With F4SD: Optimizing IT Support at RENA
Lack of permissions and insufficient time for critical IT projects—the goal was to improve RENA Technologies’ first-level support and relieve the burden on second-level support. That’s when the decision-makers learned about F4SD. Their decision to adopt the new tool turned the tide.
The relatively low resolution rate in first-level support had long been a thorn in the side of RENA’s IT management. “We’ve always faced the challenge of empowering our service desk to find solutions more quickly,” says Michael Schonhardt, Head of IT at RENA. “One problem was that first-level support sometimes lacked the necessary permissions to access the required client information. As a result, many tickets were forwarded directly to second-level support, which consequently had hardly any time left for other issues.”
Enthusiasm from the very start—how F4SD won people over
RENA has had a long-standing business relationship with Consulting4IT, based on the use of Matrix42 products. “We first heard about F4SD during one of our meetings with Consulting4IT,” recalls Michael Schonhardt. “When they showed us the tool, we were absolutely thrilled.”
And Dominik Schneider, a second-level IT administrator at RENA, adds: “We liked F4SD right from the start because you can see all the relevant information right there on a single screen—information that we would otherwise have had to pull from various systems.”
F4SD as a Game-Changer
F4SD was implemented at RENA in early October 2023 and has been in active use ever since. “Thanks to the Power BI analytics integrated into F4SD, we can see exactly how many employees are using the tool. The number is on the rise,” explains Dominik Schneider with satisfaction. “First-level support can now retrieve information independently and is thus able to resolve many cases on their own,” says Schonhardt, describing the improvements. “Another advantage: Second-level support is significantly relieved and can focus on other projects. The entire service desk has gained momentum. We are now aiming for a first-time resolution rate of 60–70% and expect a further increase with the new update in December.”
Source of inspiration
The introduction of F4SD had another effect, as Schonhardt reports: “Suddenly, ideas started flowing from all employees. From trainees to second-level support staff: everyone started thinking about what else we could improve with F4SD.” For example, they considered displaying leasing data from Matrix42 in F4SD. “After all, if I see that a computer’s lease is ending next month anyway, I can skip troubleshooting issues on that client and just provide the user with a new computer right away.”
The tool's flexibility as an added value
Overall—according to the IT manager—the introduction of the tool has led to a genuine transformation: “First-level support now thinks about how to come up with solutions and what they need to do so. Through this independent implementation, we are increasingly able to customize the tool to our specific needs.” To make this process even easier, a way to proactively submit ideas has been set up. “We’ve created a ‘Quick Call’ feature in the ticket system for service desk staff. There, they can submit ideas for customizations so we can implement them if necessary,” explains Dominik Schneider.
Conclusion – Shaping the Future
Schonhardt and Schneider agree that effective communication among all project participants was a key factor in the smooth implementation of F4SD. Schneider’s only tip is to allow a little more time between the completion of the implementation and the subsequent review in order to provide more concrete feedback. The IT experts at RENA know that their input also contributes to the long-term optimization of F4SD.
In closing, Schonhardt says: “Every day, we’re faced with the exact kinds of issues that F4SD can solve. Through our feedback, we have a unique opportunity to contribute to the further development of a great product—and we’re more than happy to do so, because we know it will benefit us as well.” At RENA, F4SD has not only optimized service desk performance but has also led to a real boost in employee motivation—thereby providing an impetus for further improvements that, while not directly measurable, is certainly significant.
About RENA Technologies
RENA Technologies is a leading global technology provider in the fields of wet chemistry and mechanical engineering. The company offers innovative, high-quality solutions for industries such as semiconductors, medical technology, and solar energy. With over 3,300 systems installed worldwide and a team of approximately 1,200 employees, RENA Technologies is a well-established name in the industry