OpenText Service Management (SMAX) Reviews

We mostly deal with OpenText Service Management (SMAX), Service Management, and UCMDB, the UD Discovery, Unified Discovery.

In OpenText Service Management (SMAX) and Service Management, the most valuable features are the ease of use, the integration in a single suite of many functionalities and modules, and the focus on artificial intelligence and integration capabilities with other tools.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) analytics and reporting tools typically provide visibility on the performance of our customers' IT departments. Increasingly, we have customers that are expanding the use of this tool to other departments, not only IT, so they gain a lot of visibility and all the advantages of having a tool that controls and manages their processes.

Our feedback is that because OpenText Service Management (SMAX) portal is very easy to use, we see customers abandoning their legacy ways of reporting like phone calls and emails, concentrating everything on a portal, which provides end users with more visibility of what's happening because they can control the status of their requests, allowing IT a faster way to intervene and solve issues.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is very flexible and easy to configure, and very adaptable. It's a platform that uses low-code configuration, so it's pretty straightforward.

The machine learning capabilities in OpenText Service Management (SMAX) are somewhat not published the way they should be. They work pretty well, but they are not used as much in the current experience of our customers. They have them; the solution has them, but they usually go a little bit below the radar in terms of visibility.

I believe there is room for improvement when it comes to machine learning capabilities.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) has room to improve mainly on reporting components. The reporting components include dashboards, and while OpenText Service Management (SMAX) has a reporting module, it's somewhat limited, so I believe it has room to improve there, with more inclusion of artificial intelligence in the models and more in project management and portfolio management capabilities.

We want to see better use and more functionalities enabled with the already existing capabilities such as AI and reporting in the next OpenText Service Management (SMAX) release, but one important thing we think should be included is a module for metrics, similar to Google Analytics, that focuses on the metrics of the tool usage.

The module shouldn't just report on the components of OpenText Service Management (SMAX) but also track how the tool is used by end users, for example, what functionalities users utilize more frequently, the performance of those functionalities, and how long it takes them to open a ticket or log in, focusing on applicational monitoring metrics and performance management metrics.

For OpenText Service Management (SMAX), we have been working with these types of products for more than 20 years, not with SMAX specifically because SMAX is more recent, but with the previous versions like Service Manager and Service Desk, so we have a long partnership.

From the competition, we have a broad spectrum; we work with enterprise tools like ServiceNow, BMC, and Jira, and we also have customers who still rely on free open-source or similar tools like TOPdesk and simpler solutions like EasyVista.

We are still working with OpenText and Splunk. I remember that Splunk is now with what Cisco AppDynamics bought. We are implementers; we work with other partners for Splunk, and for OpenText, we are partners with them.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is evolving in addressing the needs across different sectors like IT or HR. Each year, with about four versions released, we see a step forward in implementing more capabilities to allow OpenText Service Management (SMAX) to address other departments like human resources, legal, and so on, and because of the flexibility and ease of configuration, it's been pretty easy to expand OpenText Service Management (SMAX) to those departments and address their requirements.

As partners, we do not usually see pricing as a big handicap to place OpenText Service Management (SMAX) with our customers, especially compared with more expensive competitors like ServiceNow. It's a very straightforward pricing model, and I believe that is a big advantage because customers know exactly how much they are going to pay. In terms of pricing, it's difficult for me to say it's cheap or not because it depends on the value it adds to the customer. Even a pricier tag in a solution can be considered cheap if it provides enough value to the customer. So, while it's difficult to assess exactly, I believe OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is competitive considering the competition and other products.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is not the best solution in all components; it has some capabilities that are clearly the best in the market, but in others, it has a lot of room to improve compared to other solutions. In some aspects, I believe it's very good, in other aspects, it has the same level as the best in the market, and in some, there is room to improve. It's a mix because these are usually very modular tools that need to improve in some aspects.

I usually recommend OpenText Service Management (SMAX) to every industry, more or less. We have business with the public sector, banking, manufacturing, and logistics companies, so nearly every company with a footprint can benefit from this tool to manage not just their IT but all departments. I believe it's a tool that is transversal to all parts of markets.

Some of our customers are not using OpenText Service Management (SMAX) and are instead using other ITSM tools.

We often position service configuration management with ITSM because it's an area that should be linked closely. In some customers, we position both tools, while in others, they already have some kind of configuration management tool, and we usually position only OpenText Service Management (SMAX). However, there is always a component that involves importing the configuration management database from the existing tool into OpenText Service Management (SMAX).

I would rate this review a 7 out of 10.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is what I refer to when I say SMAX, and it is from OpenText.

I work with OpenText Service Management (SMAX) and other tools.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) can be used for ticketing tools. I have one environment with OBM, SiteScope, and SMAX. An alert comes from SiteScope to OBM, which creates a ticket and forwards it to OpenText Service Management (SMAX). OpenText Service Management (SMAX) assigns it to particular teams, whether it is related to the database team or network teams. When the ticket arrives in OpenText Service Management (SMAX), UCMDB provides the inventory.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) has multiple uses. End users, management, and internal teams use it for all things. If there is any problem or issue, they will raise the case and work according to the customer requirement.

The latest version in OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is OBM.

Configuration in OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is not challenging. Configuration is available for different scenarios including change request, incident management, and problem management.

The installation of OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is easy.

We have a partnership with OpenText.

For reporting in OpenText Service Management (SMAX), we are using the Data Lake. Some reporting is done manually, particularly for third-party tools and the operation data lakes from OpenText tools. This is our reporting tool.

Maybe something in OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is not perfect. Some small changes could be done. There could be improvements in workflow changes. When a customer needs to change a workflow issue, we can change the workflow relationship accordingly. A customer might need a workflow where if I accept the permission, then close the ticket, and the escalated ticket is not directly assigned to anyone. Different scenarios require different workflow configurations.

I have been using OpenText Service Management (SMAX) for five years.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) has some stability challenges that are crashable and not stable at times. Otherwise, it is good. Sometimes it is using Kubernetes, and sometimes it is working easily, but sometimes with Kubernetes, it is very difficult for research and development.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is scalable.

Support for OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is better. My experience is good. I would rate it seven.

Positive

I have not worked with other products similar to OpenText Service Management (SMAX). I am not working with any other third-party tools, such as ServiceNow or BMC. I am not experienced with those.

The installation of OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is easy.

In my previous organization, I was a senior consultant, but now I have the job title of technical lead.

I track some ROI, but I do not track any return on investment.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is okay, not expensive and not the cheapest. It is overall good.

I have not worked with other products similar to OpenText Service Management (SMAX). I am not working with any other third-party tools, such as ServiceNow or BMC. I am not experienced with those.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is effective for all sectors, such as IT and HR.

OpenText Service Management (SMAX) is good, and I do not see any negative side.

It is possible to discuss some other tools from OpenText as well. I would rate this review an overall 8.

On-premises

Other

We are using the application as a customer. We are utilizing OpenText Service Management (SMAX) mainly for ITSM processes and some BPM activities.

It is mainly used for tracking performance and creating SLAs.

We use it for limited teams available. We have both IT and non-IT parts implemented, and it functions adequately.

This is mainly a ticketing application where customers create tickets and teams resolve issues with an escalation process. The customization features are quite good, and we have a very good local vendor helping us in this regard.

The customization capabilities meet our needs effectively.

Reporting tools and sophisticated customization options are available with different capabilities. While these features are not the strongest aspects of the solution, they are quite effective, especially with our implementation partner managing them.

We have some dashboards and pre-deployed reports. The reporting functionality is not the best as it is not easy to use. However, the custom reports that were already prepared work fine.

The initial customization process can be challenging.

We have been using OpenText Service Management (SMAX) for more than five years.

We have not experienced any deployment issues.

We have not experienced any stability issues.

We have not experienced any scalability issues.

We do not interact with customer service directly. Most issues are resolved through our vendor.

Neutral

I am not sure if I have used any previous solutions.

The setup process is moderately easy. An implementation vendor is required for the setup process.

We used an implementation team.

The main return on investment comes from the application's customizability, though this process is not very straightforward.

The solution is expensive.

I do not have these details available to provide an answer.

I would rate OpenText Service Management (SMAX) an eight out of ten.

Please hide my name and company name as I have not received approval from my corporate communications team to speak on behalf of the company.

On-premises

Other

The solution is used for the end-user portal. It is used for incident management, requests, and other informational purposes.

The product provides an interface for the end users to make requests. We have used the tool for orchestration concerning new employees. It has been effective.

The process automation had a negative impact on the efficiency of our operations. The end user finds the product very difficult to navigate. They very often resort to using their phones instead. The tool has negatively impacted our productivity.

The search functionality is a bit strange. When we search for items, the hits are irrelevant. The vendor that implemented the tool for us told us it is like Google Search, but it is not the impression we get from the end users. There is quite a lot of discontent with the search functionality.

The person setting up the new workflows and organizing the portals struggles to do them. We also sought help from a consultancy firm, but they couldn’t find a better way to organize the page. I am looking for alternatives because our customers are discontent with the product.

My organization has been using the solution since 2019.

There has been quite a lot of instability and downtime earlier. It went on for two years. It has been sorted now.

The client I am working for has customers sharing the portal. The tool can be scaled. Our client delivers this service to several companies. Our customers work with all types of businesses.

The solution is somewhat cheaper than the competitors.

I have evaluated ServiceNow. Generally, the functionalities were easier to configure in ServiceNow. We were less reliant on third-party solutions while working with ServiceNow. ServiceNow has a broader spectrum of functionality that enables customers to consolidate more functions on the platform than they could with SMAX.

The tool is appropriate if we don't have a complicated use case. It is the right tool for simple use cases. It's a lot cheaper than ServiceNow. It is an appropriate tool for a smaller business or medium-sized business. I doubt it is the right product for larger companies with more complex operations. Overall, I rate the solution a five out of ten.

We have customers in these areas, including Saudi Arabia. We are currently running projects to upgrade and integrate with other tools.

OpenText is marketed as an enterprise service management tool. It offers use cases for various departments, such as HR and management teams, as a comprehensive enterprise service management tool. It is also rooted in IT service management, reflecting its legacy as a service manager. In OpenText's old portfolio, there were separate asset and service management tools, which are now integrated out-of-the-box in this new solution. This integration facilitates seamless asset tracking and software asset management. It features native integration with CMS and security tools, making it a robust and highly effective tool for managing IT and enterprise services.

OpenText Service Management Automation X provides valuable features such as topic analytics for incident and problem management. It also includes natural language processing for analyzing technical descriptions. Additionally, it features a virtual chatbot capable of processing natural language to interact effectively with end users. This service enhances customer support and is not subject to the limitations often found in offerings from other vendors.

SMAX provides virtual chatbots that interact with end users and understand their settings. These chatbots can be integrated with automation and operation orchestration tools, allowing you to execute actions in various scenarios, such as logistics. For example, the chatbot can direct you to a specific service catalog item, start capturing your information regarding this item, and trigger an automated scenario, such as creating a mailbox, provided no further approval is required. SMAX excels in this area, offering more advanced features than other tools, particularly in the capabilities of its virtual chatbots.

The only challenge with Azure customers is when they have a specific requirement that is not available out of the box and is inflexible to adjust. Sometimes, customers have tough requirements that are not flexible enough to be adjusted, even if SMAX can provide a better alternative. They need this specific feature. This challenge is common with SMAX, BMC, ServiceNow, IBM, or other similar tools. When working with enterprise tools that are not developed in-house, I don't have access to the source code and am limited to the features and capabilities provided by the leading vendors. So, this challenge is common across SMAX, BMC, and ServiceNow.

The solution could have more customization flexibility.

I have been using OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) for over five years.

I recommend SMAX for medium to large companies rather than small ones. While SMAX offers robust service capabilities, its price may be higher than other solutions that are more suitable for small businesses. Due to their cost and complexity, small companies typically do not seek out enterprise-level tools like BMC ServiceNow, SMAX, or Oracle Plus.

SMAX is a more user-friendly application. It will be much easier for end users to use, with a quicker time to market and faster deployment. It allows for better interaction with orders and more tailored customization. Unlike legacy service management, SMAX doesn't require writing scripts inside buttons, triggers, or actions, so I have more control over customizing and tailoring the solution to the customer's needs.

It is still essential for specific purposes. Larger customers, such as central banks and digital operators, often require massive customization to fit their processes. For example, I am working as a solution architect on a project for a telecom operator in Saudi Arabia using SMAX. They've been using SMAX for a couple of years, and flexibility in requirements is key to gaining its benefits.

The implementation of SMAX is easy. 

We use this tool for internal operations. It's an ITSM tool used for internal IT automation, similar to other operational management tools such as monitoring and security. Calculating the ROI for these tools can be challenging because they are typically considered overhead costs. These internal IT service management tools need to be evaluated in terms of their impact on overall operations, such as a telecom operator's sales or Internet subscription services. The cost of using tools like IBM's and security and operation management tools is indirect. 

OpenText Service Management Automation X can be obtained from OpenText, which offers several licensing options. They provide a subscription model for a one-time fee.

OpenText can be priced based on the number of IT users rather than end users. There are two main interfaces: one with complete features for operators and another portal for end users within the organization. Licenses are primarily for operators and can be named or suite licenses. Named licenses are assigned to specific users, while any operator can use floating licenses. For example, if you have ten floating licenses, only the first ten users can log in to the system simultaneously; the eleventh user must wait until someone logs out.

Floating licenses are twice the cost of named licenses. There are two main types of licenses: permanent licenses, purchased with a one-time fee, and subscription licenses, which are more affordable but require annual payments.

The TrendIQ feature in OpenText is specifically designed to leverage AI. Even though initially, users may access it without the intention of engaging AI, as mentioned in our discussion last week, its primary purpose is to incorporate AI capabilities. It's a platform where maximizing AI involvement is key. This includes utilizing AI for incident analysis, hot topic analytics, problem-solving, software management, and root cause analysis. By incorporating AI in these activities, organizations can serve their end users more efficiently. Therefore, (SMAX) or other platforms must prioritize and invest more in these AI-driven functionalities.

I recommend OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) for flexible companies that can adapt to a pre-built or customizable process. Since I work with various customers, some may require an ideal solution and documented projects to align with specific processes. However, leveraging SMAX's capabilities, features, and automation in your design or consulting activities is essential.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

This service management tool is used in banks and telecom companies.

It offers a range of tools for sales and configuration. It's like a business process improvement platform, suitable for various lines of business operations.      

The contract management feature can be improved.

I have been working with SMAX for two years.

The solution is stable and I would rate it a nine out of ten. 

It is scalable and I would rate it a ten out of ten. 

The support is improving.

Positive

The deployment takes three months. In this process, customers need to allocate resources like networks, data storage, and images. They then need to decide which business functions they intend to use in production and perform some basic configurations. Custom documentation is prepared and provided for user renewals and administration.

I would rate the experience of the initial setup a nine out of ten.

The cost of the license for SMAX varies depending on the configuration, including the number of seats for users and the customer's specific requirements. It's not a fixed cost and can vary.

I would recommend it and would rate it a nine out of ten. 

SMAX was previously known as Service Manager. The product belonged to HPE until four years ago. We use this for its automatic intelligent agent that's built into the solution. It creates an alert when something goes wrong and the intelligent agent solves the problem. We are partners with Micro Focus and implementers of this product. I am a solution architect.

The great thing about SMAX is that it's a cordless application that can be used for all types of problems in a company. Whether it's IT, IOT, human resources, or the financial side, it corrects problems. In contrast to other solutions designed for IT, SMAX can be used throughout an organization. It also has very good storage capabilities. The agent is very intelligent and capable of understanding more than 100 languages. I've used this kind of application for more than 20 years and from my perspective, SMAX is one of the best products on the market.

SMAX lacks in integrations as well as written documentation. There is a portal in the Micro Focus site for SMAX which is very complete but in some cases, there's not enough detail provided. For example, if I need to integrate SMAX with Teams from Microsoft, it's documented and possible, but sometimes sufficient detail is lacking.

I've been using this product for about six years. 

I designed a solution for our company that I now implement in other companies. There are now around 1,000 users in different enterprises that are using SMAX in our solution.

Customer support is very good. We work very closely with Micro Focus, and they provide me with everything that I need.

The license is on an annual basis and includes everything. They offer two types of licenses; a regular license and a concurrency license - it depends on your requirements as to which would be the most suitable. 

We use SMAX for providing support to our customers, it's not our main solution. We are currently working on a subway project. We use SMAX for when something goes wrong; an alert goes directly to the intelligent agent that takes care of the entire process, correcting the problem. It's one of the best. 

I rate this solution nine out of 10. 

In my company, our customers need OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) for service management, which may either be for ESM or ITSM.

The main benefit of the tool, from my point of view, which I think the customers can see, is the integration capabilities of the products that fall in the whole stack of OpenText with each other.

The most valuable feature of the solution is the area around usability. The tool is very easy to use.

The product's connectivity with third-party products is an area of concern where improvements are required. I want the tool to provide out-of-the-box connectors.

I have been using OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) for three years.

It is a stable solution.

It is a scalable solution.

Apart from me in the organization, who doesn't use the product much, I have seen around 500 users of the solution in my company. I do not have much experience with the product, but I have seen that my company's customers use it.

In the past, my company had contacted the solution's technical support, and we received a pretty good response. The response my company received from the solution's technical support worked out and was successful.

I rate the technical support an eight out of ten.

Positive

The product's initial setup phase was complex, but it was appropriate since a level of complexity is needed in our business. Generally, I would say that it is a solution that is straightforward, but it has the level of complexity that it needs to have.

I haven't deployed the product. I have only worked with the product.

The solution is deployed in the cloud and on-premises versions.

In terms of ROI, the solution provides value for money.

In order to be made available in the markets, the product needs to offer more discounts, but till now, my company has worked successfully with the professionals from OpenText. My company was able to use the product to deal with many cases.

The product is difficult to maintain, especially when moving from the previous version to the latest version.

I suggest that OpenText needs a person with very good experience to take care of the product's successful implementation process.

I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

We are using Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) on-premise and on the cloud using Kubernetes.

The most valuable features of Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) are that it is user-friendly, easy to configure, and adaptable.

I have been using Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) for approximately three years.

Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) is very stable and reliable.

This solution is highly scalable.

Our whole IT, Service, Internet, Program Management teams are using the solution.

Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) support is similar to how it is for all vendors, the first line of support is not very good. We do our own diagnosis, and we expect the problems to be escalated to the second level of support as soon as possible, but sometimes it takes quite a while to get there. I know it has to do with internal processes, but it could be much better.

The initial setup of Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) is complicated, but once it is set up the configuration is straightforward to adapt to the users' or customers' needs.

I would advise others that you need to know what you are doing when using this solution. You need to know what Service Management is. To start working with the solution you don't need any special knowledge of coding, it's very straightforward usage.

I rate Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) a seven out of ten.