ServiceNow Review: Pros, Cons, Features, and Pricing
ServiceNow is a customer service software and an IT service management platform that helps manage customer inquiries and automate workflows. It’s ideal for large enterprises, especially in IT, healthcare, and finance, where complex service management is crucial. ServiceNow offers seamless integration and scalability for efficient customer support operations through its Now Platform.
ServiceNow addresses issues like inefficient workflows and disjointed customer interactions for IT teams and customer service teams. In this article, I'll cover ServiceNow's features, pros and cons, use cases, and pricing, so you can decide if this software aligns with your operational needs and goals.
ServiceNow Evaluation Summary
- Pricing upon request
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
ServiceNow Overview
In my opinion, ServiceNow is a solid choice for large enterprises needing robust customer service management and ITSM capabilities. It excels with its integration capabilities and dynamic features, making it ideal for industries like IT and healthcare. However, its pricing may deter smaller businesses. Compared to ServiceNow alternatives, the onboarding isn't the smoothest, but once set up, it offers powerful tools. For teams needing thorough customization and scalability, it's worth considering. ServiceNow reviews on platforms like industry forums highlight its comprehensive feature set, but note the steep price tag.
pros
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Excellent reporting features for tracking and analyzing performance.
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Customization options for tailoring solutions to specific needs.
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Powerful automation tools to streamline your team's workflow.
cons
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It may require extensive training to fully utilize all features.
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Onboarding can be time-consuming, impacting initial productivity.
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User interface can be complex, making it hard to navigate.
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How We Test & Score Tools
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)
The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.
Standout Features (25% of final scoring)
Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Core Features
Incident Management: Track and resolve incidents efficiently with real-time updates through the help desk module. Your team can prioritize tasks and improve response times while managing service requests.
Knowledge Management: Create a centralized repository for all your team's information. It helps you share insights and reduce repeated inquiries through a comprehensive knowledge base.
Service Catalog: Offer a detailed list of services your team provides through the service catalog module. Users can easily request services, making your work more organized for end users accessing the platform.
Workflow Automation: Automate routine tasks to save your team’s time. It allows you to focus on more complex issues without manual intervention, increasing the efficiency of IT operations.
Performance Analytics: Gain insights into your team's performance with detailed reports through the dashboards. It helps you identify trends and improve service delivery with in-depth analytics.
Self-Service Portal: Empower customers to find solutions independently, reducing your team's workload by handling common queries and service requests.
Ease of Use
ServiceNow's user interface can be daunting for your team, especially if you're not tech-savvy, affecting overall usability. Its complex layout requires time to learn, impacting initial productivity. While it offers powerful features, the steep learning curve might frustrate users looking for simplicity. Training is essential to unlock its potential, but once familiar, you'll appreciate the depth of functionalities it offers through its modules. Compared to the competition, ServiceNow demands more effort to master, but its robust capabilities can be worth it. The platform's no-code options help reduce the technical barrier for some tasks.
Integrations
ServiceNow integrates with SAP S4 HANA, Oracle HCM Cloud, Google Directory, Legal Tracker, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Slack, Jira, Azure, and Okta. The platform also supports integration with various CRM systems and enterprise tools.
ServiceNow also offers an API and connects with third-party integration tools to enhance its integration capabilities, creating a comprehensive ecosystem of custom workflows for enterprises.
ServiceNow Specs
- Analytics
- API
- Batch Permissions & Access
- Call Integration
- Chat
- Contact Management
- Contact Sharing
- CRM Integration
- Customer Management
- Customer Service
- Dashboard
- Data Export
- Data Import
- Data Visualization
- Email Integration
- Escalation Management
- External Integrations
- Instant Chat Integration
- Knowledge Base
- Lead Management
- Lead Scoring
- Multi-User
- Notifications
- Real-time Alerts
- Scheduling
- Self-service Portal
- Social Media Integration
- Support Forum
- Third-Party Plugins/Add-Ons
- Ticket Management
- Workflow Management
