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August 16, 2024
XX min read

How to Use ServiceNow: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

The Now Platform is a revolutionary foundation for digital business, specifically designed to drive transformation, optimize processes, and accelerate innovation at scale. By providing a single, unifying platform, it allows businesses to build and automate quickly, future-proof technologies, and deliver exceptional user experiences. In a modern workplace, where efficiency and innovation are key, the Now Platform stands out as a critical tool for optimizing processes, connecting data and organizational silos, and driving transformative growth.

Who is the Now Platform for

The Now Platform is for organizations of all sizes seeking to enhance their digital business operations. Ideal users include:

  • Business Process Managers: Who need to streamline and automate operational workflows.
  • IT Professionals: Keen on ensuring system reliability and improving IT support efficiency.
  • HR Professionals: Looking to enhance employee onboarding, streamline internal communications, and improve training programs.
  • Customer Service Managers: Aiming to boost customer experience, reduce response times, and enhance support processes.
  • Knowledge Managers: Focused on managing company knowledge, improving information access, and streamlining content creation.

Key features

The Now Platform boasts several key features designed to transform business operations:

  • Workflow Automation: Automates routine processes across IT, HR, Customer Service, and other departments, reducing manual efforts and increasing efficiency.
  • Service Management: Comprehensive IT service management capabilities that enable the management of end-to-end IT lifecycles.
  • AI and Machine Learning: Incorporates AI to provide predictive insights, automate repetitive tasks, and offer personalized recommendations.
  • Integration Hub: Seamlessly integrates with third-party applications to ensure data flows smoothly across the organization, eliminating silos and fostering collaboration.
  • Custom Apps: Allows businesses to develop custom applications quickly, catering to unique business needs without extensive coding knowledge.
  • Analytics and Reporting: Provides powerful analytics to gain insights into performance metrics, aiding in data-driven decision making.
  • Employee Experience: Enhances the overall employee experience by providing a unified portal for accessing company resources and services.

Best use cases

The Now Platform shines in various scenarios across different teams and industries:

  • IT Service Management: Automates IT workflows, manages incidents, problems, and changes, thereby improving service delivery and support.
  • Customer Service: Enhances customer interactions, providing self-service portals and automated workflows to resolve issues quickly.
  • Human Resources: Streamlines HR processes like onboarding, offboarding, and employee case management, improving overall employee satisfaction.
  • Field Service Management: Optimizes field operations by tracking workforce, managing work orders, and ensuring timely service delivery.
  • Financial Services: Enables faster processing of financial operations, compliance management, and risk assessment.
  • Healthcare: Improves patient care through efficient management of healthcare processes and patient data.

Getting started

  1. Setting Up an Account: Visit the Now Platform website and sign up for an account by providing basic details and choosing a subscription plan.
  2. Dashboard Customization: Customize your dashboard to display the most relevant data and metrics for your role.
  3. Workflow Creation: Navigate to the workflow creation module, where you can start building automated workflows tailored to your organizational needs.
  4. Integration: Connect the Now Platform with your current systems and applications via the Integration Hub, ensuring seamless data flow.
  5. Training and Resources: Leverage the platform's extensive training materials and resources to familiarize your team with its capabilities and best practices.
  6. Launch and Monitor: Launch your workflows and applications, and continuously monitor them using the platform’s analytics tools to ensure optimal performance.

Tips and best practices

  • Automate Repetitive Tasks: Use workflow automation to handle routine and repetitive tasks, freeing up time for more strategic activities.
  • Leverage AI for Insights: Utilize the AI and machine learning capabilities to gain predictive insights and make informed decisions.
  • Regular Training: Conduct regular training sessions for your team to stay updated with new features and best practices.
  • Customize Workflows: Tailor workflows to meet specific business needs and continuously iterate based on feedback and performance analytics.
  • Utilize Analytics: Take advantage of the analytics and reporting features to identify performance bottlenecks and areas for improvement.

Integration with Guru

The Now Platform integrates seamlessly with Guru, combining the power of a unifying foundation for digital business with an AI-based knowledge management system. Guru’s AI search capabilities enhance the functionality of the Now Platform by allowing users to:

  • Unified Information Access: Access all necessary information across connected systems in one place, enhancing efficiency and reducing the time needed for information retrieval.
  • Personalized Answers: Get instant, accurate answers to queries based on the context and natural language understanding, ensuring that users can act on information without delays.
  • Permission Preservation: Ensure that information access respects existing permissions, providing a secure and trusted environment for data access and collaboration.
  • Enhanced Productivity: Combine the Now Platform’s workflow automation with Guru’s AI-driven knowledge management to drive productivity through a more connected and intelligent work environment.

Conclusion

The Now Platform is a transformative tool for any organization looking to boost efficiency, streamline processes, and accelerate innovation. Its robust feature set, including workflow automation, AI insights, and seamless integration capabilities, make it an essential foundation for digital business. By integrating with Guru, organizations can further enhance their productivity, ensuring that employees have instant access to the knowledge they need without the hassle of navigating multiple systems. Ready to transform your workplace? Give the Now Platform a try today and integrate it with Guru to unlock the full potential of your business.

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