In our previous blog, we talked about exactly what Service Operations (Service Ops) is, and the significance of it in the ServiceNow realm. It’s not just about the Service Operations Workspace that came with the San Diego release. Nope, it’s a whole methodology that combines Service and Operations to give you a fresh perspective. Think of it as a modernised approach to obtain visibility into context and impact, transforming your way of working from reactive firefighting to proactive insight.

First Steps to ServiceNow's Service Operations 

Now, if you’re intrigued, you're probably wondering: where do I even start? Well, here’s the thing - it’s not just about adding a new tool. It’s about changing how you think and layering tools in a new way. The whole idea behind Service Ops is to bridge the gap between your Service Desk team, who looks after end users, and the Operations team, who keeps the lights on infrastructure-wise. Picture this: real-time visibility into what’s going on and why, all in one place. It’s like connecting the dots for your team, so you can make smarter decisions on the fly.  

Getting started with Service Ops doesn’t mean breaking the bank. You can kick things off using your existing ITSM licenses. Start by establishing a solid CSDM foundation and outlining a clear roadmap. Begin small and scale up as needed to gauge effectiveness. 

Step 1: Draw Out Your Services and Start Small 

We recommend flipping the script and starting from the end, then work backward. Grab a pen and paper, and ask yourself the basics: what are my services, how are they structured within the IT organisation and why they matter? This simple exercise gives you insight into your service stack, how your business delivers them, and their components.  

List all your services on paper or whatever medium you prefer, then map them back into the ServiceNow platform. Consider which capabilities can help manage these service elements. If possible, assign owners to each of these and note down possible monitoring strategies. A thorough planning and preparation phase sets the stage for actionable plans and quick wins.  

Additionally, with a clear view of your service stack, gaining support from senior leadership becomes easier as they’ll see first hand how Service Ops translates into tangible benefits for the organisation.

Step 2: Commit to a Healthy CSDM 

To make Service Ops work, you’ll have to store and organise that data reliably within your CMDB. After all, all we want are to minimise negative impacts on users (e.g. cut downtime), manage traffic effectively, enhance current operations (e.g. reduce MTTR), and align with the broader business objectives.  

This requires seamless coordination between your Service Desk team and Operations team, alongside access to relevant data. Does your team currently have insights into service disruptions, customer activity history, or changing service trends? Can your staff access this information easily for reporting and optimisation purposes? If not, how can such data be extracted and visualised to facilitate your workflows? 

This all comes down to having a well-structured CSDM and smooth processes to ensure comprehensive data capture and integration into your system. Depending on the scale of your service stack, assessing and rebuilding your CMDB can be a significant undertaking. Unifii offers a tailored CSDM assessment service designed to meet your specific business needs. This 4–6-week project spans 4 different phases: 

• Alignment: Understanding your organisation’s strategic priorities and mapping them to a complete CSDM structure 

• Review: Deep diving into your system to gather information on your existing processes and data 

• Stakeholder follow-up: Verifying our initial findings with key stakeholders  

• Playback: Delivering an actionable report defining an initial road map and potential gains over time  

So, if your team is looking into reviewing platform usage or thinking about getting into Service Ops but you’re not sure where to start – or if you have the capacity in-house, our experienced ServiceNow professionals at Unifii can guide you towards success.

Conclusion 

Service Operations isn’t an all-or-nothing deal. You can dip your toes in the water, starting small – maybe just with your core team or a handful of key players. It doesn’t have to be a massive overhaul and wouldn’t necessarily cost any extra license fees. Why not give it a shot with a select few services? Prove the concept works, then expand from there. 

ServiceNow is only going to grow bigger and towards the core of Service Operations. The best time to start making those changes is now. It can be a bit scary, but trust me, things will grow, evolve, and get better over time. If you need someone to chat with along the way, we’re here for you. We’ve helped tons of customers from all kinds of industries navigate their transformation journeys, and we’re ready to do the same for you.