What Happens When AI Meets Real-World Service Operations
Tyler Drake
Published Date
For years, ServiceNow was seen as “just” an IT ticketing platform. That perception has shifted quickly. Today, it’s one of the most powerful workflow engines in enterprise operations, transforming how teams work across departments. One of its most impactful innovations is Now Assist, ServiceNow’s AI engine that is already reshaping both customer and field service workflows.
The Evolution of Service: Why AI Matters Right Now
In field operations, equipment downtime leads to immediate losses. In customer service, the pressure is on to deliver fast, intuitive, and transparent support. Most legacy systems weren’t built for this kind of speed or complexity. ServiceNow recognized the gap and filled it by combining automation, AI, and workflow orchestration across departments.
What Is Now Assist?
Now Assist combines generative AI with agentic AI to deliver real-time intelligence where it's needed most. It can summarize cases and work orders, automate responses, and offer conversational interfaces that feel more human than robotic.
In field service, this means mobile access to real-time data, step-by-step instructions, and proactive guidance. In customer workflows, it gives end users full visibility into entitlements, service history, and status without needing to call or email.
Breaking Down Silos with Real Results
I recently spoke to a global manufacturing client about how every minute their machinery was down, it cost them. Communication between plant operations, dealer support, and field teams was fragmented. To tackle this challenge, they implemented ServiceNow and Now Assist to centralize workflows and streamline updates via mobile and SMS. Departments now work together using a single platform, dramatically reducing downtime and improving asset lifecycle management. A deeper dive on ServiceNow for manufacturing can be found here.
Why ServiceNow Is Different from Traditional Tools
Most field service solutions exist in isolation. ServiceNow's Field Service Management (FSM) connects scheduling, dispatch, and asset tracking to your broader operational ecosystem. All of it runs on one data model, which means AI, automation, and reporting are instantly available across use cases.
Highlights:
- First-time fix rates improve through intelligent scheduling
- Predictive maintenance reduces unplanned downtime
- SLA visibility and customer satisfaction increase with real-time updates
- Deskless workers benefit from mobile-first, app-driven task flows
A CRM Alternative for the Full Lifecycle
Traditional CRM tools help with sales. ServiceNow enables sales, fulfillment, and service in a single flow. It supports long-term relationships by offering one platform that evolves with every customer interaction.
You don’t need separate tools for ticketing, field dispatch, asset tracking, and customer support. It’s all connected and AI-enabled.
If You’re Just Starting Out
Begin with the “why.” What business outcomes are you targeting? Define them clearly. Choose the right implementation partner. And don’t confuse training with change management. For long-term success, you must secure buy-in by showing how these tools benefit each person who uses them.
(Not sure what success looks like or how to quantify it? Check out my article that breaks down the 7 KPIs you should be tracking.)
In Summary
Now Assist is not theoretical. It’s being deployed today, enhancing technician productivity, streamlining customer requests, and helping service organizations reduce costs. If you want to work smarter, faster, and more proactively, this is where you start.
Let’s talk if you’re ready to modernize how your teams work. Book a meeting with us below.
