TU/e to get a central platform for all internal inquiries

TU/e’s new Enterprise Service Management (ESM) system is being provided by Halo. An ESM is a system that centrally manages all internal services within an organization. 

A public institution like the university is required to put such a major project out to tender. Neline Khoenkhoen serves as the product owner for the procurement process and has been involved from the very beginning.

Simply put: in the past, only the IT department had a helpdesk for issues. The ESM system provides a helpdesk for the entire organization and can be used by *all* departments: HR uses it for leave requests, while ESA uses it to acknowledge receipt of applications.

Wonderland

“There is now just one door, and everyone knows what lies behind it—unlike the many doors in Alice in Wonderland. I’ve often used that analogy, because Alice never knew what she would find behind each door. That uncertainty currently makes working efficiently, effective collaboration and cross-departmental referrals difficult.”

If you have a problem or a request, there are currently many ways to handle it: a phone call, an email, a ticket via the Topdesk self-service portal, and so on. Consequently, requests reach the relevant department through various channels.

This can lead to confusion. For instance, if you call to follow up on a online request, that call is logged as a separate, second request. “We often see students wanting to know the status of their study application and whether they’ll be able to start on time. With the new ESM, they will soon be able to check that status themselves and see what steps remain.”

Phases

TU/e will not switch to the new system all at once but will do so in phases, says Khoenkhoen. “We are starting with ESA, HR, and LIS—initially just with a few subdivisions within those departments. We have yet to decide whether all implementations within those subdivisions will go live simultaneously or in stages.”

“The plan is to complete work on those subdivisions by Q3 2027. After that, we will proceed with other departments in phases.” Which departments those will be, has not yet been decided. The overall implementation will take several more years.

Putting the user first

A tender process involves market research. Before looking at potential suppliers, careful consideration was given to the various users and their specific needs.

“Users are often only involved after a system has already been selected,” notes Khoenkhoen. “We wanted to do things differently.” This meant that a group of dozens of students and staff members could provide input throughout the entire tender process. “Those diverse perspectives yielded a wealth of valuable insights.”

“That preliminary assessment clearly identified Halo as the best option.” While technology often drove IT system choices in the past, user needs are now the guiding factor. “By opting for a single point of access rather than many, you don’t have to search endlessly for the right service desk, and you only need to explain your problem once.”

AI suggestions

AI will also be integrated into the system. “It can help you find the answer to your question yourself more quickly or initiate the right action. After all, discoverability is an issue in the Topdesk portal, which places an extra burden on support staff.” 

In addition, AI will assist support staff in their work by drafting initial responses tailored to the user's query.

Efficiency

The arrival of the new ESM will also enable the TU/e ​​community to work in a more data-driven way. “This can be useful for managers, for instance. They can see when high volumes of inquiries come in and adjust their staffing schedules or information provision accordingly.”

Khoenkhoen also sees opportunities to reduce manual work in processes such as employee onboarding. “There are many standard tasks involved when someone starts working at TU/e—setting up an account, issuing a laptop, arranging building access, and so on. The new ESM allows for the configuration of a workflow that streamlines the onboarding process.”

“A workflow is a digital process consisting of steps automatically triggered by the system. The person responsible receives notifications or approval requests at each stage. It reduces the workload compared to the current situation and ensures no steps are overlooked.”

AFAS, Planon and Unit4

“The source systems used by various departments—such as AFAS for HR, Planon for room bookings, and Unit4 for expense claims—will remain in use. AFAS will continue to serve as the foundation for onboarding but will be integrated into Halo, allowing it to be accessed via that overarching system.”

The contract was officially awarded to Halo this week, concluding the procurement process. Khoenkhoen looks back with satisfaction on the years-long journey to reach this point.

“This is going to be a major improvement for the organization, delivering valuable insights and saving time; but it is also gratifying that we involved so many people in the development process along the way. This new system incorporates all those different perspectives.”

Want to know more?

TU/e recognizes that this represents a significant organizational change and that employees are curious about when their department’s turn will come and what exactly will change. For this reason, a dedicated intranet page has been set up for the transition to the ESM. Updates regarding the project will be posted there on an ongoing basis.

Image in header | made with Photoshop and Firefly.

This article was translated by AI and reviewed by an editor.