Steinm"uller Engineering Services has implemented DVT's Radical software in an attempt to improve its customer service, increase the clout of its business intelligence applications, consolidate its help-desk operations and reduce associated costs.
The home-grown solution was implemented at the Johannesburg-based engineering firm earlier this year, when the decision was taken to regain control of its help-desk operations. Until that point, the help-desk was managed by an independent outsourcing company.
"Steinm"uller required a help-desk solution that would allow it to internally manage and control the logging and tracking of calls, effectively monitor call status and improve management of its assets, without increasing pressure on technical staff or increasing costs," says Lebo Mutloane, IT manager at Steinm"uller.
"Radical also provides the company with the means to measure help-desk and IT performance, an important requirement as this enables improved troubleshooting and performance enhancements."
Licensed for eight users at Steinm"uller, Radical supports the engineering company's help-desk through contact logging and tracking, facilities management, and asset administration and management.
The solution has allowed the company to establish service level agreements, backed by alerts, to measure delivery times. Identification tags are automatically generated, which enables the users to track the status of the calls through the help-desk and management of warranties on assets is allocated to the appropriate staff members to ensure accountability. The solution also enables the creation of call priorities. Therefore, when a site undergoes a critical period, any calls originating from that customer are set to high priority.
"As a highly customisable business tool developed on the Microsoft SQL Server platform, Radical provides Steinm"uller with the desired business intelligence functionality and a database moulded to its specific business processes and practices," says Greg Manson, new business development manager at DVT Gauteng.
"Using the Radical Business Rule Process, the company can create particular forms and database tables and ensure business practices are strictly applied."
Since implementing Radical, Steinm"uller has introduced codes of best practice to ensure continuous and commendable levels of helpdesk service. The software's change management module enables the supervision of any and all changes to the helpdesk operating systems, thereby minimising the impact of disruptions due to technical problems.
The software also enables the company to consolidate all its help-desk operations across its departments, branches and head office.
"Our lack of control over front-line support for our internal and external clients had become a major issue and our help-desks were adding no value to our operation," Mutloane says. "We opted to implement Radical because it is a local product and its simplicity allows our technicians to work with the software without requiring specialised skills. The software's flexibility allows easy adaptation to Steinm"uller's ever changing internal environment and the continuously shifting needs of our customer. It allows us to be proactive about managing our help-desk and so improve our service delivery."
Steinm"uller began operating in South Africa in 1969 and specialises in the design, fabrication and construction of industrial plants; the maximisation of day-to-day plant operation and maintenance; the assessment and analysis of plant conditions, performance and optimisation; and plant repair, strategic maintenance, refurbishment and lifetime extension.
The company operates in the power generation, petrochemical and chemical, pulp and paper, mining, and steel and allied industries and services clients such as Richards Bay Minerals, Sappi, Mittal, Samancor, Sasol, Caltex, Engen, PetroSA and Eskom. Plans are in place to purchase the Radical Web Module for use by both internal and external customers, and the Radical Asset Tracking Module.
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