Unisys & A Major East Coast U.S. Transportation and Transit Authority
East Coast transportation and transit authority:
Professional strength IT
Imagine it.

How can a major East Coast transportation and transit authority improve end-user service levels while upgrading IT services?

Done.

Standardize and centralize using Unisys Infrastructure Services to deliver improved service levels and standards for routine IT functions. The result? A more modern, professional IT organization that can apply limited in-house IT resources to key projects.

It’s an old adage, but still true — it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. Such was the situation for a major East Coast transportation and transit authority until Unisys came on the scene.

 

From the early 1990s, as personal computers and departmental servers gained wide acceptance in industry and government, the transit authority allowed its departments to operate independently with regard to technology. With 26 departments, 5,000-plus employees, and 40 locations, the transit authority’s IT operations evolved into a highly decentralized model. By 2000, the result was essentially 26 “mini” IT units — each with its own way of doing things — from the hardware deployed to the applications used to the IT contractors hired.

 

This situation seemed ideal to the individual departments, but to the trained eye of Unisys consultants, it looked very different. They saw an opportunity to make significantly better use of technology assets, improve communication of priorities, better manage human resources and achieve higher economies of scale. It was clear that this organization could greatly benefit from consolidation, centralization and standardization.

 

The solution? Unisys Infrastructure Services. By transitioning to a more centralized IT function based on documented standards and controls, the transit authority could regain control of its resources. Unisys proposed that the transit authority begin this journey by outsourcing the end-user help desk function. Additional recommendations included consolidation, centralization and improvements in systems and database administration. Ultimately, Unisys helped the transit authority create an IT department that is better positioned to support its business objectives — both today and into the future.

 

Transforming IT Operations a Step at a Time

The transition started gradually, with Unisys initially assuming second-level support responsibility for all Microsoft® Exchange and Outlook end-user support. Soon after, the transit authority realized it needed to take a broader approach to improve operations. The contract was then expanded to include deployment services, remote network management, and a full service desk function.

 

One of the most valuable services Unisys offered the transit authority was an on-site Program Management Office (PMO). The PMO ensures a single point-of-accountability, regardless of issue or location. It coordinates service delivery, evaluates future requirements, and recommends solutions. Issues were quickly addressed and areas for improvement identified and actioned thanks to regular meetings between the Unisys PMO and transit authority department managers. In addition, Unisys developed and implemented quality initiatives to ensure continuous improvement.

 

Under the previous model, the help desk functioned as a traffic cop — directing problems to other organizations rather than attempting to resolve them immediately. Now, the Unisys Service Desk offers single point-of-contact for all IT problems across the organization. By providing complete tracking and resolution of problems in a professional manner — as well as answering an average of 800-plus calls per week — more than 43% of all issues are resolved by Unisys Service Desk personnel.

 

Proactive and Responsive

Over time, the transit authority has contracted with Unisys to place more than 60 highly trained technical professionals on-site, bringing an increased depth of skills to IT operations. When individual departments had their “own” IT person, gaps in coverage frequently occurred. The Unisys technical team has eliminated these issues and delivers the necessary expertise to consistently and quickly tackle problems. In those cases where a department requires a dedicated IT resource for the highest service levels, Unisys provides an experienced technician who understands and follows the established standards and processes.

 

Unisys supported efforts to standardize desktop and server hardware and software environments across the organization. And on a continuous basis, Unisys provides deployment services that plan, configure, stage, deliver and install software upgrades. This ensures that standards continue to be maintained and updated as new capabilities are released.

 

Delivering Professional IT Support

The transit authority’s IT organization has successfully evolved into one that is centralized and standards-based. Better overall management of technology resources enables delivery of timely, results-based support to the end-user community and business units. Establishing and adhering to processes and standards translates into faster problem resolution and easier upgrades to new technology. Finally, systematic tracking and reporting keeps all the departments on the same page and eliminates information silos that once existed.

 

Ultimately, the transit authority can now focus its own IT resources on essential projects and leave the more routine — yet essential — service desk and network management functions to Unisys. Surveys demonstrate that the new Unisys Service Desk is making a significant difference. End-user satisfaction ratings regularly exceed 4.75 on a scale of 1 to 5, due, in large part, to an average resolution time of less than 3 hours.

 

Outsourcing these services to Unisys for a fixed annual cost has enabled the transit authority to better manage its IT budget. Service levels are higher as well, with Unisys exceeding the service level agreement of 99.5% average availability for all servers within the organization on a monthly basis. In addition, 90 percent of trouble tickets are closed within one business day. As a result, the transit authority recognized key Unisys team members for their exceptional service.

 

The bottom line

Client at a glance

East Coast transportation and transit authority

 

Profile

Critical solution components

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