IT Commerce: Matrix42 Service Store Turns Users into Customers

Atlanta, July 16 2009 – Matrix42 is triggering a paradigm shift in IT Service Management with its new Service Store that was launched today. The Matrix42 Service Store achieves the highly sought after Business Alignment by ensuring costs and services are transparently displayed providing business units with a solid foundation for IT budget planning. A standardized service offering enables the services to be automated; therefore, considerably reducing the workload for the IT department and at the same time, increasing the quality of services. In order to allow the demands of IT and business to interact intuitively and smoothly, the Matrix42 Service Store manages three central fields of activity: the provisioning and delivery of IT services, the control of resources and costs and the securing of operative IT services.

The integrated Service Catalog offers end users a clear view of all IT services and the costs involved. In addition, all aspects involved in Contract, License and Asset Management are centralized. And should questions or problems arise, the ITIL V3 certified Service Desk is the central contact point for users.

The new Matrix42 Service Store not only offers a transparent and easy-to-use IT Service Catalog including an Enquiry Portal, but also comprehensive IT Service Lifecycle Management, modern SLA Compliance Management and professional Asset Management. For Matrix42, the leading German provider of professional migration solutions, the automatic workplace configuration and integration of software distribution go without saying. The comprehensive Invoice and Cost Management turns the Matrix42 Service Store into a compact solution that achieves maximum cost transparency.

Optimal IT Service Using Automated Processes
The core of the new Matrix42 Service Store is the IT Service Catalog—the central communication platform between the IT department and users. Similar to a modern shopping portal, the catalog contains all the services, as well as all software and hardware offerings, that a company makes available to its employees. When using this advanced platform, the end user can learn about software and hardware products before the order is placed. The corresponding order is automatically forwarded to the responsible department head for release and after their approval, the order is automatically delivered. For example, software that has been requested and approved is automatically installed for the user within minutes and the user’s cost center is invoiced.

Experience shows the standard requirements for software installations and updates are especially time-consuming. The Service Catalog reduces the labor required in precisely this area thereby substantially reducing costs. Parallel to this, the system automatically documents every process and creates a high level of transparency, which can be displayed as a cost analysis at the push of a button. The Matrix42 Service Store is topped off by integrated trend analyses including cost prognoses, which is already helping today to indicate the possible costs of tomorrow.

Matrix42 Service Store Detects Hidden Costs
Using the fully integrated Contract, Asset and License Management in Matrix42 Service Store, resources can be controlled and the resulting costs transparently mapped.

The integrated Contract Management manages appointments, contracts and payment plans and affords an overview of debts, contract modalities and assets. At the same time, it creates transparency in terms of the contract situation and provides analyses for potential cost-savings. It is at this crucial time where License Management comes in. This is accomplished by mapping the conventional license models of all providers and supplying import interfaces of digital delivery notes (SKU) from leading manufacturers and suppliers. Using the License Manager, the technical inventory data of license-relevant software products, including online licenses, can be automatically converted. Of course, it is possible to analyze licenses automatically and adjust them according to the relevant compliance requirements.

Furthermore, Asset Management provides information on hardware and software and the corresponding configurations. With this tool, the IT Administrator can allocate locations, cost centers and organizational units, as well as link technical, organizational and commercial information and visualize their dependencies.

Solving Problems Promptly and Professionally
The third component of the new Matrix42 Service Store is the IT Service Desk. All internal IT processes are run from here and any problems that may arise can be solved quickly and professionally. Solving, not just managing, is the rule of thumb since the Service Desk puts the employee in the position to be able to solve problems directly themselves or to initiate a quick solution. In contrast to other applications, Matrix42 can give direct assistance with the help of the Service Desk. The aim is to allow end users to get back to work as quickly as possible when IT problems arise; therefore, ensuring smooth and successful business operations.

All in all, the new Matrix42 Service Store is a compact and transparent software solution that offers employees in IT departments, as well as end users and the Controlling department, countless advantages in their day-to-day business operations. For example, time-consuming standard processes are automated, hidden costs displayed and IT tickets solved promptly via the Matrix42 Service Store. Combined with the company philosophy of turning IT departments into internal service providers, this software solution is an important step on the way to developing sustainable IT applications.

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