprises, stimulating the development of the ecosystem around domestic solutions. This includes not only financial instruments, but also creating conditions for cooperation between vendors, integrators and customers. Grants and work with state corporations, their familiarization with available solutions from the register of domestic software is another of the proposed solutions.

It is also necessary to further simplify the procedures for inclusion in the register, stimulate retraining of personnel.

State support is now very significant, business needs cheap money. The lion's share of profits is spent on reconfiguring supply, export and import chains. Companies represented on the stock market are guided by P&L indicators, so they are forced to save, and more often on automation than on business. In addition, it is important that the procedures for submitting applications to the register of domestic software become easier and faster, because large companies cannot buy software that is not included there, says Alexander Domnitsky.

If the state wants mass automation, digitalization and growth in business efficiency, then it should support just not the'giants', but the very inexpensive systems available to any company and the trend towards total automation of small and medium-sized businesses, "adds Kirill Fedulov, founder and development director of Okdesk.

State support is a stabilization factor: thanks to the software register and preferential state support, many projects in the public sector have become possible. But the next step is subsidies and tax deductions for retraining staff. Without this, complex implementations slow down on the human factor, - notes Andrey Vishnyakov, director of business products at SimpleOne, ITG Corporation.

Any form of market support is important, but in moderation. At the same time, the key point is that it is support, not coercion. Then the effect will be as positive as possible, - warns Artem Khizhny.

Only a comprehensive solution to personnel, methodological, technological and economic problems will allow the Russian ITSM market to overcome current restrictions, enter the trajectory of sustainable growth, increase the maturity and quality of implementations, as well as meet increasingly complex and complex customer needs.

2023-2024

2023: Growth and adaptability

In 2023, the market grew actively. The driver was the departure of key Western companies a year earlier, which led to the impossibility of buying new products, as well as the refusal to support and update previously acquired solutions. Many Russian vendors have focused on developing their own ITSM solutions that can compete with international counterparts. There are new participants in the fields of automation of IT processes, cybersecurity and cloud ITSM platforms.

Customers focused on implementing ITSM systems into different business processes. There was a tendency to move from ITSM to ESM, which indicates the expansion of the application of management principles beyond the IT sphere.

The business was actively looking for alternatives to foreign products, giving preference to Russian developments included in the register of domestic software. A quick and painless transition to new products was important for companies, including importing data from other systems, integrating as easily as possible into business processes, and flexibility to customize for your needs. Large projects launched in 2022 were developed in 2023.

In 2023, a wave of activity was preserved, which arose in 2022, when the "emergency" trend of import substitution coincided with the "planned" cycle of updating IT management information systems and the transition to new service technologies, - said Nikita Kardashian, head of the practice of integrated digitalization of Naumen processes.

In response to growing security threats and the need to comply with Russian standards, customers have been actively investing in local service management solutions. The main focus was on increasing the level of digital transformation, automating IT processes and strengthening control over IT assets using ITSM systems.

After the departure of foreign vendors from the Russian market, the request of companies for import substitution of foreign solutions increased significantly. The reason for the increase in demand for ITSM solutions lies in the awareness by large organizations of the value of such systems. ITSM is a working tool that allows you to achieve measurable results, save resources and reduce company costs. Formalization and control of IT processes increase manageability, allow you to use the infrastructure more efficiently and reduce the time for delivering value to the client, thereby increasing his loyalty, - comments Natalya Builina, leader of the ITSM Platform Sphere (Holding T1) stream.

The demand for solutions with a flexible role model of access information to incidents, the possibility of categorizing and grouping them began to grow. Customers also began to pay more attention to the scalability of solutions and the ability to independently manage the system without constantly contacting the vendor.

Another important aspect was the optimization of IT infrastructure costs. Amid economic uncertainty, companies have sought to strike a balance between cutting costs and maintaining high quality IT services. This has led to increased interest in solutions offering flexible licensing models and resource optimization.

For faster deployment of ITSM systems, companies began to use low-code and no-code solutions more often.

Analyzing the dynamics of the ITSM market in Russia in 2023, we see steady growth despite difficult economic conditions. According to expert estimates, the market volume reached about 33-34 billion rubles, which is an increase of 10-12% compared to 2022. This growth is also confirmed by our experience with customers - the number of requests for ITSM solutions in 2023 increased by more than 1.5 times compared to the previous year. During the year, we observed the emergence of new market participants, mainly domestic developers of ITSM solutions. This phenomenon has become a natural response to the departure of Western vendors and the growing demand for local solutions. New players are striving to fill the resulting niches by offering products adapted to the specific needs of Russian business, says Igor Prostokvashin, leading analyst at Comindware.

A large number of systems have appeared that contain the basic functionality of the Service Desk and are focused on small business. At the same time, domestic ITSM solutions, which have been on the market for a long time, mainly use their many years of experience to close the needs of large and medium-sized businesses in terms of full IT management. At the same time, the level of such systems is not only not inferior, but often exceeds Western systems, since it is adapted to the specifics and practice of Russian companies, - confirms Andrei Rassamakin, General Director of InfraManager LLC.

In fact, recent years have been the market for "poaching" or migrating from some software products to others. Therefore, successes in the near future, as well as in recent years, will be determined primarily by projects to replace ITSM solutions with domestic ones. Unfortunately, after the departure of well-known Western vendors, the choice of worthy software products narrowed to 2-3 items. Yes, some vendors are trying to offer their own solutions in this market, but they obviously lack expertise and, as a result, important functionality, "said Kirill Fedulov, co-founder and development director of Okdesk.

The main trends affecting the market in 2023 were import substitution, digitalization, automation of services and an emphasis on data security. Experts also note the active introduction of cloud services and SaaS models adapted to Russian realities. In addition, interest in robotizing IT processes has grown. Companies have increasingly turned to solutions that can automate routine tasks, optimize work processes and improve the efficiency of IT departments, HR, ACS, CSR, financial departments, etc.

As noted in the press service of ESMP, automation of all service units at the same time allows you to see a much more visible and tangible result. These are saving a large number of man-hours, budget, increased user satisfaction, user experience, the ability to increase the speed of decision-making by management, optimizing user hours, reducing platform administration costs and much more.

In general, the ITSM market in Russia in 2023 showed noticeable growth dynamics and the ability to adapt to changing conditions. Despite external restrictions and sanctions pressure, market volumes continued to grow, which was facilitated by the need for companies to improve the efficiency of IT infrastructure management.

Major ITSM/Service Desk Providers

The ranking of the largest suppliers of ITSM/Service Desk systems, prepared by TAdviser, by revenue for 2023, attracted 12 participants. Naumen became the undisputed leader. Its revenues from the implementation of projects in the field of ITSM/Service Desk exceeded 1.7 billion rubles. The top 3 also includes SimpleOne and RTK IT Plus.

The total revenue of all participants in the rating amounted to 3.4 billion rubles.

Major Russian suppliers of ITSM/Service Desk systems ranked by revenue from the implementation/delivery of such solutions *