In today’s dynamic and competitive business landscape, customer experience is not merely a buzzword; it’s a defining factor that separates industry leaders from the rest. The ServiceNow portals are a gateway that not only facilitates seamless communication, but goes a step further by exemplifying the principles of respectful design.

*For this post, I am specifically thinking of the CSM portal(s), however the design principles are incorporated across all ServiceNow portals — I encourage you to examine the design principles website and choose another portal to see how they are in use

What is “Respectful Design”?

Respectful design is 1 of 7 guiding principles to help product designers focus on creating products that are good for people. Often software products are created to “get you hooked” (ex: game) and to monetize the data you give up in the process. And, believe it or not, businesses do this in the B2B world as well.

Respectful design is when a (products) design prioritizes people’s time, attention and overall digital well-being. As a end user, you can tell when someone has taken ‘respect’ into the design because you will see features such as:

• Language options: as a user, you are able to select time zones, languages and other features that can help personalize content to your locale
• Notification settings: as a user, you are able to control what notices you receive
• Email notifications: as a user you will be able to see full text, comments and relevant information quickly, easily and in a format that is correct for your screen
• Easy access: if you are B2B or B2C client, you want service agents accessible to your employees when needed, regardless of the portal being used
• Easy exit: as a user when you want to exit the site, you can do so without any problems, pop-ups or alerts, etc.

It absolutely matters in a world where attention is short, and alternate options are plenty, that the experience provided to the client and the B2B partners, respects their time and ability levels.

The ServiceNow CSM portals (when configured fully) empowers employees and clients (support and service) to not only deliver excellence (because that is what they are paid to do) but also to take some control over the experience the software is providing.

In short: by being mindful of respectful design (and configuration options selected when the portal is set up) you demonstrate trust in your people and empower them to be part of the delivery process, not just a cog in it.

In the customer service portals, all of the respectful design principles have been applied.

1. Respectful personalization: each user, authenticated or not, is able to select their preferred language, time zone via the header. In the event you have a fully translated portal already, you can redirect those users to their preferred portal automatically. If you don’t see these options, locate the localization documentation online and reach out to your companies ServiceNow administrator

2. Notifications and email settings: ServiceNow’s CSM actually has freedom around this area, and can set this up for you as needed. The business can discuss this as part of their implementation setup.

3. Easy access to assistance (omni-channel portal features): the point of customer service is to create a seamless end user experience, regardless of B2C or B2B. ServiceNow offers the Virtual Agent chat bot to be embedded on external client portals via Engagement Messenger.

In the fast-paced world of business, every interaction counts. By being aware of respectful design options for both employees and clients, the CSM platform helps to build trust and sets the stage for a customer experience that truly resonates with both the enterprise and customer users.

Additional Training/sources:

• ServiceNow Now Learning — Localize a Service Portal
• ServiceNow Now Learning — Localization Expert Series Path
• Humane by Design (principles website)