5 tips for getting more from your ServiceNow partner

As the business world becomes increasingly digitized, the relationship between a ServiceNow customer and their ServiceNow consulting partner is more crucial than ever. In a recent interview, Nancy Camarota, leading the practice for Customer Workflows at Cask, shared her insights on making this partnership fruitful.

Nancy's background canvas is richly painted with over 25 years of leadership roles, including EVP of Customer Experience. ​​As a vanguard in her field, Nancy bridges the gap between various business sectors, from sales to service to operations, with informed process frameworks.

Nancy's unique perspective, deeply rooted in her time as a practitioner in multiple industries and companies, enables her to both empathize with the challenges customers face and craft tailor-made experiences for them. Her journey at Cask has seen the transformation from a capability to a full-fledged practice. This evolution has given her a nuanced understanding of not only how ServiceNow partners can add value, but also how they can become drivers of client-led initiatives.

Drawing from her extensive experience, we can note several key tips for you to cultivate even more business growth through collaboration with your ServiceNow partner.

1. Cultivate mutual understanding

Building a successful partnership with your ServiceNow consultant requires a deep mutual understanding. Nancy emphasizes the importance of this, noting, "We venture to understand their business, and that's what we're here for." Strive to share your organization's ins and outs and encourage your consultant to do the same. This mutual understanding will lead to more tailored solutions that align with your business needs.

Deepening this relationship isn't just about one-off interactions, but about cultivating a consistent, ongoing dialogue. It's about creating an environment of trust where both parties feel comfortable expressing ideas and feedback. Through this ongoing dialogue, your consulting partner can gain insights into the nuances of your organization, enabling them to provide solutions that align not just with your operational needs, but also with your organization's culture and strategic vision.

Cultivating mutual understanding is like gardening. It might take a bit of patience, a lot of communication, and maybe a few bugs along the way—but the end result is blooming marvelous!

2. Encourage active participation

Nancy recommends clients be actively involved in the problem-solving process. As she puts it, "We craft the process with our clients and then we translate that onto the platform." Your consulting partner should work with you, not just for you, creating a collaborative environment where you both contribute to identifying issues and crafting solutions.

This active participation should permeate through every phase of the process, from planning and design, to execution, testing, and ongoing optimization. By being an active participant, you maintain a degree of control and are more invested in the success of the solutions, leading to higher engagement levels. Moreover, the insight gained from your deep understanding of your organization's unique needs and intricacies allows the partner to shape solutions that are highly tailored, relevant, and effective.

Keep in mind, active participation might just be the best dating advice for you and your ServiceNow partner. What’s more romantic than synergizing on a cloud platform?

3. Maintain regular communication

Effective communication is the key to any successful partnership. When asked about how Cask helps customers overcome common challenges, Nancy explains, "We seek to meet customers where they are and then progress on the journey with them as opposed to for them." Ensure your consultant understands your business's current state and vision for the future, and keep them updated as these change over time. In return, your consultant should consistently communicate their insights, ideas, and progress.

This dynamic exchange of information goes beyond just updating one another on tasks completed or upcoming objectives. It's about creating a shared language and understanding, breaking down complex ideas into digestible parts, and ensuring that all parties are moving in sync towards shared goals. Ultimately, it's this ongoing dialogue that helps to align both strategic and operational objectives, and fosters the creation of meaningful, tailored solutions.

Communication is the secret sauce in any partnership—without it, you're just eating dry spaghetti.

4. Think people before technology

Nancy suggests that people should always come before technology. "We focus on people, then process, and then platform," she states. While the ServiceNow platform is a powerful tool, it’s the people who will be using it every day that will determine its effectiveness. Your consulting partner should always start with understanding your people's needs before recommending or implementing any technological solution.

It's important to understand that this people-first approach extends far beyond merely acknowledging the presence and importance of employees. It includes incorporating their input and feedback into the decision-making processes, respecting their insights, and making a concerted effort to understand their workflows, their pain points, and their objectives. This human-centric methodology allows the technology to be molded around the needs and functions of the people who will use it, ensuring a better fit for your organization and a more effective implementation of the ServiceNow platform.

So put people first; after all, your computer can’t appreciate a good cup of coffee in the morning, but your team sure can.

5. Leverage your partner’s past experience

Finally, take advantage of your ServiceNow partner's past experience. Nancy notes, "It's my experience...that I've made thousands of mistakes and hopefully I can prevent others from making those same mistakes." Your consultant has likely seen similar issues before and can bring that experience to bear on your current challenges. Of course, your company is unique. The ServiceNow partner should adapt their past experience to your specific situation.

Leveraging past experience doesn't mean copy-pasting old solutions onto new problems. Instead, it's about understanding the underlying principles and lessons learned from these experiences. It's this nuanced insight, born out of years of tackling diverse problems, that allows consultants to predict potential pitfalls and recommend preventive measures. By leaning on their experience, you can navigate the challenging landscape of digital transformation with increased confidence and precision.

Think of leveraging your partner’s past experience like a dance—they lead with their lessons, you follow with your business sense, and you actually find yourself having a whole lot of fun along the way.