Workday Rising 2024 brought together 18,000 professionals across the Workday ecosystem, offering a unique space for collaboration, learning, and sharing success stories. The BGSF team, including Garrett Brzozowiec - Senior Client Services Manager, Anne-Marie Geisser - Senior Managing Director, David Zocco - Senior Client Services Manager, and Zachary Ordoyne - Client Services Manager, gathered valuable insights on trending topics such as post-go-live support, Workday Extend, AI-driven tools, and customer success stories. Here’s a closer look at their key takeaways.
Post-Go-Live Enhancements: Maximizing Workday Investments
Garrett Brzozowiec highlighted a common theme in his conversations with clients who recently went live: "What’s next?" While going live with Workday is a significant milestone, many organizations are left wondering how to enhance and optimize the platform to meet evolving business needs. This is where BGSF’s post-production support plays a vital role.
"System Integrator (SI) partners may only stay for a limited time post-go-live, but businesses often require additional enhancements to improve efficiency," says Brzozowiec. BGSF brings in subject matter experts (SMEs) with deep experience across industries, helping clients navigate the next steps and maximize the return on their Workday investments.
Customer Feedback is Driving Change
For Anne-Marie Geisser, one of the highlights was witnessing customer feedback in action. Attending a session on Workday Grants and Payroll, she saw firsthand how Workday listens to its customers and makes necessary improvements. "The audience applauded changes Workday made to the Grants and Payroll connection, showing how customer feedback leads to tangible improvements," she shared.
One major challenge customers face is balancing daily operations with large-scale implementations. Anne-Marie noted that BGSF can support in backfilling daily tasks, which can help smooth the transition, as demonstrated by our success with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. By temporarily backfilling key roles, employees can focus on learning and adapting to Workday without disrupting day-to-day operations.
The Rise of AI: Workday Illuminate
David Zocco pointed out that the most exciting development during Workday Rising was the unveiling of Workday Illuminate, an AI-driven feature poised to transform business operations. Utilizing data from 800 billion annual transactions, Workday Illuminate automates routine tasks, anticipates next steps, and assists with complex challenges. "This aligns perfectly with global trends where AI is becoming a game-changer for competitive advantage," Zocco explained.
However, many attendees were left wondering how to fully harness the power of new SKUs like Illuminate. This is where BGSF’s deep expertise comes into play, as their certified consultants help customers maximize functionality, optimize data management, and ensure that these tools are fully aligned with their business objectives.
Extend and Growing Pains for New Customers
For Zachary Ordoyne, the discussions around Workday Extend—a feature designed to build custom applications on Workday’s platform—were particularly notable. "Though it’s an expensive SKU, customers who have adopted it are looking to expand their use," Ordoyne noted. Workday has made a strong push to develop new apps via Extend, showcasing its long-term potential for clients. With many new customers in attendance, there was also a noticeable variety of growing pains as organizations adjust to the complexities of Workday implementations.
In addition, Ordoyne observed the popularity of Brain Dates—informal, small-group discussions that foster peer-to-peer learning. "This year, Brain Dates were extremely popular as attendees sought to discuss Workday SKUs with peers or meet with Workday SMEs for Q&A sessions," he shared.
In-Person Connections: Building Relationships That Matter
Across all conversations, the importance of in-person interactions was emphasized. Brzozowiec remarked, "Any chance we get to meet consultants, clients, and prospective clients in person is a success. You never know who you’re going to meet and connect with."
Geisser echoed this sentiment, noting that introducing managers to each other helped clients exchange ideas and insights, further enhancing the value of the event.
Enhancing Business Value with Workday
Workday Rising 2024 showcased the rapid evolution of the Workday platform, driven by customer feedback, AI innovation, and tools like Extend. For many organizations, the question now is how to best leverage these features to drive operational efficiency and business success. BGSF remains well-positioned to provide the expertise needed for post-production support, business transformations, and ongoing enhancements, ensuring that clients extract maximum value from their Workday investments.
As the Workday ecosystem continues to grow, the BGSF team looks forward to supporting its clients with innovative solutions and expert guidance to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead. Contact us to learn more!
Comentários