Recovering a Failed ServiceNow Implementation

Client Overview

A global insurance organisation, supporting complex operations across underwriting, claims, and customer service functions.

ServiceNow had been implemented as a strategic platform to support IT and business services, however following delivery by a third party, the platform was unstable and not aligned to business needs.

Why Ordinis Linea

Following a failed implementation, the organisation needed a partner that could step into an already unstable environment, take control quickly, and recover the platform without starting again.

Ordinis Linea was selected for our ability to take over complex, underperforming ServiceNow environments delivered by third parties and bring them back under control. Rather than proposing a full reimplementation, our focus was on stabilising what was already in place, removing unnecessary complexity, and making the platform workable again in a live environment.

Key factors in the decision included:

• Proven experience recovering failed or underperforming ServiceNow implementations

• A practical approach focused on stabilisation and simplification rather than starting from scratch

• The ability to quickly identify what could be retained versus what needed to be reworked

• A strong focus on restoring control, ownership, and maintainability within the platform

• The capability to rebuild internal confidence without introducing further disruption

• This gave the organisation confidence that the platform could be recovered quickly and effectively, protecting their existing investment while establishing a stable foundation for future improvement.

The Challenge

The implementation had technically “gone live”, but operationally failed.

Workflows were overly customised, poorly documented, and difficult to maintain. Basic ITSM processes were not functioning as expected, and internal teams lacked the capability to support or improve the platform.

The organisation was experiencing ongoing issues, with no clear ownership or path forward.

Key issues included:

• Poorly configured workflows and excessive customisation

• Frequent platform issues and instability

• Lack of documentation and knowledge transfer

• Slow response to incidents and enhancements

• Limited internal capability to manage the platform

• Growing frustration from business users

Our Approach

Ordinis Linea was engaged to take full ownership of stabilising the platform and resetting the ServiceNow operating model.

We began with a rapid technical and operational review to identify critical risks and areas of instability.

A stabilisation plan was then implemented to restore control before moving into optimisation.

Our work included:

• Conducting a full technical review of configurations, scripts, and workflows

• Identifying and removing unnecessary customisation

• Re-aligning processes to out-of-the-box ServiceNow best practices

• Stabilising core ITSM modules (Incident, Change, Request)

• Implementing structured support and governance model

• Establishing clear ownership and escalation pathways

• Introducing documentation and knowledge transfer processes

• Providing ongoing platform support and enhancement capability

This approach ensured immediate stability while enabling long-term sustainability.

The Outcome – Before vs After

Before

• Unstable platform with frequent issues

• Over-customised and difficult to maintain

• No clear ownership or documentation

• Slow response to issues and changes

• Low confidence from business users

After

• Stable, reliable ServiceNow platform

• Simplified, maintainable configuration

• Clear ownership and governance model

• Faster response to incidents and enhancements

• Restored confidence across the organisation

Key Results

• Significant reduction in platform-related incidents

• Improved system stability and performance

• Reduced complexity through removal of customisation

• Increased responsiveness to business needs

• Improved internal capability to support the platform

Commercial and Operational Impact

This engagement protected the organisation’s investment in ServiceNow.

The organisation was able to:

• Avoid costly reimplementation of the platform

• Improve operational efficiency and service delivery

• Restore business confidence in IT services

• Reduce reliance on external vendors

• Establish a sustainable ServiceNow support model

Summary

The platform moved from a failing implementation to a stable and reliable system.

Ordinis Linea did not simply fix issues.

We recovered the platform, restored control, and ensured it could support the business effectively.