ServiceNow’s out-of-the-box (OOTB) functionality is exceptional, but no software is right for every business. A credit to ServiceNow is that it recognizes this and has stood out by allowing companies and partners to build custom applications on its platform to fit their business perfectly.
But what does that mean, exactly?
Using ServiceNow’s Now Platform, companies can build an application with their own business requirements, data models, and processes that is created specifically for their use cases. So, the app is still within the ServiceNow architecture, but customized from the standardized functionality.
The question then becomes, when would you need a custom app rather than the OOTB ServiceNow solution? There is one obvious answer, but it’s not the only reason. We will dive into these in this blog post. Then, in the next of this series, we’ll talk about pitfalls to avoid before developing your own custom app.
When you have specialized business practices
I teased this already in the introduction. Any major platform is working to provide capabilities that serve a broad swath of companies and the most general, overarching needs. That’s what makes them commercially appealing. But if you are an organization with a business model or process unlike anyone else – take the IRS, who does not have a peer – then it takes more than the OOTB services to get the job done.
This is looking to be even more of a need moving forward as brands are innovating the way they go to market, their processes become more specialized.
When you have outdated or disperate systems
When an OOTB system doesn’t cover your entire process or needs, then you have to adapt by getting multiple platforms to do the job. The problem is that these often don’t talk to each other well, and they age and reach its end of life at different stages.
This not only causes inefficiencies, but security can become a real concern. Once the system reaches its end of life, it’s either impossible to upgrade or it’s monumentally costly to do so, which means your security protection is also out of date.
When you have a lack of mobility
Companies with employees in the field and around the country don’t have time to wait to connect to a VPN or WIFI when they get back to their office or hotel room before finishing their work. Real-time access to data and systems is critical in today’s business landscape. The same could be said for those who still rely on paper documents.
Having changes and updates that are hours old before they are reflected in your systems opens the door for errors, inefficiencies, and issues with version control. That’s why the fact that ServiceNow is a cloud-based platform is such a big factor because it allows users to access it from anywhere in real time.
Take your platform to the next level
Now you know the use cases for when a custom app in ServiceNow is the right move to make. Dive deeper into the benefits of ServiceNow’s Now Platform and how to start building out a roadmap for success with our latest free ebook, The Case for a ServiceNow Custom App. And for government agencies, we have an agency-specific assessment for ServiceNow custom apps.
