Network Services Managed Service Consolidation
Creating one accountable network service from a fragmented vendor structure
A global insurance company relied on multiple external vendors to support its network infrastructure. Differences in service quality, cost structures, and SLAs created unnecessary complexity and made consistent service management difficult.
Ahead Consulting assessed the existing environment and designed a consolidated managed service that brought network engineering responsibilities under a unified delivery structure.
Results at a glance
- Multiple network vendors consolidated into one managed service
- Standardized service levels and governance
- One central point of contact for network service delivery
- Reduced staffing requirements through shared efficiencies and automation
- Improved consistency in service quality and SLA performance
- A scalable structure aligned with changing demand
The challenge
The client operated a large enterprise network that required engineering support across multiple technologies and locations.
Over time, network services had become distributed among several external vendors. Each provider operated under different commercial arrangements, service levels, and delivery standards. This created several challenges:
- Overlapping responsibilities among vendors
- Significant variations in cost and service quality
- Inconsistent service level agreements
- Administrative overhead associated with multiple providers
- Limited ability to introduce common processes and automation
- Difficulty optimizing resource utilization across the network function
The client needed a delivery model that could provide consistent engineering support, clearer accountability, predictable service standards, and more effective operational oversight.
Our approach
Ahead Consulting conducted a detailed assessment of the existing network service environment. The review covered:
- Network technologies under support
- Skills and responsibilities across the vendor teams
- Service coverage and work locations
- Organizational and reporting structures
- Existing service levels and performance expectations
Using the findings, we worked with the client’s leadership to design a consolidated managed service structure.
The proposed model introduced:
- A unified engineering team with defined responsibilities
- Standardized service levels and reporting
- A central point of contact for network service delivery
- A staffing structure that could scale with demand
- Automation engineering capability within the network function
The transition
Ahead Consulting worked with the client’s internal management team to transition from the existing multi-vendor arrangement to the consolidated service.
The transition included defining the new engineering team, aligning staffing with operational requirements, establishing common SLAs and governance processes, and incorporating automation development into the service.
The resulting model provided a dedicated team focused on the client’s network environment, with the flexibility to adjust capacity as business requirements changed.
The outcome
The new delivery model consolidated multiple network providers into a single managed service team.
Shared efficiencies and automation reduced overall staffing requirements, while standardized governance and SLAs improved the consistency of service delivery. The client also gained a single point of contact, reducing the internal effort required to manage multiple providers.
What this demonstrates
Managed services should do more than replace several vendors with one. A successful consolidation creates clear accountability, consistent service standards, appropriate governance, and a structure that can adapt to changing operational requirements.
Relevant services: Network managed services, operating model design, service transition, automation, service governance