Optimize the people, processes, platforms and partners in the service management puzzle

What is the ServiceNow Insight and Vision Report?

Originally launched back in 2018, the annual NTT DATA ServiceNow Insight and Vision survey provides a detailed view into service management, business challenges and opportunities organizations experience in their use of the ServiceNow platform. For the 2023 iteration, NTT DATA worked with Omdia — a global and independent research and analysis firm — to develop the survey. The report details the findings. For 2023, NTT DATA has been able to refine the survey and complement its findings with additional data and insight provided by an independent research partner. Our key objective was to develop an understanding of the digital shifts businesses are making, especially in response to the economic and social disruptions many have, and continue, to experience.

This year, we gathered more than 500 responses from organizations across the United States and Canada, spanning roles across different business functions including IT, HR, facilities management and finance. The report discusses how new employee demands and changing workplace dynamics impact digital transformation agendas, and of the important role service management practices and the ServiceNow platform will play in helping businesses manage disruption.

3 key takeaways

The operational and people-focused changes experienced in the workplace over recent years have undoubtedly increased the importance and relevance of service management practices and technologies. ServiceNow’s recent successes are evidence of this movement — especially in the value of the platform to support broader business goals, beyond the IT department.

We anticipate this success to continue as businesses look for platforms that support initiatives like ESG, enhanced digital experiences, in addition to digitizing and improving operations with advanced AI and automation.

1. Digital transformation is complex, but common priorities have emerged
Digital transformation has traditionally been a fragmented, complex practice and set of aspirations; but the workplace changes we have all experienced these past few years have brought a distinct number of initiatives to the forefront. Emerging digital agenda items include cybersecurity, mobile-centric work styles, improved digital experiences (for customers and employees), modernizing legacy systems and applying automation and AI in meaningful ways.

Encouragingly, service management and the ServiceNow platform have an important role to play in helping businesses successfully deliver against these digital transformation goals.

2. Service management has emerged as an important future of work competency
Like digital transformation, talk around the future of work has also intensified over recent years, but understanding what exactly the future of work is and where businesses should focus can be challenging. In our 2023 survey, we asked respondents about their future of work business priorities. The top three priorities identified are all supported and enhanced with service management capabilities.

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Defining future of work objectives is important, as it helps develop understanding around how service management capabilities can be applied in a tactical fashion. One of the key objectives of any service management initiative should be growing adoption of any platform into the broader business, being aware of future of work aspirations will be important in mapping capabilities to compelling digital outcomes.

3. Businesses need strategic support from ServiceNow implementation partners
Partners have long been important in helping businesses realize maximum value from any ServiceNow investment and implementation. As ServiceNow continues to evolve into a broader enterprise platform, partner support and enablement of this broader adoption will become even more important for businesses. Today, enterprises largely work with managed service providers, service integrators, or ServiceNow directly to implement the platform. However, 75% of respondents to this years’ survey advised they are evaluating their relationships with current ServiceNow partners. There are various reasons driving businesses to reconsider these relationships:

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Partner financial and ESG concerns, in addition to inflexible contract arrangements are the main issues resulting in respondents evaluating their current ServiceNow partnership arrangement. ESG is a particularly interesting factor, as it shows how ESG is proving to be not only and important internal business agenda item, but also a key factor in considering partner selections. Strength of professional services, and strength of managed services are the partner capabilities businesses are looking for when selecting a ServiceNow partner. Proven cybersecurity expertise also emerged as important. Any long-term strategic partnership must hold the business goals and objectives as the common interest.

Download the full report for even more unique data, critical insight and deeper dives into the challenges facing corporations today.