The 2025 Endpoint Buyer’s Guide: What CIOs Should Really Be Looking For

May 6, 2025 / Workelevate / 0 Comments
The 2025 Endpoint Buyer’s Guide

 

Let’s be honest—most endpoint management tools do exactly what they’re supposed to do: manage devices. They provision laptops, push patches, and show you dashboards filled with hardware compliance stats.

But here’s the problem: in 2025, that’s not enough.

The modern CIO is expected to do more than manage devices—they’re expected to elevate employee experience, reduce IT friction, and drive automation. And the endpoint is where all of that begins.

So, if you’re in the market for an endpoint platform this year, here’s what smart IT leaders are looking for—beyond just basic management.

1. Yes, Device Management Still Matters—But It’s Just the Starting Line

You still need the fundamentals:

  • OS patching
  • Asset Management
  • Endpoint Insights & Troubleshooting
  • App deployment
  • Compliance

But don’t get distracted by feature checklists that stop here. In 2025, every decent platform can do this. The real question is: what more can it do once the device is online?

2. Experience Management: Becoming Increasingly Strategic

Let’s call it what it is: experience management are still seen as a “nice-to-have” for many IT teams. But that’s changing—quickly.

You don’t need a full-blown DEX suite, but you do need visibility into what’s breaking down in the background. Because not every employee raises a ticket when their device is slow—or when apps crash at login.

Look for platforms that can surface:

  • Repetitive device-level issues (like long boot times or failed updates)
  • Root cause analysis (RCA) for recurring user complaints
  • Sentiment capture tied to actual tech issues
  • Trends across departments or roles to preempt problems
  • Self Healing

Why this matters: It’s not about measuring happiness. It’s about catching problems before they become tickets.

3. Automation & AI Support: Your Ticket Volume Will Thank You

Repetitive IT issues aren’t just annoying—they’re expensive.

CIOs are under pressure to reduce cost per ticket and improve time to resolution. Automation and AI copilots are helping teams get there.

What to look for:

  • AI assistants for employees that handle common tasks like password resets, software installs, or printer help
  • Service workflows automation
  • Raise ticket directly via the assistant

The big shift: these copilots aren’t just for IT anymore—they’re for employees. And they’re taking on the L1/L2 load you no longer want your teams handling manually.

4. Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM): You Don’t Need It Now, But You’ll Regret Not Planning for It

Let’s be clear—very few organizations have reached full AEM maturity. And that’s okay.

The point isn’t to go all-in on autonomy overnight. The point is to choose a platform that lets you build toward it gradually.

Ask yourself:

  • Can I set thresholds where the system auto-patches with minimal risk?
  • Can automation actions escalate if they fail?
  • Can I see which endpoints should be automated before flipping the switch?

Think of AEM like cloud adoption a decade ago—you don’t need to be all-in today, but you do need to be on the path.

5. Don’t Forget the Ecosystem Fit

Your endpoint tool doesn’t live in a vacuum. It needs to plug into the systems you already use—without becoming another silo.

Look for:

  • Integration with ITSM tools (ServiceNow, BMC, Jira, Freshservice, etc.)
  • Directory service support (Azure AD, Okta)
  • Interfaces like MS Teams, Google Workspace, Slack etc.
  • A solid API layer for custom workflows

This ensures IT doesn’t have to juggle platforms or re-enter data across systems—something no CIO wants their team doing in 2025.

So, What’s the Bottom Line?

A good endpoint management platform in 2025 should:

✔ Handle the basics (patching, asset, compliance)
✔ Digital Assistant for employees
✔ Help you see and fix what users don’t report
✔ Automate the repetitive, intelligently
✔ Provides DEX Score & RCA
✔ Allow a gradual move toward AEM
✔ Fit into your IT and employee systems with minimal friction

The difference between a platform you outgrow in 12 months—and one that scales with you—isn’t just the feature list. It’s how well it helps your IT do more, with less.

Because today, the endpoint is no longer just a device—it’s the gateway to how work actually happens.

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