DrFirst uses Zendesk Assist to simplify the complex

DrFirst has been transforming medication management for 25 years, helping providers and patients navigate a complex and often fragmented healthcare system. The company delivers solutions that improve medication management workflows, care collaboration, and patient safety across a platform that supports clinicians, pharmacists, and healthcare organizations.

DrFirst technology can be used as stand-alone solutions or integrated within the workflow of electronic health records and health information systems. The company’s solutions help over 100 million patients a year and are used by more than 420,000 prescribers, 71,000 pharmacies, and over 2,000 hospitals throughout the U. S.

Serving a large, regulated ecosystem

To serve its large ecosystem of healthcare stakeholders, DrFirst selected Zendesk in 2020 to fill the need for a responsive, efficient, and well-integrated customer support operation.

Like many healthcare organizations, DrFirst operates in a highly regulated, fast-evolving environment. Support workflows must balance precision and agility while meeting the demands of multiple departments and stakeholders.

To scale its support and maintain agility amid complex healthcare requirements, DrFirst decided to partner with Zendesk Premier Support—and specifically Zendesk Assist—a long-term advisory solution that has become a cornerstone of the team’s operations.

“Assist is my right hand,” says Denise Sehlmeyer, Zendesk admin at DrFirst. “It’s more than support—-it’s a strategic extension of our team that helps me simplify the complex.”

Complexity in a fast-moving environment

Before engaging Zendesk Assist, Sehlmeyer found herself submitting between six to ten tickets per week to Zendesk Premier Support for simple troubleshooting and configuration advice.

“We have a lot of customizations and move fast,” Sehlmeyer explains. “Our Zendesk instance is complex, and we needed someone who understood our environment and could help us make quick, informed decisions.”

Strategic partnership with Zendesk Assist

Enter Zendesk Assist—-a service designed to pair customers with a dedicated consultant who acts as an advisor, problem-solver, and trusted collaborator.

Over the past two years, Sehlmeyer has worked closely with her Assist consultant, meeting weekly to align on goals, review ongoing projects, and audit systems. From trigger audits to macro optimization, the full-time consultant has helped DrFirst maintain a clean, efficient Zendesk setup and test new features in the sandbox before rollout.

“Our Zendesk Assist consultant is my go-to person,” she says with a smile. “When I have a question, I ask him—-not an article. He gets me answers immediately and understands how we work.”

Sehlmeyer relies on her consultant to flag relevant updates, enroll the team in Early Access Programs, and ensure smooth implementation.

Premier support for complex issues

Since adopting Zendesk Assist, DrFirst has dramatically reduced its reliance on traditional support tickets. However, while the Assist consultant is available for hands-on feedback and quick troubleshooting, there is still a need to open support tickets for more complex issues. In fact, Assist consultants may recommend reaching out for additional support at times.

After working at other companies that did not invest in Premier support plans, Sehlmeyer finds deep value in maintaining Zendesk Premier support despite having an Assist consultant.

Premier plans provide Zendesk customers 24/7 prioritized support and 30 to 60 minute response times. “Having somebody we can easily reach out to and have an answer to our question quite quickly, especially when we’re having an issue, has been wonderful,” shares Sehlmeyer.

Improvements all around

With its current Zendesk professional services support backing, DrFirst has also seen improvements in agent efficiency and reporting. Since implementing Zendesk WFM (workforce management), the team can now track time spent on tickets by each agent—-not just the final assignee—enabling more accurate staffing decisions and budget forecasting.

“Before WFM, we couldn’t easily see who really worked on what,” explains Sehlmeyer. “Now we have visibility across multiple teams, which is huge for planning and accountability.”

Assist has enabled proactive planning, too. The Zendesk consultant routinely helps Sehlmeyer map goals and build execution plans—-whether it’s launching a new feature or prepping for long-term projects.

“The consultant knows our roadmap and helps us stay ahead of what’s coming,” says Sehlmeyer. “He even arranged shadowing before his parental leave to ensure continuity—-that’s how invested he is in our success.”

Confidence, clarity and peace of mind

Beyond metrics, the greatest impact of Zendesk Assist has been the confidence and clarity it brings to DrFirst’s support operations. Sehlmeyer feels empowered to take on complex system improvements, knowing she has expert guidance just a message away.

“It’s a huge time saver and a huge stress reducer,” she explains. “I have someone who gets what I’m trying to do—-and helps me do it right.”

Even during organizational changes or team transitions, Assist has provided critical stability. When other Zendesk contacts rotated out or went on leave, the Assist consultant stepped in to ensure continuity.

“He’s always one step ahead. That kind of consistency is rare—-and it’s incredibly valuable,” shares Sehlmeyer.

Continuous innovation with a trusted partner

Going forward, DrFirst plans to expand its use of Zendesk, currently trialing AI and QA features, as well as deeper integrations. With Assist, the company has a built-in advisor to guide these experiments—reducing risk and accelerating success.

“I leverage Assist all the time,” concludes Sehlmeyer. “Whatever we try next, I know we’ll get it done better and faster with the right support.”