A company that helps other companies innovate is something we at On IT love to see. IT company Mobco is one such company. With their offering of hardware, its security and further support, they are the one-stop shop for everything needed to make the transformation to a modern workplace a reality at their customers. That at a fixed cost per month, per employee. A kind of lease plan, really. Mobco has only been in existence for 10 years, and some 25 staff provide dozens of medium-sized and large companies and public institutions with services and products every year. Determined to let customers get the most out of the technological possibilities.
Mobco thinks with companies, selecting which technology makes customers more efficient. The solutions are flexible and scalable. In other words, realistic, in line with specific needs, within a certain budget. Mobco’s vision? Every workplace needs to keep up with technological developments right now. Not only does the company benefit economically, but the experience of the users – the staff – also improves. Efficiency drives growth, and a mobile workplace provides flexibility and support for employees.
The search for a new solution
What sets the company apart? The modern workplace. Many IT companies focus primarily on the processes, but there is increasing demand for a party that focuses on the modern workplace, the devices, the software and the management. This is the niche in which Mobco is fully committed. Another area in which they excel is smooth home working. At least, being able to work independently of a fixed workplace. This is especially essential in these times. As an early adopter, the company quickly saw the value of useful home solutions, and jumped on that bandwagon some time ago. Mobco customers need to be able to perform their work from anywhere. Mobco offers support for the entire modern workplace, and is primarily targeting large – specifically top 500 – companies. Working (remotely) must be productive and secure. The company looks for the tools, devices and applications that are most convenient for the end user.
Where they saw an untapped opportunity? There was no platform that could accomplish all of that service all inclusive. For that, the IT specialist could count on On IT. The assignment was to develop such a Workplace Self Service Portal.
A clear task for On IT
Ulrik Van Schepdael of Mobco had known Thierry Becu for 25 years through previous projects. So the collaboration was quickly decided. It began with an analysis: what code could constitute a contemporary platform that met the requirements? Mobco was able to formulate well what the solution we would come up with should include. The requirements? A Cloud-based platform with solid security, as well as flexibility for the end customer’s interpretation. Employees must be able to arrange their workplace (virtual or otherwise) as they see fit. In terms of hardware and applications used.
Modernization means that people are using more and more different devices. There is also a great advance in technological skills that we can leverage. It used to be difficult to get a particular app to employees, but today the modern workplace is driven precisely from that workforce. Then we can already start playing – and we should. ‘The War for Talent’ is skimming high peaks, and how modern and technologically advanced a company is often the deciding factor for young achievers in their choice of employer.
Ease of use, automation and customization
The platform works from a kind of hub. It does not contain new data, but cleverly connects used databases with each other. It takes care of linking internal processes. Thus, employees need only one login for all the applications they use. The various applications are connected, and the platform stands like an umbrella above the existing (complex) management systems. That already provides a lot more clarity for employees. No jumble of applications, but one central place to be. Ease of use is key.
By automating everything, employees can also choose their devices in a fully automated way, within budget. That choice is important for Mobco customers. Employees themselves know best which devices they need to do their job well. These devices are automatically ordered, configured and delivered to their homes. Preconfigured. End users can start using their tablets, laptops, phones … as soon as they arrive at the door. So no tech training required.
A good project always comes with a challenge
Now for the twist: the code was not to be an island. In fact, each user had to be able to flexibly determine the specific interpretation themselves. Knowing this, you know that such code is not easy to write. Add to that a pandemic that makes internal cooperation more difficult, and you have a real challenge. Fortunately, our team is very dedicated. After two years we are still successfully working together, and to this day we still regularly upgrade the platform. Because of the close contact and good follow-up, we can steer further developments. Consequently, there are monthly releases with new features. That’s the thing about technological developments: the work never stops. Innovate and keep doing it. A matter of always staying one step ahead of the competition.
… And now the debrief. How does Mobco look back (for now)?
The verdict: more efficiency, time savings and less margin for error for the companies using the developed Workplace Portal. On top of that, it means more flexibility, ease of use and freedom for the people who work there. Fully in line with the mission of Mobco, which we can proudly call a satisfied customer.
Mobco is also impressed with how the confluence of circumstances created a beneficial effect. Achieving remote working was already an expertise of the company, but the rapid evolutions that necessitated last year had a major impact. The pandemic put the way of working into a kind of forced flux. Now that companies did have to commit to this, confidence also grew steadily. That confidence was noticeably lower last year. So the contrast is enormous: today we are negotiating whether an employee needs to be in the office at all.
