Less is often more

Monday, November 26, 2018, by Thorsten Rosemann

Aces and the dms-dmz-Group are planning the necessary expansion of the data center for a new building at the Evangelische Hochschule in Ludwigsburg.

As one of the world’s leading companies, Expomobil has been home to trade fair construction for nearly 30 years. As an outspoken specialist in high-quality floor coverings, trade fair furniture and lighting, Expomobil offers the right products as well as the know-how and powerful service portfolio needed to succeed in the fast-paced trade fair business.

This also means that the company must constantly face new challenges. Together with Aces IT-Solutions, a specialist in ERP, we successfully implemented a new ERP system from initial specification through comprehensive system introduction at Expomobil in July 2019. “We deliberately chose an independent service provider to assist us with process capture, requirements definition, hardware renewal, software selection and ultimately the rollout of the new ERP system. Aces proved to be the hoped-for partner. The collaboration was very trusting, punctual and goal-oriented,” said Managing Director Mr. Delf Henning.

As a full-service provider, Aces understands the pain points and problems that can arise in such a complex project. Thanks to over 20 years of IT business experience, we were able to advise and support optimally and comprehensively. Careful implementation of customer specifications and clear, understandable communication at all times are key to success.

During a kick-off appointment for this project, we jointly created an initial schedule with Expomobil and identified important questions regarding selection and implementation. Duration, type of project, scope as well as the timetable and cost framework were defined in advance. In several on-site workshops, we accompanied all departments at Expomobil, documented work processes and additional required data. Not only to gain insight into the customer’s processes but especially to create a complete process documentation. From this information, Aces subsequently developed a requirements specification as the basis for the project tender for suitable ERP vendors.

During the project tender, a selection of ten system providers was compiled that appeared suitable in the pre-selection for Expomobil. The industry played a decisive role. New ideas, changed developments/requirements or additional wishes from Expomobil could be seamlessly integrated into the process.

Using the functional matrix extracted from the requirements specification, we determined the coverage of the requirements and selection criteria based on short online presentations by each applicant and their products. The remaining four ERP providers were given the opportunity to present themselves and their product on site. After final evaluation, Aces was able to recommend a specific provider.

In coordination with the new system provider and Expomobil, we planned and executed the migration. It proceeded without significant complications, allowing Expomobil’s day-to-day operations to continue almost smoothly. The project remained within both the cost and the time frame defined at the start of the project.

The joint project was not only very successful from our side, we were able to implement a fully suitable ERP system for and with Expomobil. We are especially proud of the consistently high satisfaction among all employees regarding usability and user comfort.

Final words from Expomobil Managing Director Mr. Henning on the successful project:
“Among our staff, we have no IT professional with whom we could have implemented the ERP project internally. Therefore, we had to purchase know-how. The total cost of the project increased only slightly as a result. With numerous cost advantages, Aces largely paid for itself. As added value, we received a guide that safely navigated us through our completely overwhelming IT landscape with precision in every respect. The new ERP system went live on schedule on 01.07.2019. From day one, we have been working exclusively with the new system and are very satisfied. In the first six months, we only had minor optimizations performed on the software. Since the introduction of the new ERP system, Aces has also become our external admin partner for ongoing IT questions.”