STORY: “Hannah and the Case of the Missing Hardware Assets” --- Chapter 3 – Back to the beginning (of the asset lifecycle)*

[Eric Martinez]

STORY: “Hannah and the Case of the Missing Hardware Assets”

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Chapter 3 – Back to the beginning (of the asset lifecycle)*

Hannah recognized that Hardware Asset Management had significantly helped her with most of the hardware lifecycle. But they were still missing the beginning of the lifecycle.

BrambleStatic* always had siloed departments. Purchases were done in one department, fulfillment in another and receipt of deliveries was never really managed. Boxes of devices often were left on the shipping docks of some locations and in the hallways near mailrooms at others. If a package “walked off,” well, Hannah really did not know. Nor did anyone else.

Hannah recognized that so much important information about a hardware asset should be available at the earliest stage of the asset lifecycle. And by not having the right workflows and processes in place they were missing out on tying the following information to the hardware asset data:
   • Request information
   • Purchase price and vendor
   • Warranty, contracts, and included software

There are currently way too many models of laptops being used in the environment. This has traditionally been hard to manage and even harder to support. Even 30 models are too many.

Hannah narrowed down the standard laptop options to four models for end users.

She then worked with the ServiceNow ITSM team to build requests for two options of Macs and two options for PCs. Fewer models to track and fewer models to support. Win-Win.

She then worked to connect BrambleStatic’s* purchasing system with ServiceNow.

Now, a request for a laptop is completed all from ServiceNow. A laptop is only ordered when a laptop is not currently available in the stockroom inventory.
But then to tackle that receiving problem. Hardware Asset Management can receive assets directly into inventory using a mobile device.

The supervisor or manager (or an assigned technician) for each stockroom, location, or data center now has the ability to receive devices using their phone.

Starting next year, Hannah plans to be able to ship laptops ordered directly to her remote employees from the supplier. The remote employee will be able to scan their laptop when they receive it. Less work for the stock room manager and the employee gets their laptop faster. Win-win.

Hannah has a hardware asset record automatically created when the device is received. The asset is associated to the purchase order, so Hannah has the history of the purchase and the original cost. The asset is also associated to any contract in place with the vendor or manufacturer.

Hannah knows who received it. She knows which user and department requested it.

Hannah is excited to have the receiving process under control. So much valuable information about cost, warranty and support was previously lost during these earlier stages. But not anymore for Hannah or BrambleStatic*!

Stay tuned for Hannah’s next step on the HAM journey: Entering the mid-life(cycle crisis zone!

For more information on Hardware Asset Management, go to servicenow.com/HAM

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*The details of the company described in this story are fictional and only represent the profile of a Fortune 500 company. The details are not indicative of any existing company, past or present.