Netplan
Case Study
Interview
Torben Rune
CEO
Netplan is a specialized consulting company in the field of IT especially focusing on telecommunications. Netplan offer guidance to public and private organizations in regards to technical and knowledge-based decisions that have to be made when an organization chooses to get advanced IT and telephone systems.
Since Netplan is an independent company that solely makes profit on selling consultancy, their clients are ensured consultancy on a broad objective basis.
The problem – strong growth and ISO certification
In mid-2006 Netplan was approved according to the ISO9001 standard. That set requirements for standardization of registration and implementation of all the company's processes, so it became as easy as possible to be approved at the yearly audit that follows an ISO certification. Due to that Netplan started exploring the market for suitable tools that could ensure that the company was to continue fulfilling the requirements of the ISO certification.
At that time Netplan already used a self-developed system for time tracking and project management, but with rapid growth that in just one year doubled the number of employees, they were in trouble. The system maintenance was too time-consuming. The system required an esoteric knowledge, which created start-up problems in regards to new employees. Consequently, new possibilities were explored.
TimeLog project has given us a quality boost, which has meant increased earnings.
"All of a sudden our own system was too customised, and we needed a more standadised system", Torben Rune, CEO in Netplan, and continues: "We considered 3-4 systems. They all had strengths and weaknesses, but what made us feel secure about TimeLog was the system's functionality, which resembles the way we manage our business as well as our former system."
Got to grips with time and QA through one solution
"The main attraction for us was TimeLog Project. The system has all the features we need in order to keep track of time and manage QA in regards to the ISO certification. Besides project phases TimeLog Project includes standardised phases so our work and administration follow the templates we need in order to keep the ISO certification. The certification means that we at any time is able to account for all performed work, how we solve projects, and the expenses related to projects pursuant to our own demands at the time the ISO certification was approved. Hence it is important that we register all project information, and TimeLog helps us do that," Torben Rune explains.
Today TimeLog Project is the foundation of all of our business activities.
It was the Norwegian Veritas (DNV) that awarded the seal of approval to Netplan's QA system. In this connection Netplan received the following remark: "Netplan's QA system is unconventional in regards to design and features, but in a way that involves all employees in use, evaluation, and update of the system. It is the most focused system yet to be seen by DNV's auditor."
"TimeLog Project provides us with the possibility to keep more track of our budgets concurrently with managing the entire process from the first stage of customer contact to the project is done. This provides us with more natural customer contact, and more activity. TimeLog project has thus given us a quality boost, which has meant increased earnings. For this reason we are very satisfied with choosing TimeLog project", Torben Rune explains.
ROI – Strengthened economy & more natural customer contact
Besides using TimeLog project as Netplan's time tracking and project management system, Torben Rune chose to upgrade the system with TimeLog CRM to strengthen their customer contact.
All our activities such as quotes, customer calls, follow-up, loggings etc. are done through TimeLog CRM, and that is a great way to achieve uniform quality in our consultancy.
"Obviously we had a customer database previously that was updated on an ongoing basis. But with TimeLog CRM the update is much more systematic. The pipeline tool for management and budgeting is new a feature that we have gained by using TimeLog CRM."
"Previously all tasks were categorised as projects even though they were not, but TimeLog CRM has enabled us to do quality assurance," Torben Rune says and continues:
"All our activities such as quotes, customer calls, follow-up, loggings etc. are done through TimeLog CRM, and that is a great way to achieve uniform quality in our consultancy. We have a clear view of our activities and that fact that we can draw reports makes it possible for us to match the QA an ISO certification requires. The ISO certification means, among other things, yearly audits that ensure that we follow the procedures. In this connection TimeLog CRM is extraordinary, and at the same time it resembles the method used in our previous system."
The interplay between TimeLog Project and TimeLog CRM enables Netplan to maintain an overview, where the two systems together provide a quick and clear overview of the entire company's activity.
"Right now we are considering adding the module TimeLog Skills to handle employee CVs and for internal resource management i.a. because we want to know exactly how fast and efficient we can perform work when this type of information is linked to project management," Torben Rune says.
Easy and painless implementation process
"Today TimeLog Project is the foundation of all of our business activities. If the system does not work it is a matter of life and death for our company. Therefore we were very careful in regards to changing the system. But it was definitely easy for us," Torben Rune says.
The implementation was easy and painless and exceeded all expectations.
Netplan set two days aside to train their employees in using the new system. Concurrently they chose to operate both the new and their old system in parallel the first month to ease the restructuring process.
"The implementation was easy and painless and exceeded all expectations. The fact that we chose to operate the two systems in parallel resulted in us experiencing all aspects of TimeLog Project. By entering all information in both systems our employees became familiar with the new system – and that went smoothly since the systems were quite similar," Torben Rune explains and says:
"I am very impressed by the complex information structure that collects numerous pieces of information that need to be compressed in order to deliver the results that we can see in reports and listings – and the system works perfectly. All projects are registered with great precision."
