Transforming ITSM efficiency with Freshworks

Teijin Aramid, a global leader in producing high-end, super-strong, and lightweight fibers for industries such as aerospace, Formula 1, and personal protection, recognized the need to streamline and futureproof their IT Service Management (ITSM) processes. To achieve this, Teijin Aramid partnered with Pink Elephant EMEA to implement a comprehensive, one-tool ITSM solution.

Organisation Profile

• Industry: B2B Manufacturing
• Employees: 2,000
• Head Office: Arnhem, the Netherlands
• Founded: 1983

Futureproofing ITSM with Pink Elephant

To address the growing demands of digital transformation and automation, Teijin Aramid sought a robust ITSM solution. Pink Elephant EMEA was tasked with implementing the chosen software, FreshService by Freshworks, to enhance and futureproof Teijin Aramid’s IT operations.

Joost van den Reek, PPM & SMO Manager at Teijin Aramid, emphasized the importance of efficient IT management:

“Due to the digital transformation, you see ever-increasing automation, which is also becoming more and more data-driven – this succeeds or fails depending on how your IT is managed.”

Teijin Aramid’s Requirements

Teijin Aramid needed a versatile ITSM tool that extended beyond ITIL® to include services like project management, alert management, SaaS management, and contract management. They wanted a unified, one-tool solution rather than a mix of best-of-breed tools.

Joost explained:

“We wanted to be able to manage and monitor the IT organisation with one tool – not a combination of best-of-breeds.”

Pink Elephant and Freshworks Partnership

To meet Teijin Aramid’s needs, Pink Elephant partnered with Freshworks to implement the FreshService ITSM solution. Misha Macinski, Head of Consultancy & Portfolio at Pink Elephant, highlighted the benefits:

“Freshservice was definitely the best match for Teijin Aramid, especially because of the usability and speed, the ease of implementation, and Joost’s pragmatic approach.”

Implementation and Deliverables

Over the course of three months, Pink Elephant worked closely with Teijin Aramid to implement the following ITSM solutions:

• Process Workshops: Redesigning ITSM processes for departments like IT, HR, and Facility, and integrating them into Freshservice.
• Online Training: Facilitating user adoption through comprehensive training.
• Agile Approach: Utilizing a sprint structure to deliver the Most Valuable Product (MVP) and meet business expectations.

Key ITSM Solutions Delivered

• Incident Management
• Request Fulfillment
• Change Management
• Knowledge Management
• Configuration Management
• Self-Service Portal for Service Catalogue

Improving ITSM Efficiency and Quality

Misha emphasized the importance of balancing toolset capabilities with process adjustments:

“It is important to make a trade-off during implementation between the toolset itself on the one hand, and the translation back to the adjustment of the process on the other.”

He added:

“We have been implementing Service Management solutions for more than 10 years, so we know very well which best practices you should follow and what you can do better. Both on a human and process level and from a tooling point of view, our goal is to be leading in an implementation and not just be technically executive.”

Joost further explained how automation and standardization have benefited Teijin Aramid:

“We have partly automated the workflows: based on dynamic fields, the ticket follows a different route. With standardisation and automation, you achieve high customer satisfaction because of the fast pace, and at the same time it keeps costs low.”

Asset Management Integration

With Pink Elephant’s implementation of the Asset Management function, Teijin Aramid can now track all IT assets, including laptops, monitors, phones, and infrastructure hardware. The existing monitoring systems within the infrastructure landscape have been integrated with Freshservice, ensuring that any alerts automatically generate high-priority tickets.

Customer Benefits of the One-Tool ITSM Solution

• Unified IT Management: A single tool to manage the entire IT organization.
• Faster Ticket Turnaround: Improved response and resolution times.
• User-Friendly Experience: Enhanced usability for all users.
• Best Practices Integration: Pink Elephant’s best practices ensured successful implementation and long-term success.

Why Choose Pink Elephant?

Pink Elephant’s unique approach combines people, process, and technology for a comprehensive solution. As Project Manager Tim van Tol noted:

“Within the current market, tooling partners’ perspectives often lie with technical functionalities only. With Pink’s philosophy, we strongly advocate for an integrated people, process, technology approach for long-term success.”

Results: Transforming ITSM Efficiency

The implementation of the Freshservice ITSM solution has significantly improved the efficiency of Teijin Aramid’s IT operations. Joost confirmed:

“The lead time and the resolution time of incidents and changes has certainly been shortened – we do more in less time.”