Transforming service management for operational excellence and innovation

How a large European tech-driven e-commerce organization transformed its service management practices to enhance the employee experience, operational efficiency, accelerate service onboarding, and drive innovation across its extensive operations and diverse teams.

In the story

Optimized service delivery with clear governance
Accelerated service onboarding through standardized framework
Increased operational efficiency and team autonomy

A European e-commerce organization headquartered in Germany is revolutionizing its ServiceNow platform to serve as a cornerstone for operational excellence and innovation. With years of experience and rapid growth, the organization has become a prominent player in the consumer business industry, offering a wide range of fashion and lifestyle products—from clothing and footwear to accessories and sports equipment.

To meet the fast-evolving demands of digital transformation, the organization recognized the need for a solid service management layer as the foundation for aligning its ServiceNow platform with broader strategic objectives. Collaborating with Deloitte Germany, the organization leveraged the Service Management Enablement Framework to establish this crucial foundation, enabling it to drive operational excellence and innovation. Practical solutions such as a comprehensive playbook, an orchestration framework, and optimized service management processes improved governance, accelerated service onboarding, and enhanced operational efficiency. These efforts help to ensure the organization remains competitive and continues to grow in a dynamic market.

The challenge

Despite the significant potential of the ServiceNow platform, the client faced critical challenges that were limiting its ability to scale effectively:

Service Management Inefficiencies

Lack of clear governance led to inconsistent catalog designs and user experiences.

Fragmented approaches across teams created silos, hindered collaboration, and introduced operational inefficiencies.

Onboarding Bottlenecks

The absence of a standardized framework led to inconsistent service designs and slow service delivery.

A lack of structured onboarding processes delayed the introduction of new services, resulting in slow knowledge sharing, poor resource utilization, and inefficient service delivery.

Impact highlights

50%

reduction in HR cases created via email, including those from non-employee senders.

200%

increase in self-service HR cases requested via an existing portal.

20%

decrease in general inquiry cases, contributing to improved operational efficiencies.

7.5%

reduction in transfer rate, showing a steady downward trend.

180%

increase in knowledge usage, leading to improved case deflection.

Through our collaboration with Deloitte, we have unlocked the full potential of our ServiceNow platform, driving operational excellence and fostering a culture of innovation. By streamlining onboarding, enhancing governance, and optimizing service management, we have empowered our teams to scale faster, deliver superior customer experiences, and remain agile in a competitive market. This transformation not only improves efficiency but also strengthens our commitment to providing top-quality service and continuous growth.

- Deloitte Germany e-commerce client

The solution

Deloitte Germany's solution was carefully designed to address the client’s specific needs, leveraging a practical and iterative approach that aligned with the client’s goals. Key initiatives included:

Playbook Development for Streamlined Onboarding

A comprehensive playbook was created for platform onboarding that included:

- Service catalog design principles (e.g., service taxonomy, groups and permissions, approval workflows).

- Guidelines for service operation and enhancement, including demand and knowledge management.

A modular workshop series was developed to offer ongoing training.

A high-level onboarding process overview chart was produced to provide clarity and structure.

Centralized Operating Model

An orchestration framework was designed with clearly defined roles to enable scalable, repeatable service rollouts across teams.

Revamped Request Management Process

A generic Request Management and Incident setup was implemented to support standardized onboarding, featuring:

- A centralized configuration table for easier management.

- A single Master Workflow to simplify service approval processes.

- An approval sub-flow to enhance governance and reduce operational overhead.

The impact

Deloitte Germany’s solutions delivered transformative results that streamlined processes and empowered the client to achieve operational excellence.

Playbook Impact

The modular playbook created a unified, step-by-step guide that became the standard reference for all platform users, helping to ensure consistent understanding and application across teams.

Stakeholders gained confidence in the onboarding process through easy-to-follow guidance and accessible resources.

Operational Success

The client successfully onboarded three new Service Portfolios, supporting smooth transitions and accelerating the time-to-value.

Teams were empowered with a scalable onboarding process, reducing reliance on external support and promoting autonomy.

Efficiency Gains

The Request Management process was optimized, leading to faster time-to-market for both new and existing services.

By standardizing generic requests and streamlining updates to older services, resources were freed up for more strategic, high-value initiatives.

Make your services a driver for success with Deloitte's Service Management Journey

Identify

Understand your status quo with an up-front requirement analysis to derive your service management scope. Do the preparation work for setting up your service management project.

Design

Design your services with the user at the center of all service and process design principles.

Build

Implement your services onto the platform in accordance with best practices.

Deliver and Enable

Bring your services to life and prepare for continuous service improvement. Train your team on the new ways of service provision.

Did you find this useful?

Yes

No

Transforming service management for operational excellence and innovation

In the story