With Ivanti’s announcement that Cherwell Service Management will reach end-of-life on 31 December 2026, organisations face an inevitable transition decision. Migrate or modernise?
While this event creates uncertainty, it can also be a valuable opportunity to modernise your service management strategy rather than simply replacing one tool with another.
The evolution of service management expectations
Service management has evolved dramatically since many organisations first implemented Cherwell. Today’s business environment demands more than just IT service ticketing – it requires unified experiences across departments, AI-powered automation and seamless integration between systems to deliver a holistic solution.
Modern service management must address several key challenges:
- Siloed processes and data across teams and departments
- Fragmented engagement across multiple communication channels
- Too much time spent on manual updates and basic requests
- Lack of consistent performance metrics and visibility
- Inconsistent customer experiences depending on which agent responds
Today’s service needs have expanded beyond what legacy platforms were designed to handle.
Beyond migration: A transformation opportunity
Rather than viewing this transition as a like-for-like replacement, consider it an opportunity to reshape how service is delivered across your organisation.
Modern platforms like ServiceNow enable enterprise-wide service management that extends well beyond IT. By unifying workflows, these platforms help break down departmental silos, automate routine tasks and create consistent experiences for both service providers and recipients.
Organisations implementing modern service management platforms can achieve significant cost savings through automation and self-service capabilities. These efficiencies reduce operational expenses while simultaneously improving service quality.
The latest service management platforms also leverage AI extensively to optimise productivity and streamline processes:
- Now Assist and generative AI tools support human agents by summarising incidents, suggesting resolutions and creating knowledge content automatically
- AI-powered virtual agents and intelligent chatbots handle routine enquiries 24/7, offloading repetitive work and freeing human agents to focus on complex issues
- Agentic AI capabilities work autonomously to perform tasks, make decisions and resolve issues without human intervention
- Predictive intelligence identifies and addresses potential issues before they impact users, creating a more proactive service environment
- Automated workflows reduce manual effort and ensure consistent handling of requests across departments
These capabilities don’t just improve efficiency – they transform the entire service experience by making it more responsive, proactive and aligned with modern expectations.
After nine consecutive years as Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ Leader for ITSM, ServiceNow has also been recognised as a Leader in the inaugural 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for AI Applications in IT Service Management*, reflecting its sustained innovation in service management capabilities.
Strategic considerations for your journey
Before evaluating specific platforms, take time to understand your current and future service management needs. This human-centred approach will ensure you select a solution that addresses your organisation’s challenges.
Ask these key questions to guide your planning:
- Understand your service landscape:
- Who are your primary service users?
- What are their most common needs and frustrations?
- Have you gathered feedback from both service providers and recipients?
- Define your performance metrics:
- What are your current service KPIs?
- What would success look like after the transition?
- Have you gathered feedback from both service providers and recipients?
- Prioritise your workflows:
- Which service processes are most critical to your business?
- Which ones consume the most resources?
- Where could automation deliver the greatest impact?
- Map your integration needs:
- What other business systems need to be connected to your service management platform?
- How will data flow between these systems?
- Set transformation goals:
- Beyond replacing Cherwell, what broader business objectives could this transition help you achieve?
- How will better service management support your strategic initiatives?
By approaching this transition strategically, you can create a service management foundation that will not only replace Cherwell but also position your organisation for future growth and innovation.
Taking the first step
With the December 2026 deadline still ahead, you have time to plan thoughtfully. Starting early ensures a smooth transition and provides more opportunities to capture transformation value. Begin by assessing your current Cherwell implementation, identifying pain points, and documenting what works well. This baseline will help you evaluate alternatives more effectively and ensure nothing important is overlooked.
As a certified ServiceNow partner and recipient of two 2025 ServiceNow APAC Partner of the Year Awards categories – including Consulting and Implementation Partner of the Year – Nexon can help you navigate this transition while maximising the business value of your service management investment. Our approach focuses on understanding your unique requirements first, then designing solutions that combine process improvement with technology enablement.
Click here to explore how this transition could become a catalyst for positive transformation across your organisation.
Join us at the ServiceNow Put AI to Work Summit in Brisbane on 29 April 2025 to explore AI-powered business transformation and see these capabilities in action.
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