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Due to the new, end-to-end suite of services provided, Anix’s IT team is not only responsible for supporting the technology across the company. It also operates a large call centre providing around-the-clock support to over 150 customers including Argos, Bristol City Council, Camelot, The Carphone Warehouse, Homebase and Ocado. The mergers meant that it was the perfect time to review the helpdesk system, streamlining processes while ensuring ITIL compliance, says Ian Barker, xx at Anix. “We wanted to standardise across the business to create a consistent support performance for all staff and customers,” Barker says. “We had a bespoke helpdesk system, written in-house and based on an Oracle database.” |
“But we needed something that would be flexible enough to roll out across the new parts of the business while giving us the ITIL compliant status we really needed.”
The Solution
Integration with an eye on ITIL
Anix rolled out SupportDesk in August 2007, initially buying 30 licences. Barker wanted to ensure any system that was implemented interfaced with the existing Oracle database, so its openness of its architecture was critical.
“We evaluated a number of products but Richmond Systems provided the features we needed alongside the ability to integrate with our organisation quickly, with minimal disruption,” Barker comments. “It needed to be quick as our customers rely on us to keep critical technology running.”
Anix chose to roll out SupportDesk as phases, starting with logging and tracking calls, then moving to online raising of support tickets and fault tracking.
This phased rollout ensured Barker and his team could work to ensure a smooth integration into the Anix architecture, and is something more and more customers are asking for, said Eric Wright, Managing Director at Richmond Systems. “Rolling out SupportDesk in a modular way ensures companies get a feel for each specific benefit and means they don’t have to commit so much resource to a full-scale implementation,” Wright says. “IT support is critical, no matter where you work, so minimal disruption is key.” “In Anix’s case, the configuration and setup took two days, with a weekend implementation and two days of training. The entire rollout was in under a week.” |
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The Results
A new level of service
While a key part of the introduction of SupportDesk was to ensure compliance with the ITIL standard, integration of the helpdesk system across the expanded Anix business was also an important part of future growth plans.
“As part of IT services company Xploite, we needed to show a consistent approach to customers, as well as provide the most innovative and accessible tools to staff,” Barker adds. “Now we are standardised across the whole business, the helpdesk can take advantage of quick and easy access to the information they need.”
“In addition, we can monitor the performance of all staff and track faults from the moment they are logged to their resolution. Aside from being fully ITIL compliant, we are enabling staff to take advantage of the best practice that comes with the ITIL standard.”
Barker adds: “Once we have all the modules up and running, such as SupportDesk Self Service Portal and change management, we will be able to set a new standard in the service level agreements we offer to our users.”
