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AFP Marketing GmbH, a successful e-commerce company, was facing a significant challenge in managing its enormous photo archive. The company, which operates various online shops with diverse product ranges, uses photos extensively for product presentation across print and digital channels. This resulted in a massive photo database of around 200,000 images, which were used in web shops and print publications. The company needed utmost efficiency to manage and distribute these assets. Furthermore, AFP Marketing aimed to supply customers with data, text, and images through its media database, which forms the basis for selling goods in the web shops. The challenge was to optimize the archiving of images and graphics to ensure they could be easily found in the future.

CEWE, Europe’s largest photo service provider, faced a significant challenge with the management of its digital assets. Over the last 60 years, CEWE has grown to become the biggest player in the European market for photo services. With the advent of digital photography in the early 2000s, the company's digital archive of marketing assets also expanded. CEWE primarily uses its archive when designing its advertising and marketing activities. Over the years, the need for a media and image database had increased steadily. The company finally decided to introduce a new digital asset management (DAM) system for the future. The requirements for the new DAM system included flexibility, workflow mapping, and the ability to automatically link files that originated from other files or that contain elements of files.

OMICRON, an Austrian company specializing in the development of innovative technologies for electrical power supply, was facing a significant challenge in managing its digital assets. The company had a vast archive of 100,000 digital assets, including pictures, videos, graphics, documents, and audio files. These assets were stored on a file server with a complex folder structure, making it difficult for employees to search and find the necessary assets. The system was particularly inefficient for the 50 creatives and another hundred local and international colleagues who were working with the database. The configuration of the database made searching and finding assets extremely difficult and inefficient. Additionally, the system required a significant amount of effort to train new employees. The need for a more efficient system led the Marketing team to initiate the purchase of a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system.

Acushnet, a global leader in the golf industry, faced a significant challenge in managing and sharing marketing content across their portfolio of brands. The company, which is the steward of revered brands like Titleist and FootJoy, had teams and partners spread across continents. These stakeholders relied heavily on brand and marketing assets to promote and sell Acushnet products. However, without a centralized location to manage all of this content, assets were scattered across numerous tools and devices. This lack of organization made it difficult to maintain brand consistency and effectively distribute marketing materials.

Alliance Laundry Systems, a global manufacturer and marketer of commercial laundry equipment, faced significant challenges with their existing digital asset management (DAM) system. The system lacked the necessary functionality to support their global content operations, creating inefficiencies across numerous workflows. Furthermore, the platform's security infrastructure did not align with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This led to a pressing need for a new DAM solution that could not only meet their current needs but also scale with their business growth.

Arriva UK Bus (AUKB), one of the UK’s largest transportation brands, was facing a significant challenge with its digital experience for customers purchasing bus tickets and searching for travel information. The company's fragmented suite of journey planning and purchase tools were difficult for travelers to use. The company had two separate bus mobile apps: one for planning and one for retailing. Each regional operating company had its own discrete web experience. There were three separate web platforms for retail, planning, and marketing content. There was little to no correlation between the content on the different sites. Any content management actions on the site required significant custom development and manual input. The digital business was further impacted by the legacy technology running the content and retail platforms, with two different versions of EpiServer in use. The retail platform version had not been upgraded since the original sites were created, and the site also experienced Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance issues. Finally, none of the digital platforms were scalable, with multi-day outages and problems caused by traffic spikes.

Article, an e-commerce furniture and decor business, has experienced significant growth since its inception in 2011, delivering products to over 1.5 million North American homes and businesses. With this growth, the need for content has also increased. However, the company faced challenges in managing their content workflows due to the lack of appropriate tools and processes. The content was scattered across various systems, making it difficult to locate the right image, often relying on memory. This lack of a centralized system strained their workflows, hindering their efficiency and productivity.

Autodesk, a leading software company, wanted to shift from a product-first to a customer-first mindset. The company aimed to establish itself as the industry-leading platform for designing and making things, focusing on the outcomes customers want to achieve rather than the products they need. To achieve this, Autodesk needed to create strong connections between customers and the Autodesk brand, not its individual products. In 2021, Autodesk underwent a rebranding process to reflect its transformation from a house of brands to a 'branded house.' This rebranding required significant stakeholder activation, as every employee, vendor, channel partner, and strategic partner needed to transition to the new Autodesk persona and branding. However, Autodesk's teams and processes were entrenched in product-first ways of working, posing a significant challenge to the rebranding process.

Beam Suntory, a company with over 350 years of combined history, faced a significant challenge in managing their historical assets. These assets, which included 100-year old family photographs and advertisements written by Mark Twain, were integral to the company's brand identity. However, without a centralized and searchable repository for these archival contents, it was difficult to incorporate these cultural artifacts into their current brand narrative for use in marketing materials and campaigns. The lack of a unified system for managing these assets posed a significant challenge in maintaining brand consistency and leveraging their unique history for market differentiation.

Tropic Air, a growing HVAC services company in the greater Kansas City area, was facing challenges in managing work orders as their customer base expanded. The team initially relied on texts, emails, and notebooks to record and track work orders and update the status. However, as the number of customers increased, this process became unmanageable. It was difficult to monitor what work was done, what still needed attention, and what each technician was working on. Monitoring equipment usage in the field was also a challenge. Furthermore, if a technician wasn’t in the office for several days, staff wouldn’t get the paperwork to initiate an invoice, delaying the billing process by a month or more. The company’s founder and president, Justin Koegler, described the situation as 'complete and total chaos.' Justin decided to implement a field service management (FSM) application to simplify operations and smooth out the cash flow. However, the HVAC software he initially tried was overly complicated and lacked user-friendly design, exacerbating the situation.

Ayrshire Tree Surgeons, one of the largest tree contractors in Scotland, was struggling with a paper-based system that was slow and cumbersome. The company, which provides a variety of tree services for residential and large commercial clients, was finding it increasingly difficult to manage their growing business with their existing system. The extra administration and costs involved with a paper-based system were substantial. As the company grew and expanded, they needed a system that would grow and expand with them, and a process that would enable them to be as efficient as possible. The challenge was to find an inclusive solution that would accommodate their steadily growing business and streamline their operations.

G Jassal All Trades, a multi-trades field service business based in Glasgow, Scotland, was grappling with a disjointed and chaotic daily workflow. The company, which offers a variety of services to its customers, was finding it challenging to balance its various services and meet customer expectations. The lack of a streamlined system was affecting the company's productivity and its ability to deliver exceptional customer care. The company's director, Gurminder Jassal, described the situation as a 'jumbled mess'. The challenge was not just about organizing tasks but also about distinguishing services easily, given the multi-trade nature of the business.

Heavenly Cool, a residential appliance repair service provider based in Parkville, Maryland, was struggling with a paper-based approach to dispatching. This traditional method was inefficient and lacked the flexibility required to handle last-minute cancellations and emergency call-outs. The company also faced challenges in managing their parts inventory and dispatching workflows. The lack of a streamlined process resulted in technicians making multiple trips to the warehouse, which affected the company's ability to add and tackle more appointments per day. Furthermore, the absence of a real-time vehicle tracking system made it difficult for the company to track the location of their technicians, which was crucial in case of a call in a specific area.

PCL Heating, a UK-based company offering cost-effective, reliable heating and plumbing services, was facing challenges in streamlining their sales process. The company was struggling with creating personalized and detailed proposals for their customers. The lack of a robust system to track costs in real time was also a significant issue, as it was affecting their clarity on profit margins. The slow sales process was another challenge, as it was not only delaying deal closures but also consuming time that could be used for other tasks.

Switched On London, a multi-trades business providing plumbing, gas & heating, and electrical services in southwest and central London, faced several operational challenges. The company had to manage a large variety of different parts, making inventory organization and facilitating the movement of parts through the business crucial for efficient operations. Additionally, like other field service businesses, they needed a simple and quick invoicing process. The company also sought to improve its daily workflows, particularly in the area of data collection from the field. They needed a solution that would allow them to create custom forms for various purposes, such as damage reports, disclaimers, and customer signatures.

Voity Electrical, a Vermont-based company providing residential and commercial electrical services, was seeking ways to grow and streamline their operations. The company, managed by Mary-Rachel Voity and her husband Matt, had always prioritized growth and was looking for a solution that could grow with them. However, they were facing challenges in managing their workflows and maintaining efficient operations. The company operated with a 'one to five' ratio of office staff to technicians, which required optimized and efficient scheduling. Additionally, they were looking to improve their customer service and increase their Google rating, which was at 3.0 a year ago.

In 2015, Wye Cylinder Engineering Ltd (WCE), a manufacturer of precision hydraulic cylinders, was facing a significant challenge. Their existing manufacturing system was being phased out by the supplier, who suggested migrating to an alternative system. However, this alternative system was designed for much larger businesses and lacked a substantial UK user group. WCE had specific requirements for their new system, including an active user group, continuous development and improvement, and a large UK customer base. They also needed a highly-evolved MRP II capability due to the nature of their business. As they explored the enterprise systems marketplace, they realized the need for a comprehensive ERP system that could meet all their requirements.

Able Property Services, a Nottinghamshire-based property services group, was grappling with the challenge of managing a massive amount of paper-based documents. This traditional approach was causing chaos and inefficiency, with essential documents often misplaced and hard to find. The team was struggling to organize jobs, quotes, and invoices, with everything being signed off on paper. The constant search for crucial information was not only time-consuming but also hampered the smooth operation of the business. The company was in dire need of a solution that could streamline their processes, enhance their professionalism, and improve their overall efficiency.

Activ8, a contracting company specializing in smart solutions integrating electrical, air conditioning, and security, was founded by Shane Robertson out of his mother-in-law’s garage. Initially, Shane used an excel-based spreadsheet to track all his jobs, a system he describes as “agricultural and very organic.” However, as the company grew, managing paperwork became increasingly difficult, especially with 15 tradesmen working all over Auckland. The job management solution Shane initially chose was unreliable, not user-friendly, and resulted in a lot of complaints from his tradesmen. The company was struggling to keep track of the necessary paperwork to get invoicing out in a timely manner, causing significant frustration.

Allied Trade Plumbing & Heating LTD, a successful plumbing and heating company based in Edinburgh, was facing operational challenges. The company's founder, Cameron Burt, was seeking ways to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. The primary issue was managing the staff's schedules, which was previously done using an old paper diary. This method was inefficient and prone to errors, leading to potential missed appointments and dissatisfied customers. Additionally, quoting for jobs was a cumbersome process, with supplier pricing not readily available, leading to inaccuracies and surprises during invoicing. The company was also looking to expand its team and take on more work, but the lack of a robust operational framework was a significant hindrance.

Asbestos Assessment & Control, a leading provider of asbestos survey and management solutions, faced significant challenges in managing information and communication among their team members. With multiple members handling various aspects of the business, ensuring that everyone had access to the right information was often cumbersome. The company was also struggling with time-consuming administrative tasks such as invoicing and reporting. The manual creation of spreadsheets for management reports was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. The need for a solution that could centralize information, streamline processes, and reduce administrative burden was evident.

AXT Plumbing, a company based in Yarrawonga, Victoria, Australia, was facing significant challenges in managing its operations. Co-owners Tyler Sprunt and Ashley Thomson found that running the business side of things was consuming a huge amount of time, particularly in areas such as invoicing and reconciliation. The administrative burden was so high that they often had to personally oversee these tasks, despite having administrative support. Additionally, coordinating the team and tracking hours and materials was proving to be a major hurdle. The existing system was not sustainable, leading to loss of hours and materials, and the owners were in search of a more efficient solution.

E&P Electrics, an electrical contracting company based in North Yorkshire, England, was facing challenges in managing their growing business. The company, which has been operating since 1986, was relying on traditional pen and paper methods to manage all aspects of their business. This approach, although dependable, was incredibly time-consuming and often left the company at maximum capacity, unable to take on more work and grow their business. The company was in dire need of a solution that would allow them to optimize their business operations while maintaining their strong customer relationships.

Ezi-Flo Group, a roofing company based in Victoria, Australia, was struggling with operational inefficiencies due to the use of multiple, disjointed programs for job management. The process began with a quote in Microsoft Word, which would then be entered into a 'home-made live job spreadsheet' upon acceptance. Drawings and plans were created in a Roof Wizard CAD program and printed for on-site reference. Invoices were manually sent from MYOB upon job completion. This workflow was described as clumsy and inefficient. Additionally, the company faced challenges in managing their team due to the lack of a live calendar, which made organizing people and getting them to their respective locations a time-consuming task.

When Duncan Leask and Peter Carter took over J.T. Carter Plumbers in 2013, they faced significant challenges. The company, one of the largest plumbing businesses in the Waikato region of New Zealand, was struggling with poor cash flow and underpricing its services. The business was primarily paper-based, which was inefficient and time-consuming. Despite Duncan's skills as a tradesman, he lacked the necessary experience in running a business. The company was juggling up to 600 jobs per month, which was a daunting task without the right organizational tools. The challenge was to transform the business, improve cash flow, increase pricing to profitable levels, and manage the high volume of jobs efficiently.

Jim Middleton, an electrician based in Oyne near Aberdeen, Scotland, was facing significant challenges in managing his company, JMTEC Services. Despite specializing in electrical services and security and CCTV installations, the lack of a proper system for managing operations was causing him considerable stress. The company was relying on basic accounting software features and Excel spreadsheets, which were insufficient for the demands of a busy electrical business. The situation was becoming increasingly difficult to manage, even with a dedicated admin person in the office. The need for a more efficient, tailor-made solution for managing field services became apparent, prompting Jim to research the best field service management software tools available.

The KVA Group, a Queensland-based electrical company, experienced a significant increase in workload due to the boom in home renovation work in Australia and New Zealand. This surge was a result of the COVID-19 travel bans, which led to an increase in home improvement and renovation jobs. The company, which specializes in residential electrical work, commercial shop fit-outs, air conditioning, and solar collection system installations, saw a 65% jump in home security and automation jobs in just eight months. This increase in workload necessitated the hiring of six new employees and the acquisition of two extra vehicles. The company's co-directors had to redefine their roles to manage the increased demand effectively. However, the traditional methods of job management were proving inefficient and time-consuming, leading to minor jobs falling through the cracks.

KVA Group, a Queensland-based electrical company, was experiencing a significant increase in workload due to a boom in home renovation work across Australia and New Zealand. This surge was a result of the COVID-19 travel bans, which led people to invest their money in home improvements. KVA Group, which specializes in residential electrical work, commercial shop fit-outs, air conditioning, and solar collection system installations, saw a 65% increase in home security and automation jobs in just eight months. The company was struggling to manage this massive spike in workload, which led to the need for hiring six new employees and acquiring two extra vehicles. The co-directors had to redefine their roles, with one stepping into a business management role and the other becoming a construction manager. The company was also facing challenges in team management, job delegation, scheduling, and payroll.

Cathy Cockin, a young business owner in the male-dominated electrical industry, faced several challenges in her journey to establish her own company, Little Miss Electrical. Initially, she was working in a legal firm, but her interest in electrical work was sparked when she had to renovate her house and the electrician was too busy to help. She decided to retrain as a domestic electrician, but faced skepticism due to the speed at which she learned the trade, as it typically takes four years to complete an apprenticeship. Additionally, entering the industry as a late starter was challenging as many companies were reluctant to take on apprentices over the age of 19 due to higher wages and the need to fund part of their college course. When she started her own company, she was unsure how to brand herself or stand out in the market.

M B Electrical Services, a family-run business with over two decades of experience in the electrical contracting industry, was facing challenges in managing their growing business. The company, known for its high-quality installations and repairs, was struggling with the manual input of all their business data. This included writing up all invoices and making manual copies for their own records. The owner and Managing Director, Mike Baines, realized the need for a more efficient job management solution to handle their increasing workload. The existing process was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors and mismanagement, potentially affecting their reputation and customer relationships.