Effective knowledge management is an important consideration for any business concerned with improving its operating efficiency. For companies experiencing rapid growth and change, the pace at which knowledge is created necessitates an agile solution for keeping stakeholders informed and new processes running smoothly. At Trianz, we understand the value of eliminating wasted time and effort at scale, and in this article we would like to show you how you can maximize the benefits gained from ServiceNow’s Knowledge Management offering.
Here, we will discuss some of the main challenges organizations face as they attempt to implement customized knowledge management solutions, concrete steps you can take to ensure optimal performance for the model you choose, and outcomes you can expect from successfully integrating your communication channels into ServiceNow’s knowledge management platform. The importance of knowledge management cannot be overstated, since no other aspect of your business has the same power to unify processes or to connect people from different departments under global policies. However, streamlining the creation of a repeatable knowledge management paradigm requires a breadth of cross-industry expertise only available from a few of ServiceNow’s partners.
Obstacles to Implementing Knowledge Management Systems
Although many organizations go to extraordinary lengths to protect their patents and trade secrets, some still have difficulty managing information about standard operating procedures and HR policies that contribute to everyday work getting done properly and per regulations. A clunky system of shared folders containing out-of-date Word files is no longer adequate for maintaining corporate knowledge; with powerful resources like ServiceNow’s cloud management platform now widely available to companies of any size, the mantra to “evolve or die” is being chanted more loudly than ever.
The requirements for responsive knowledge management in organizations hoping to surpass the efficiency of their competitors are constantly expanding. How do you grant on-demand information access to stakeholders at different levels throughout your company? How do you enable employees to update documentation immediately as processes change or to notify system users of their updates? How do you measure the adoption frequency of your knowledgebase and deliver effective training internationally? The prospect of responding to all these needs may seem overwhelming, but all business leaders ask themselves these questions—and ServiceNow offers clear answers for each of them.
Recommendations for Managing Corporate Knowledge with ServiceNow
Wherever your organization may be with its knowledge management strategy, the user experience you create can be enhanced by following these three steps. Each one benefits immensely from ServiceNow’s innovative functionality:
- Identify the sources of knowledge in your organization and at least one key employee from each department who can own knowledge management for his or her team;
- Evaluate the quantity and quality of existing knowledge and communication channels, prioritizing major areas for immediate improvement;
- Define clear goals that will align your staff with business objectives within a definitive timeframe and create a plan to close information gaps through regular training.
Customizable ServiceNow dashboards can reveal which people produce the majority of your corporate knowledge and empower them to document it dynamically. This significantly reduces the learning curve for critical job functions. These dashboards can also help you track the ease of access to information on processes and policies, which will accelerate standardization across departments. As you target specific paths to progress, our experts can help you migrate data to ServiceNow’s platforms, integrate ServiceNow features into your existing systems, and even set up ServiceNow Service Desks and IT Management modules for superior service delivery.
Business Impacts of Impeccable Knowledge Management
When your staff gains confidence in the accuracy and timeliness of the information at its disposal, good decisions will be made more efficiently and workplace interactions will become more constructive. Your organization will save time and money as your employees begin relying upon an authoritative source of answers to any questions they may have. You will notice a decline in problems related to quality and an increase in your team’s overall responsiveness to matters of corporate purpose.
Great knowledge management can be a crucible for innovation. Once you have migrated all your documentation to the cloud, your employees will no longer be bogged down by an archaic vault of hard-to-access or out-of-date files. Once you have logically structured all your fundamental data in one location, your staff will be liberated to do their best work without the distraction of having to track down unreliable answers to common questions. When they are on the same page and you have eliminated the risk of non-compliance with laws and regulations, your leaders will be free to pursue new ways of building business and driving revenue.
Trianz is one of the foremost experts in this space, and with experience spanning a wide range of industries and company sizes, we have relevant case studies for nearly every situation. Visit Trianz.com today to find out more about how our experts can help you implement the best possible ServiceNow solution for your needs. We will gladly guide you through any challenges you are facing.
For additional reading on a related subject, be sure to check out our How To article on Improving Software Usage Analysis with ServiceNow and BigFix.
Trianz is a global leader in managed services for IT improvement. If you’re looking for solutions that are cutting-edge and cost-effective, as well as predictable business outcomes with priority on security and scalability—we know the right solutions for you.
