ServiceNow creating new verticalized structure with a specific focus on the public sector: Kamolika Gupta Peres

ServiceNow, a US-based software company has grown phenomenally in the Indian market in recent years. With over 22,000 employees worldwide, nearly one-fifth of which are based in the country, a significant portion of its new product offerings being developed here. In an interview with TechCircle Kamolika Gupta Peres, Group Vice President & Managing Director of ServiceNow India, explains how the company considers India as the key to its growth and development strategy, the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) skilling and ServiceNow’s latest skill-building initiatives, hiring plans and more. Edited Excerpts:  

What technologies are you currently excited about at ServiceNow?
My passion for ServiceNow is fuelled by my excitement for its platform and technology. Initially focused on IT workflows, ServiceNow now covers workflows across various areas of enterprises. The company has into industry-specific workflows like financial services and retail operations. Customer conversations about ServiceNow range from employee experience to supply chain integration. Additionally, Gen AI is another exciting technology for us and we are incorporating Generative AI capabilities into its workflows.  

Can you elaborate on how you’re leveraging AI for a better customer experience?
 
AI has been used by ServiceNow to streamline workflows, provide predictive analysis, and assist users with their tasks. Our Gen AI platform NOW Assist is a step in this direction. Whether it's customer service or employee support, Gen AI enhances routine tasks using AI capabilities. For example, in a contact centre, you can use case summarisation to improve customer interactions. This cutting-edge technology enriches conversations and responses. Gen AI is being integrated into all workflows, and we are also using it internally to facilitate discussions.  

How important is the India market for ServiceNow and what’s your plans for the market going forward?
 
India plays a crucial role in our overall strategy and growth. It is a focus market that is expected to expand and become central to our operations. Our largest product development center outside of the US is located in India and we develop key product innovations from here that form the foundation of our platform. Our engagement with Indian customers has seen significant adoption and involvement. Today, in India we serve all of the top 10 technology providers, and most of the top five banks, and we are growing fast in the public sector after investing in local data centres last year. We have organised our business into three primary industries - manufacturing, banking and financial services industry (BFSI), and technology media and telecom (TMT). Additionally, we have established a Public Sector vertical, as we consolidated our presence in the public sector globally. While I cannot disclose specific numbers, from both a hiring and investment perspective, India is central to our go-to-market and development strategy.  

In which sectors are you seeing maximum AI adoption in India and where is the gap?
 
Although it is still early days, there is undoubtedly a significant interest in AI across sectors. When it comes to adoption, most organisations are starting with pilot projects or smaller initiatives to explore AI's capabilities, benefits, use cases, and how to derive the maximum value from this technology. Almost all organisations are currently going through an exploratory period, from a strategic and operational standpoint. However, the responsibility for AI implementation lies at the highest level within organisations. Moreover, companies should understand AI is not a standalone technology but rather it enhances the intelligence of existing processes. That’s a key reason we are incorporating AI into workflows to augment the capabilities of current operations.  

A lot of initiatives are happening in the industry with AI skills training. Where does ServiceNow stand in terms of AI skilling?
 
We consider skilling to be at the core of our mission at ServiceNow. We introduced the RiseUp initiative - providing skills to employees and other stakeholders. Not only AI, but we’re also offering other digital skills training on our ServiceNow (SN) platform. To elaborate, we developed this program for individuals with diverse backgrounds, including those without a tech background, to join, follow a learning path, and become an SN practitioner. We received a significant number of registrations when the program was initially launched, with over 50% of registrations coming from women. Besides, we visit universities to explore how students can acquire advanced skills on the SN platform. We’ve also begun with foundational courses and progressed to more advanced AI skills. This initiative is guided by our commitment to providing skills, recognising the high demand for these skills. 

When it comes to competition benchmarking, is there any specific area that you need to pull up?
 
More than competition, our achievements will be based on the interactions we have with our customers, comprehending their needs, providing solutions to their challenges, and maintaining long-term engagement for mutual success. This is the principle we will uphold. Additionally, we are bringing new talent on board. As our customers evolve, we will collaborate in their transformation by expanding the platform, creating innovative solutions and processes, and fostering long-term partnerships.  

Going ahead, what is ServiceNow’s focus areas for India in FY2024-25?
 
This year, to start with, we are attracting top talent from the market and implementing a new verticalized structure with a specific focus on the public sector. We are engaging with our partner ecosystem, to form partnerships with leading technology providers. In India, we have already partnered with some of the biggest IT services providers. We are excited about our recent partnership with Microsoft and are actively hiring sales leaders, industry experts, and solution architects to join our team. Our CEO has emphasized that there will be no layoffs as we continue to drive innovation in the field of AI and digital technology.