We’re all in on Digital Experience!
How ALHO dramatically increases efficiency by supporting cross-functional business processes with Matrix42 Enterprise Service Management
Time to upgrade
The team around André Lienesch, Head of Digital Transformation, quickly recognized the opportunity that lean and digitized service processes could offer a construction company like the ALHO Group. As a third- generation family-owned company, ALHO offers its customers a comprehensive partnership in system construction, from high-quality system containers to temporary container buildings and permanent modular buildings. As the company added more locations, projects and employees over the years, it became clear that an innovative ITSM solution including a ticketing system, standard task automation and an attractive web store were urgently required to manage this growth.
All service tasks and processes had previously been handled by email, Excel spreadsheets and other makeshift solutions. An end-to-end solution was needed, with IT keeping operations and further development in its own hands, and focusing on business user acceptance. The evaluation of possible solutions and the decision in favor of Matrix42 was handled by the IT team. “There were no special technical requirements, except that we followed the best-of-suite approach in the selection, and that our business would be supported in the best possible way,” says André Lienesch.
Matrix42 as business service central
At the beginning of 2022, the ticketing system was launched to establish the initial status quo, record IT faults and process orders efficiently. The next step will be service level agreements, as well as demand and change management. This will make the company’s service provision foundation even more stable and secure, and enable a higher quality of service.
As a key Matrix42 partner, TAP.DE was involved in the selection of the solution in an advisory capacity from the very beginning. It also carried out the implementation from a strategic and technical perspective, together with the ALHO IT team. But since going live, it’s not just the IT department that is benefitting from the added value. An increasing number of business units are also now using Matrix42 – primarily thanks to the openness that allows connections to other solutions via interfaces. For example, the Human Resources department leverages user onboarding in Matrix42: the previous HR process required a lot more time-consuming coordination due differences in the respective working methods of the various company subsidiaries.
“With the company-wide introduction of Matrix42, we can now call up the current process status on the one hand, and on the other, ensure process security thanks to the clear task definitions and responsibilities,” confirms Kevin Groß, Recruiting Officer at ALHO. With personnel onboarding, the HR department simply sends an order to the IT team by entering a request in the creation mask. Not only does the mask feature automatic user creation, it also includes, for example, vehicle fleet information when a company car has been approved.
When office furniture and IT assets are required, the relevant business units are “triggered” to provide the appropriate equipment. Later this year, the Matrix42 solution will also be used to introduce HR processes around User Change/Move and User Leave procedures.
In addition, the company’s fleet of over 200 vehicles is also managed by Matrix42, replacing multiple Excel spreadsheets. “Nothing was undocumented, the only question was always where the vehicle was,” André Lienesch explains. In “Fleet Management 1.0”, it is simply a matter of first taking an inventory of all the vehicles and associated contracts. The assignment of the most important data relating to each vehicle, including license plate, chassis number and driver, are stored within the Matrix42 system. In addition, DKV fuel card data (consumption quantities and costs) can be compared between vehicles. Damage indidents can also be reported in-house via Matrix42 just as easily and simply. In this way, ALHO can align the complete vehicle lifecycle with its users, as well as statistically evaluate and optimize it via Power BI reporting.
The „ERP System for IT“ enables operational business excellence
ALHO’s experience is typical of Matrix42 customers. Implementing the Matrix42 solution has had a direct positive impact across ALHO’s entire enterprise, as André Lienesch knows. “My ultimate goal is to free the professionals at ALHO from redundant work,” says Lienesch. “Matrix42 supports this through its configuration and deployment flexibility, making business processes smarter as well as more efficient and digital. We are meeting a real business need within the company.”
Matrix42 helps ALHO leverage potential not only in IT, but throughout the entire organization. At the end of the day, the goal is to increase service quality in operations with a simple, understandable system that has a good interface and is easy to configure. “Ultimately, we are here to support business operations with lighthouse projects, rather than just focusing on ourselves,” André Lienesch concludes. “Our best-case vision is to streamline all our business processes, to provide great technical support, and so improve continuously.”
