Background and initial situation

An international financial company with over 2,000 employees was faced with a growing volume of IT support requests. The requests ranged from simple password resets to more complex technical problems. The IT department was often overloaded, resulting in longer wait times and sometimes inefficient problem resolution. This affected employee productivity and overall satisfaction with IT support.

Aims of the project

The main objective of the project was to increase the efficiency of IT support and reduce response times to requests by using automated systems to handle frequent requests. Specific objectives included:

  • Automation of simple and frequently recurring IT support requests.
  • Reducing the average response and processing time for requests.
  • Helping employees to help themselves by providing relevant information quickly.
  • Relieving the IT support team of routine tasks.

Solution implementation

To achieve these goals, the AI was integrated into the company’s existing IT support and helpdesk systems. The implementation process followed a structured plan:

a) Needs analysis and planning:
  • Identifying the most frequent requests: By analyzing historical support data, the most frequent requests were identified, e.g. password resets, software installations and network problems.
  • Defining the integration points: The relevant systems, including the IT service management (ITSM) system (e.g. ServiceNow) and the helpdesk ticketing system (e.g. Jira), were determined.
b) Development and integration:
  • Creation of call workflows: Development of specific workflows to process and resolve the frequent IT support requests.
  • Technical integration: The AI was seamlessly integrated into the ITSM and helpdesk ticketing system.
c) Training and knowledge database:
  • Data import and structuring: Historical support data and frequently asked questions were used to expand the AI’s knowledge base.
  • Regular updates: Planning regular updates to the knowledge base to ensure the relevance and accuracy of the information provided.

Application example and process scenario

Scenario: IT support request for password reset

  • Step 1: An employee submits a password reset request via the internal IT helpdesk chat system.
    – Employee: “AI, I’ve forgotten my password. Can you help me reset it?”
  • Step 2: The AI processes the request and guides the employee through the password reset process.
    – AI: “No problem! To reset your password, I need some information. Can you please give me your employee ID or email address?”
  • Step 3: The employee provides the required information.
    – Employee: “My e-mail address is john.doe@example.com.”
  • Step 4: The AI checks the employee’s identity in the ITSM system and initiates the password reset process.
    – AI: “Thank you very much, John. I have verified your identity. A link to reset your password has been sent to your email address. Please follow the instructions in the email to reset your password. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
  • Step 5: The employee confirms.
    – Employee: “No, that’s all. Thank you very much!”
  • Step 6: The AI documents the request and the resolved support case in the helpdesk ticketing system.
    – AI: “You’re welcome, John. Your password has been reset and the process has been documented in our system. Have a nice day!”

Results and benefits

After implementing the AI, there were significant improvements in the IT support and helpdesk areas:

  • Reduced response times: The average processing time for IT support requests decreased by 60%.
  • Increased efficiency: IT support staff were able to focus on more complex issues as repetitive requests were handled by AI.
  • Improved satisfaction: Employees received faster and more accurate responses to their IT issues, increasing overall satisfaction.
  • Optimized resource utilization: By automating routine tasks, IT resources could be used more efficiently.

Conclusion

The integration of AI into the company’s IT support and helpdesk processes led to a significant increase in efficiency and satisfaction for both employees and the IT team. The automation of repetitive and simple tasks has freed up valuable time and significantly improved the quality of IT services. Future enhancements could include the implementation of advanced diagnostics and the integration of additional support channels to cover an even wider range of IT requests.