My ServiceNow Story: John Helebrant, Technical Consultant
Updated: Feb 1, 2021
The team at GlideFast Consulting is full of passionate, skilled, and enthusiastic developers and architects. If there is one thing that we all have in common, it is our love for the ServiceNow platform and community. “My ServiceNow Story” is a blog series that will give you an inside look of the work and lives of the consultants at GlideFast Consulting and how they started and built their careers in the industry. Our consultants will share their stories with you and will lead you down the path that brought them to where they are today.
This ServiceNow Story features John Helebrant, a Technical Consultant based out of Westminster, CO.
How were you first introduced to ServiceNow? What was your first job using the platform?
I was first introduced to ServiceNow when working for a Managed Service Provider. We managed over 300 clients and were looking for a secondary offering. This is where ServiceNow came into the picture. We stood up a domain-separated ServiceNow environment and migrated clients who found the tool more beneficial.
I then worked as a Business Analyst, where I got a chance to learn more about the tool. It was my job to gather requirements for new stories and interpret the requirements for ServiceNow developers. It was during this time I wanted to get my feet wet with ServiceNow development. Given there was enough work to go around, I slowly edged myself onto the development team while continuing to work as a BA. Then eventually, while on a call, I was called a ServiceNow Developer. That felt so good. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to become a full-time developer.
What other jobs have you had working with ServiceNow?
Implemented a data-driven access request application that allowed ServiceNow users to control catalog item approvals and catalog tasks via table records. This allowed the client to make updates on the fly rather than waiting for an approved change to update workflow(s). This was needed due to the number of changes each catalog item undergoes on a regular basis.
Migrated a custom Excel application that allowed users to call, ping, and connect to stores. We utilized the CMDB for much of the store data via CMDB classes and created a dashboard that allowed users to see all store data at a glance. We also built functionality to email, ping, connect, and call the stores from the new dashboard in ServiceNow.
Created a new roll-on and check-in application for a science facility, where scientists from around the world conduct experiments. It allows employees at the facility to check people in on-site and ensure they have the proper access and training completed. To do this, we built a portal and leveraged the HR application to run checks and create tasks where the user needed training in specific areas depending on the experiments conducted.
Created an application that allowed ServiceNow users to respond to customer requests around data that has been collected on them. With legislation that has been passed, companies are required to provide customers with all data collected on them and remove it upon request, or as necessary.
Built out a service catalog broken down into numerous categories, depending on client need in multiple scenarios. In each category, we built a number of catalog items based on client need. This allowed end-users to quickly find requests on the ServiceNow portal.
What are your primary ServiceNow skills?
I really enjoy helping clients build out service catalogs in order to help employees find the things they need with little downtime. A large part of a company's success is how organized they are across different platforms used by a majority of their employees. For this reason, I love being able to work with clients to determine the best approach for catalog and category structure, all the way down to variable placement on catalog items.
I also enjoy building custom ServiceNow applications from scratch or from where a client was using another application to accomplish tasks. The reason for this is twofold. The first is finding a solution in ServiceNow that you didn't know could be done. The second is showing the customer how scalable a solution is compared to the original. With enough thought and planning, we can build something the client can easily maintain as they grow.
What are your plans for the future in your career and in the ServiceNow industry?
Helping GlideFast become the best we can be while continuing to enhance my skills. GlideFast promotes and encourages learning and acquiring new certifications. As a result, the company as a whole becomes exponentially better from month to month. Personal development is actually measurable in a short amount of time, and that, in my opinion, is a major key to success. I want to help GlideFast reach Global Elite status and become the leading company in the ServiceNow space.
Interested in working with the experts like John on the GlideFast Consulting team? Reach out to our team. We would love to learn more about your ServiceNow challenges and how we can help your organization build better solutions.