Empowering IT Management: Affinity Gaming's Transformation with ADSelfService Plus

Business challenges

• Round-the-clock IT support: As a 24/7 operating gaming company, Affinity Gaming needed to offer its employees seamless IT support, regardless of the shift they were working. This became particularly challenging when they discontinued their graveyard shift support, leaving an operational void for employees working during those hours.
• Password management: Given the nature of their operations, Affinity Gaming required a robust mechanism for their employees to update their Active Directory information and reset their own passwords, without constant dependence on the IT team.
• Active Directory (AD) data updating: Ensuring the timely update of information in their Active Directory was a significant challenge. There was a need for a solution that could delegate this responsibility to the end users themselves, improving data accuracy and efficiency.
• Integration with existing infrastructure: Affinity Gaming was already using some ManageEngine products. Hence, they preferred a solution that could easily integrate with their existing IT environment and ManageEngine products.

The Problem

ThThe series of challenges presented by the lack of round-the-clock IT support, difficulties in password management, delayed Active Directory data updating, and the need for compatibility with existing ManageEngine products were not only independent issues that Affinity Gaming had to grapple with but also formed a web of interconnected complications affecting the organization's operational effectiveness.

According to Miguel Reyes, IT Admin at Affinity Gaming, these challenges were straining their operations, and the effects were felt across their workforce. When Affinity Gaming decided to discontinue its 24-hour IT support, a new set of problems arose, primarily affecting employees working during the graveyard shift. For these employees, the inability to resolve IT issues, particularly resetting forgotten passwords, resulted in unnecessary downtime, decreasing productivity, and disrupting the workflow.

The non-availability of IT support during these hours increased the sense of frustration among employees, resulting in a lowered morale. This lack of support, coupled with the inability to resolve issues promptly, negatively impacted the company's efficiency. Miguel stressed the importance of an IT solution that would not only mitigate these issues but also improve overall user experience, enabling employees to be self-reliant in resolving minor IT challenges.

Moreover, Affinity Gaming's data management faced a bottleneck with the Active Directory. Timely updating of information in the directory was pivotal for smooth operations, data accuracy, and maintaining security standards. However, this was an area where the company was struggling significantly. Delayed updates led to outdated or incorrect data within their system, causing operational inefficiency and increasing the potential for security breaches. The ability to delegate data updating responsibilities to end users themselves was thus crucial, enhancing data accuracy and improving efficiency.

Integration posed another challenge for Affinity Gaming. Their existing IT environment was furnished with ManageEngine products, creating a necessity for any new solution to align seamlessly with the established infrastructure. The company, under the leadership of their CIO, was not merely looking for an effective solution; it was also crucial for this solution to be familiar and easy to integrate. Compatibility with existing products was a priority to ensure minimal disruption during the transition phase and for smoother operations in the future.

The outcome

The implementation of ADSelfService Plus brought immediate and palpable improvements to Affinity Gaming's IT management. According to Miguel Reyes, the time efficiency gained by using this tool was remarkable. Reyes specifically mentioned the drastic reduction in time taken for employees to unlock their accounts, stating, "Instead of our end users having to wait 10 minutes to call into our service desk, it only takes them three seconds to unlock their account." This profound improvement boosted operational efficiency significantly. By reducing downtime and empowering employees to address their minor IT issues, Affinity Gaming enhanced productivity and improved the overall user experience.

ADSelfService Plus proved to be not just a solution to Affinity Gaming's IT problems, but a catalyst for operational growth. Its ease of implementation was particularly noteworthy. Reyes appreciated this aspect, saying, "Just the ease of pricing or how surprisingly easy it was to implement." The seamless implementation process allowed for a smooth transition, resulting in minimal disruptions to daily operations. With fewer roadblocks than expected, the organization could more quickly adapt to the new system and experience its benefits.

Though there were a few minor criticisms about specific features, the overall reception of ADSelfService Plus was positive. Reyes described his experience as 'concise' and commended the professionalism and knowledgeability of the ManageEngine team. By overcoming their initial problems and seamlessly integrating the new solution into their existing infrastructure, Affinity Gaming successfully strengthened their IT management, empowering their employees and improving their operational effectiveness.

About ADSelfService Plus:

ADSelfService Plus is an identity security solution to ensure secure and seamless access to enterprise resources and establish a Zero Trust environment. With capabilities such as adaptive multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, self-service password management, a password policy enhancer, remote work enablement and workforce self-service, ADSelfService Plus provides your employees with secure, simple access to the resources they need. ADSelfService Plus helps keep identity-based threats out, fast-tracks application onboarding, improves password security, reduces help desk tickets and empowers remote workforces. For more information about ADSelfService Plus, visit https://www.manageengine.com/products/self-service-password.