How CDW helped Freshworks eke out a win in a tough RFP
Freshworks’ partner program brings the deep relationships of partners together with the solution expertise to jointly close deals
When a 35,000-person industrial distributor set out to rethink IT service management, Freshworks wasn't on the list. The company was a relative unknown to a team that had run ServiceNow for a decade.
But then Freshworks got a seat at the table, thanks to a partnership with CDW, a technology reseller and services partner that helps businesses buy and implement IT products and solutions. After an RFP that included six vendors and more than 200 ITSM and ITAM requirements, the distributor chose Freshservice Enterprise and Freddy AI, as well as Device42 ITAM, a sandbox environment, and Premium Support, for 1,540 agents.
“What set Freshworks apart from other partners is the willingness to partner and flexibility to solve the customer’s challenges,” says Vy Weiss, client executive at CDW.
The challenge
Before choosing Freshservice, the company had used ServiceNow, which had become costly and resource-intensive to maintain. The company wanted a simpler, more cost-effective platform that could still scale, along with clearer visibility into its technology assets and infrastructure.
CDW's knowledge of the way the customer evaluates technology and makes decisions helped the firm to identify the key stakeholders, guide both companies through the procurement process, and meet in person every two weeks.
What set Freshworks apart from other partners is the willingness to partner and flexibility to solve the customer’s challenges.
Vy Weiss
Client Executive at CDW
Freshworks and Device42 tailored a proof of concept to the customer’s own use cases, pairing Freshservice's easy-to-manage ITSM with Device42's discovery, asset management, and a centralized CMDB. Freddy AI Agent for self-service in Microsoft Teams and Freddy AI Copilot for agent productivity rounded out the solution.
“Freshworks brought the right technical team in conjunction with sales leadership to ensure a successful proof of value,” says Weiss.
After a four-week proof of value, Freshworks emerged as the clear winner over ServiceNow and BMC. The customer cited ease of use, an intuitive interface, native AI, and a customer-centric team as key differentiators.
CDW brought the relationship, account intelligence, and procurement expertise. Freshworks and Device42 brought the product and a willingness to build for the customer. Weiss says she has never worked with a vendor who showed up to the degree Freshworks did on this RFP and proof of value.
