Switching from ServiceNow to Jira Service Management (JSM) can raise concerns across IT leadership teams. The idea of changing platforms, retraining users, and migrating processes naturally brings questions and sometimes, assumptions that don’t match reality.

Over the years, Clovity has supported numerous enterprises in making this transition. Along the way, we’ve encountered common misunderstandings that delay decisions or derail conversations before they even begin.

This blog aims to clarify five of the most persistent misconceptions surrounding a ServiceNow to JSM migration, based on actual engagements with clients across industries.

Misconception #1: Jira Service Management Can’t Handle Complex Enterprise Needs

The belief: “JSM is great for smaller teams, but it won’t scale to match our enterprise-level complexity.”

The reality: Jira Service Management is actively used by large enterprises including global banks, public sector organizations, and healthcare networks—with thousands of users and sophisticated workflows.

The misconception likely stems from earlier versions of Jira, where the platform was seen more as a developer-centric tool. But JSM has matured significantly with capabilities that include:

• Advanced SLAs and queues
• Change management workflows integrated with CI/CD pipelines
• Incident management with on-call scheduling
• Native asset and configuration management via Assets (formerly Insight)
• Approval chains and automation logic
• Multi-project service catalogs

Enterprise-grade scalability is further supported by Jira Service Management Premium and Enterprise plans, which offer dedicated capacity, sandbox environments, and centralized administration.

We’ve worked with CIOs who were skeptical only to find that JSM met and, in some cases, exceeded their expectations for flexibility, security, and performance.

Misconception #2: Migrating Off ServiceNow Will Cause Significant Downtime

The belief: “We can’t risk a service interruption we’re too dependent on our current workflows.”

The reality: With proper planning, a ServiceNow to JSM migration can be executed without major disruption to day-to-day operations.

At Clovity, we follow a structured 4-phase migration model:

1. Discovery & Planning: Map current ServiceNow configuration, workflows, SLAs and automations.
2. Design & Setup: Configure Jira Service Management environment in parallel.
3. Migration Execution: Export and import data with preservation of key records and metadata.
4. Testing & Go-Live: Validate with stakeholders, then go live in a controlled cutover window.

The parallel setup and thorough testing reduce the risk of downtime. We’ve supported clients through weekend cutovers, phased go-lives, and dual-running environments to meet their operational needs.

In fact, some clients have moved over hundreds of agents and thousands of tickets without service interruption, thanks to clearly defined runbooks and dry-run testing before launch.

Misconception #3: ServiceNow Has Features That Jira Service Management Lacks

The belief: “We’ll lose functionality if we move away from ServiceNow.”

The reality: While no two platforms are identical, Jira Service Management covers nearly all core ITSM functionalities found in ServiceNow and often with less overhead and more flexibility.

Here’s a breakdown of commonly cited areas of concern:

In some cases, organizations find Jira Service Management easier to maintain, thanks to its modern UI, built-in automation engine, and strong integration ecosystem through Atlassian Marketplace.

Additionally, many companies appreciate the integration with Jira Software for DevOps collaboration, and the extensibility of Confluence for documentation and knowledge sharing.

Misconception #4: The Migration Will Be Too Expensive to Justify

The belief: “The cost of migrating and retraining staff cancels out any savings from switching.”

The reality: Most organizations that switch to Jira Service Management see significant total cost of ownership (TCO) reductions within the first year.

Here’s how the numbers typically break down:

• Licensing: JSM’s pricing model is significantly more accessible, especially for growing teams. For example, moving from a $100K+ annual ServiceNow license to JSM often results in 30–40% savings or more.
• Maintenance: Jira Service Management is designed for admin ownership by IT not external developers. Many clients reduce their reliance on third-party consultants and internal custom development.
• Training: With a more intuitive interface and simplified workflow builder, onboarding time for agents is typically shorter. Atlassian’s documentation and user community further support adoption.
• Flexibility: JSM doesn’t force you to commit to modules you don’t need. You can start with core ITSM features and expand into asset management, change control, or incident response as needed without locking into rigid contracts.

One Clovity client a public sector call center saved over $70K annually after switching. The shift freed up budget for strategic initiatives rather than software overhead.

Misconception #5: Jira Is Just for Developers

The belief: “Jira’s a dev tool we need something built for IT.”

The reality: While Jira Software is widely used by development teams, Jira Service Management was purpose-built for IT and operations teams with a completely separate experience for service agents and business users.

Key differences include:

• Agent Queues: Tailored dashboards for triage, prioritization, and assignment
• Service Portals: End-user facing forms with simplified interfaces
• Change Calendars: Designed for ITIL-compliant change control
• Incident Management: Includes on-call schedules, runbooks, and escalation policies
• Request Types: Built around business-friendly terms and categories

Additionally, non-IT teams like HR, facilities and legal are increasingly using JSM for their service operations, thanks to the portal interface and simple request configuration.

So yes, Jira Software serves developers well. But Jira Service Management is built for service teams and Clovity ensures that your migration reflects how your users actually work, not how a dev team might structure tickets.

Bonus Insight: Atlassian’s Roadmap Signals Long-Term Support for Enterprise ITSM

CIOs often ask: “Is JSM a safe bet for the long run?”

The answer is yes and not just because of current features. Atlassian continues to invest in enterprise ITSM capabilities:

• Integration of Opsgenie for incident response
• Assets (CMDB) as a core product feature
• Custom domains, audit logs, and data residency for compliance
• Team Central (Atlas), Compass, and Atlassian Analytics for cross-product visibility

Add Atlassian’s growing partner ecosystem and robust Marketplace apps, and it’s clear that JSM is more than an IT ticketing tool it’s a foundation for service operations across the enterprise.

How Clovity Supports a Confident Move

Understanding what’s possible is only half the equation. Clovity brings structure, repeatable methods and migration-ready toolkits to make the switch a planned, measurable process.

Our service includes:

• Detailed readiness assessments
• SLA and workflow mapping
• Custom field and automation translation
• Ticket data migration planning
• Training and change management
• Post-go-live support and optimization

We’ve helped Fortune 500s, government agencies, and education institutions make this move. Our approach is grounded in outcomes, not buzzwords.

Final Thoughts

The decision to move from ServiceNow to Jira Service Management is a strategic one. It shouldn’t be made based on myths or misconceptions.

We encourage IT leaders to evaluate the facts:

• JSM has grown into a mature, enterprise-ready ITSM platform
• Migration is a manageable process with the right structure
• Cost savings are often realized faster than expected
• User adoption is typically stronger due to intuitive design
• Ongoing innovation from Atlassian ensures long-term viability

📧 Contact us at sales@clovity.com or visit 🌐 atlassian.clovity.com to get started today.