Measuring customer service business outcomes with ServiceNow CSM

Neil Kostecki · ‎05-27-2024

So, you’re using ServiceNow Customer Service Management (CSM) to deliver an exceptional customer and/or agent experience, and you’d like to know how to get maximum value out of the product? Let’s delve into strategies for identifying, prioritizing, and measuring business outcomes.

1. Define Clear Objectives:

Start by understanding the specific business outcomes you want to achieve. These could include improving customer satisfaction, reducing resolution times, or enhancing self-service capabilities.

Once you know where you want to focus your effort, collaborate with your stakeholders to define clear and measurable goals. For example:

Increase first-contact resolution rate by 20% within six months.
Achieve a customer satisfaction score of 90% or higher.
Reduce average handling time by 15%.

These goals will guide your KPI (Key Performance Indicators) selection, so make sure you are all aligned before moving forward.

2. Select Relevant KPIs:

Now that you know what you want to accomplish and when, identify and select KPIs that directly align with those goals so that you can track your progress. Here are some relevant customer service KPIs:

First-Contact Resolution (FCR) Rate: Measures the percentage of issues resolved during the first customer contact.
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Score: Reflects customer satisfaction based on post-interaction surveys.
Average Handling Time (AHT): Tracks the time taken to resolve customer issues.
Self-Service Adoption Rate: Measures how often customers use self-service options.

Don't see the metrics you’re looking for?... read more here: What are customer service metrics?

Be sure to prioritize KPIs based on their impact on the overall business outcomes. Measuring everything is not as important as measuring specifically what helps you achieve your goals.

3. Measure and Review performance:

Now that you know what you need to track, you can use Customer Service Platform Analytics Solutions to get visibility and monitor your progress. For example:

Be sure to regularly track and monitor your KPIs and use historical data to identify trends and areas for improvement. Also, ensure your data is accurate and consistent so you know you are making well-informed decisions.

4. Benchmark and Compare:

Benchmark your KPIs against industry standards and best practices. Understand what success looks like in your domain.

Compare your performance over time, against your competitors (if possible), and identify gaps and opportunities.

There are various organizations that offer resources to help benchmark and compare your progress against others like you: Gartner, TSIA (Technology Services Industry Association), Forrester, etc. Use all available resources to help you get a sense of where you stand.

5. Iterate and Improve:

Continuously iterate on your strategies. Focus on your goals and if a KPI is not driving the desired results, adjust your approach – stay agile.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address bottlenecks and optimize processes. Use the skills and expertise of others to work together and find solutions.

Regularly communicate progress and insights to your stakeholders, good or bad. It’s important to keep everyone informed and on the same page. They’ll appreciate the transparency and might even have suggestions to help get things back on track.

In Summary

Remember that effective measurement and optimization of ServiceNow CSM outcomes require a comprehensive approach, involving people, processes, and technology. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to helping you get the most out of your purchase, but there are plenty of resources and people that can help you along this journey.

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Have a question about measuring CSM value? Something you think we missed? Add a comment below to keep the discussion going!