ServiceNow
ServiceNow is an American software company based in Santa Clara, California whose native cloud computing platform gives businesses and enterprises of all sizes the technology they need to effectively manage their workloads and automate internal processes with digital workflows for enterprise operations.
The business was founded in 2004 by Fred Luddy. His vision was to create a software platform where average people (non-developers) could create apps or ways to route work around a company easily. He was inspired by the “pink and yellow slips” for purchasing and acquisitions that were prevalent in company mailrooms of the 1990s, during which time Luddy was CTO at software company Peregrine. When he pitched the early-stage company to investors about his concept for this new platform, they were understandably keen to see exactly what he could build with it. Drawing on his background in IT, Luddy built an IT Service Management (ITSM) programme, leveraging the standards of ITIL as the first ‘app’ on his new platform – and in the process, convinced them to invest in what has now grown into a US$8bn-a-year business.
This is why many people only associate the tech company with IT Service Management (ITSM) – because this was the first app use case built on the ServiceNow low-code application platform. But their business and their customers’ use of their technology solutions is much more diversified than the IT help desk. One of the more recent additions to gain popularity in the ServiceNow portfolio over the past few years is the Creator Workflows business unit. Creator Workflows is the encapsulation of ServiceNow’s core platform capabilities to drive business innovation with its flagship products, App Engine (low-code and pro code app development), and Automation Engine (Integrations, RPA, DocIntel). The Creator Workflows Global Solution Consulting team is headed up by Gregg Aldana, who, during his days of leading application development in the public sector, was a prolific user of ServiceNow’s technology. Driven by the overwhelming recent market demand for business-led low-code app development platforms, this new business unit was launched over the past three years and is empowering enterprise clients to build low-code workflows and custom apps for employees and customers at an impressive pace.
ServiceNow has more than 22,000 employees and its technology is used by 85% of Fortune 500 companies – something it can now boast to be itself, as of this year. It has 7,500 global enterprise customers including over 1,600 who are spending a million dollars or more, such is the scale of automation that it makes possible. Clients include retailers like Walmart and 7-Eleven; name brand entities such as Mars and Zoom; sports entertainment companies such as Nascar, the NBA, and the NHL; financial service and banking companies such as Wells Fargo and Standard Chartered; government agencies like the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of State; plus, aeronautics and aviation companies including Delta Airlines and Airbus.
