9 Traits of the Best ServiceNow Implementation Partners

With so many ServiceNow implementation partners and managed services providers to choose from, it’s overwhelming to start your search and determine the best fit for your organization—especially by just combing through the ServiceNow partner program list. The stakes for choosing the best partner are also high: The ServiceNow implementation partner you choose can make or break your digital transformation project. Everyone wants to avoid an expensive mistake.

It’s clear that a ServiceNow partner should be offering your organization achievable wins and long-term strategic results. But how do you find the right partner to accelerate value? How do you know they’re the best fit for your team? Let’s explore nine essential characteristics to consider as you search for the right ServiceNow implementation partner for your enterprise.

1. Implementation Expertise across ServiceNow Solutions

As the saying goes, “Change is the only constant in life.” To prepare for inevitable change, organizations must have the capacity to scale and adapt quickly in the face of uncertainty. Relying on a partner who can offer any capabilities you may not already have internally is an excellent way to do just that without stretching your team too thin.

Initially, you may be looking for a ServiceNow partner to help you implement one product; however, it’s essential to find a supportive team that can help you expand across the instance over time. An excellent partner will not just have a full understanding of the ServiceNow ecosystem, products, and practices—they will also be able to offer trustworthy advice for which solutions are best suited to your needs.

For example, you may have your eye set on automation and already know you need application development implemented as soon as possible. However, you may also need to implement CSM or ITAM down the road as you face new challenges. Investing in a well-experienced team means you won’t need to reevaluate your needs later—you’ll already have reliable and end-to-end support that knows the ins and outs of your organization and how they can help.

2. Best-Practices-Led Workflows

Not only does your ServiceNow implementation partner need to have expertise across products, but they also need to keep a pulse on industry best practices—especially as ServiceNow continuously improves to provide greater value. When your partner uses leading practices, they can help you achieve quicker time to value (TTV), reduce implementation risk, best utilize automation, and access continuous enhancements that help you reap the greatest benefits possible.

More specifically, your partner should follow and define development, naming, and documentation standards; customization and configuration guidelines; and process-flow policies. They should provide you with clear insight into exactly what and how they will provide managed services, as well as clear, actionable advice to maximize the value of your ServiceNow instance. Don’t hesitate to ask for visibility into the roadmap you’ve outlined, and confirm that they will follow platform-defined best practices for each product you implement.

3. Glowing Customer Success Stories

Along with experience across ServiceNow products and practices, it’s also important to review whether a potential partner has expertise in your industry. Looking through an organization’s customer success stories is an excellent way to review relevant implementations and identify whether they have worked with companies like yours in the past.

Not only should an excellent partner have customer success stories available on their website, but the stories should also feature glowing reviews. The number of case studies available, as well as how detailed they are, can provide insights into how a partner works with their clients and how you can expect an implementation to go if you work with them.

Along those lines, customer success stories can help you identify goals and expected results that may apply to your organization. For example, if you would like to decrease your TTV or streamline your employee experience, reading about other organizations that have done the same can help you evaluate expectations and align internally before investing in a partner.

4. Key Certifications and Accreditations

Does the partner you’re looking into have relevant certifications, awards, and accreditations? Whether or not they are well-awarded can also offer valuable insights into the type and quality of support a partner would offer your organization. For example, if you’d like to implement Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) at your company, be sure to review whether a partner has Certified Implementation Specialist certifications in both risk and compliance and vendor risk management.

The best ServiceNow implementation partners will have certifications across products and services, as well as fulfill relevant criteria such as the following:

• Product implementation expertise (Customer Service Management; Governance, Risk, and Compliance; HR Service Delivery; IT Asset Management; IT Operations Management; IT Service Management; Now Platform App Engine; Security Operations; Strategic Portfolio Management; Enterprise Service Management; IT Business Management; etc.)
• Customer satisfaction rating
• Country and regional coverage
• Number of certified professionals and trainers

Remember that it’s important for a partner not only to have many ServiceNow certifications, but also to have the accreditations that are most relevant to your industry and goals. It’s a great sign if a potential partner has the most certifications out of those you’ve reviewed, but do they also have a commitment to developing and maintaining the skills you most need?

5. Core Values in Alignment with Your Enterprise

Certifications and great references are excellent signs that a partner is a good fit for your organization; however, you also need to consider their core values. Is the partner agile? Is the team results-driven and flexible? Do they align with the core standards you uphold with your internal teams and stakeholders? Remember, a ServiceNow partner should seek to provide you with an excellent customer experience.

If your organization meshes well with the partner you choose, you’ll be far more likely to develop deeper trust and greater results. Take this opportunity to outline your highest priorities and values, as well as what you will need from your team in comparison to what a partner can help you with. When your internal and external teams overlap to create a single powerhouse of required skills, you can accomplish your desired outcomes without needing to realign several times throughout the partnership.

6. Business-Smart Customization

Although an excellent ServiceNow implementation partner will have expertise in your industry, they will also recognize that you are a unique organization with its own distinct goals, challenges, and people. Not only that, but they will also have the capability to customize your solutions based on those characteristics.

Quality, business-smart customization ensures that you will have long-term, comprehensive adoption of ServiceNow modules throughout your organization, as your teams will be able to identify with the changes that have been implemented. When you invest in business-smart customization with your partner, the ServiceNow platform won’t feel like a general bandage solution—it will have the specific features you need to achieve greater experiences and efficiency. You’ll be able to upgrade faster and meet business demands—all while minimizing technical risk and complexity.

7. Strategic Vision and Change Management

The technical side of implementation is clearly essential to driving great results throughout your digital transformation. However, you must remember to address the human side of change as well. With excellent organizational change management (OCM) supported by your ServiceNow partner, you can manage the effect new digital workflows and technology have on the human resources and economic landscapes, structure, and culture of your enterprise.

Your ServiceNow partner should recognize just how challenging change can be and offer essential tips that can help you drive lasting, manageable change. For example, they’ll recognize and build on your organizational strengths to ensure new IT workflows align well with existing processes. They will also know how to create a successful implementation methodology that follows the following steps:

• Step 1: Connecting the Vision and Strategy to Implementation
• Step 2: Mapping the Right Foundations
• Step 3: Setting Up the Technology and Data Foundations
• Step 4: Capturing Highly Visible, Low-Cost Wins
• Step 5: Building Foundational Management Capabilities

An amazing ServiceNow partner brings the expertise they’ve developed to the table, ensuring you have the processes and tools you need to apply transformation while driving successful change management.

8. Above and Beyond Services Within Your Budget

Before making informed business decisions, consider your budget. Although long-term digital transformation can be expensive, it is possible to find excellent ServiceNow support that aligns with your budget. And remember: Your implementation services partner is an investment for the future of your business processes and will likely save you money in the long run.

A true partner will go above and beyond to offer long-term engagement, ensuring you make the most of your money without cutting corners. They’ll also understand that, even after a successful implementation, your business needs may change. A partner will adjust their approach as needed to provide you with the best possible services within your budget.

9. Comprehensive, Ongoing Support

Finally, great ServiceNow consulting provides implementations within a context that considers a holistic view of the company’s current IT infrastructure and goals and a forecasted view of its long-term success. They will offer high-quality services and advice that not only help you succeed in your current implementation but will empower you to thrive for years to come.

An effective implementation partner will have expertise across the company, including many ServiceNow product line achievements (PLAs) and a long-term strategic outlook that focuses on developing a flourishing relationship with your enterprise.

Choosing a partner that doesn’t align with your organization can be an expensive, time-consuming mistake. On the other hand, if you choose one that offers comprehensive, ongoing support, you can find a good partner that will offer you strategic value for years to come, offering even greater results that improve over time.