Two digital/tech conferences and two stag parties - lessons learned

I've had the privilege of attending two digital/tech conferences (ServiceNow World Forum and Digital Transformation Expo) and two stag parties in 10 days. Not a standard mix of events perhaps, but there are some surprising similarities. Now I've just about recovered, here are some key takeaways / learnings:

ServiceNow World Forum London:

- Keynote Highlights: Idris Elba (ServiceNow Brand Ambassador) kicked off the event alongside ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott, emphasizing that "AI is at the heart of every corner of the platform." Customer stories from Vodafone, ASDA, and the Aston Martin F1 Team demonstrated how businesses are leveraging AI to deliver real value—Vodafone, for instance, reported $40M in savings.

- AI for Business Transformation: ServiceNow is positioning itself as the AI platform for business transformation. With over 350 new capabilities in their latest release, "Xanadu," AI is becoming deeply integrated across the platform—covering Virtual Agents, Digital Experience Monitoring (DEX) thresholds, change summarization, intelligent automation, and more. And there's a whole lot more to look forward to in future releases... the ServiceNow development path continues to impress.

- Analytics with AI: The introduction of a new natural language interface for platform analytics allows leaders to generate reports and visualizations by simply asking, with no coding required. This is a great way to accelerate business intelligence.

- AI Agents & Governance: AI agents, whether customer-facing or internal, are set to revolutionize workflows. However, success with AI isn't just about the technology—it's also about well-defined processes, governance, and ethics. Key demo takeaways:

1. Integration with Microsoft Copilot within MS Teams provides seamless support at the point of need and smooth handoffs to the ServiceNow Virtual Agent.

2. AI can resolve cases within set parameters, suggest solutions for exceptions, recommend changes to streamline future cases, update policies and Knowledge Articles, and apply these changes going forward. Self-learning is here.

- Growth in AI Adoption: 83% of organizations believe Generative AI will disrupt their operating models within the next 18 months. Now is the pivotal moment to get it right.

- Platform Performance: ServiceNow's new proprietary database solution, RaptorDB, is delivering material performance benefits, including faster throughput and improved search speeds. While not a silver bullet, it’s worth exploring, especially for large customers with performance concerns.

- Resilience & Risk Management: Sessions with MUFG and Deutsche Bank showcased how ServiceNow is helping organizations improve resilience, manage risk, and meet regulatory challenges—essential in today’s fast-paced world.

- Support Experience Transformation: DLA Piper shared how ServiceNow enabled them to transform their internal support experience, underscoring that it’s not just about the tools. Effective user adoption depends heavily on organizational change management, which is an area we specialize in.

- Operational Technology Automation: UP3 and Avanti West Coast presented how they use ServiceNow to automate operational technology management within their stations and across the rail network. Managing connected tools in the field (IoT) is a growing trend, delivering significant benefits, including cost savings.

- Customer Concerns: Some customers voiced concerns about AI benefits being overstated and the associated costs. For the former, we recommend a "fail fast, test and learn" approach. ServiceNow facilitates rapid adoption, and their updated licensing models now support a minimal viable product (MVP) style, allowing companies to test AI benefits before fully committing. For the latter, value is key. ServiceNow is a market-leading enterprise platform, but it requires a certain level of organizational maturity, along with ongoing investment in change management, to realize the full benefits and justify the cost.

- Inspiring Closing Session: Mo Gawdat's (Google X leader) talk on AI's potential to improve humanity was profound, reminding us that technology can empower us, but true happiness and growth come from within. His provocative thought: AI-driven droid armies might actually solve conflicts more amicably than humans, turning the Terminator scenario on its head. We may soon find out if that’s true.

Digital Transformation Expo (DTX)

- Keynote Highlights: John Romero, the creator of iconic games like Doom and Quake, gave an overview of his career. It was impressive to see his journey, filled with changes, successes, failures, and ongoing learning.

- Service Catalogue Presentation: I had the privilege of presenting on how to define an effective service catalogue, regardless of the tool. I also highlighted how critical a service catalogue is to effective service management and shared a case study from a leading pet care company that used their catalogue to manage service risks. If you missed it and want to discuss it further, feel free to reach out.

- Tech Talks & Stands: I attended various presentations and discussions with industry experts and vendors on topics like balancing the human touch with AI in transforming customer experience, alternative approaches to creating a business-aligned IT strategy, and advancements in contact centre and enterprise service management tools. These insights help me challenge, reaffirm, and continually refine the great work we do at Mason Advisory. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Both Conferences

- Community & Collaboration: Both events reinforced the strength of the technology ecosystem. Whether through AI-driven innovation or community-driven solutions, partners and customers are co-creating the future of enterprise service management. The excitement is palpable. Personally, these forums provide a great opportunity to step back, learn, connect with incredible people (hopefully you know who you are... I'm purposefully avoiding tagging you in my rambling post!), and build relationships—all of which help me deliver better service to clients and align with my core value of making a difference.

- Thank You: Organizing events like this is no small feat, with plenty of room for potential slip-ups. Both conferences were superbly organized and ran smoothly. A huge thank you to everyone involved.

Stag Parties:

I often organise events and love seeing the anticipation and joy on people’s faces. So, when I get to attend an event that I didn't plan, it's a refreshing change of perspective. Plus, I’m always grateful for the invitation!

- Stag Party 1 – Madrid: Amazing city. It turns out Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid fans really don't get along. Also, a career as a matador is highly unlikely for me!

- Stag Party 2 – Ljubljana: Beautiful city with incredibly friendly people. The local craft beer is fantastic... for the first few pints. And, as a lesson learned: Google isn’t always your friend when searching for a sports bar—it might lead you to a sports leisure centre with a “bar,” which wasn't quite the atmosphere we were looking for!

It doesn’t matter where you go, it’s the people you’re with that matters. I’m fortunate to have spent both trips with brilliant people. Ljublijana was with friends from Uni, some I haven’t seen for over 10 years. It was like we were back in Uni (24 years ago), albeit slightly (and I mean slightly) more refined. It's similar at work... the friendships you form over the years but lose touch. Life gets in the way, grumbles happen, yet lifelong friendships like this mean a lot to me.

Two more lessons:

- I really should start taking photos at these types of events (conferences and stag parties).

- I’m not as young as I was, but there’s still plenty of life left in me yet!

If you'd like to know more about any of the above (perhaps not the Ljublijana leisure centre bar!), or how to optimise ways of working through effective use of technology, I'd be delighted to discuss.