Automated Incident Resolution with Virtual Agent to Reduce load on IT teams

One key challenge is minimizing the load on IT support teams, I noted this new feature of ServiceNow: Issue Auto Resolution feature in ITSM Virtual Agent and I believe this is a powerful tool to proactively address common incidents without the need for manual intervention. This automation not only reduces load on IT teams but can also enhances the end-user experience by providing faster resolutions through chat using virtual agents.

Issue Auto Resolution is designed to automatically trigger a conversation with end users after they submit an incident via non-conversational channels, like the ServiceNow Service Portal or email. The process begins when the Natural Language Understanding (NLU) model analyzes the incident and looks for a matching intent with Issue Auto Resolution enabled. If a match is found, the system sends a notification to the user on their chat channel. The user can either accept or decline the assistance.

When accepted, the Virtual Agent engages with the user to resolve the incident. After the conversation ends, the user has the option to indicate if their issue was resolved, and the system can either close or keep the ticket open based on that feedback. If no matching intent is found, the system defaults to AI Search for additional resolution options.

What stands out to me is the user-centric approach. When a matching intent is found, the end user gets a notification on their preferred chat channel, with the option to accept or decline assistance. If they choose to engage, the Virtual Agent works through the issue with them. This not only streamlines the process but also gives users a sense of control they’re not just waiting for IT service desk to pick up their case, but instead can actively resolve issues on their own.

As someone who has worked in implementation of ITSM systems for service desks and IT operations for years, I can’t help but feel that Issue Auto Resolution is a glimpse into the future. We’re moving towards a more automated, efficient way of handling incidents, and that’s only going to grow with the progress in AI and machine learning.