The pandemic has accelerated the digital imperative across all industries. At ServiceNow, our purpose is to make the world of work, work better for people. That purpose has never been clearer as we help our customers solve some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century—from talent shortages to continuing global vaccination efforts—and everything in between.

During the pandemic, companies that weren’t digitally enabled had great difficulty dealing with the massive disruption that hit them overnight. For me, this reinforced the lesson that great customer experience goes beyond simply boosting engagement or providing multiple touch points. Instead, customer-centric companies outperform by realigning operations and processes for better customer outcomes.

Employees and customers want seamless experiences wherever work happens—in an office, a hospital, a manufacturing floor, at home, or on the go. To survive in the new world of hybrid work, companies must embrace digital platforms that empower their most important stakeholders. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce the Now Platform® Rome release, which is generally available to customers starting today.

Based on a 1973 book by William Goldman, the film became a cult classic. A story of true love, giants, pirates and miracles – it is loved by IT geeks all around the world. So many memorable quotations, and so many references to use when selecting a new service desk. It would be rude not to quote some.

Government agencies and some regulated industries have adopted standards (such as NIST SP 800-157) for issuing smart cards, based on the user’s validated and confirmed identity. The smart cards have digital certificates such as an authentication certification, a signing certificate, and an encryption private key (certificate). Often the smart cards also act as human recognizable identity validation cards and contain the user’s picture (for a guard to validate at a door or gate).

Manufacturers were already reexamining how they use technology when COVID-19 hit and significantly accelerated that need. Some transformed and were able to pivot quickly, but others are still grappling with challenges in their supply chain and demand fluctuations. There will be more changes, including unexpected ones, and manufacturing operations must adapt quickly. Digital transformation has some real advantages in the industry.