A Cireson Customer Success Story
Company Overview
Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) is a public research university serving students from across the U.S. and around the world. Founded in 1869, SIU is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system and is known for its commitment to access, innovation, and community impact.
HQ
Carbondale, IL
Founded
1869
Employees/ Agents
2,000 faculty and staff
Industry
Higher Education/Public Research University
Website
https://siu.edu/
A Long-Standing Partnership Meets a Changing Environment
Southern Illinois University Carbondale has worked with Cireson for many years, first as a Service Manager Portal (SMP) customer within Microsoft System Center Service Manager. According to Amy Eaton, Director of Enterprise Solutions, that solution worked well for its time—but the environment around it had changed.
SMP required on-prem servers and significant maintenance. Processes had evolved since the original implementation, and the system no longer aligned with how SIU’s IT organization wanted to operate.
“It was starting to be a lot to maintain. The servers were on premise and we were having a lot of issues with it… processes have changed since that initial
implementation time.”
As SIU looked ahead, the goal became clear: modernize IT service management without losing the flexibility and partnership they valued.
Evaluating the Next Generation of ITSM
The SIU team explored the market thoroughly—reviewing more than a dozen ITSM platforms including ServiceNow, Freshworks, and others. What they ultimately wanted was:
- Cloud-based architecture – No more on-prem server maintenance
- Deep Microsoft integration – Alignment with their Microsoft 365 and Power Platform strategy
- Configurability – Ability to support SIU’s highly specialized campus workflows
- Extensibility – APIs and automation hooks for future growth
Challenge
SIU Carbondale had relied on Cireson’s
Service Manager Portal (SMP) for years as part of their Microsoft System Center Service Manager environment. Over time, the onprem infrastructure became increasingly difficult to maintain.
Server dependencies, evolving processes, and limited flexibility made it harder for a small team to keep the system aligned with modern IT service management needs. SIU needed a cloud-based solution that reduced maintenance burden, supported deep Microsoft integration, and could scale with the university’s complex workflows.
Outcome
By transitioning from SMP to Tikit, SIU moved to a modern, cloud-first ITSM platform that integrates directly with Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and APIs. The IT team automated key workflows, reduced manual triage, and gained visibility into resource demands.
Tikit now serves as a flexible backbone for campus IT operations—supporting automation, metrics, and future expansion while maintaining the trusted partnership SIU already had with Cireson.
"We wanted whatever the next ITSM tool was to be cloud-based… and easy to configure and integrate with. We’ll never find a solution that fits us out-of-the-box."
Staying with the Right Partner—Choosing the Right Platform
One major advantage in SIU’s decision was continuity. They already trusted Cireson as a vendor; They had the right partner, but wrong solution.
“You’re actually one of our favorite vendors… everybody we’ve talked to are human beings who want to learn more about our environment.”
With Tikit, SIU didn’t feel like they were being handed a product and left alone.
The team had ongoing conversations with Cireson’s product and development teams—providing feedback, shaping features like Lifecycles, and helping influence
the roadmap.
“We were amazed at how quickly that turnaround was to get whatever that item was back into Tikit.”
That’s where Tikit stood out.
Navigating the Transition from SMP to Tikit
Moving from SMP to Tikit wasn’t instantaneous—but it was intentional. SIU took time to plan, configure, and ensure stakeholders felt comfortable with
the change.
“Looking back, the team realized they could have moved faster with confidence—but the pace they chose allowed them to be thoughtful, deliberate, and fully prepared for a successful transition.”
When SIU first moved onto Tikit, it was still a newer product. Some features they wanted—like Lifecycles—were still in development. Rather than seeing that as a risk, SIU saw it as an opportunity to influence the solution.
“We were pulled into conversations with the development team to talk about what we would expect and how we would use it.”
That collaboration helped ensure Tikit would grow in the direction SIU and others needed.
Automation as a Strategic Advantage
Once live, SIU began integrating Tikit deeply into their campus IT operations. Brandon Byars, Information Technology Manager, emphasized the role automation now plays:
“We’ve automated a lot of ticket creation… grabbing all those answers from forms and publishing them into the ticket automatically,
putting it in the correct group.”
Key automation wins included:
- Microsoft Forms → Tikit workflows for structured intake
- Automatic routing to the correct support groups
- Reduced manual triage for faster resolution
- API-driven integrations with campus systems
Power Platform + Tikit = Campus-Scale Flexibility
SIU uses Power Apps and Power Automate extensively to solve specialized campus needs.
With Tikit’s endpoints and extensibility, SIU can:
- Build custom apps for unique campus workflows
- Track metrics across endpoints
- Identify resource demands and workload patterns
“That’s been huge to help us move things forward as far as workloads and where we’re seeing the most resource needs.”
“Having those APIs available that allow us to interact with Tikit—that’s been huge.”
User Adoption: Meeting People Where They Are
Like many universities, SIU serves a diverse user base with different comfort levels.
“Our users like their email. They want to call.”
While the Teams app is used by heavier IT users, the Outlook integration and email-to-ticket workflows ensure adoption doesn’t require behavior change.
What Impressed SIU the Most
Beyond features, SIU values responsiveness.
“We can reach out to somebody on the Cireson team and within a reasonable amount of time see that the addition actually hit the shelf.”
That speed—from feedback to functionality—has reinforced SIU’s confidence in Tikit as a long-term platform.
A Message to Other SMP Customers
SIU’s story is especially relevant for organizations still on Service Manager Portal.
SMP served its purpose—but modern IT requires:
- Cloud-first architecture
- Reduced maintenance
- Integration with Microsoft’s ecosystem
- Automation that can be deployed in seconds with minimal effort, while still supporting future growth with API extensibility
Tikit delivers all of that—while preserving the trusted Cireson partnership. For SIU, the move wasn’t just about switching tools. It was about positioning IT for the future.
Key Results
- Successfully transitioned from SMP to Tikit
- Eliminated on-prem infrastructure dependency
- Automated intake, routing, and campus workflows
- Maintained continuity with a trusted Cireson partnership
Want to be our next customer success story?
We’re always looking to highlight our customers! If you want to share the story of your company’s journey with Tikit, just provide us with a few details and a member of our team will be in touch.
