NHS Western Sussex Hospitals sees 70% rise in first-call resolution

Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust runs three hospitals, serving a population of 450,000 people across most of West Sussex. Unhappy with their IT service, they switched to Freshservice and used it to create their current system, which won "Best Implementation of an ITSM Solution Award" at the 2017 SDI IT Service & Support Awards.

The challenge

Faced with organization-wide discontent with the shared NHS system, an outsourced tool called Marval, the organization decided it needed a change. The team then spent several months analyzing 14 ITSM tools, including those from Zendesk, Sunrise, and Hornbill. They ultimately chose Freshservice. One challenge: The new service desk had to be up and running within three months of the old tool's expiration.

The solution

Considering the complex IT environment of an acute hospital, the IT team faces significant pressure as they are responsible for quickly resolving IT issues that directly affect patient care. The team found Freshservice a refreshing change from the old tool.

• Automation: auto-assignment of tickets freed up critical time for other deliverables

• Self-service: self-service usage improved exponentially, taking pressure off the team

• Customizability: completely customized portal

• Dedicated support: The Freshworks team was always available for support and helped the organization through implementation on a tight deadline

• Increased ROI: Freshservice provided more than the old tool for a much lower cost

Impact

After the quick implementation with continued support throughout the process, Freshservice’s clean, simple interface and adaptability further won the IT team’s support. As the performance of IT operations improved, so did end users’ perception of the IT team, which became viewed as a value-add. Automation was a big win, reducing time spent on calls, improving SLAs, and relieving pressure on the IT team.