A Cireson Customer Success Story
Company Overview
The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing manufacturing innovation in support of the U.S. defense industrial base. Through partnerships, programs, and technology solutions, NCDMM delivers expertise and resources that strengthen national security, improve efficiency, and drive transformational impact in manufacturing.
A Ticketing System That Just Works
When Jason Saly and Todd Oswalt, IT Infrastructure & Facilities Managers at NCDMM, began searching for a help desk solution, they quickly realized many of the systems available were too complicated and overloaded with features their team didn’t need.
“We evaluated several IT Help Desk Ticketing Systems before we decided to go with Tikit,” said Saly. “It was super easy from an IT perspective to get setup and working properly and is superior to any other system we evaluated for a Microsoft 365 tenant.”
That simplicity, combined with cost-effectiveness, made Tikit an obvious choice. “Another huge bonus is its affordability,” added Saly. “We were surprised what all you get for the low fee charged per user.”
Smooth Setup and Quick Adoption
For NCDMM, time-to-value mattered. As a small IT department supporting critical operations, they needed a tool that wouldn’t require weeks of implementation or ongoing maintenance.
“The setup and configuration process was impressively quick and straightforward; we had Tikit fully operational within just a few hours,” explained Oswalt.
Once deployed, adoption was natural because Tikit plugs directly into Microsoft Teams—the platform NCDMM already relied on for daily communication. Users didn’t need to learn a new system, and requests became easier to log and track.
Saly noted, “We especially loved that it plugs directly into Teams, our Corporate Communications Platform which makes it very easy to access for our userbase.”
Challenge
As a government contractor, NCDMM must maintain strict IT compliance, ensuring all requests are logged for security and audit purposes. With only two IT managers supporting the organization, requests arriving by direct email made visibility difficult and created risk if one team member was unavailable. They needed a solution that was secure, lightweight, integrated into Microsoft Teams, and easy to manage without unnecessary complexity.
Outcome
With Tikit fully embedded in their workflows, NCDMM’s IT team now enjoys peace of mind knowing requests are properly logged, secure, and visible at all times. The system’s simplicity and affordability make it a perfect fit for their small team while still meeting the strict compliance needs of a defense-focused organization.
"The setup and configuration process was impressively quick and straightforward; we had Tikit fully operational within just a few hours."
Features That Fit Their Needs
While some competitors promoted long lists of advanced capabilities, NCDMM found value in Tikit’s balance: just enough functionality to cover compliance and efficiency requirements, without adding unnecessary overhead.
Some of the features that stand out most for their team include:
- Tikit Virtual Agent AI Support
Tikit Virtual Agent, Tikit’s built-in chatbot, allows users to interact naturally while resolving common issues. “The bot is a nice added touch that lets our users feel like they are not just talking to a system and allows us to configure direct answers to specific questions, helping to minimize the number of tickets,” said Saly.
Oswalt added, “We’ve found the Tikit chatbot to be particularly useful, as it effectively handles a majority of our level 1 help desk tickets.”
- Flexible Ticket Submission
Users can create tickets in Teams or via Exchange email. This flexibility means employees can choose the method that’s most natural for them, reducing barriers to adoption.
- Comprehensive Reporting
Tikit’s portal provides clear visibility into help desk activity. “The Tikit portal has been a valuable tool for generating reports and providing us with comprehensive statistics on all our help desk tickets,” said Oswalt. For NCDMM, this data is crucial for monitoring compliance and measuring IT performance.
- Scalable and Simple Licensing
The IT managers also appreciate how easy it is to add or reassign agents. Whether onboarding an intern or expanding the team, Tikit makes it simple and cost-effective to manage licenses.
Partnering With Cireson
Beyond the product itself, NCDMM has been impressed by the people behind Tikit. “Their support is also top-notch and super responsive, and we love knowing that help is only a few clicks away,” said Saly. That confidence has only grown over time. “We couldn’t be happier with our decision and never looked back after implementation. If you are looking for a ticketing system you can’t go wrong with Tikit!”
Key Results
Since adopting Tikit, NCDMM has realized significant improvements in IT service delivery and compliance:
- Full compliance assurance –
every request is logged and auditable.
- Rapid deployment –
operational within just a few hours.
- Seamless adoption –
users submit tickets directly in Teams with no added training
- Reduced workload –
Tikit Virtual Agent and AI ticket deflection handles most level 1 support needs.
- Actionable insights –
Budget-friendly licensing –detailed reports and ticket statistics support decision-making.
- Budget-friendly licensing –
affordable, scalable, and easy to reassign.
Looking Ahead
After more than two years with Tikit, NCDMM continues to rely on the system daily to ensure compliance, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The tool has proven to be reliable, flexible, and easy to manage—qualities especially important for a lean IT department supporting high-stakes defense work.
By choosing Tikit, NCDMM found a solution that checked every box: secure, simple, affordable, and backed by responsive support. As Oswalt put it, “While Tikit may not have every feature that some other help desk ticketing systems offer, it suits our users and our specific needs perfectly.”
With confidence in their IT service management system, the team can focus on what matters most: enabling NCDMM’s mission to advance manufacturing innovation in support of U.S. national security.
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