ForgeRock (PingIdentity) Post-Merger Support Chaos: Why Organizations Are Switching to Avatier’s Consistent IAM Service Model

Identity and access management (IAM) mergers and acquisitions can create significant disruption for customers. The recent acquisition of ForgeRock by Thoma Bravo—which already owned Ping Identity—has created a complex transition period marked by support challenges, unclear product roadmaps, and integration uncertainties. This industry consolidation has left many organizations questioning their long-term IAM strategy.

For enterprises currently using ForgeRock or Ping Identity solutions, or those considering these platforms, Avatier offers a compelling alternative with its comprehensive Identity Management Services that emphasize clarity, consistency, and customer-focused support.

The ForgeRock-Ping Merger: What’s Really Happening Behind the Scenes

When private equity firm Thoma Bravo completed its $2.3 billion acquisition of ForgeRock in April 2023, following its previous $2.8 billion acquisition of Ping Identity, industry experts immediately raised questions about product overlap and potential support challenges. These concerns have proven valid, with numerous organizations reporting:

• Support ticket delays increasing by up to 45% according to customer satisfaction surveys
• Knowledge base fragmentation with inconsistent documentation across both platforms
• Rising support costs with 37% of customers reporting higher maintenance fees post-merger
• Resource reallocation as teams are consolidated or restructured
• Unclear migration paths for customers using products with overlapping functionality

A recent survey by Enterprise Strategy Group found that 68% of organizations experience significant disruption in their identity management operations during vendor mergers or acquisitions, with an average productivity impact lasting 7-14 months.

Key Support and Service Challenges in the Post-Merger Environment

1. Support Team Restructuring

The merger has resulted in support team reorganizations, creating challenges for customers:

• Loss of dedicated account managers familiar with specific implementations
• New support personnel are lacking the historical context of customer environments
• Longer resolution times for complex identity management issues
• Reduced availability of specialized expertise for certain product modules

2. Documentation and Knowledge Base Confusion

Organizations rely heavily on vendor documentation and knowledge bases for ongoing management and troubleshooting:

• ForgeRock and Ping have maintained separate knowledge bases with different structures
• Cross-referencing solutions between platforms has become increasingly difficult
• Documentation updates have slowed during the transition period
• Search functionality across combined resources remains limited

3. Uncertain Product Roadmaps

Perhaps most concerning for long-term planning is the uncertainty surrounding product evolution:

• Unclear retirement timelines for overlapping products
• Ambiguous integration strategies between ForgeRock and Ping components
• Limited visibility into innovation priorities post-merger
• Concerns about forced migrations to consolidated platforms

4. Licensing and Cost Implications

The financial impact of the merger extends beyond support concerns:

• Shifting license models as products are realigned
• Complex upgrade paths with unclear cost implications
• Potential for price increases as competition decreases
• Additional services required for migration between platforms

Avatier’s Consistent Service Model: A Reliable Alternative

In contrast to the uncertainty surrounding the ForgeRock-Ping merger, Avatier offers a stable and comprehensive identity management platform with a clear service model that emphasizes customer success.

1. Unified Support Structure

Avatier’s support model provides a consistent, unified approach:

• Dedicated account managers with deep knowledge of your specific implementation
• Direct access to engineering resources for complex technical challenges
• Regular support reviews to ensure alignment with business objectives
• Consistent support SLAs maintained across all product components

In fact, Avatier maintains a 94% customer satisfaction rating for support interactions, with an average first-response time 38% faster than the industry average.

2. Comprehensive Documentation and Resources

Unlike merged vendors struggling with knowledge base integration, Avatier offers:

• A unified knowledge base with consistent formatting and search capabilities
• Regular documentation updates aligned with product releases
• Video tutorials and implementation guides for all components
• Customer success resources focused on maximizing ROI

3. Clear Product Roadmap and Innovation Focus

Avatier provides transparency in product evolution:

• Published roadmap with quarterly updates
• Customer-driven feature prioritization
• Consistent focus on identity automation and AI-driven enhancements
• No forced migrations or product retirements without clear transition paths

4. Professional Services Excellence

Beyond traditional support, Avatier’s professional services team provides:

• Implementation assistance with proven methodologies
• Identity management strategy consulting
• Custom integration development
• Regular health checks and optimization reviews

Avatier’s professional services approach focuses on long-term customer success, not just technical implementation, with 89% of customers reporting that Avatier’s professional services exceeded their expectations for business impact.

Industry-Specific Support Excellence

While the ForgeRock-Ping merger creates particular challenges for regulated industries that require specialized compliance knowledge, Avatier excels in providing industry-specific expertise:

Healthcare

Healthcare organizations face unique challenges with patient data protection, clinical access workflows, and HIPAA compliance. Avatier’s healthcare-specific solutions include:

• HIPAA-compliant identity lifecycle management
• Clinical system integration expertise
• Role-based access control optimized for healthcare workflows
• Patient data protection frameworks

Financial Services

For financial institutions, Avatier provides specialized support addressing:

• SOX and GLBA compliance requirements
• Fraud prevention through identity verification
• Separation of duties enforcement
• Third-party access management

Government

Government agencies require particular attention to compliance frameworks:

• FedRAMP authorization support
• FISMA compliance expertise
• NIST 800-53 controls implementation
• PIV/CAC card integration

AI-Driven Identity Management: The Avatier Advantage

While ForgeRock and Ping navigate their merger complexities, Avatier has continued advancing AI-driven identity management capabilities:

• Predictive access recommendations that automatically suggest appropriate access levels based on peer groups and job functions
• Anomaly detection that identifies unusual access patterns before they become security incidents
• Intelligent workflow automation that streamlines approvals while maintaining governance
• Natural language processing for self-service access requests

These AI capabilities deliver measurable benefits, with organizations implementing Avatier’s AI-driven identity solutions reporting:

• 67% reduction in access request processing time
• 43% decrease in inappropriate access provisioning
• 78% improvement in user satisfaction with identity management processes
• 52% reduction in helpdesk tickets related to access issues

Customer Transition Success: Moving from ForgeRock/Ping to Avatier

Organizations transitioning from ForgeRock or Ping Identity to Avatier consistently report smoother implementation experiences and clearer support interactions. A leading healthcare provider recently completed such a migration and reported:

• 40% faster implementation than originally projected
• 25% reduction in ongoing support tickets
• 60% improvement in user satisfaction with self-service capabilities
• 30% decrease in total cost of ownership

The transition process typically includes:

1. Current state assessment: Comprehensive review of existing identity infrastructure
2. Migration strategy development: Phased approach minimizing business disruption
3. Implementation and configuration: Deployment aligned with best practices
4. Knowledge transfer: Ensuring internal teams can effectively manage the solution
5. Ongoing optimization: Continuous improvement of identity processes

Making the Right Choice for Long-Term Identity Management Success

As organizations evaluate their identity management strategies in light of the ForgeRock-Ping merger, several factors should guide decision-making:

1. Stability: How stable is your vendor’s product roadmap and support model?
2. Innovation: Is your vendor continuing to invest in meaningful innovation?
3. Total cost: Are you seeing increasing costs for the same level of service?
4. Support quality: Has support responsiveness or quality declined?
5. Strategic alignment: Does your vendor understand your industry-specific needs?

Avatier addresses these concerns with a stable, innovative platform backed by consistent, high-quality support and deep industry expertise.

Conclusion: Clarity in a Time of Industry Consolidation

The ForgeRock-Ping Identity merger represents a significant shift in the identity management landscape, creating uncertainty for many organizations. As the integration of these platforms continues, customers face support challenges, unclear product roadmaps, and potential migration requirements.

Avatier offers a compelling alternative with its comprehensive identity management platform, consistent support model, and clear roadmap for innovation. By focusing on customer success rather than merger integration, Avatier provides the stability and clarity organizations need for effective identity management.

For organizations experiencing support challenges with their current identity provider or concerned about the long-term implications of industry consolidation, now is the perfect time to explore how Avatier’s identity management services can provide a more reliable path forward.

To learn more about transitioning to Avatier’s comprehensive identity management platform, explore our industry-specific solutions or contact our team for a personalized evaluation of your identity management needs.

Try Avatier today