Autor: Malwina

What’s new in ServiceNow Utah release? Top 5 new features you must know about

Posted on by Malwina

It’s release time again – named after Utah, a known state in the western United States, brings what ServiceNow is most appreciated for – innovation. A lot of exciting capabilities, new features and products in the latest version of the enterprise service management platform were designed to make your work easier, faster and better. Other focus areas were fixing the problems from previous releases and enhancing the efficiency of the platform. On March 22nd, 2023, in the early spring, shortly before sego lilies, Utah’s official state flowers, start to bloom, ServiceNow made the Now platform Utah release generally available for everyone.

If you don’t feel like reading ServiceNow release notes or still have doubts about whether to update the ServiceNow Platform to the latest version or not, today is your lucky day. We prepared a list of the most important features that can be useful for your business growth and simplify experiences for a smarter way of working. We did the same with the previous San Diego release. ServiceNow wants to help organizations do business and drive outcomes faster in the uncertain world economic times – and the Utah release meets the goals perfectly.

Let’s have a closer look at the actionable insights about key features of the ServiceNow Utah release below.

Workspace Builder

Workspace Builder is a new application introduced in the Utah release. Being a part of App Engine Studio, it is without a shade of doubt one of the most useful and powerful new tools in this release. 

Workspace Builder uses what ServiceNow is the most known of – low-code, no-code solutions. Using ServiceNow, you can easily create your own applications, and now you are also able to create workspaces with just a single tap. How to do it? After opening App Engine Studio, you can add experiences to our application. Experiences are the user interface template available and prepared by ServiceNow. Workspace is one of them. Using Workspace Builder, you can create, manage and preview workspaces. This easy and intuitive tool enables creating dashboards in the homepage section simply by using drag and drop, without writing any code. It allows users to move the widgets or add new elements like filters, headings, lists and so on. It is also possible to configure the data visualization, by changing the source or adding new conditions and other settings. Users can also track the records and usage with Dashboards with Analytics Center. 

When you are done with building a workspace, when the data you display in the dashboards is ready to be published, you can also preview how it will look on the platform.

Omnichannel Callback for Customer Service Management

Another new and useful feature in the Utah release that is definitely worth telling about, is Omnichannel Callback for Customer Service Management. This solution can be really helpful for you and your customers. Why? Because it enables a callback option for customers when there’s a long waiting time to reach a live agent or all the agents are unavailable. As a result, it improves customer experiences and satisfaction, helps to reduce costs and shorten customer service time.

How does it work? A customer is just putting all the data in the Customer Service Management portal – such as name, phone number, type of issue, description and the reason for the callback. Customers can request a callback at a time that best suits them. It can be as soon as possible or later, at the exact date and the exact time they choose. There is a  full workflow of how the agents are assigned to the callbacks and how they are working with the customers.

If there is integration with another tool, for example, Zoom, the customers have also an option to have the callback messages go via it. This is why this tool is also omnichannel.

There is also a powerful ServiceNow-native tool that will make this and all the future releases smoother and less time-consuming. The name you should remember is Automated Test Framework. Thanks to this application you can automate the vast majority of your backend-side tests and – as a result – save your time and stay well protected during your upgrades. Sounds interesting? Read about our automated testing services.

Przemysław Girguś, QA Servicenow Lead

Task bundling in Field Service Management

Task bundling means grouping the tasks that are similar to each other. In the Utah release, dispatchers can now bundle all the tasks into one logical group. They are also able to track, start and update them, and assign them at once, instead of individually. Thanks to this solution, agents can save a lot of time and improve their efficiency.

After logging in as a dispatcher and going to your workspace, you can see the list of all your tasks. When you decide which ones are going to be bundled together, you choose the “Create bundle” button. After that, you can add other tasks or remove the existing ones. There is no limitation when it comes to the number of tasks, you can change the order and group them by various criteria.

After the creation, the bundle tasks must be assigned to selected agents who see them separately. The agent focuses on several tasks, while the dispatcher, at the same time, focuses on the bundle. When the task is updated, the dispatcher knows about it because the bundle is updated automatically as well. Thanks to it, the whole process can be followed.

Is your goal to maximise ROI from your ServiceNow platform in these uncertain times? We have useful tips right here, download the ebook and plan your next steps.

Workforce Optimization for HR

Nowadays, we observe a growing trend of usage and demand for HR service delivery applications. Workforce Optimization is ServiceNow’s response to this trend and a completely new application in Utah release. It is a tool destined for HR managers, that gives them one place to understand and optimize work performed by employees. In the manager workspace, you see all cases assigned to your team that can be also sorted out by status, source and so on. You can see your team calendar, check and add new events, manage shifts, and approve requests. You are also able to track work assignments for your team. Furthermore, thanks to Workforce Optimization, it is possible to increase your agents’ potential by empowering them with the skills needed to succeed by learning management platforms and adding new skills.

By all this work – optimizing schedules, work assignments, managing time of the request or providing skills – HR managers can develop high-performing teams and maximize the productivity and the quality of work. Thanks to all of it, companies can perform at the highest level and achieve their business goals and maximum outcomes.

ServiceNow’s Utah Release focuses on optimizing organisations efficiency and accelerating profits from the platform usage by developing more and more low-code / no-code solutions and features.

Tomasz Machaj, Senior ServiceNow Solution Consultant

Favourites Grouping and Multi-Menu Filtering

Last but not least – there are small but really smart new features available in the Utah release. Favourite grouping and Multi-Menu filtering are already available in the next experience UI. This may be a minor change but is also a very helpful one. Thanks to these new ServiceNow features, users can easily find appropriate and engaging content like applications, modules and other stuff on the platform. It is a long-awaited modification for everyone who works with the Now Platform. 

In the Favorites menu, it is possible not only to see some favourite groups and put modules inside them but also to edit them. You can create new custom groups, modify existing ones, manage the position and change the order to visualize the modules. If you need to find something on the platform, you can easily search terms by writing it down and the platform will be looking for it in the multi-menu. You don’t have to filter each menu individually anymore. You get the search results from that menu as well as the other menus you have access to, and therefore you are able to find what you are looking for.

Wondering how to choose the best ServiceNow partner? Check these 10 things before you decide.

Upgrade to ServiceNow Utah release

Utah is known as The Beehive State. The beehive is a symbol of teamwork, hard work, unity and a community, where all the people – like bees – work together to create a successful system but also help and support each other. The features of the ServiceNow Utah release correspond to these values – they enable team-building, successful cooperation and goal achievement, making your organization constantly grow. This is the reason why the Utah release is probably the greatest version of the ServiceNow platform so far.

If you want to upgrade your ServiceNow to Utah release and discover brand-new possibilities or learn more insights into how the new Utah release can benefit your organization, do not wait and contact us – your ServiceNow Elite Partner. The new version – Vancouver – will be released in the third or fourth quarter of the year. 2024 will be the year of Washington.

If you want to stay on the top, do not wait anymore and use these new ServiceNow products, services and features. Prepare for the upgrade now.

Service Portal with an E-commerce Feel? Design cues in the digital era

Posted on by Malwina

As we continue to navigate the digital era, one thing has become clear: user experience is king. It does not matter anymore if you are designing an intranet page or web store – all companies must prioritize visual appeal, user interface, and ease of use when it comes to their online presence. And nowhere is this more critical than in the business and workspace. Yes, ServiceNow with its Service Portal or Employee portal counts as well!

Service Portal – user experience and user interface

User experience and user interface are crucial in designing a webpage as they directly impact how users interact with and perceive the website, ultimately determining its success or failure. Traditionally, service portals have been clunky and utilitarian, focused solely on getting the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible. But with the rise of e-commerce, there’s been a shift towards creating a web design with an e-commerce feel and user-friendly interface.

Design plays a crucial role in the success of any webpage, as it directly impacts the user experience and influences the likelihood of conversions, clicks, and overall success. How can you translate e-commerce design into Service Portal design? Well, for one, it means focusing on the user experience. Good e-commerce is designed with the customer in mind, making browsing, searching, and buying products quick. Service portals can adopt the same approach, making it simple to find what they need and get the help they require quickly.

Efficient access to data is critical to any solution, and incorporating user experience and user interface into ServiceNow design ensures that users can easily and effectively access the data they need. By treating ServiceNow’s design like consumer products, we can modify and improve the experience to better serve your customers.

-Jacek Witek, UX Designer

Clean and Clear Navigation

A clear and easy-to-use navigation menu helps visitors find what they are looking for quickly, reducing frustration and making it more likely they will complete their purchase.

How can you translate it into a Service Portal design?

To achieve successful navigation in ServiceNow portal design, consider organizing the portal logically and intuitively, for instance, grouping related services together, and ensuring the header menu is prominently displayed on every page. Descriptive labels and subcategories can help users find what they are looking for more easily.

source: Decathlon
source: Garmin
Image: example of clear navigation in the Service Portal

Strong Visuals

High-quality product images, videos, and interactive 360-degree views can help shoppers enhance confidence in their purchase decision and increase engagement. 

How can you translate it into a Service Portal design?

Service portals can take a similar approach, using visual hierarchy and design cues to the user experiences, making the Service Portal’s layout feel more polished and professional. You should use clear, high-quality images and videos showcasing the services. For example, a Service Portal for IT might include images or videos of computer hardware, software, or cloud computing and data storage. Achieving a proper balance and ensuring that the visual elements are logical is crucial. In some cases, incorporating contemporary icons and colour schemes may suffice.

By providing visuals that accurately represent the services, users can better understand what they are requesting and feel more confident in their decisions.

source: SMEG
source: Marshall
Image: Example of strong visuals in the Service Portal

3 reasons you should migrate from Service Portal to Employee Center now

Consistent Branding

A consistent visual identity across the website can create a sense of trust and reliability with the brand while also establishing a memorable brand image.

How can you translate it into a Service Portal design?

Choose a colour scheme, typography, and iconography throughout the portal. For example, if your company logo is blue and white, the portal’s colour scheme should use the same shades of blue and white to create a cohesive visual identity. Being consistent with design elements such as buttons, forms, and icons can help develop a sense of familiarity and ease of use. Another critical aspect of creating a visual identity in a Service Portal is using high-quality graphics and images that align with the brand’s aesthetic and reflect the brand’s personality and values.

In addition to visual elements, you need to ensure that the tone and language throughout the portal align with the organization’s voice and messaging. This can create a coherent user experience and reinforce the brand’s identity and values.

source: CoffeDesk
source: ZARA
Image: example of consistent branding in Service Portal

Discover 7 ways to improve your ServiceNow Platform User Experience in >>EBOOK<<

Responsive Design

A responsive website design that adapts to different devices, screen sizes, and orientations ensures the site is accessible and easy for all users to access.

How can you translate it into a Service Portal design?

ServiceNow has built-in functionality that allows Service Portal to adapt to different devices and screen sizes. It provides a range of responsive design features and techniques, such as fluid grids and media queries, that allow you to create a flexible and adaptive design. In addition to the built-in responsive design features, you can also use tools and resources to develop accessible and mobile-friendly portals. For example, ServiceNow offers documentation on best practices for designing accessible portals and provides testing tools to ensure the portal is optimized for mobile devices.

source: ZARA
Image: example of responsive design in Service Portal

User-Friendly Search Functionality

A search function that allows users to find products quickly and easily can improve the overall user experience and encourage visitors to stay on the site longer.

How can you translate it into a Service Portal design?

Implement an intuitive search bar that is easy to locate and use. The search bar should be placed prominently on the portal’s homepage and designed to be visible. Additionally, the search bar should provide users with relevant search suggestions as they type, helping them quickly narrow down and customize their search results. If the results are not promptly displayed, users may discontinue using it. To improve the accuracy of search results, you can utilize auto-complete, synonym matching, and natural language processing. These features help ensure the search function is accurate and returns relevant results, improving the overall user experience. Additionally, allow users to sort and filter their search results based on different criteria to help them quickly identify the most relevant results. ServiceNow’s AI-powered search with natural language processing can perform various tasks, including but not limited to understanding and interpreting user queries expressed in natural language.

source: Amazon
source: Marshall

Personalization

Personalization in e-commerce usually means tailoring the offer to the user, such as displaying recommended products on the homepage, using a general principle like Google Ads, i.e., personalized marketing.

How can you translate it into a Service Portal design?

Personalization within the ServiceNow platform is typically done at the group or role level. The goal is to present the user with relevant information about their job functions or responsibilities. For example, an employee logs in to the Service Portal, and depending on their role in the organization, they may see a customized homepage that features specific services, forms, or knowledge articles that are relevant to their job duties. This could include different categories of information, such as IT support, HR services, or facilities management. However, it’s important to note that personalization within ServiceNow is not as extensive as what you might find in a dedicated e-commerce platform. The focus is primarily on providing users with the information they need to do their jobs effectively rather than tailoring the user experience to drive sales or conversions.

source: Apple
source: Garmin

Are you more into Social Media? Discover how to give your Service Portal an Insta-feeling.

10 Service Portal design mistakes

  1. Poor Navigation: Complicated, unclear, or difficult-to-use navigation menus can create confusion and frustration for users, leading to a negative user experience.
  2. Slow Loading Time: Long loading times can lead to user frustration and abandonment, especially on mobile devices where users expect fast load times.
  3. Overwhelming Design: Overuse of images, colours, or graphics can create a cluttered and overwhelming design that can be difficult to navigate and may distract from the main content.
  4. Inconsistent Design: Inconsistent branding or design elements across the portal can create a lack of coherence and may cause users to lose trust in the site.
  5. Complicated Forms: Lengthy or complicated forms can be intimidating and may discourage users from completing important actions.
  6. Poor Readability: Poor font choices, small font sizes, or lack of contrast between text and background can make it difficult for users to read the content on the portal.
  7. Lack of Mobile Optimization: A lack of mobile optimization can lead to a poor user experience for mobile users, who may struggle to use the portal on a smaller screen.
  8. Limited Accessibility: A lack of accessibility features, such as support for screen readers or keyboard navigation, can make it difficult for users with disabilities to use the portal.
  9. Unclear Call-to-Actions: Unclear or confusing call-to-actions can create confusion and may prevent users from taking important actions and abandoning the portal.
  10. Poor Search Functionality: A search function that returns irrelevant or inaccurate results can frustrate users and discourage them from using the portal.

Don’t worry if you find any of these ten issues in your Service Portal. It’s never too late to turn things around with the help of experienced UX designers and ServiceNow partners who can provide the necessary tools and guidance to achieve exceptional results. Book a meeting to discuss your improved future Service Portal.

Service Portal with an Instagram Feel? Design cues in the social media era

Posted on by Malwina

In today’s digital age, user experience is the key. A well-designed portal can drive user engagement and satisfaction, leading to higher adoption and a more successful platform. One way to create a satisfying user experience is to incorporate elements of popular social media platforms, like Instagram, into the design. At the end of the day, most of the Service Portal users are social media users, aren’t they?

Common user complaints about ServiceNow user experience

Service Portals are an essential part of organizations using ServiceNow, but from a user perspective, they can often present challenges and feel simply unpleasant. The most common issue is connected to poor navigation, with not-appropriate labelling and categorization making it hard to find the right information or complete tasks efficiently. Since Service Portal is slowly being withdrawn by ServiceNow it’s worth considering to Employee Center – here you can find out three reasons why you should start the migration.


Image: Out of the box Service Portal


Image: Example of well structured Employee Center

According to a survey by Adobe, 38% of users will disengage with a webpage if they find the content or layout unattractive. Unfortunately, many Service Portals suffer from unappealing visuals, a lack of visual hierarchy, and ineffective use of colour, typography, and graphics. These issues can cause the portal to feel outdated, lowering user confidence in its purpose and functionality. Applying proper user experience knowledge, however, can draw users back in and create an enjoyable, easy-to-follow design.

Discover 7 ways to improve your Servicenow Platform User Experience in >>EBOOK<<

Losing user’s trust

Keep in mind that first impressions matter and most users form an opinion about your webpage or portal in under a second, influencing their decision to stay or leave. If they leave due to a negative user experience, statistics show that 88% are unlikely to return to the site. While users may need to return when the portal is part of their workspace, a poor user experience can compound negative feelings towards your Service Portal.

Many of our clients come to us frustrated by the low usage of their Service Portal, and we see firsthand how this can be directly attributed to poor design choices. A non-intuitive and unhelpful design can make it difficult for users to find the necessary information. If the design is unattractive, users accustomed to more visually appealing sites such as social media platforms may quickly dismiss the portal and its intended purpose.

– Jacek Witek, UX designer at SPOC

Low rate of engagement

While the visual aspect is essential, it’s not the only factor contributing to a successful Service Portal. Unintuitive design and illogical user paths can lead to frustration, poor user experience, and, ultimately, low adoption rates. Conducting thorough user research to understand user needs and tailor the design to their specific requirements is essential to avoid these issues. By prioritizing user-centred design, you can increase adoption rates and set your Service Portal up for success.


Image: User-centered subcategorization

Giving up on the service portal

What’s the worst that can happen? Service Portal users in your company who are accustomed to the visual, usability, and accessibility standards of social media may give up on using a platform that doesn’t meet their expectations.

We all experience the same frustration when we enter e-commerce or any other websites that seem unintuitive. We don’t like feeling confused or lost. A tool designed to solve our problems should avoid creating more drama. How many times have you abandoned a cart of products because you couldn’t find the right button to make a payment? The same thing happens when using the Service Portal if it is not designed with UX in mind.

„We have a great tool – people just don’t use it”. Sounds familiar? Watch 3 ways to improve your ServiceNow usability and user experience in our >>VOD<<

Taking design cues from Instagram: best practices for UX in the Social Media era

Instagram is known for its simple, clean, and visually-appealing design. Users love its bright colours, bold typography, and user-friendly interface. Is there any way to translate that successful way of designing and experiencing a digital place into something as serious as a Service Portal? 

The importance of UX design in ServiceNow ServicePortal lies in the power of the tools and features developed to recognize and support users’ needs dealing with complex processes. By providing a user-based approach to building and measuring steps and options, ServicePortal enables organizations to provide seamless, efficient, and effective solutions for their customers.

Jacek Witek, UX designer at SPOC


Image: Simple Service Portal login page designed for visual appeal

Visuals & Colours

There are a few design elements to consider to create an Instagram-like feel in the Service Now Portal. First, let’s focus on the colours. Instagram is famous for its bright and cheerful colour palette, which is a departure from the traditional corporate blue and grey colour schemes. A portal with an Instagram feel would go for bright, bold, and vibrant colours that are consistent throughout the design.


Image: Onboarding portal utilizing vibrant brand colours

Discover how to attract users to your ServiceNow and what questions should you ask yourself

Typography

Next, the typography should be clean and easy to read. Instagram’s typography is simple and uses a sans-serif font, making it easy to read on any device. Using clear, easily-readable and visually appealing fonts could be another hint.


Image: Helpdesk portal before a redesign


Image: Typography and visual improvements on the helpdesk portal

Simplicity 

Instagram’s design emphasises clarity, visual impact, and instant information decoding for users. One way to achieve the same effect is to simplify the design and layout of the portal, allowing users to scan and find the information they need quickly. As Da Vinci once said: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Especially when it comes to design! That is why by following the Insta-logic, you could minimise clutter, ensuring that key features and functions are easily accessible.


Image: Instagram’s post in a modal window

Categorization

What about the effective categorisation of content? Instagram’s design makes it easy to navigate through different content categories, such as posts, stories, and reels. You can apply a similar categorisation approach to your Service Portal by grouping related content and creating intuitive navigation to help users quickly find what they need. An easy way to do it is to use clear and concise category labels and utilise icons and other visual cues to differentiate categories. As a consequence,  portal navigation and finding the information becomes a breeze. This can enhance the user experience and improve the company’s engagement and adoption of the Service Portal.


Image: Example categorization in an Employee Center portal


Image: Example of how categorization looks on Instagram

Service Portal for millennials

The Instagram platform has become an undisputed visual design and user experience leader. With millions of users and a highly engaged community, it is no wonder that Service Now designers are looking to incorporate the same „Insta-feeling” into their designs.

By taking a cue from Instagram’s design clarity, easy way of scanning and instant information decoding, Service Portal can become a user-friendly platform that is focused on visual impact. The benefits of an „Insta-style” ServicePortal design are clear: users engage with the portal more happily, and the portal can become a more integral part of their daily routine, especially if your target group is millennials or generation Z.  This increased engagement can lead to higher usage, better ROI, and a more satisfied user base.

At SPOC, we have seen first-hand how an „Insta-style” Service Portal design can make a difference. By incorporating Instagram’s design elements and user experience into our Service Now portals, we have noted a significant increase in user engagement and adoption. So, if you are wondering if an „Insta-feeling” is possible on your Service Now platform, our answer is: yes, it is, and it can become very profitable for your organization. Let’s do it together.


How to implement ServiceNow Service Management (ITSM) with minimal effort? FastTrack approach.

Posted on by Malwina

Are you struggling to implement ITSM within your organization? The SPOC FastTrack method acknowledged by ServiceNow offers a faster and better way to activate a service management solution with minimal effort. Not only does it provide a strong foundation for future growth and scalability, but it also allows you to see the benefits of ITSM right away. 

Why is ITSM implementation so hard?

ITSM implementation brings headaches to many companies due to a lack of resources. With limited staff, budgets, and knowledge, you may need to outsource most of the process to a service provider. The complexity of IT systems and processes can make them difficult to implement.

To face these problems, you need to take a proactive approach. This involves defining your goals, evaluating potential solutions, and preparing a comprehensive strategy before beginning the implementation. Having a team of knowledgeable professionals is also beneficial to help guide the process. It is worth remembering that ITSM implementations involve more than just software installation – they include policies, processes, and organizational change. 

Think of implementing ITSM as climbing Mount Everest. Taking a step-by-step approach may be the best option if your team is not well-experienced or lacks the necessary equipment. There are multiple ways to reach the summit, such as starting at base camp one and taking your time to acclimate (FastTrack) or attempting to reach the top in one go without stopping at the base (full ITSM implementation with customizations). Sounds scary? Don’t worry; keep reading to learn more about your options.

Read about 8 common ITSM implementation pitfalls and how to avoid them

All you need is an out-of-the-box ITSM solution

Implementing ITSM can be a long and challenging process, especially if you have to fulfil many different needs of your users and don’t have the time or resources to dedicate to it. That’s why many companies are turning to out-of-the-box solutions, such as SPOC FastTrack, to improve their IT service management.

An out-of-the-box ITSM solution is a fast, cost-effective, and easy way to get your IT service management up and running quickly. One of the biggest advantages of an out-of-the-box solution is that it does not require a heavy budget investment right away. This makes it an excellent option for companies on a tight budget who want to improve their IT service management.

Another advantage of out-of-the-box solutions is that they are less complex and less complicated to start, making it easy for you to get up and running quickly. This is especially true for companies that don’t have the know-how about coding, as out-of-the-box solutions usually come with a drag-and-drop feature for easy implementation. You don’t have to spend time and resources on customization. This can save your company time and money and allow you to focus on more critical tasks.

Last but not least, the user experience is significantly enhanced, visible through the new Employee Service Center Portal and Csat increases.

What is SPOC FastTrack?

The SPOC FastTrack ITSM solution streamlines IT service management by utilizing best practices recommended by  ServiceNow, saving time, money, and resources while minimizing project risks. It offers complete control, reporting, automation, self-service capabilities, and integrations. Additionally, it comes with added features such as mobile applications for end-users and fulfillers, a knowledge base, out-of-the-box reporting and dashboards for each process, and an agent workspace. The solution is user-friendly and easy to manage, requiring minimal technical knowledge. Training is included in the service, allowing mid-level administrators to take charge of it with ease.

The FastTrack method per ServiceNow recommendation is perfect if your company:

  • Is just starting its digital maturity journey and has a limited budget for ITSM implementation.
  • Is not yet advanced in SaaS usage or Cloud maturity and still relies on siloed systems and excel spreadsheets for company data.
  • Doesn’t need complex solutions and has a reasonable adoption rate for solutions not tailored to specific needs.
  • Is a small to medium-sized business, with employee counts ranging from 50 to 1000.

By investing in the FastTrack solution, you’ll get the foundations of ITSM in place, enabling you to improve and scale your capabilities as your company’s digital maturity journey progresses. With this solution, you’ll be able to manage your IT services more efficiently and effectively and return your investment in ServiceNow right away. Keep in mind that the FastTrack solution may not be suitable for organizations that require more complex solutions or have a very high level of customization needs. 

Read more about SPOC ServiceNow implementation here

ServiceNow ITSM FastTrack is a faster method for companies looking to streamline their IT service management processes out-of-the-box in no time for a minimum budget. It provides a comprehensive set of features that can help small and medium organizations improve their users experience and service delivery efficiency after only 14 weeks of deployment. SPOC as Elite partner of ServiceNow  has many projects  references within the European Institutions with high Csat score. No surprise as SPOC is working on a Fix Fee SOW basis.  Last but not least, ServiceNow SaaS technology is in use at DIGIT and is fully compliant with all EU regulations in terms of Data Security and Data protection.  SPOC services are very easy to procure via SIDE II framework agreement. 

  Philippe Bruls , Client Director

FAQ for out-of-the-box ITSM implementation

How does out-of-the-box ITSM implementation work? 

Answer: Out-of-the-box ITSM implementations are typically based on predefined processes and use templates or configuration wizards to help set up and roll out the solution quickly and easily. The goal is to provide an ITSM solution that is ready to use and can be up and running in less time than it would take to customize a solution from scratch.

What challenges do businesses face when implementing out-of-the-box ITSM implementations? 

Answer: The main challenge businesses face when implementing out-of-the-box ITSM implementations is that the solution may not meet the company’s specific needs. This could result in either the business having to customize the solution or having to look for alternative solutions. Additionally, the implementation process may require more time and resources than expected.

What are the minimum requirements for an out-of-the-box ITSM solution? 

Answer: The minimum requirements for an out-of-the-box ITSM solution typically include having a basic understanding of IT service management and the ability to access and use the solution’s interface. Additionally, you need a budget to buy the subscription or licence to use the solution. It is also important to have a team of people responsible for implementing, maintaining, and administrating the solution.

How to implement ITSM in the shortest time?

Implementing ITSM in the shortest time is possible using an out-of-the-box solution like SPOC FastTrack.

Here are some steps you can take to implement ITSM in the shortest time:

  1. Research and evaluate different ITSM solutions to fit your company’s needs and budget best.
  2. Choose an out-of-the-box solution like SPOC FastTrack, which is pre-configured and ready to use.
  3. Get your team trained to use the solution to make the implementation process go smoothly.
  4. Implement the solution in stages, starting with the most critical and high-priority areas of your IT service management.
  5. Use the solution’s drag-and-drop feature to make the implementation process as straightforward as possible.
  6. Monitor the implementation process closely and adjust as needed to ensure that the solution works as expected.
  7. Continuously measure and evaluate the solution’s performance and make changes to optimize the results.

Effective ITSM implementation explained in 7 steps

ServiceNow FastTrack implementation and ITSM implementations, in general, require a deep understanding of key topics such as meeting business requirements, system architecture, and configuration management to deliver detailed results and meet the needs of ServiceNow customers. Essential knowledge of problem management, major incident management, basic and advanced operations, and key performance indicators are prerequisites for a successful candidate in ITSM implementation. Maintainability and the ability to configure appropriate features are critical to delivering implementation solutions that meet the needs of the business. With the current release functionality and the registration process, ServiceNow FastTrack offers a solid foundation for ITSM implementation success, providing basic features for optimal configuration and support.

Philippe Bruls , Client Director

Get your ITSM in 3 months

By following these steps, you can quickly implement ITSM, allowing you to start managing your IT services more efficiently and effectively immediately. A great advantage of FastTrack is its speed – with a knowledgeable and experienced SPOC team, you will be able to go up and running in just three months. You will get the support needed from the specialists to make sure that the implementation is successful. Remember, you are not alone, you can always get help in evaluating your situation – we’re here to help. Contact us here.

3 reasons you should migrate from Service Portal to Employee Center

Posted on by Malwina

A new employee service centre

Here comes the new – Employee Center ServiceNow feature you should get familiar with immediately. It is supposed to replace Service Portal, which seems to be slowly pushed back by ServiceNow. Although the exact date of withdrawal is unknown yet, the sooner you decide to upgrade to ServiceNow Employee Center, the sooner you will take advantage of its countless business benefits and start developing your platform on a supported and secure solution. ESC means a lot of new, fascinating opportunities. It enables companies of all sizes and industries to achieve their business goals much faster. It is also a response to employee needs, rapidly changing in the era of workplace transformation.

What is Employee Center? ServiceNow presents its newest feature

Employee Center is a single, unified and modern portal for all employees. It is one place where they can find all the information and get all the help they need from HR, IT and other departments. Moreover, it’s a free feature for all ServiceNow users. It can already be said that it is a great product that will certainly be developed, promoted and improved in the future – this is one of the reasons why you should start using it immediately.

A solution for the changing workplaces and employee service

ServiceNow’s Employee Center is an excellent answer to the transformation of the employee experience. In the changing world of work where remote and hybrid work model is becoming more and more common in many companies, it is a must to digitize employee experience. In a world where digital processes enable flexibility, Employee Center comes in handy. This out-of-the-box ServiceNow solution was created for employees’ information, communication, and engagement and to ensure exceptional HR service delivery and customer experience. 

Read how to improve the work from home experience thanks to ServiceNow platform here.\

source: SPOC

Employee Now vs. Service Portal – main differences

Service Portal is already considered to be an easy-to-use and modern tool that helps you quickly reach your employees. Employee Center is an even better employee service center as it has many new features that solved previous challenges and limitations that Service Portal made hard to address. ServiceNow advertises Employee Center as a great way to keep every employee engaged, productive, and informed, and I couldn’t agree more.

Read why you should upgrade to Employee Center now and let your employees make use of the ServiceNow platform to the fullest.

I created a lot of Service Portals and there was always one challenge – content management and its architecture. Luckily for us, ServiceNow introduced the Employee Center.

Mateusz Grześkowiak, Senior ServiceNow Developer& Team Leader

Easier Content Management ensures user freedom, self-service and data security

Before Employee Center, all organizational knowledge was placed in many portals – therefore, it was difficult to find the desired information. Employee Center enables to gather of all necessary data in one place. Thanks to this, it is no longer scattered among catalogues and knowledge bases and, as a result, it is much easier to use. All users can quickly find what they are searching for and get HR service delivery in one place.

Unified taxonomy makes all information in the Employee Center organized in a clear and transparent way. Content management becomes easier and tailored to the user’s needs. Users get much more freedom in the process of creating and adjusting the portal’s look. They can define names, categories, subcategories, and topics ourselves, thus gaining independence from the fixed ServiceNow structure and getting more self-service. Each user can not only display the content they need but also easily manage it. Now it is the company itself that builds the organization of its information, which enables greater control over all content.

All information available in one place not only saves users time and energy. The multitude of portals also meant high maintenance costs. Information scattered in various places was associated with a high risk of data leakage. Employee Center, a modern ServiceNow solution in the changing world of work, solves these problems. It lowers maintenance costs and ensures greater information security.

source: SPOC

Topic personalization results in great Return On Investment

Topic personalization is another feature that all employees will be happy to use. Each team wanted a place for themselves, and now this desire is fulfilled. This wasn’t easy to do on the Service Portal – if a team wanted its own brand, a separate portal had to be created. Now, not only are all teams in one place, but they have topic pages that can be personalized according to their preferences. IT team can have its own home page, as well as HR and other departments, and each of them can adapt and design it to their needs. They can have their own banners, icons and colours as pages don’t have to look the same anymore.

This is a significant change that also offers a greater Return On Investment. Topic personalization makes teams use the portal more willingly. What is more, it is easier now to convince employees to use it, as they can get a better service experience, tailored to their needs. Each team thus gains greater independence. 

source: SPOC

Targeted audiences facilitate information flow

Another great advantage of the Employee Center is that while everything is in one place, some information can only be displayed to specific audiences. As a result, thanks to targeted content, they only see banners, messages and changes they are interested in – not all of them. Thanks to this, the amount of information is no longer overwhelming. Teams become more independent, and it becomes much easier for them to use the portal.

This feature gives Employee Center one more significant benefit. It facilitates information flow, which improves communication, facilitates collaboration and accelerates decision-making processes. This has a powerful impact on the entire company.

Read how to attract more users to your platform thanks to a great User Experience

Employee Center – strategic approach of global consulting company [Case Study]

Before ESC, our client with its team of more than 1000 employees used 6 different portals on a daily basis. It generated many problems – knowledge was scattered in other places, therefore it was challenging to find the required data. The maintenance and development costs were also really high.

The client decided it was necessary to create a single employee service portal that would fulfil the functions of all 6 previous ones. We recommended Employee Center ServiceNow and the implementation turned out to be a strategic decision for the company’s operations.

Employee Center is not only easier to configure and requires less development, but it is also an out of box ServiceNow solution. Since that. Its implementation was also several times faster than Service Portals.

Ready for your Employee Center experience?

If you are still using the Service Portal, do not wait and get ready for the upgrade – the clock is ticking and the Service Portal will slowly become the legacy application. There is no point in waiting – thanks to the Employee Center, you will not only save time and costs but also create an incredible employee experience and make everyone’s work easier and more productive. We are here for you to talk and guide you through the endless possibilities of Employee Center.

What’s new in ServiceNow San Diego release?

Posted on by Malwina

The ServiceNow San Diego update

New release of ServiceNow is available now! Named after the city of San Diego, it brings many changes, new and shiny like the California sun, that will fire users’ imagination. The ServiceNow San Diego release includes not only improvements of the previous features but also services, products and events that are completely new.  A metamorphosed user interface, complete data automation, low-code innovations, IT Management Business transformed into Strategic Portfolio Management and Specific Industry Solutions – there are some examples of the new features. As always, we prepared a summary of the most important changes, just as we did with previous updates, to make your work better, faster and easier. We hope reading this article will make you ready for the next step – reading ServiceNow release notes for information about new features and preparing for the upgrade.

ServiceNow San Diego Release

New Experience UI (Polaris)

ServiceNow platform developers listen carefully to user feedback. Previous versions were criticized by users for unattractive design, unchanged since 2016. It was considered to be old-fashioned, distinctly different from other modern services. One of the most important changes in the ServiceNow San Diego is a user interface redesign and introduction of the new Next Experience UI (Polaris). ServiceNow completely changes user experience. The difference is not only about the colors, better typography or rounded edges – the new ServiceNow release UI delivers a modern and intuitive experience. This is the change you are going to love. San Diego upgrade focuses on personalization. Users have access to all the content and are able to create a new task – this function is not reserved for admin only but also for the user. All tasks, current and previous ones, can be easily viewed and added to Favorites. Applications in the platform are built on four tabs: All, Favorites, History and Workspaces. Each of them enables keyword search and viewing search results. San Diego also introduces a dark mode – something that many users have been asking for.

Here you can read about previous ServiceNow release – Rome.

Automation Engine with RPA

Every user of ServiceNow knows Integration Hub that enables integration with any API based system. San Diego introduces Automation Engine – excellent solution for automatization and integration. It connects Integration Hub with brand-new possibilities of RPA. Robotic Process Automation plays a key role in business process automatization, making it much easier and allowing to reduce time and money at the same time. The San Diego Release enables problem-free integration of old systems with ServiceNow and full automatization of manual processes. Human abilities are mimicked by artificial intelligence in the form of bots, also called “virtual workers”. It’s not only a change, it’s a real revolution.

Low-Code Innovations

Low-code platforms and citizen development are very popular terms in IT industry right now, considered to be game-changing features and the future of developing applications. This opinion is shared by ServiceNow – looking at new release, we understand why ServiceNow was named a leader in low-code development platforms. One of the most popular low-code platforms App Engine Studio with App Engine, a development tool for creators to build applications; another, for instance, is Mobile App Builder that helps to create mobile experiences. The new release introduces many features that are based on low-code solutions and require very little or no coding at all in order to make build application or processes. Users are given more freedom – you can use the platform the way you want to and adjust it to your businesses.

Strategic Portfolio Management

Formerly known in ServiceNow as IT Business Management, this feature undergoes a rebranding in ServiceNow San Diego Release. Now it is called as Strategic Portfolio Management. The new name reflects the changes – in comparison to the previous ServiceNow releases, San Diego has a bigger collection of applications, enabling their better integration. Strategic Portfolio Management allows you to see the entire life cycle of a service or an application, from idea to implementation, in one place. The San Diego release focuses also on Goals Management, an application you should pay attention to if you are responsible for strategic planning in your company. Some features, adapted to their needs, were created also for Solution Owners.

ESG management

ServiceNow San Diego release introduces ESG management – a completely new product that shows how the platform effectively responds to the problems of our time. Issues such as climate change or gender inequalities require taking action – this is more and more important for companies and their investors. ESG Management allows you to effectively manage ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) criteria that include relations with the environment, community of employees, suppliers and customers and management style. These criteria can be easily evaluated, improved, monitored and reported. ESG management enables also managing initiatives, processes and data about above-mentioned issues.

Industry Specific Solutions

Last but not least – ServiceNow San Diego Release offers many unique upgrades for specific industries, such as insurance, banking and telecommunications. As a result, functions such as Customer Service Management become easier to use than ever before. San Diego opens a world of new possibilities, primarily for healthcare, life sciences service management and financial services. The new features include new features for transactional data and dedicated data models.

ServiceNow San Diego release – prepare your company for the new!

One of the highest priorities at ServiceNow is platform security when it comes to protecting your information. With the new features and improvements to existing ones (for instance, areas as Field Service Management or IT Service Management were enhanced and updated), the San Diego release allows users to reach a new level of productivity and rise their skill levels. Summarizing new services and events, the biggest change is New Experience UI that meets the highest of expectations and improves user engagement. RPA & artificial intelligence as virtual workers enable full automatization of manual processes; IT Business Management has transformed into Strategic Portfolio Management. Low-code development innovations become increasingly popular and accessible, confirming they are the future of application development. The San Diego Release also introduces new products such as ESG Management or Industry Specific Solutions, dedicated to specific businesses. They improve work and make it faster and better, taking innovation to the next level.

Discover the possibilities of ServiceNow platform with the new services and make your work easier, faster and better thanks to all opportunities that San Diego release is opening for you now. Next experience is around the corner as another release – Tokyo – is coming at the end of the year. Prepare for the platform upgrade.

SPOC S.A.
ul. Szyperska 14
61-754 Poznań, Poland
sales@spoc.eu +48 510 747 931

Products

Services

Company

Resources