ServiceNow Debuts App Store, Developer Training Program

Cloud-based management software vendor ServiceNow Tuesday rolled out an online marketplace intended to enable the company's channel partners to become technology partners.

The ServiceNow Store is complemented by a developer program, CreateNow, that aims to train solution providers and system integrators in developing and selling enterprise applications, giving them another channel to customers, Shane Jackson, ServiceNow's vice president of marketing, told CRN.

The enterprise application marketplace is the realization of the company's founding vision for its automated workflow platform, Jackson told CRN.

[Related: ServiceNow Says New Applications For Legal, Marketing And Financial Verticals Will Unlock Channel Opportunities]

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"So now we've come full circle, where partners are building other applications on top of that platform, which was the intent all along," Jackson said.

ServiceNow's channel partners can distribute and market their own solutions, free or paid, through the store.

"That gives all of our partners a way to put their applications and integrations that they've built in a place where customers can easily find them," Jackson said. "It's a great win-win for our ecosystem when you look at how our partners and customers are interacting with each other."

CreateNow represents the store's back office, Jackson told CRN, giving those partners access to training and tools and imparting to them the skills and proficiencies needed to launch successful apps.

The program also offers a sandbox where would-be developers can experiment. Once they're satisfied with their creations, they can join ServiceNow's technology partner program and bring them to market.

"Solutions partners can now package applications they've built and they can put those applications on the store to sell," he said. "It gives them a new way to engage with customers."

The store debuts with 80 applications and integrations, all created by partners, according to Jackson.

Longtime ServiceNow partners Cloud Sherpas and Fruition Partners developed some of the initial applications.

Fruition is offering five inaugural apps, including a call- and email-management solution that records and triages potential IT incidents.

Cloud Sherpas released a legal services app that transitions legal workflows from email to increase visibility, reporting and tracking, supplementing its legal solutions practice.

The Atlanta-based solution provider also is unveiling its own incident response app in the store.

Jason Wojahn, president of Cloud Sherpas' ServiceNow business unit, said the solution provider is hoping those apps enable it to further meet clients' needs and add value to its ServiceNow investment.

"The app store will broaden our reach in the market and the level of interaction that we will have within organizations as well as open up additional revenue streams," Wojahn told CRN via email.

PUBLISHED APRIL 21, 2015