These days there is more computing power in our smartphones than we had in an entire desktop system 5 or 10 years ago. With Samsung introducing devices like the Dex -- which connects your phone to a monitor and keyboard -- people are even using smartphones as their main device to get work done, watch movies, and sometimes make an occasional phone call. Amid this mobile-first, cloud-first computing era, businesses are very aware that the need to keep pace with the changes.
The cloud-based workflow company, ServiceNow, understands the necessity of making their technology available via a native mobile app. The company has just announced an agreement to acquire mobile platform company SkyGiraffe and plans to complete the transaction during Q4 of 2017. ServiceNow claims that the acquisition will let customers easily deliver consumer-like mobile experiences for any application built on the Now Platform, creating productivity and convenience for employees who want to work mobile-first, anytime, anywhere.
Bringing one of the company's flagship platforms, IT Service Management (ITSM) to a native mobile app can be especially beneficial for technicians, as they are often on the road at various clients. At the MSPs I have worked at in the past, there have typically been a few workstations dedicated to these onsite technicians, where they can come and use a computer to update tickets, fill out time sheets, and more. Once these tasks can be easily completed from their mobile device, the need for these workstations, that were often empty, could be eliminated. The ability to update tickets on the fly, while at the client will also help technicians keep better notes of the service they have rendered.
The potential also for mobile notifications built into the app, can help IT professionals find out about problems before they arise, or as soon as they arise, significantly reducing the time to resolution. Although, there is no way to tell currently what kind of features the mobile app will have.
This acquisition, coupled with the acquisition of Telepathy just last month, shows the company is laser-focused on creating a better user experience across the platforms it has available. ServiceNow expects SkyGiraffe technology to be embedded in the Now Platform in 2018, offering all packaged applications in a native mobile format.
