ServiceNow Implementation Partner Criteria

You’ve decided you want to implement ServiceNow. Now you just need an implementation partner. But not all implementation partners bring the same value. So how do you know what differentiates the average ServiceNow partner from the extraordinary ones? 

To help narrow down the field, we put together a list of five secrets to finding the best ServiceNow implementation partner for your organization.

1. Do both ServiceNow and customers recognize them for their expertise?

Achieving Elite Partner status is not something a partner can buy; they need to meet a set of increasingly difficult standards to achieve each partner status level. These standards include the number of implementations the partner has accomplished, the various modules the partner is certified in, and the average Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSATs).

CSATs are surveys completed by the customers after the ServiceNow deployment is completed. They give the partner a grade on a 10 point scale, along with some open-ended responses to describe their relationship and any challenges they had while working together. These surveys allow other organizations to quickly and easily estimate how successful their own implementation might be when working with a given partner.

So when you find a partner with accolades from both ServiceNow and other customers, you’ll want to add them to your short-list.

2. Are they equipped to deploy every aspect of the suite, or only part of it?

Some ServiceNow consultants specialize in just one or two of the ServiceNow applications. A common refrain from IT directors who implement ServiceNow is how many new business service requests they start receiving from other teams outside of IT. So even if you’re only planning on implementing one application now, it’s a good idea to work with a partner experienced in the full ServiceNow suite, so that if the need arises in the future, you won’t have to begin your partner search all over again. Working with a one-stop-shop partner from the very beginning means that, if and when you eventually expand beyond your first module, your partner will already be familiar with your business needs and your specific ServiceNow instance.

3. Do they have a proven deployment approach to get up and running quickly, with the experience to configure it to your specific needs?

Maybe you need a quick, out-of-the-box deployment. Maybe you need to go fully custom. Maybe you need something in between. A reliable partner should offer a proven deployment approach that suits your needs, rather than try to fit you into a one-size-fits-most box. The best ServiceNow partners will be your advocate and implementation guide with the ability to tailor the deployment to your unique requirements, while holding a firm footing in ITIL best practices.

4. Do they just do implementations, or do they think about the big picture?

Time is always of the essence, but simply putting a tool in place as quickly as possible shouldn’t be the end goal of any implementation. The best ServiceNow partners should understand the human components in addition to the technical. How will the change be communicated to the company? How will your admins (and end-users!) be trained on how to use the tool? What will success look like? You’ll want to align with partners who are experts in both the tool itself, and how people will respond to it and use it.

5. Do they have a vehicle for providing ongoing support? 

Getting ServiceNow up and running in an organization is often such an endeavor, it’s hard to see past go-live. But there is so much to do in ServiceNow on an ongoing basis after it’s up and running, it would be a shortsighted mistake not to consider your ongoing support strategy from the get-go. From maintenance and optimization to road-mapping and upgrading, there will always be something to do. So whether you want a partner for full-service support or simply to help answer questions, be sure the partner you choose will be able to serve your ongoing needs.

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Starting with these five questions will help you narrow down the field of the best ServiceNow partners for your organization, getting you one step closer to that perfect partner… and the successful go-live to follow.