Case Study
Hybrid, Co-managed IT at WaterAid
Challenge
Water Aid is an international charity that works to provide clean water and toilets to communities around the world.
Like many charities, WaterAid were facing challenges in resourcing the IT Support function. Internal IT employees left the organisation, driven by the cost-of-living crisis, and the charity was unable to compete with corporate wages.
This meant the remaining IT team were understaffed and had to firefight support issues. Dealing with reactive user support and IT operations was time-consuming, demotivational, and was hindering their ability to deliver technology projects or process improvements. Consequently, the IT support experience for WaterAid users was suffering.
“By partnering with Smartdesc to co-manage our IT operations, we have made great efficiency improvements at WaterAid. The Service Desk is operating smoothly, our infrastructure is managed and maintained, and user feedback is excellent.
The investment has meant our internal IT team are now working on valuable improvement initiatives with colleagues from other departments. This is highly motivating for them as individuals and for us as a team in raising the profile of IT across the organisation.
We would highly recommend Smartdesc and are looking forward to continuing our work together.”
Lance Norton, Head of IT Operations, WaterAid
Solution
Smartdesc worked closely with WaterAid to design a new IT Service Operating Model. This involved implementing a co-managed, multi-disciplinary team, who are fully integrated into WaterAid on site to deliver the IT Support and IT Operations function as a service.
This team is made up of:
- Head of Tech Ops
- Service Delivery Manager
- 3 x IT Support Agents
- 1 x 3rd Line & Infrastructure Specialist
Most internal WaterAid IT staff see the Smartdesc team as internal colleagues who work seamlessly together as one team.
In addition, the complex, time-consuming role of IT Operations is managed by Smartdesc. This includes Microsoft licensing, backups, and Azure infrastructure – with regular reporting and KPIs to ensure services remain in good health.
The team is provided as a service – meaning Smartdesc handle the line management, performance management, absence cover, career development and HR matters entirely, for a fixed monthly cost.
Results
As a result of the changes, we’ve seen a continual improvement in IT Service and user satisfaction at WaterAid. Other benefits include:
- Internal IT teams freed from reactive work to focus on furthering the use of technology in the charity’s mission.
- WaterAid staff now receive a consistent, professional and responsive IT Support service.
- Significant increase in user satisfaction with IT.
- Much improved and standardised IT Support processes, aligned to global standard framework, ITIL.
- Internal IT staff are supported with their personal development and integrate seamlessly with the Smartdesc team.
Looking Ahead
We are now working with WaterAid to overhaul their IT Service Management tool to align to ITIL standards.
We are committed to Continual Service Improvement with WaterAid, and have a co-authored roadmap in place to keep improving the IT Support service, and assisting their worldwide office IT teams with modelling themselves on the same processes.