In the previous post I outlined the first couple days of Knowledge16. This post will expand on that just as ServiceNow is expanding their platform. Two big announcements came this week around the platform, one of which was the addition of support of the Azure Cloud Service Management and the second being the introduction of Customer Service Management.
With Azure support, IT has been given a single system of record for management across multiple platforms. The result is that admins no longer need to work out of multiple consoles and they can provide faster value realization to their end-users. They can also now standardize templates for these cloud resources and offer them as part of a self-service catalog with automated provisioning and request management. Leveraging the change management processes already built into the platform, this enables IT to also manage the lifecycle of these cloud assets from creation to retirement. Because these assets are managed in a single location, the cost of ownership can be determined easily and with reporting available to the business units, they can be proactive in managing their own IT costs. Cloud continues to be the quickest and easiest way to drive application development, but the simplicity of deploying these resources without the governance of IT control can create sprawl and waste. This support now allows developers to continue gaining the benefits of cloud agility, while allowing IT leadership visibility into the infrastructure being used and leveraging governance to meet their mission as well.
The second announcement introducing customer service management is really about connecting teams. Different departments typically must coordinate to solve customer challenges. If they are working in silos within tools that don’t interconnect, the time to resolution for customers can grow unmanageable. The ServiceNow platform can connect those teams in a single tool to aid in resolution across specialties. The platform also allows business to provide support to customers the way the customers want to be supported. That may be via email, phone call, text, video, chat, or even self-service catalogs and knowledge base articles. Common requests that require the same resolution over and over can be automated freeing staff up for more complex challenges. Businesses can also get proactive reporting about the health of their products and services and use tools like surveys and analytics to improve customer experience in a closed-loop framework.
This year also saw the 6th annual invitation only CIO Decisions event. Robert Gates addressed those in attendance to talk about his “Passion for Leadership” and the attendees also heard best practices from fellow CIOs at OshKosh, BDI, Cox Automotive, and Symantec.
ServiceNow also released the “Service Experience Index” which showed that consumer services are convenient and modernized, but enterprise services in the workplace fall short making it harder to get work done. Some of the highlights from the survey that led to this data said that email accounts for 48% of the way we work in the enterprise vs. just 10% at home. 65% of consumer services can be tracked via a mobile device, and 68% provide automated notifications. But when you head to the office, that drops to 22% and 44% respectively. In fact, the overall service quality measurement was 103% hire among managers for consumer services compared to enterprise services. How do we close this gap? Start with Automation. That can drive a 50% improvement alone. Second, squash email as the first step in a request. Users need an easy, intuitive web based service to check the status of services they have ordered. Dive deeper into the report yourself here.
These announcements were made while attendees enjoyed session after session from their peers and a multitude of labs. No conference would be complete with a big thank you, and this year didn’t disappoint. The 10th annual bash saw the return of zBoot, the ServiceNow All-Star band, and a beach party at the Mandalay Bay. Thousands of folks feasted on the sounds of the bands, sights of the fireworks, and snacks a-plenty, while digging their feet in the sand. Personally, as a newer ServiceNow employee and an attendee of other industry conferences, I can say that I haven’t seen this much excitement from the attendees anywhere else before. The staff was some of the most helpful and friendly I’ve seen. The spaces were well laid out and easy to navigate, and the smallest of details were considered to make sure everyone’s experience was awesome. Can’t wait to see what Knowledge17 brings!
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