Transforming Support Services into a Scalable, Customer-Centric Business Unit

Challenge

EncompaaS faced critical challenges in its support operations:

Single Points of Failure: Reliance on a single individual for key support functions led to risks in service continuity.

Lack of Scalability: Absence of formal processes, limited SLA tracking, and inadequate automation restricted growth and operational efficiency.

Technology Gaps: Manual synchronisation between Zendesk and Azure DevOps, and insufficient monitoring and reporting tools hindered performance visibility.

Customer Expectations: Global customers experienced delayed responses due to limited timezone coverage, and inconsistent service quality affected satisfaction.

Resource Constraints: A lack of knowledge management, formal training programs, and structured governance limited the organisation’s ability to onboard and empower teams.

Approach

To address these challenges, the program implemented a phased, customer-centric strategy:

Support as a Business Unit (ESS):

  • Established EncompaaS Support Services (ESS) as a dedicated profit centre to centralise and optimise customer-facing activities.

  • Developed a clear P&L structure and service catalogue to formalise operations .

Knowledge Management:

  • Implemented a robust framework for knowledge transfer, addressing single points of failure and improving team scalability .

Technology Integration:

  • Enhanced Zendesk capabilities, automated workflows, and synchronised DevOps for seamless ticket management and SLA tracking .

Service Level Management:

  • Redesigned SLA frameworks with realistic recovery objectives and tracking mechanisms to meet contractual commitments .

Phased Roadmap:

  • Delivered an MVP to establish essential support capabilities within the first year, followed by progressive enhancements over the next three years .

Outcomes

Operational Excellence:

  • Reduced single points of failure through strategic hiring (ESS Manager, Support Engineers) and robust knowledge sharing.

  • Standardised workflows streamlined ticket handling, escalation processes, and SLA management .

Scalability:

  • Implemented automation in routine support tasks, allowing the team to handle increasing volumes without proportional resource expansion .

Customer Value:

  • Improved service levels, faster issue resolution, and consistent communication led to higher customer satisfaction scores .

Profitability:

  • New revenue streams were introduced through premium support packages and self-hosting tariffs, making support a value-added service .

Key Deliverables

Roadmap and MVP Implementation:

  • Delivered a phased plan prioritising risk mitigation and operational efficiency .

Governance Framework:

  • Established roles, responsibilities, and KPIs for support teams, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement .

Knowledge Base:

  • Built a centralised, AI-enhanced repository for documentation and customer self-service .

Enhanced Technology Platform:

  • Integrated DevOps with Zendesk for real-time SLA tracking and automated escalation .

Identified Benefits

Operational Resilience

Distributed knowledge and automated systems minimised service disruptions.

Customer Satisfaction

Clear SLAs and proactive communication improved trust and retention.

Revenue Growth

Support transitioned from a cost centre to a profitable business unit with clear financial accountability

Scalability

The foundation for global support expansion and advanced service offerings, such as “follow-the-sun” support and premium SLAs