ServiceNow CHRO Leadership Exchange: First-time Event Connects Chief HR Officers With Peers

OVERVIEW

Based in Santa Clara, California, and with locations across more than 30 countries, ServiceNow delivers modern digital workflows to make the world work better for everyone. The company’s cloud‑based platform and solutions help digitize and unify organizations so they can find smarter, faster, and better ways to make work flow.

Among the company’s global customers are human resource teams using ServiceNow to digitize and deliver HR services to their workforces.

What ServiceNow first envisioned as the launch of a customer HR advisory board evolved into an intimate yet high-impact industry event – one that attracted Chief HR Officers from Fortune 500 companies to the heart of Washington, D.C.

CHALLENGE

Initial Event Scope Evolves And Expands

ServiceNow knew Lightspeed excels at building customer advisory board (CAB) engagement programs for companies that want stronger relationships with their top customers. The two companies began planning an event to launch a ServiceNow CAB with a select group of ServiceNow customer HR execs.

A few months into planning, the event scope evolved in a big way. ServiceNow Chief People Officer Jacqui Canney and her leadership team still wanted an event that would allow customers’ senior HR leaders to connect with peers in an intimate setting, similar to an advisory board meeting. But they also wanted to give those customers an opportunity to:

  • Learn from industry experts on trending topics such as mental health and well-being as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Develop the next generation of HR leaders by including not only Chief HR Officers but also the plus-one leader of their choice from their HR organization.
  • Position ServiceNow as the right HR partner and technology leader to help organizations thrive.

ServiceNow needed a marketing and events partner with the expertise to deliver on all objectives. Lightspeed rose to the challenge and got busy creating strong FOMO for a larger invitee list of HR heavyweights.

SOLUTION

ServiceNow CHRO Leadership Exchange Attracts High-Profile Audience

ServiceNow and Lightspeed produced the first-ever ServiceNow CHRO Leadership Exchange as a two-day event with 70 participants. The guest list included a notable mix of speakers and panelists from top ServiceNow customers, U.S. Congress, government agencies, and Harvard Business School.

Add to that mix a sprinkling of entrepreneurial founders plus ServiceNow executives including Chairman and CEO Bill McDermott – all tackling the most pressing topics in HR, leadership, and policy.

ServiceNow turned to Lightspeed for an array of event planning, production, and creative services including:

Location Sourcing and Registration. Lightspeed sourced hotels across the country until the Riggs Washington, D.C. hotel and its Rooftop venue emerged as the final choice. Within walking distance to The National Mall and monuments, the landmark site offers sweeping views of the city and served as the perfect gathering spot for leadership exchange attendees.

Lightspeed managed all hotel and vendor contracts, registration, and on-site logistics. When the event scope changed and attendee numbers nearly tripled, Lightspeed quickly sourced a nearby hotel for overflow.

Branding and Creative Treatment. Launching a new event series goes far beyond setting up an online registration page. Lightspeed’s creative process covered branding, logo, digital presence, signage, and collateral, all developed within ServiceNow style guidelines.

Web and Collateral Development. A dedicated event website and “Know Before You Go” prep guide helped ensure participants would get the most out of their time in DC. Lightspeed produced additional collateral including welcome packages and action journals with prompts for note-taking and suggested follow-up actions for attendees.

On-site logistics. Agenda timing, welcome package distribution, audio/visual production, on-site catering, feedback evaluation forms – all the event details you don’t have time to deal with, Lightspeed handles transparently.

Evening Event and Vendor Management. ServiceNow supports the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture with a five-year, $1 million commitment. Lightspeed contracted and managed the museum’s approved vendors to produce an unforgettable evening event complete with an open-bar reception, music provided by a jazz trio, private museum tours, and a five-star dinner.

The evening hit just the right note of business-casual-meets-champagne-gala. Bryan Meyer, Event Operations Lead at Lightspeed, says:

“With only an hour between the museum’s closing to the public and the start of the private evening event, the planning team and caterers nailed every detail in advance.”

RESULTS

Leadership Event Wins Kudos From Chief HR Officers

The guest list, speakers, and caliber of companies attending the ServiceNow CHRO Leadership Exchange created high expectations – and the event delivered on all counts.

Attendees found the format and size to be ideal for networking and learning. The event shined a light on ServiceNow as not only a technology leader in digital HR workflows and automation, but also a thought leader in workplace trends, policies, and experiences.

Among the post-event survey comments by attendees:

  • This was absolutely fabulous in every way. Great mix of topics, audience, venue, timing, kudos!
  • Excellent execution, large and small details, well-cared for with a very nice thread/pull-through. Congrats to the team for incredible vision and execution!
  • This was the best CHRO conference I’ve attended. All details were attended to.
  • The SN events team did a fabulous job coordinating and keeping us all on pace. The hotel choice and staff were also exceptional. …Well done all around!
  • I want to give massive scoobies to the team and folks behind the scene to make this event happen. Amazing job!
  • Great location, venue, dinner at the museum – very well organized. Topics were very timely and relevant.
  • Great experience for all involved! …Overall, love the style, intent, and size of conference.

ServiceNow and Lightspeed already have begun planning next year’s CHRO Leadership Exchange.

Ask us about these and other services for your next in-person or virtual event:

  • Branding
  • Creative Design
  • Communications
  • Engagement and Entertainment
  • Event Planning and Production
  • Event Registration
  • Project Management
  • Speaker Engagement and Support
  • Strategic Communications
  • Video Production
  • Web Design/Development

ServiceNow teamed up with Lightspeed to produce our own leadership event where CHROs can connect and share what works. From registration to website development, and all the way to on-site executive-level service, Lightspeed is our reliable partner for every aspect of event production. We can always count on them to deliver with quality, expertise, and an exceed-all-expectations mindset.”

– Amanda Williams, Head of Customer Engagements for the Chief People Officer, ServiceNow

Let's create amazing things together.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.