Modern workplace for USM: the successful switchover while employees worked from home

Migrating an international company to the cloud and modernizing its workplaces was a major project undertaking. The two teams from USM and Experts Inside proved with a lot of creativity and motivation how this could be done even in challenging times. While the employees were all working from home, the IT infrastructure was converted to Microsoft 365, the data was migrated to the cloud, and the various applications were successfully connected. Detailed and transparent information about the progress of the project was provided on the intranet through videos, FAQs, Quick Guides, planning boards, and various other tools. Employees are delighted at how fast and uncomplicated communication has become, and the newly gained flexibility makes everyday work much easier.

USM's traditional IT infrastructure was increasingly perceived as cumbersome and unwieldy. As a result, the company decided in 2019 that it was time for a complete overhaul, with migration to the cloud and the switchover to a modern workplace. The move to working from home in the spring of 2020 provided the perfect opportunity to kick-start this process. This major modernization project was undertaken with support from Experts Inside. There was a lot of work to be done before all business units in the various countries could be migrated and all applications successfully connected to Microsoft 365. Working together, however, both teams managed to overcome all hurdles and keep employees motivated and enthusiastic about the project.

“Thanks to Microsoft 365, we’ve been able to increase our flexibility and productivity. That we managed to move everything to one system during the pandemic is incredible.”

Thomas Flügge, ICT Service Manager, USM Group

USM: innovative, modular furniture

USM U. Schär Sähne AG is a Swiss family-owned enterprise founded in 1885. The company builds modular furniture that can be customized in a variety of ways. The timeless and innovative Haller modular furniture system has been on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York since 2001. USM’s headquarters are still based in Münsingen, the center of a network of 400 dealers in more than 40 countries, who are responsible for advice, delivery, and assembly.

The journey to IT modernization

USM had been thinking about modernizing its IT and migrating data to the cloud for some time. However, the idea had been met with a great deal of skepticism, mainly because the company didn't want the data to be located somewhere abroad. These reservations were cast aside when Microsoft opened its data centers in Switzerland in 2019. In the same year, USM upgraded its infrastructure, and all employees were given a notebook for work.

When employees began working from home in spring 2020, data was still stored on the on-premise server. Access via VPN was slow and occasionally unstable depending on the employee’s location. The desire for a better solution with greater flexibility grew in all areas of the company.

Major project launch

Right from the start, USM wanted to undertake this major transformation project with Experts Inside, since they already knew one another. An initial joint workshop held in March 2020 laid the foundation for the collaboration, and the project plan for transformation of the IT infrastructure was drawn up. Although all employees were working from home, there was nothing standing in the way of the project. The biggest challenges were the intense pressure everyone was under due to the overall situation, and an already high workload in a successful financial year. Many were initially critical of the changes, but the benefits quickly became apparent.

USM felt that it was in good hands and well taken care of by Experts Inside. Both teams have a friendly relationship and enjoy working together. Where USM lacked expertise, Experts Inside had it in abundance. The learning curve was steep, but USM’s IT team gradually became more confident. The fact that someone was always available to support them was a major motivating factor. Since the general mood was not the best due to lockdown, an active effort was made to maintain good relations.

Intranet: transparency creates trust

Communication was crucial in pulling off such a large project at an incredibly difficult time. It needed to be as transparent and comprehensive as possible to get all employees involved in the process. An intranet was therefore set up to serve as an information portal.

The process roadmap was represented as transparently as possible using lists, calendars, boards, and other tools, and was easy for everyone to understand. For example, everyone could see which business unit was due to make the switchover and when. The teams started to draw comparisons and spur one another on. The competition to see who would finish first boosted the general morale.

Videos on the intranet played a key role. Recorded using Teams and in two languages, they provided explanations and instructions for the various new functions and processes. Immediately after the migration of a department, employees were actively supported during the login process to get them up and running. The departments were also provided with individual training to help them find their way around the new functions.

These measures made it possible to closely involve, win over, and motivate users. The Kanban project planning methodology was actively employed in this process. The board view creates transparency because it's easy to see not only what’s happening when and how things are progressing, but also where there are delays and why they are occurring. Successes and challenges become clearly visible.

Working together to overcome obstacles

The Experts Inside and USM working groups met regularly to exchange ideas and plan their next steps. Seven experts from Experts Inside oversaw the project and offered a wealth of knowledge on how the changes could be implemented. USM was highly motivated when it came to ensuring optimum implementation of the modernization project and to overcoming all obstacles.

Various software modules had to be connected and tested, one of which is used to design the furniture. This software calculates the parts list directly in the background and must communicate with ERP, Production, and Accounting. In Accounting, one of the most challenging tasks was the integration of various Excel plugins that were needed. Numerous apps and applications were upgraded and connected to Microsoft 365 during the course of the project. All software and updates are now obtained directly from the cloud. For the employees of USM, the workload was enjoyable and the deeper they delved into the project, the more exciting it became. While they knew little about the project’s potential at the outset, Experts Inside always provided excellent guidance and inspired confidence.

Enthusiastic response to the upgrade and the new flexibility

USM employees were expected to achieve a lot in a very short time, but the level of enthusiasm was high. Migration to the cloud was completed in June 2021, and employees are delighted with the new flexibility.

Teams was used from the start. There is a channel for each of the apps, SharePoint, and security. This means that employees know where to ask questions and get answers. Email traffic was abolished, and communication is now conducted entirely via Teams and the intranet. With Teams, a single application supports internal chat, telephony, data transfer, and other functions. No matter what kind of device or operating system is used, communication is fast and uncomplicated. USM employees are now collaborating in a completely new and modern environment.

There have been no compromises when it comes to security. Security has in fact been increased and its monitoring simplified. Access criteria can now be defined, and security checks are possible. Experts Inside continues to provide support for USM.