HMS: where machines talk and support scales with Zendesk

Engineering connection, enabling success

At HMS Networks, the name says it all—Hardware Meets Software™. By enabling industrial machines to speak the language of modern systems, HMS is transforming how factories, infrastructure, and energy systems operate. Whether it’s a robot on an assembly line or a generator in the field, millions of industrial devices rely on HMS to connect, communicate, and deliver insight in real time.

Founded in 1988 in Halmstad, Sweden—where its global headquarters still stands—HMS has grown into a powerhouse in Industrial ICT. From protocol translators to cloud gateways, HMS products are the invisible force behind smart automation. They don’t just power Industry 4.0—they make it possible. With a focus on productivity, connectivity, and sustainability, HMS solutions are shaping the future of industrial communication worldwide.

With operations in over 20 countries and a partner network spanning 50 more, HMS offers the industry’s most comprehensive support footprint. The company serves a global customer base across six languages, with 100+ agents handling everything from pre-sales consultation to post-sales troubleshooting.

Whether helping a customer configure a device or solve a technical challenge, the team acts as a strategic extension of the business—agile, multilingual, and always ready to connect. “It’s not just about solving tickets—it’s about guiding customers through technically demanding environments,” says Mikael Mårtensson, Global TS Systems Manager at HMS.

When product complexity meets platform constraints

As HMS expanded its global footprint and product portfolio, its support needs grew more complex—and its legacy systems struggled to keep up. The company had been relying on a combination of internal and external platforms, some of which demanded significant development resources to maintain. “We really have made a policy of trying to avoid homemade systems,” explains Mårtensson. “They take time and resources away from our core business goals and focus areas.”

Compounding the challenge was the nature of HMS’s offering. These aren’t off-the-shelf products—support cases often involve configuration files, diagnostic images, or detailed technical documentation. Some of the previous tools in use didn’t support this level of complexity, making it harder for agents to communicate effectively with customers. “Visual and technical context is critical,” Mårtensson says. “And not every system could deliver that.”

At the same time, HMS was transforming internally—acquiring new companies and reorganising around its three core divisions.” The business needed a support platform that could adapt to change, scale with growth, and empower teams across regions. It also had to be intuitive enough for fast onboarding, yet powerful enough to handle high volumes and deeply technical workflows. With those requirements in mind, HMS turned to Zendesk.

Breaking limits with tailored workflows and technical depth

To support its growing operations and handle deep technical requirements, HMS implemented Zendesk Support, Guide, and Explore—supported by Zendesk Professional Services (Assist). The platform brings together a powerful set of tools that gives HMS the flexibility to operate across regions, divisions, and languages with a high degree of control and configurability.

Zendesk Support anchors the company’s customer support system, enabling agents to manage requests through email and a multilingual portal, with each division running customised workflows tailored to their unique business requirements. CRM integration ensures agents can access relevant customer data without leaving Zendesk, while macros are used to accelerate common responses.

Guide powers the HMS Help Centre, serving as a single source for technical knowledge. “Zendesk is the master source in the system for knowledge base articles,” says Mårtensson. Content is created once and pushed to both the portal and the public website, ensuring consistency and reducing duplication of effort.

Explore adds the strategic oversight needed to stay ahead of demand. “We use it to understand what resources we need in different regions and how our self-service content is performing,” Mårtensson explains. From tracking volumes to evaluating self-service trends, analytics has become essential to how HMS continuously refines support processes.

To set the foundation for long-term growth, HMS partnered with Zendesk Assist during implementation and beyond—working closely to configure the platform to their specific needs. “They don’t just help us build it—they help us build it the right way,” says Mårtensson. “They know the system and the details—and that makes a big difference.”

High-impact support for complex needs, powered by Zendesk

With Zendesk in place, HMS has significantly advanced the agility and resilience of its support operations. The team now handles approximately 4,500 tickets each month across a wide range of technical issues, maintaining an average first response time of just two hours. “That’s across complex, technical cases—it’s not just basic questions,” Mårtensson notes.

Customer satisfaction reflects that operational strength. HMS tracks CSAT across interactions, with feedback consistently averaging above 9 out of 10 and a 20% response rate—well above industry benchmarks. “That tells us we’re not only responding quickly, but delivering meaningful help,” says Mårtensson.

“We can do a lot of configuration ourselves without a lot of development resources. That gives us real flexibility as we grow.” Mikael Mårtensson, Global TS Systems Manager at HMS at HMS NetworksZendesk also proved critical during a period of rapid organisational change. As the company reorganised and onboarded new acquisitions, Zendesk provided the agility HMS needed to scale without relying on external developers. The ability to reconfigure workflows internally helped maintain continuity across teams. “We can do a lot of configuration ourselves without a lot of development resources,” Mårtensson says. “That gives us real flexibility as we grow.”

The ease of use and rapid onboarding have proven to be a significant advantage for HMS. “I’ve onboarded many new agents into Zendesk, and they’re usually up and running in no time,” says Mårtensson. “We provide training, of course, but the system is so intuitive it’s almost impossible to get it wrong.”

The shift toward smarter self-service is another area of momentum. Customers now access technical content directly through the Help Centre, reducing the need to log tickets for common issues. “We try to provide a good way for customers to help themselves. That’s the fastest and easiest way to solve their issue,” Mårtensson explains.

From AI adoption to strategic advantage

As HMS looks ahead, AI plays a central role in its evolving support strategy. The company has already adopted features like ticket context, similar ticket and merging suggestions, as well as writing tools, and is now preparing to introduce Zendesk Copilot to assist agents with real-time guidance and faster resolutions.

Translation and content scalability are next on the horizon. With a multilingual support model, HMS sees AI-powered translation as a key enabler for expanding its knowledge base efficiently. “That will allow us to provide knowledge articles in multiple languages with much less work,” says Mårtensson.

Looking further ahead, HMS aims to integrate AI into its broader support ecosystem—connecting product documentation with customer-facing tools to deepen the self-service experience and empower agents with faster access to technical information. “If you don’t use AI, you’ll get left behind,” Mårtensson adds. “There’s so much potential—if used correctly.”

That future is grounded in partnership. As HMS continues to grow, Zendesk remains a strategic collaborator—bringing not only the tools, but the insight and adaptability to support what’s next. “Zendesk is not just about the technology,” notes Mårtensson. “It’s the people, the expertise, and the shared understanding of what good support looks like.” With Zendesk, HMS is equipped to scale smarter, respond faster, and continue delivering the high-level support its customers rely on.