Company overview

Okta is a leading security company specializing in Identity Access Management with a mission to build a safely connected world where everyone can belong and thrive. As organizations increasingly rely on cloud applications and remote work, Okta's Single Sign On product has become essential infrastructure, integrating seamlessly with platforms like ServiceNow to deliver secure, streamlined access management.

The challenge

When Trinh Nguyen joined Okta as Product Manager (Platform Owner), she inherited a ServiceNow environment that was functional but underutilized. The platform had been initially procured in 2017 to meet Governance Risk & Compliance team requirements, but its potential for transforming IT service delivery remained largely untapped.

"Prior to my involvement, teams were using email to create tickets—there was no portal," explains Nguyen, who manages and oversees all areas of ServiceNow, leading a team of 7 engineers globally. "Our goal was to position ServiceNow as the single source for information and support."

Premier Support response times averaged 22 minutes, with mean time to resolution stretching to 4.2 hours. Customer satisfaction hovered at just 60%, reflecting the reactive and informal nature of support processes.

The ServiceNow solution

Okta deployed a comprehensive ServiceNow ecosystem including Human Resources Service Delivery (HRSD), Integrated Risk Management (IRM), Workplace Management, Customer Service Management (CSM), Hardware Asset Management (HAM), Software Asset Management (SAM), and IT Service Management (ITSM) modules. However, the real transformation came through strategic investment in ServiceNow University training and process standardization.

Nguyen implemented a multi-tiered training approach that recognized different user needs and skill levels. For new users, she provided training focused on portal navigation and basic functionality. ITIL agents received advanced training covering ticket lifecycle management and reporting dashboards. New administrators participated in in-depth training that was built on the ServiceNow Administration Fundamentals course.

The crown jewel of the training initiative was deploying the User Adoption ready-to-go-pack for ITSM to the global Premier Support team. "We recently purchased the ServiceNow User Adoption ready-to-go-pack for ITSM and deployed this self-service training to our global Premier Support team," says Nguyen. "I further customized the content to better align with our engineers' specific roles and workflows. The feedback has been excellent, with many team members expressing that the training made them significantly more effective in their roles."

The transformation

The results of Okta's comprehensive ServiceNow University training strategy have been remarkable, with measurable improvements across the board.

Response times improved dramatically, dropping from 22 minutes to just 12 minutes—a 45% improvement. Even more impressive was the 48% improvement in mean time to resolution, falling from 4.2 hours to 2.2 hours as standardized playbooks drove consistent outcomes.

The new VIP portal—a separate service catalog for the executives—achieved an extraordinary 85% adoption rate within just six months of launch. This shift reduced time spent on ticket intake coordination by 30% while increasing self-service resolution by 40% through improved knowledge base access.

Perhaps most impressive was the customer satisfaction transformation. "Before ServiceNow University training and our portal implementation, we averaged 60% customer satisfaction across executive support interactions," Nguyen explains. "After training and portal deployment, we achieved 97.2% average customer satisfaction across executive support tickets." ServiceNow University training also drove quality improvements throughout the organization. Escalations to external teams decreased by 55%, while incidents resolved without handoff increased by 40%. Internal knowledge base utilization more than doubled, reflecting the team's enhanced capability and confidence due to having the right skills.

Boosting output with a scalable AI platform

Beyond operational improvements, ServiceNow became integral to Okta's strategic operations. "Our most critical integration is using the Okta spoke," explains Nguyen. "We use this to automate the provisioning and deprovisioning of users' access to applications, domains, roles, etc. This reduces hours of manual work with the engineers."

The platform's governance capabilities ensure SOX compliance while providing executive visibility through custom dashboards. The scalability became evident as Okta handled 25% more support volume, a testament to the efficiency gains achieved through proper training and process optimization.

ServiceNow University drives team development

Over 500 people have received training across various ServiceNow modules, with Nguyen actively encouraging and supporting team members in obtaining ServiceNow certifications. "We view certification as both a professional development opportunity and a strategic investment in the strength of our platform team," she explains.

"Our Premier Support team has shown outstanding results following their ServiceNow training," reflects Nguyen. "Most team members joined Okta with no prior experience on the platform, yet after completing the training, they've quickly outpaced even veteran engineers in their understanding and application of ServiceNow." This success inspired team members to set personal goals, with many pursuing the Certified System Administrator (CSA) certification.

The training even enhanced partnerships with external vendors. "Completing the Hardware Asset Management Fundamentals course significantly enhanced my ability to evaluate and provide accurate feedback to our partner on their design," Nguyen explains. "The training helped me clearly distinguish between out-of-the-box functionality and customizations."

Looking forward

Nguyen's vision extends beyond current achievements. "GenAI is our next major initiative," she shares. "It will propel us forward and highlight the true power and potential of the ServiceNow AI Platform—for example, ITSM and HRSD—two major domains where GenAI use cases can help fill gaps by interacting with our users and helping our agents see what's in their blind spots."

Her personal commitment to excellence includes pursuing the Certified Technical Architect (CTA) certification, with plans to obtain at least two required certifications this year as a part of the process.

When asked what advice she'd give to other companies considering using ServiceNow University, Nguyen is emphatic about its transformational potential.

"I would tell them that investing in ServiceNow University is not just about enabling your team to use the platform—it's about empowering them to drive transformation. When your engineers, admins, and process owners truly understand the platform's capabilities, they make better decisions, implement solutions more efficiently, and reduce reliance on external partners."

The bottom line

Okta's ServiceNow transformation demonstrates that technology alone isn't enough—strategic  training is the catalyst that unlocks true potential from the ServiceNow AI Platform. Through comprehensive ServiceNow University training, Okta achieved 97.2% customer satisfaction, 45% faster response times, and 48% faster resolutions while handling 25% more volume with the same team size.

"Overall, training is very important to us. It strengthens our credibility as a team, reinforces our platform governance, and demonstrates to stakeholders that we have the skills and leadership needed to drive ServiceNow success across the organization."

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