Use It or Lose It - ServiceNow & AI Budget

Introduction (only slightly offended if you don't read this part)

You can feel it in the air – and you can feel the pressure in your organization – the end of the year is rapidly approaching. 

This was a year where we saw AI boom in conversations, Taylor Swift get engaged, industry leaders predicting where the future (and our investments) should go, and shoppers debating whether to bulk-buy on Amazon before tariffs made “cheap” things not-so-cheap.  We saw some industries take big risks with AI purchases, and others sit back – holding onto their budgets while deciding how to prioritize those precious remaining funds. 

Also in 2025, ChatGPT took over writing every single LinkedIn post and email. I promise I for real, for real wrote this one! 

To this point, I found it really hard to find any thoughtful information on what ServiceNow platform owners and IT leaders should be thinking about right now as year-end approaches. 

Here's the point of the article so you can decide if you want to keep reading: Actually provide relevant information on how to manage any remaining budget you may have this year for ServiceNow or AI-related projects. 

The Actual Information (if you don't read this part, I'm actually sad)

People always use the expression “hurry up and wait,” but in most of our professional worlds, we actually get hit with the “wait… now hurry!” experience. Especially at year-end.  

All the budget we were hoarding “just in case” is now in jeopardy of going unused.

We hear this often from our clients who either:

• didn’t launch a “big bang” project with ServiceNow for the year and thus had a lower spend
• or had conservatively budgeted for a larger project that went live and now have funds remaining. 

Either way, these are the top “procurement-approved” ways we see our customers make the most of what they already fought hard to have in their pockets.

(1) Infuze: The “Gift Card” Approach

Crossfuze has an offering called Infuze, which gives ServiceNow customers access to all levels of expertise (architecture, development, admin, and best-practice consulting) in a “phone-a-friend” style portal. You pre-load funds (the amount is up to you, and they roll over), then submit demands through the portal. We pick them up, give you an estimate of how much of your funds will be used, and once you approve, we get to work. 

TLDR: It’s truly flexible and only requires one SOW to load the funds. From there, the scope, timing, and frequency of usage are entirely up to you.

(2) Extend: The “Look How Much We Accomplished” Approach

Extend builds a dedicated team for you, led by an onshore, architect-level project manager who leverages the power of an offshore team to plow through your backlog. Our customers love this approach because you choose your contract term anywhere from 3 months to 3 years—and see results fast. The real draw is the expertise of that architect-level leader. They’re strong communicators and highly technical. You can hand them your to-do list and they’ll guide the team to crank it out at warp speed. 

TLDR: This is a great end-of-year move: you clear out your backlog heading into 2026 and gain predictable monthly payments that are easy to plan for in your budget.

(3) AI Action Plan: The “Stop Asking Me About AI” Approach

I haven’t met a single leader who isn’t getting pressure from above to “have a plan for AI” and from their team to “let us use AI to work more efficiently.” The challenge? AI is evolving so quickly that what you invest in today could feel obsolete six months from now. The key is to focus on what won’t go to waste: internal readiness. That’s the part you can control. We’re seeing customers line up to work with our AI practice to build a plan now—before the new year begins. (Fun fact: you can also use Infuze funds to cover this.)

TLDR: Have an AI Strategy by EOY with Crossfuze's AI Action Plan. We can send you a sample if you're curious. Just ask! 

(4) Resource-over-Time (ROT): The “I Wish I Could Just Hire Someone” Approach

ROT is Crossfuze’s version of staff augmentation. Many of our customers already have strong project managers and roadmaps, but they need additional hands to execute. If the idea of adding one of our developers or architects to your team sounds amazing… it is. That’s why we hired them. But make sure you’re ready: this person will be embedded with your team full-time, looking to you for direction. 

TLDR: If you have a clear understanding of your initiatives, this model is a fantastic way to scale quickly without permanent headcount.

(5) Managed Service: The “I Don’t Have Time” Approach

Our Managed Services offering takes the burden of day-to-day platform management off your plate—think MAC work, upgrades, and administration. We’ll meet with you to understand where you need support most and build a package that fits (what skillset is needed, how many hours you’ll use, and how to fill your team’s gaps efficiently).

(6) Year-End Pricing: The “Black Friday” Approach

I’ll keep this one brief (and I put it last because salespeople who might get mad at me probably won't read this far). Waiting until the last minute to buy something (software or TVs) has pros and cons—you’ll find great deals, but limited availability AND LONG LINES!

At Crossfuze, despite our please many customers wait until year-end to kick off projects, so our lead times start piling up fast. If you want to take advantage of year-end pricing (ours or anyone’s) get your place in line as soon as possible.

The End (you can stop reading now)

Bonus Tip: If you still have AWS Marketplace funds left to spend, all of the offerings above can be procured through the Marketplace as well.