Why Giva is the Simpler, Right-Sized Alternative to BMC Helix
BMC Helix is a mature, enterprise-grade ITSM suite with genuine end-to-end ITIL modules — but it is one of the more costly and technically demanding platforms to run, with complex, expert-led implementations, a steep learning curve, and largely non-US support. Giva delivers comparable core ITSM capability without that cost and complexity: live in days, far less administration, a lower total cost of ownership, HIPAA and SOC 2 included at no extra cost, US-based support, and zero security events on record.
Top Reasons Customers Choose Giva Over BMC Helix
- Lower, transparent all-in-one pricing: Giva's flat rates per agent per month includes every module plus unlimited AI Copilot, while BMC Helix's licensing, customization, and support costs as a premium option that can limit accessibility for mid-sized organizations.
- Live in days, not a complex rollout: MetroHealth reported a 90% reduction in time to deploy versus other enterprise ITSM suites it evaluated — a field that included BMC Remedy — and Lewis Roca deployed 75% faster than other well-known IT service desks.
- Simpler, no-code administration: Giva's intuitive no-code administration rates 4.9/5 for ease of use, avoiding the complex implementation, expert configuration, and dedicated administration the same guide attributes to BMC Helix, which scores 3.7/5.
- Compliance and security included at no extra cost: HIPAA/HITECH, SSAE 18 SOC 2, and GDPR come standard with a signed BAA and cyber-liability insurance, and Giva has zero security events on record versus many reported by the US Government for BMC Helix.
- US-based support you can actually reach: Giva's US-based customer support rates 4.9/5, while BMC Helix's support is majority outside the USA with mixed feedback on responsiveness, particularly for global deployments.
- Lower total cost of ownership: Lewis Roca, whose leaders had used BMC Remedy and other well-known suites, reported roughly a 30% reduction in total cost of ownership in its first year with Giva.
- Comparable ITSM depth without the learning curve: Giva delivers the incident, problem, change, and service request workflows regulated teams need at 4.5/5 functionality — comparable to BMC Helix's 4.0 — but BMC Helix's steep learning curve for non-technical users without significant training or partner assistance.
- Reporting without the overhead: Giva's reporting helped MetroHealth save about 8 workdays a month by automating 84 reports and helped Lewis Roca eliminate roughly 8 hours a week generating reports.
Giva vs. BMC Helix Comparison
Comparable ITSM depth without the cost, complexity, or long expert-led rollouts — HIPAA and SOC 2 included, US-based support, and live in days.
| GivaRECOMMENDED | BMC Helix | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & packaging | ✓All-in-one flat rate — every module plus unlimited AI Copilot included. Transparent public pricing. | •Premium licensing — high licensing, customization, and support costs that can make Helix a premium option, potentially limiting accessibility for mid-sized organizations. |
| Security & compliance | ✓HIPAA/HITECH, SSAE 18 SOC 2 & GDPR included at no extra cost, with a signed BAA and cyber-liability insurance. Zero security vulnerabilities/events on record. | •Many security events reported by the US Government. |
| Ease of use & administration | ✓4.9 / 5 ease of use. Intuitive, no-code administration; drag-and-drop dashboards and personal home pages. | •3.7 / 5 ease of use; complex implementation requiring expert configuration and dedicated administration, plus a steep learning curve for non-technical users. |
| Customer support | ✓4.9 / 5 customer support. US-based, high-touch onboarding and expert help. | •3.9 / 5 customer support, majority outside the USA; users report mixed responsiveness and effectiveness, particularly for global deployments. |
| Deployment & onboarding | ✓Cloud-native — live in days, no servers (customers deployed in 6 days to 1 week), with free setup help. | •Flexible cloud, on-premises, and hybrid options, but deployments often require expert configuration and specialized resources, and frequent updates can force recurring reconfiguration. |
| Reporting & dashboards | ✓4.5 / 5 functionality. Real-time dashboards and Easy Three Click Reporting™ — insights in minutes. | •Predictive analytics and reporting within a comprehensive ITSM suite (4.0 overall functionality), though the same guide flags the platform overall for complex configuration and dedicated administration. |
Customer-reported results after choosing Giva over BMC Remedy (now BMC Helix)
90% less time to deploy than other enterprise ITSM suites — MetroHealth~30% lower total cost of ownership in year one — Lewis Roca75% faster deployment than other well-known IT service desks — Lewis Roca70% increase in overall IT productivity — Lewis Roca~8 workdays a month saved by automating 84 reports — MetroHealth56% productivity increase using AI agents and workflows — MetroHealth
Here's How Our Customers Say Giva is Better Than BMC Helix
"We selected Giva in 2014 because you were $1 million cheaper and had about 80% of the functionality of ServiceNow®, and we could get up and running in many orders of magnitude less time with Giva than ServiceNow."
- Mike Norman, Director, MetroHealth System
When compared with Ivanti® ITSM Help Desk (formerly HEAT Software), the Giva HIPAA-compliant Cloud Service Management Suite resulted in a:
- Safety Net hospital saved $1 million with 80% of ServiceNow® functionality
- 90% reduction in time to deploy Giva's ITSM vs other enterprise ITSM products
- Saved at 1 FTE due to lower ongoing administration
- Saved 8 workdays per month by automating 84 monthly management reports
- 56% increase in productivity using AI agents & workflows across a 50 location, 500 bed Safety Net healthcare system
- Reduced Average Call Handle Time by 50 seconds on 135,000 annual call volume
"Giva is a pleasure to use, it is highly functional, we were up and running fast and the technical support is outstanding. We are very pleased with our choice of Giva."
- Chris Jerry, Support Center Manager, EDIMS
When compared with Salesforce.com® Service Cloud, the Giva Service Management Suite resulted in a:
- 30% increase in productivity by using Giva dashboards and reports
- Eliminated 24 hours/month of work to prepare reports
- 50% decrease in time required to open cases
- 50% easier to navigate and search Giva
- 100% faster application responsive/speed
- 85% easier to get up and running on Giva
- 50% less time to maintain Giva on an ongoing basis
- 80% decrease in time to generate and approve knowledge articles
- 75% reduction in time to add new company/contact
"We estimate that we have been able to reduce the total cost of ownership of our IT service desk application by approximately 30% in the first year."
- Neil Ferguson, Chief Technology Officer, Lewis Roca LLP
The Giva Service Management Suite provided Lewis Roca with a:
- 70% increase in attorney and staff customer satisfaction with IT
- 70% increase in overall IT productivity
- Eliminated 8 hours per week generating reports
- 80% increase in information quality in reports/metrics/KPIs
- 70% increase in meeting service level agreements
- 80% easier to use knowledge base for trouble shooting
- 75% faster deployment as compared to other well-known IT service desks
- Three to four times faster to open service requests/create & approve knowledge articles
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