As ServiceNow has evolved from its origins as an IT Service Management (ITSM) solution, it has grown into a comprehensive PaaS platform offering various application families. In this article, Steve Reekie, the Customer Workflows Practice Manager for Crossfuze and an experienced ServiceNow consultant, explores the suite of applications available and how they impact the best fit for new customers.
Understanding Customer Workflows Suite:
ServiceNow's Customer Workflows Suite comprises a series of products that complement each other and support different areas of the platform. Among these products are Customer Service Management (CSM), Field Service Management (FSM), and Industry-Specific Solutions.
Choosing the Right Application:
Implementing ServiceNow for new customers requires understanding their specific use case to identify the most suitable application. While some customers aspire to align with the ITIL framework for internal purposes, many are focused on providing external customer service. To meet these diverse needs, various application combinations can be considered.
CSM & ITSM:
Customer Service Management is a standalone product that caters to external customer support. Organisations can use CSM to manage account relationships, contracts, entitlements, and product catalogs. It is ideal for both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) scenarios. Coupling CSM with IT Service Management (ITSM) is common for companies providing managed services, telecommunications services, or IT services to their customers.
Pure Customer Service Use Case:
In scenarios where the primary focus is on customer service, such as contact centres, utilities providers, or consumer goods providers, CSM is the appropriate fit. Customers can access knowledge bases, use virtual agent chatbots, and create cases for queries, refunds, or order-related issues.
Managed Services Use Case:
Organisations offering managed services often use a combination of CSM, ITSM, and IT Operations Management (ITOM). This combination allows for proactive and reactive support, enabling event management, incident creation, and catalog and CMDB mapping for better impact analysis.
ITSM for Internal IT Support:
For organisations providing internal IT support to their employees, ITSM is the primary application. Employees can use a portal to submit service requests and raise incidents as needed. Pairing ITSM with ITOM offers enhanced visibility into managed environments, helping organisations understand the impact of incidents, problems, and changes.
In conclusion
As the ServiceNow platform has evolved, its suite of applications has grown to accommodate various use cases. Understanding your organisation's needs and maturity level is crucial to choosing the right combination of applications. Whether you require CSM for external customer service, ITSM for internal IT support, or a combination of applications for managed services, ServiceNow's flexible offerings can cater to your specific requirements.
