Why Users Adopt Avatier Faster Than ForgeRock (PingIdentity): The Identity Management Adoption Gap

Implementing an identity management solution is only half the battle. The real challenge comes with user adoption – ensuring your workforce embraces and effectively uses the system you’ve invested in. According to Gartner, enterprises that prioritize user experience during IAM deployments achieve 50% faster time-to-value and 40% higher adoption rates than those that don’t.

When comparing Avatier’s adoption metrics to those of ForgeRock (recently acquired by PingIdentity), a clear pattern emerges. Organizations consistently report faster implementation, higher user satisfaction, and quicker return on investment with Avatier’s Identity Anywhere platform. But what exactly drives this adoption gap? Let’s explore the key factors.

User Experience: The Critical Differentiator

Avatier’s approach to user experience fundamentally differs from ForgeRock’s. While both solutions offer comprehensive identity capabilities, Avatier’s Identity Management Services are designed with the end-user in mind from the ground up.

According to a recent Enterprise Strategy Group survey, 73% of organizations cite “complex user interfaces” as the primary reason for poor adoption of identity management solutions. ForgeRock’s platform, while powerful, often requires extensive training and adjustment for end-users.

Avatier, by contrast, delivers:

1. Intuitive Self-Service Portal: Users can easily navigate password resets, access requests, and group memberships without IT intervention
2. Mobile-First Design: Complete access to identity functions via smartphone (iOS and Android)
3. Familiar Consumer-Grade Interface: Resembles everyday apps users already know, flattening the learning curve

One Fortune 500 manufacturing company that switched from ForgeRock to Avatier reported: “Our help desk calls dropped by 78% within the first month. Users who struggled with the ForgeRock interface immediately understood how to use Avatier without training.”

Implementation Timeline: Speed to Value

Implementation speed represents another significant difference between Avatier and ForgeRock. While ForgeRock implementations typically take 6-12 months for full deployment, Avatier customers report average implementation timelines of 2-4 months.

This dramatic difference stems from Avatier’s Identity-as-a-Container architecture, which fundamentally reshapes how identity management solutions are deployed.

The Container Advantage

Unlike ForgeRock’s traditional deployment approach, Avatier’s containerized solution offers:

• Pre-configured components that deploy in minutes, not weeks
• Standardized connectors requiring minimal customization
• Automated provisioning workflows that work out-of-the-box
• Streamlined integration with existing systems

A healthcare system CIO who implemented both solutions across different organizations noted: “ForgeRock took us nearly nine months to fully deploy and required significant customization. With Avatier, we were operational in less than 10 weeks, and user adoption was immediate because everything just worked.”

Executive Buy-In: Speaking the Language of Business

For CISOs and security leaders, justifying identity investments requires demonstrating clear business value. Avatier excels at communicating benefits in terms executives understand, while ForgeRock often positions itself primarily through technical capabilities.

Avatier’s approach includes:

• Clear ROI models showing help desk cost reduction
• User productivity metrics tracking time saved on access-related tasks
• Security posture improvements measured against compliance frameworks
• Executive dashboards highlighting key performance indicators

This business-centric approach makes it easier for security leaders to secure ongoing support for identity initiatives. When executives understand the tangible benefits, they become champions for adoption throughout the organization.

The Integration Challenge: Working With What You Have

Most enterprises maintain heterogeneous IT environments with diverse systems accumulated over decades. ForgeRock’s approach often requires organizations to adapt to its framework, while Avatier prioritizes adapting to existing enterprise architecture.

Avatier’s application connectors include over 500 pre-built integrations that work immediately with minimal configuration. This extensive connector library means organizations can maintain existing workflows while adding identity governance.

A global financial services firm that evaluated both platforms commented: “ForgeRock required us to restructure several critical processes to accommodate their system. Avatier adapted to our environment instead, preserving workflows our users already understood while adding the security controls we needed.”

Self-Service: The Adoption Accelerator

Perhaps the most significant factor in Avatier’s adoption advantage is its emphasis on self-service capabilities. According to HDI, each help desk ticket costs organizations an average of $22, while password resets alone can constitute up to 40% of all help desk calls.

Avatier’s self-service identity management empowers users to:

• Reset passwords through multiple channels (mobile, web, chatbot)
• Request access using an Amazon-like shopping cart experience
• Join and leave groups with one-click workflows
• Approve requests on-the-go via mobile push notifications

The psychological impact of self-service shouldn’t be underestimated. When users feel empowered rather than restricted by security tools, adoption accelerates naturally. ForgeRock’s more IT-centric approach often creates friction that slows adoption.

Compliance Without Complexity

Both Avatier and ForgeRock address critical compliance requirements, but their approaches differ significantly in how they present compliance to end-users and administrators.

ForgeRock’s compliance capabilities often require specialized knowledge to implement and maintain. By contrast, Avatier embeds compliance into everyday workflows in ways that remain invisible to end-users while automatically enforcing policies.

Avatier’s Access Governance capabilities include:

• One-click certification campaigns that managers actually complete
• Automated segregation of duties enforcement
• Continuous compliance monitoring without disrupting users
• Simplified reporting that non-technical auditors can understand

A healthcare compliance officer noted: “With ForgeRock, we struggled to get managers to complete access reviews. After switching to Avatier, our completion rate jumped from 62% to 97% because the process was so much simpler.”

Deployment Flexibility: Meeting Organizations Where They Are

While ForgeRock has traditionally focused on on-premises deployments with cloud options added later, Avatier was designed for deployment flexibility from inception.

Avatier offers:

• Public cloud deployment (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Private cloud options
• Hybrid configurations
• On-premises deployment when required
• Containerized deployment for maximum portability

This flexibility allows organizations to deploy Avatier in alignment with their existing cloud strategy rather than forcing architectural changes to accommodate the identity solution.

AI-Powered Identity Intelligence

The latest frontier in identity management involves leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance both security and user experience. While ForgeRock has begun incorporating AI capabilities, Avatier has integrated AI-driven analytics throughout its platform.

Avatier’s intelligent identity capabilities include:

• Anomalous access detection that identifies potential security risks
• Predictive access recommendations based on peer groups
• Smart approvals that streamline routine requests
• Risk-based authentication that adapts to user behavior patterns

These AI capabilities not only strengthen security but also reduce friction for legitimate users, further accelerating adoption.

Customer Success: The Human Element

Perhaps the most overlooked factor in successful identity management adoption is the human support behind the technology. Avatier’s customer success approach differs fundamentally from ForgeRock’s.

While ForgeRock follows a traditional enterprise software support model, Avatier assigns dedicated implementation teams that remain involved throughout the customer lifecycle. These teams develop deep understanding of each organization’s unique needs.

Avatier’s adoption services include:

• Customized training materials for different user personas
• Change management planning and execution
• User feedback collection and analysis
• Continuous optimization based on usage metrics

A retail industry IT director summarized: “ForgeRock treated implementation as a project with a defined end date. Avatier approached it as an ongoing partnership, continuously helping us improve adoption across our organization.”

The Bottom Line: ROI and Time-to-Value

For most organizations, the ultimate measure of success is return on investment. Identity management solutions represent significant investments, and faster adoption directly correlates with faster ROI.

Based on customer data, organizations typically achieve full ROI with Avatier 40-60% faster than with ForgeRock implementations. This accelerated timeline stems directly from higher user adoption rates, reduced help desk burden, and faster implementation.

Making the Switch: Migration Considerations

For organizations currently using ForgeRock (PingIdentity) and considering alternatives, migration concerns are natural. Avatier has developed a structured migration methodology specifically for organizations transitioning from competing platforms.

This methodology includes:

• Comprehensive current-state assessment
• Data migration tools for user attributes and entitlements
• Phased cutover approach to minimize disruption
• Side-by-side operation during transition periods

Several organizations report completing migrations from ForgeRock to Avatier in under six months while maintaining continuous identity operations.

Conclusion: The User-Centric Difference

While ForgeRock (PingIdentity) offers powerful identity capabilities, Avatier’s user-centric approach consistently delivers faster adoption, higher satisfaction, and quicker return on investment. By focusing on the human elements of identity management alongside technical excellence, Avatier has created a solution that organizations don’t just implement – they embrace.

For organizations evaluating identity management platforms or considering alternatives to their current solution, the adoption factor should be weighed heavily. The most powerful identity management system delivers zero value if users find ways to work around it.

In the identity management space, Avatier has proven that security and usability aren’t competing priorities – they’re complementary requirements for successful identity governance. By making security intuitive, organizations can achieve both stronger protection and higher productivity.

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