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"With OTRS 8, we’ve made a huge leap forward – the system not only looks much more professional, but also provides noticeably greater user-friendliness in day-to-day operations."

Dirk Holbeck, Head of Information Technology, ecotel communication ag

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ecotel communication ag

Agents: 218

Tickets/Month:

6.000-7.000

Web

ecotel communication ag

Noticeably more user-friendly, with faster response and resolution times

Initial Situation

For ecotel, a powerful and stable ticketing system is business-critical. In addition to high user-friendliness, a multi-tenant customer portal was essential so that multiple customers could work securely at the same time and have full insight into their own tickets at any point. Transparency was the top priority.

Customer service handles requests directly via the company’s own customer portal as well as through web and API interfaces. Processes such as incident management are clearly mapped, including processing status and affected assets. Dirk Holbeck, Head of Information Technology at ecotel, describes the combination of portal and interfaces as a “two-track ticketing system.”

Beyond traditional IT Service Management (ITSM), ecotel also uses OTRS for contract terminations and provider change processes. Since clients increasingly require an ITIL 4-compliant service desk as part of tenders, the strategic decision to use OTRS also sent a clear signal regarding future readiness.

Impact of OTRS

Optimized reporting
Quicker response and resolution times
Faster resolution of change and incident processes
Flexibility in integrations and interfaces

Features Used

API interfaces
Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
Customer portal
ITIL processes (ITSM)
FAQ

Requirements

High-performance interfaces & integrations
Automated ticket creation
Synchronization with internal systems
Multi-tenant customer access
Compatibility with future updates

Challenge

The previously used, heavily customized OTRS 7 instance had reached its technical limits—an update was no longer possible.

Over the years, the system had accumulated inactive (“dead”) configurations that heavily impacted performance, especially with a large number of open tickets.

A direct upgrade to OTRS 8, including all existing customizations, was not feasible due to the system’s complexity and incompatibility.

Approach & Solution

In close collaboration with OTRS Consulting, ecotel decided to completely rebuild the system based on OTRS 8. The modernization was carried out in stages, with a clear focus on best practices and long-term scalability:

Redesign of the system structure:
Existing workflows were systematically analyzed and migrated to OTRS 8 based on documentation, training videos, and best-practice recommendations.

Separate test environment:All customizations were first validated in a test environment, allowing potential errors to be identified and resolved early before going live.

Standardization of roles and processes:
Roles, permissions, and queues were completely redefined. Cross-departmental standards were introduced to unify internal collaboration.

Focus on integration:
The connection via web and API interfaces was a top priority to ensure seamless integration into existing processes and systems.

A major ecotel customer served as a pilot project, with incident and service request processes implemented first. This solution then became a blueprint for the entire internal organization.

Results & Benefits

Improved usability and modern UI: OTRS 8 impresses with a professional interface, significantly enhancing the daily user experience for service agents.

Faster response and resolution times:
Clearly defined processes and standardized workflows have shortened handling times and improved service efficiency.

Stable system performance:
The system now delivers stable, high-performance operation even under heavy ticket volumes, eliminating prior performance issues.

Transparent reporting:
The new reporting delivers comprehensive analytics for internal management and external customer communication.

Maximum flexibility:
The use of web and API interfaces allows for seamless integration into ecotel’s existing system landscape.

Roadmap (Post Go-Live)

Fine-tuning of interfaces and customer portal access

Integration of additional best practices into regular operations

Continuous optimization of reporting and KPIs

ecotel communication ag

The ecotel Group has been active nationwide since 1998 and has established itself as one of the leading quality providers for business customers. With a focus on “cloud & fiber,” ecotel serves two of the most important growth segments in the German telecommunications market. The parent company, ecotel communication ag, is headquartered in Düsseldorf (Germany). Including its subsidiaries, ecotel employs around 225 staff. Currently, the company serves more than 11,000 customers across Germany with a comprehensive full-service portfolio of cloud and broadband services.