Customer Story
[Anonymous customer story]
How a leading technology company successfully implemented Business Online
The business management system enables the R&D and engineering provider to centralize all documentation and improve collaboration among colleagues.
About
The technology company is a provider of R&D and engineering services. It designs, develops, and manufactures technological solutions and energy systems across industries such as aerospace, maritime, offshore, and carbon capture.
Challenge
The company’s previous management system was hosted on a local server, making it difficult and somewhat inaccessible for employees—and impractical to work in. It also resulted in disproportionately high licensing costs and a cumbersome user interface.forholdsmessig høye lisenskostnader og et tungvint brukergrensesnitt
Solution
Business Online, a cloud-based management system built on SharePoint, met the company’s needs for functionality and flexibility—all in one platform. The system was easy to configure and adapt, and the HSEQ module met ISO standards.
Implementation
The company received a customized implementation plan that included individual guidance, a fixed-price setup, and training for an internal superuser team. They also benefited from continuous support throughout the process—and beyond the official implementation phase. Kontinuerlig oppfølging og støtte hele veien, også etter at implementeringsløpet er fullført.
Result
A clean and structured system that allows the company to centralize all documentation and improve collaboration among colleagues.
The challenge
Difficult to onboard new employees in the old system
As part of its initiative to build Northern Europe’s leading hub for industrial technology, the technology company made several new hires and launched a strategic planning process (hereafter referred to as the Company).
This created a need for a more suitable management system, explains the Company’s HR & QHSE Manager:
“Even though a lot of effort had gone into our previous system and it was second nature to us, it was difficult to bring new employees into the system—especially when our strategy wasn’t fully defined.”
She elaborates:
“The company’s future direction was still uncertain, and we didn’t know which processes would form the foundation of our day-to-day operations. The system was also hosted on a separate server and felt inaccessible. Some processes were heavy and hard to manage.”
Disproportionately high licensing costs
Over time, the licensing costs for the old system had become disproportionately high compared to the functionality, user-friendliness, and overall value it provided. The company had reached a point where continuing with the system would require a major upgrade and significant investment.
“We were running on outdated software and didn’t have the option to upgrade. As a result, more and more functionality gradually dropped off. It was no longer the right system for us.”
Cumbersome user interface
A good user experience in any IT system depends on a clear and intuitive user interface. In the previous system used by the Company, that wasn’t the case, says the HR & QHSE Manager:
“The deviation module was cumbersome when it came to closing and opening cases. There was a lot of back and forth before we could process deviations properly.”
Taking into account the overall experience—including cost, server setup, and other system features—the Company decided it was time to move to a more suitable solution.
The Solution
A complete management system based on SharePoint
In their search for a better management system—and with a solid set of requirements in place—the Company evaluated five or six other vendors. While the price points were similar, those systems were generally too simplistic and less flexible. They didn’t integrate easily with other tools, and their user interfaces weren’t particularly user-friendly.
What made them choose Business Online?
“Business Online met our needs for both functionality and flexibility, all in one place,” says HR & QHSE Manager. “The system is very easy to customize and configure, it’s cloud-based, and we really liked the new user interface. It was also important to us that the HSEQ module meets ISO standards.”
Implementation
Superuser team and the “train the trainer” approach
Business Online offers a tailored implementation process based on individual guidance, a fixed-price model, and the development of internal expertise. A cross-functional superuser team is trained first—these internal ambassadors then go on to train the rest of the organization.
How did the implementation go for the Company?
“It’s been a gradual approach, with regular training sessions and a step-by-step rollout of the different modules,” says the HR & QHSE Manager, adding:
“We started early with superuser training, supported by weekly follow-up meetings with Business Online. On top of that, system consultant Aleksander has been available at all times outside the meetings.”
Excellent training and support
What does the HR & QHSE Manager—and the rest of the superuser team—think about the training and support they’ve received from Business Online?
“Everyone on the superuser team is very, very satisfied. Honestly, we’ve never experienced follow-up like this from a supplier. They’ve always been extremely available and quick to resolve any issues alongside us. Aleksander and Kristina are both knowledgeable and have been fully engaged with outstanding support throughout. It’s the best experience we’ve had, by far.”
For the HR & QHSE Manager and the rest of the superuser group, it’s also been reassuring to know that Business Online offers a fixed price for implementation—and, not least, that they provide 30 minutes of free consultation time with a system consultant once a month for a full year afterward.
“That’s probably one of the most valuable takeaways so far. When you start rolling the system out to the organization and run into issues, it’s easy to wonder—‘Will this be a billable hour? Is there someone we can talk to?’”
She adds:
“It’s a really good model that Business Online offers free follow-up meetings once a month after the official implementation is done.”
Challenges were quickly resolved in collaboration with Business Online
When a company moves away from an IT system that has been deeply embedded in the organization for many years, there are always challenges to overcome. The implementation of Business Online at the Company was no exception.
“Because we had an existing system in place, the transition was fairly heavy. Implementation isn’t a quick fix. When you’re doing it alongside everything else in your day-to-day, the process sometimes ends up taking longer than necessary. That’s something we’ve definitely felt.”
According to the HR & QHSE Manager, it was time-consuming to redefine the processes from the old system and convert them into QCPs (Quality Control Plans). The purpose of using QCPs in Business Online is not only to follow a process step-by-step, but also to document that the process was followed in practice.
“Quality Control Plans were a new concept we had to learn. Shifting from passive to active control—making sure you're doing the right things—is a gamechanger for us.”
What other challenges did the Company encounter during implementation?
“We had some difficulties creating templates and configuring approval workflows. Eventually, we realized quite a few functions needed customization that required coding—so we couldn’t do it ourselves. We also had some challenges with integrating other systems, especially around transferring documents.”
“But,” the HR & QHSE Manager emphasizes, “most of the challenges were quickly resolved together with the Business Online team.”
While the Company hasn’t fully completed the implementation, they are now using Business Online as a complete management tool:
“We work in projects, and all our processes and procedures are in the system. We’re also using the CRM module. Overall, it’s a very clean and structured system that allows us to centralize all documentation and improves collaboration among colleagues.”
The path to a successful system implementation isn’t always straightforward. But with proper planning, a clear shared understanding of needs, and consistent support throughout the journey, the result is a workday with better clarity and higher quality in projects.
“It’s been a very good implementation process,” the HR & QHSE Manager concludes. “Really great people to work with, and it’s reassuring to know there’s someone we can call if we get stuck.”