IBM SmartCloud Control Desk Reviews

Vendor: IBM

3.8 out of 5

9 reviews
88% willing to recommend

498 followers

What is IBM SmartCloud Control Desk?

IBM Control Desk on Cloud offer an access to a user friendly self-service, automated service management, and seamlessly-integrated, best-practice based service desk capabilities. IBM Control Desk provides the IT service management (ITSM) needed to simplify support of users and infrastructure. It also offers a unified IT asset and service management software provides a common control center for managing business processes for both digital and physical assets and enables control, governance and compliance to applications, endpoints and assets to protect critical data and prevent outages. Control Desk is IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)-compliant, accessible through mobile devices and integrates with social media and development tools.

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IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is the #27 ranked solution in top Help Desk Software. PeerSpot users give IBM SmartCloud Control Desk an average rating of 7.6 out of 10. IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is most commonly compared to ServiceNow: IBM SmartCloud Control Desk vs ServiceNow.

Buyer's Guide

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk

May 2025

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Featured IBM SmartCloud Control Desk reviews

Jose Pedro Muñoz

Director of operations at Vetasi

Initially we used HPE Service Desk. Then, Remedy (IBM SmartCloud Control Desk) version 5. When selecting a vendor, the most important thing for us is the flexibility of the tool. It must be very flexible to change the workflow or to add new workflows for the clients. It must have stability and scalability as well.

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Klemen Muhvič

Computer System Engineer at Informatika d.d.

What needs improvement in IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is its graphical interface because it needs to be more user-friendly. IBM is a big company, but this solution is a little bit outdated. The most common comment I get from customers is that IBM SmartCloud Control Desk looks old and needs a refresh. Its frontend needs a little bit of work. The solution needs to be more modern. In the programming world, you see a lot of new technologies, but this particular solution is still on Java. IBM SmartCloud Control Desk isn't like web-based service request tools, and that's an area for improvement. What I'd like to see in the next version of the solution is a more upscale technology. IBM SmartCloud Control Desk has small issues with document links and attachments, and those could bother you when you're using it for a long time. A more user-friendly GUI is also another improvement I'd like to see in the next version of the solution, plus a better user experience, and it would be great if IBM could resolve the current issues I've noticed in IBM SmartCloud Control Desk.

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Klemen Muhvič

Computer System Engineer at Informatika d.d.

Because I have been working with SmartCloud Control Desk on a daily basis for eight years, I don't have any issues. I mainly hear our end users who do complain about some things, one of which is the user interface. The 7.611 version, for the users, and even, in my opinion, is not as pretty as it was. They went with simpler colors, but only blue and white. In the previous versions, you had those little icons and you knew what to click and where the configuration and administration are. Now you have to read the menus. In the software or middleware forms I don't see any complaints, it works as it should. But again, users mainly complain about the user interface, the GUI. It has too much information and it's more complicated than it should be. Maybe it is a different architecture because I know that the self-service center is in Java and it's different from the others, including the applications in Maximo. Other than this, I would not say it needs anything new.

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IBM SmartCloud Control Desk mindshare

As of May 2025, the mindshare of IBM SmartCloud Control Desk in the Help Desk Software category stands at 0.8%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Help Desk Software

PeerResearch reports based on IBM SmartCloud Control Desk reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Help Desk Software	May 20, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	May 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM SmartCloud Control Desk vs ServiceNow	May 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM SmartCloud Control Desk vs JIRA Service Management	May 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM SmartCloud Control Desk vs ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus	May 20, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
ServiceNow	4.3	23.4%	92%	219 interviews Add to research
Ivanti Neurons for ITSM	4.2	2.3%	91%	16 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is valued for its flexibility and agility, centralization, strong reporting, robust SLA integrations, automated workflow, and stable performance. Its brand name adds credibility. Users appreciate service request features, IT asset management, and seamless integration with other applications. The automation covers the entire cycle from initiation to resolution, improving operational efficiency while continuously updating features, making it easy to adapt to organizational needs.

"A feature I found most valuable in IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is the service request. Another feature I like most about the solution is IT asset management, which tells you who owns a specific asset in the company and from which date."
"In the early stages of our company, all requests were done in notebooks, and none of it was centrally managed. But now we have a central tool which is an entry point for all requests that come in."
"The workflow capability is useful. It's not a manual helpdesk operation. It's fully automated, even when an alarm has occurred. It covers the complete cycle of initiation to resolving the events. This is its most strong feature that is easily integrable with a monitoring solution. It creates tickets, and the workflow feature is the most important one."

Room for Improvement

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk requires improvements in its user interface, which is considered outdated compared to competitors, making it less user-friendly. Reporting features and business intelligence flexibility need enhancement. Technical support response time is slow, causing frustration when resolving issues. Challenges exist with attachments and email support, particularly handling images and rich text. Scalability is limited, and time calculations can be cumbersome. Some users find the overall system clunky and the programming platform outdated.

"What needs improvement in IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is its graphical interface because it needs to be more user-friendly. IBM is a big company, but this solution is a little bit outdated. The most common comment I get from customers is that IBM SmartCloud Control Desk looks old and needs a refresh. Its frontend needs a little bit of work. The solution needs to be more modern.In the programming world, you see a lot of new technologies, but this particular solution is still on Java. IBM SmartCloud Control Desk isn't like web-based service request tools, and that's an area for improvement.What I'd like to see in the next version of the solution is a more upscale technology. IBM SmartCloud Control Desk has small issues with document links and attachments, and those could bother you when you're using it for a long time. A more user-friendly GUI is also another improvement I'd like to see in the next version of the solution, plus a better user experience, and it would be great if IBM could resolve the current issues I've noticed in IBM SmartCloud Control Desk."
"The main issue that we hear from our customers is that the self-service user interface is a little bit old, possibly due to the fact that IBM is such a large enterprise company. People say that they think they're in the year 2004, because you can very clearly see that the technology is lagging behind modern trends."
"The user interface is not very interesting. If you look at other products like JIRA and ServiceNow, they have made it much easier for the end-users. Maybe not ServiceNow, but JIRA is quite flexible. From a presentation point of view, IBM should make more user-friendly interfaces."

Pricing

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk has a yearly concurrent licensing model, suitable for medium to large enterprises due to its higher cost. There are no extra fees for features, and it primarily charges for concurrent users who manage support tasks. End users reporting issues typically incur no additional license fees. Enterprises pay a significant initial purchase followed by annual support renewals. While considered expensive, it's valued for comprehensive features without additional costs for add-ons.

"The license for IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is paid yearly and is on a per-user basis. You buy the product and pay for its license yearly. IBM is changing the licensing structure, but for now, it's a yearly license.There's no additional cost. It's just the license that you need to pay for to use IBM SmartCloud Control Desk."
"The licensing we have for IBM Control Desk is on a yearly basis. They have a concurrent license and an administrative license. And with these, you get all the products. There aren't any additional fees for extra add-ons or anything like that."
"It's basically for a big company because of the costs. A small company can't afford the licensing cost. For medium and large companies, it's the best product. The price of the license is on the higher side compared to others."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use IBM SmartCloud Control Desk for ticketing, change management, and incident management. It supports service requests for issue resolution and system monitoring, assisting internal and external customers. The system manages IT assets, integrating with programs like Microsoft Dynamics. Some use it for cloud or on-premises deployments and telecom base event processing. It helps configure workflows and allows flexible handling of various types of requests. Many users log in daily to manage these tasks.

Service and Support

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk support receives mixed feedback. Users find the support team knowledgeable and helpful, rating them highly. However, some users experience delays in response, particularly for tickets requiring escalation to higher levels. Support is reportedly not based in America, contributing to slower response times. Some issues take weeks to resolve. Users appreciate proactive follow-up but note a need for faster response and resolution time, especially for high-priority requests.

Deployment

The initial setup of IBM SmartCloud Control Desk varies in complexity. While experienced users find it straightforward, newcomers face challenges due to a learning curve. Simple deployments are quick, often taking a day, but more complex configurations with additional processes or customizations can extend the timeline significantly. Initial attempts without prior knowledge tend to be difficult, yet gaining familiarity over time simplifies the process. Upgrades may present specific issues, but they are manageable with experience.

Scalability

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk exhibits strong scalability, accommodating varying user scales from small to large enterprises. Businesses have successfully scaled up to thousands of users and expanded across multiple countries. Although mostly effective, some users encounter occasional challenges that require modifications or adjustments. Scalability is enhanced by installations on both premises and cloud, enabling seamless integration and multiple installations for various user groups. Despite some mixed experiences, the tool supports wide usage and diverse needs.

Stability

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk is generally stable. Many users report reliability and no major problems. Some attribute any issues to hardware rather than the software itself. Clients using quality infrastructure experience fewer disruptions. The stability is consistent, with minimal crashing or freezing. Occasionally, issues arise due to complex integrations or subpar client infrastructure, not IBM's software. For users without heavy reliance on integrations, it maintains stable performance without bugs or glitches.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our IBM SmartCloud Control Desk Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.