At HFS,  already a few months into our 2019 ServiceNow services study, which means one thing: We’re talking to a host of enterprise leaders in various stages of rolling out or developing ServiceNow instances.

One theme is emerging as a growing trend in the space, falling within the familiar balancing act enterprise and technology leaders have wrestled with – essentially how much of their technology stack they can customize without pushing it out of vendor support and release schedules. It’s this fine balancing act that enterprise project leaders must perfect if they are to get the most value from ServiceNow.

 It seems that a significant chunk of the market has been caught-out through over customization over the past few years, as they layer on more features and capabilities to set the platform up to cater to their business’s unique needs. For many, customization has always been a major driving force for any technology initiative – allowing enterprises to build competitive differentiation into their technology stack.

However, the nature of the game has changed considerably and continues to evolve at a much faster pace. The ServiceNow ecosystem is a classic example of this dynamic in actions – as enterprise executives push for business-focused customization, but need to balance this against the software vendors’ own roadmap that could see the longevity of their instance shrink with every new release from the vendor. Potentially pushing the   instance out of support, and out of compatibility with new releases in as little as a few months – if they don’t navigate the ecosystem carefully.

‘The balancing act becomes harder with every feature-rich release – so we rely on our partner to help us navigate the ecosystem and plan ahead’

– Anonymized client reference

Many enterprise leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to their ServiceNow project. They need to push the platform to deliver business value, and in the past, they leveraged the burgeoning services ecosystem to customize the ServiceNow platform to meet their unique needs. This trend has caused ServiceNow to move well beyond traditional ITSM and service management more generally, advancing it into the front-office and other areas of the business.

But, here’s the challenge: ServiceNow is pushing its own innovative agenda at a pace that is forcing enterprise leaders to question their traditional strategy. Many leaders and project managers we’ve spoken to have learned this the hard way as their ambitious roadmaps dictating high-levels of customization moved them well outside of the parameters of new releases. Of course, this isn’t a new challenge, and it has plagued enterprises since the days of multi-year on-premise engagements, but it is becoming more acute with the frequent updates that role out through modern SaaS delivery models.

The harsh reality is that enterprise leaders can’t rely on the out-of-the-box product entirely either if they’re to deliver the most value out of the system. Despite ServiceNow’s determined roadmap, services firms tell us there is still plenty of demand for them to mold the platform to unique business requirements. Many more tell us that a considerable amount of work is coming their way through the need to re-implement existing ServiceNow instances because of over customization. The challenge for services firms is the same as for enterprise leaders – they need to balance the short-term demand for customization with the longevity of the system that increased customization can significantly reduce.

“What we didn’t have in the past was a firm hand on the tiller, helping us select developments that would solve challenges without compromising the health of the entire platform.”

– Anonymized client reference

The balancing act will undoubtedly impact everyone no matter where they are on their journey – to help you get there we’ve pulled together some aggregated advice from enterprise project leaders; it all centers on finding a partner that doesn’t simply say “Yes” to every request, no matter how fatal they are in the long run.

• Find a partner that will speak up: Here’s the big one, you need a partner that will speak up in the board room and let you know that the “minor tweak” you’re asking for could present major challenges when new ServiceNow updates are rolled out. You need a partner that is as invested in your project’s long-term success as you are. That will inevitably involve difficult conversations that, while challenging to begin with, could see you see an even harder one in a few months.

• Insider knowledge is key: The very best services firms have a close working relationship with ServiceNow. This gives the firm a great inside view of a firm’s roadmap—which will be essential for picking out customizations that will survive the next few updates and those that will cause issues in the short or long term. Scrutinize your partners’ knowledge of ServiceNow and the relationship they have to make sure that you can lean on them for invaluable intel.

• Be open and let them do their thing: Finally, none of the above is possible without letting your service provider voice their opinion in an open and collaborative environment. You need to be able to trust them to give you the right advice and point you in the best direction. If you are fostering an environment where your partners are closed out of key parts of the conversation, then the value they can offer you is limited.

The Bottom Line: You must find the balance between customization and longevity if your business is to get the most value from ServiceNow.

There are no right or wrong answers. Some enterprise leaders are happy to trade off future compatibility with highly customized environments. But they need to make that decision with their eyes wide open, and they can only do that with a collaborative and insightful services partner that helps them navigate the tightrope of customization and longevity.