Starting point.
The rebranding of the Handelsblatt Media Group was designed to coincide with moving its headquarters to a new building in Toulouser Allee in Düsseldorf, where the group had created a future-oriented working environment for its around 1,000 employees working in the editorial offices and business units, with an innovative workplace concept supporting the group’s transformation process playing an essential role. To coincide with the relocation, Handelsblatt Media Group Services GmbH planned to swap the majority of their existing client infrastructure for Microsoft Surface Books.
Project objectives.
In the course of the planned hardware exchange and along with the previously purchased Microsoft Secure Productive Enterprise (SPE) E3 licences, Handelsblatt wanted to restructure its mail services, including building up a suitable Microsoft cloud mail infrastructure and creating a Microsoft Office 365 environment. To that end, all Office 365 Exchange mailboxes had to be migrated and a reliable operational service set up. In addition, existing online services such as Office 365, SharePoint, Skype for Business, OneDrive etc. of the recently acquired company Euroform were to be migrated and integrated into the company’s IT structure.
Process.
The Handelsblatt Media Group was looking for a capable partner for migration, installation and operational services, who not only masters IT in general, but also offered a modern and secure “Workplace as a Service”. Bechtle were able to win over the Handelsblatt Media Group with a concept specifically tailored to their needs, implementing the proposal based on a detailed project and milestone plan using an in-house team.
"Bechtle’s tailor-made “Workplace as a Service” concept has enabled us to develop new formats, products and services."
Yorn Ziesche, Head of IT, Handelsblatt Media Group
Solution.
Bechtle’s role was to advise the Handelsblatt Media Group on current workplace technologies, leading to the group deciding to equip all employees with Microsoft Surface Books including the Secure Productive Enterprise (SPE) product suite. With Office 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security as well as Windows 10 Enterprise, the suite includes all applications and security tools the Handelsblatt Media Group need for their daily business.
For the hardware and software package, Bechtle provided a “Workplace as a Service” tailored to the requirements of the Handelsblatt Media Group charged at a monthly price per user. The service model combines a modern, cloud-based working experience with high-performance hybrid notebook/tablet devices, fitting perfectly into the group’s digital workstation strategy.
Bechtle worked in collaboration with the Handelsblatt Media Group’s own IT department to ensure that all deadlines were met over the course of the project. The smooth migration of the existing IT environment to Exchange Online and the integration of the newly-acquired Euroform company were also primary tasks of the Bechtle team.
Business benefits.
The Handelsblatt Media Group was able to rely on everything coming from a single source. Bechtle not only played an advisory role, but also packaged hardware and software and provided a secure and modern “Workplace as a Service” with a rigorous financing concept enabling the Handelsblatt Media Group to reduce costs and simultaneously increase long term employee satisfaction. With the support of the Bechtle experts, planning, implementation and operational performance after the hand-off went smoothly and quickly. Today, the Handelsblatt Media Group can rely on a homogeneous, secure and, above all, easy-to-manage IT workplace environment that can be expanded as and when required.