In 1991 Fujitsu acquired Nokia, a user of Interchange's
service management solution. At the time, Fujitsu
did not have its own completely integrated service
management solution. Instead, a variety of historically
developed inhouse systems addressed the various
service management segments. Recognising the benefits
of the Nokia/Interchange solution, Fujitsu rolled
it out to the other European subsidiaries between
1992 and 1995 - in eight countries, for over 1,500
field service engineers.
Fujitsu
is a leading supplier of IT systems and services. Operating
in over 70 countries and employing over 20,000 people,
the group's revenues for 1997 were £2,477 million,
generating a pre-tax profit of £30 million. The
company implements IT systems for major projects and
provides services to a range of sectors including retail,
finance, travel, telecoms and utilities, education,
and government.
Fujitsu's services include outsourcing, helpdesks, network
services, inter/intranets, electronic commerce, interactive
kiosks, smart card systems, digital cities and web sites.
The company plans to relist on the stock market in 2000.
Leading
supplier of IT systems and services
70
Countries
20,000
Staff
Based
in Feltham
Based
in Feltham, the groups operational services division
provides system service and outsourcing.
Positioning
itself as a one-stop shop for major multinational businesses
in the servicing of IT infrastructure, the division
operates in Europe via subsidiaries. Six are Fujitsu
companies - in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland
and Belgium. Two other group subsidiaries providing
parallel service are in Portugal & Spain,respectively
operated by Fujitsu's international division & Fujitsu.
"Integrating
the IT and business architectures"
The first step was the implementation of
a Europe-wide business continuity agreement
by which Interchange would provide reactive support
to meet serious problems. Having positioned itself
as a service provider with a commitment
to servicing IT equipment from any source, as
well as complete networks, Fujitsu recognised
the importance of providing greater substance
behind this commitment.
The company's key strategy is growth by extension
of service range, combined with pan-European
service delivery and service logistics.
The IT delivery vehicle for this strategy was
crystallised as Project Dawn, aimed at integrating
best-of-breed acquired and in-house applications
around a core service management system.
The Interchange solution had been supporting large
parts of Fujitsu's customer service operations
in Europe for many years, and individual
subsidiaries had steadily built successful and
expanding businesses on the reliable and stable
performance of the system. Fujitsu recognised
that contribution and it was readopted as the
open architecture foundation upon which new applications
and services would be implemented.
A new contract was signed in 1997. Key factors
driving to the Interchange solution success
were track record, lower business risk, swifter
implementation, lower cost than competitive offerings,
Interchange breadth and strength of services and
consultancy, and their eagerness to own responsibility
for achieving a complete solution.
The software element of the solution runs under
Unix on a large Xtraserver system at the division's
Stevenage Data Centre, an approach which centralises
the activity and significantly reduces costs.
There, it directly supports service management
operations in five countries: Sweden, Norway,
Denmark, Holland and Belgium. The other three
- Spain and Portugal, which operate under
different group auspices, and Finland -
run the system locally in their own countries
under Unixware and Intel server-based Fujitsu
Unix boxes.
"This
means tailored service levels to meet
exact requirements, response commitments
honoured, and speedier fixes with less
equipment downtime"
The
solution has provided a secure platform from which Fujitsu
can integrate different IT and business architectures
among the various European subsidiaries, improve services
and reduce costs, and achieve a true pan-European logistics
capability. For example, formerly independent subsidiary
operations tended to built up similar types and quantities
of obsolete and unused stock, an expensive and inefficient
drain on resource.
strategic hygiene needs.
Now, with each country integrating its activities within
the Interchange solution, the problem is resolved. Interchange's
External Logistics Interface (ELI) manages the requisitioning
and delivery of spare parts.
When a service call is taken at a national call centre,
that centre diagnoses the call requirement, decides
what parts are needed and requisitions them centrally.
The system processes the request, advises when they will
be available and arranges dispatch to the nearest
regional depot.
Overall, broad business benefits include reduction of
stockholding centres, shorter contract renewal cycle,
increased engineer utilisation, reduced stock balance,
increased and time and materials billing, closer conformance
to quality standards, increased staff confidence and efficiency
and better analysis of service profitability.
For the customer, this means tailored service levels to
meet exact requirements, response commitments honoured,
and speedier fixes with less equipment downtime.
Through such improvements in the business processes, Fujitsu
are positioned to deliver better service at lower cost
- to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
However, the Interchange solution is playing a more dynamic
role than merely satisfying the strategic hygiene
needs.
In Finland, for example, Fujitsu's subsidiary operates
a large service operation covering around 25 per cent
of the service market and employing over 350 engineers.
In a drive for rapid growth, a merger was recently agreed
with the Sonera telecommunications giant - the equivalent
of BT and 50 per cent owned by the Finnish government.
A new joint company was to be set up. Called IsoWorks
Oy, the establishment and full live running of the
new business was to be achieved in an ambitious
and challenging three months! Although Sonera had its
own in-house developed service management system,
Interchange's system was the chosen solution for
the new company. Over the next six months, the new
company will move to completely independence - on the
Interchange service management platform.
Yet another example - also in Finland, one of Europe's
most innovative and stimulating telecommunications business
environments - is that of Powermill. Formerly the Fujitsu
Finnish subsidiary's internal workshop, this has
now been imaginatively crafted as a new back-to-base rapid
repair operation for a range of computer equipment. Jointly
owned by Fujitsu and senior management under a buyout,
the business will function independently of Fujitsu's
mainstream service activity - with Interchange selected
for service management.
Most recently, and illustrating Interchange's broad approach,
is the implementation of the company's System Administration
Managed Service (SAMS) at the Stevenage centre,
replacing an in-house management scenario. This provides
a professional and flexible outsourced management solution
- with all the benefits of rapid resource build and support.
Over
a long period, Interchange has worked in close partnership
with Fujitsu, a dynamic, aggressive and innovative
major player that has successfully outfaced strong
threats and seized challenge. Their service management
solution has evolved to become a key element in
Fujitsu's strategy for growth and success.
Copyright
2001 - 2010 Interchange Group Limited - All Rights Reserved
Over
a long period, Interchange has worked in close partnership
with Fujitsu, a dynamic, aggressive and innovative
major player that has successfully outfaced strong
threats and seized challenge. Their service management
solution has evolved to become a key element in
Fujitsu's strategy for growth and success.
