IT Operations Transformation
~9,000 employees, ~400 sites, ~370 clinics
75% backlog reduction
The Challenge
- IT operations fully outsourced to a third-party provider (Reflex) with limited visibility into service quality or cost efficiency
- Significant technical debt in Microsoft Active Directory — inconsistent naming conventions, orphaned accounts, and no automation
- No SLA visibility or reporting — leadership unable to measure IT service delivery performance across 400+ sites
- Slow clinic onboarding process — new hire Day 1 setup taking days instead of hours due to manual provisioning
- Password reset tickets consuming a disproportionate share of helpdesk capacity with no self-service option
The Approach
Our Approach
This was a fundamental transformation: taking IT operations from a fully outsourced model to a high-performing insourced team with ITIL-based processes, automation-first principles, and 24/7 coverage across 400+ sites. The goal was not just to replace the outsourced provider, but to build a scalable internal capability that would improve over time.
Phase 1: Assessment & Team Build
We started by auditing the existing service delivery: ticket volumes, resolution times, escalation patterns, and the true cost of the outsourced model. The findings were stark — no SLA reporting existed, Active Directory was riddled with technical debt, and the outsourced team had no automation in place for common tasks.
The insourced L1/L2 team was built in parallel with process design:
- ITIL-based incident, request, and change management processes were established before the team went live
- 24/7 on-call rotation with documented runbooks for every critical system
- Escalation paths clearly defined from L1 through L3 and vendor support
Phase 2: Automation & Self-Service
With the team operational, we attacked the highest-volume ticket categories through automation:
- Self-service password reset portal — eliminated 80% of password tickets, the single largest ticket category
- Automated onboarding/offboarding — Dayforce integration triggers Azure AD account creation, group assignment, and application provisioning on new hire start date
- Enterprise automations integrating Dayforce, Azure AD, Concur, and NetSuite — each new automation created a compound effect, multiplying the value of existing integrations
Phase 3: Active Directory Remediation & SLA Governance
The final phase tackled the technical debt: standardizing AD naming conventions, removing orphaned accounts, implementing group-based access policies, and establishing automated compliance reporting. SLA dashboards gave leadership visibility into IT performance for the first time.
Within one quarter, the helpdesk backlog was reduced by 75%, SLA breaches dropped to under 5%, and new hire Day 1 setup went from a multi-day manual process to same-day automated provisioning.
System Architecture
Technology Stack
Key Outcomes
Helpdesk Backlog Reduction
Reduced outstanding helpdesk ticket backlog by 75% within the first quarter of insourced operations
SLA Breach Rate
Service level agreement breaches reduced to under 5% through structured ITIL processes and monitoring
Password Reset Reduction
Self-service password reset portal eliminated 80% of password-related tickets from the helpdesk queue
Day 1 Setup
New hire provisioning reduced from multi-day manual process to same-day automated setup via Dayforce integration
What Made It Different
- Insourced model designed for scalability — built internal team capabilities rather than creating dependency on another vendor
- Automation-first philosophy: reduce repetitive ticket volume through self-service and automation before adding headcount
- Dayforce platform ownership alongside IT operations — HR system integration as a force multiplier for identity management
- 24/7 on-call rotation established with clear escalation paths and documented runbooks for every critical system
Lessons & Transferable Patterns
- Insourcing IT operations requires building the team and processes simultaneously — hiring without ITIL foundations creates chaos
- Automating password resets and onboarding/offboarding delivers the fastest ROI and immediately frees helpdesk capacity
- Active Directory cleanup must happen before automation — automating on top of inconsistent data propagates errors at scale
- Enterprise integrations (Dayforce, Azure AD, Concur, NetSuite) create a compound effect where each automation multiplies the value of others
Facing a similar challenge?
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