Achieving Platform Self-Sufficiency by Breaking Vendor Lock-In
A major telco regained control of its ServiceNow platform by eliminating vendor dependency and empowering internal teams to own their systems with confidence.
Context
Following the successful implementation of a foundational ServiceNow platform, the organisation encountered a quieter—but equally damaging—constraint.
The technology worked.
The operating model did not.
Internal politics slowed adoption. External vendors controlled even minor changes. Costs escalated while agility declined. The platform’s potential was effectively held hostage—not by software, but by dependency and fragmentation.
What was needed wasn’t more engineering. It was independence.
Approach
Big House was engaged as a neutral stabilising force—focused on people, process and long-term sustainability.
Define
We clarified the real issue: the platform wasn’t failing; ownership was.
Roles, responsibilities and decision rights were blurred. Internal teams were positioned as consumers of change rather than owners of outcomes. This definition reset expectations and reframed the platform as a business asset—not a vendor-controlled system.
Align
Enablement was deliberately business-led.
Big House trained internal staff to operate as process owners, not deep technical developers. The focus shifted from code to outcomes—simplifying change, accelerating delivery and dramatically reducing reliance on external specialists.
At the same time, we enforced a strict architectural mandate: no core-code customisation. This ensured the platform remained upgradeable, predictable and free from hidden technical debt.
Govern
Governance was embedded through simplicity.
Clear standards, lightweight controls and upgrade-safe configurations replaced ad-hoc vendor intervention. The platform became easier to manage, cheaper to run, and far less vulnerable to political or commercial manipulation.
Outcome
The organisation achieved true platform independence.
Internal teams now manage their own changes confidently. External dependency has been reduced to the exception—not the default. Political friction has diminished as ownership became clear and processes stabilised.
Most importantly, the platform is now sustainable: upgrade-safe, cost-effective and aligned to how the business actually operates.
Independence proved to be the highest form of digital maturity.