Keeping logistics running from the home office
To ensure that the Brummis can continue to deliver goods on schedule, Johann Dettendorfer Spedition has made 100 notebooks home office-capable within just two days. The prerequisite for this: a clever IT department, a good client management system and flexible employees!
Like all companies, Johann Dettendorfer Spedition Ferntrans GmbH & Co. KG from Nußdorf am Inn was confronted with the issue of working from home virtually overnight. However, while companies in other industries can often outsource a large proportion of their jobs, logistics companies can only do this for some of their office staff - after all, the drivers still have to be on the road to maintain basic supplies to the population during the coronavirus crisis.
At Johann Dettendorfer, the dispatchers used to work exclusively with traditional desktop PCs. However, all typical office tasks such as bookkeeping, accounting and scheduling can also be carried out by a logistics specialist from home.
The company was able to outsource 80 percent of those who normally work at the company headquarters in Nußdorf or one of the European branches on a daily basis. "We had to quickly find 100 notebooks for them," says Martin Schiefer, Deputy IT Manager.
With luck and skill, the IT team managed to procure two batches of around 50 fully refurbished notebooks each. The deputy IT manager used his own truck to collect them from the dealer.
Having the hardware on site is one thing, getting it up and running quickly is quite another. As an IT expert, Martin Schiefer knows how long it takes to install the operating system, all necessary applications and patches on 100 untouched computers. "We were lucky that we had already been using aagon's client management system for four years," he explains. With the components acmp Desktop Automation, OS Deployment and License Management, the IT team was able to get the 100 notebooks up and running in just two days - within an extended weekend. They were completely reloaded with a standard image and the drivers were integrated via the driver scanner. Designed like thin clients, the devices are used to display applications hosted on the central server.
Inventory module reveals the inner workings of the new computers
Patches are distributed via the acmp Package Cloud, and the current and already very popular CAWUM (Complete aagon Windows Update Management) is used for the control and targeted installation of future Windows updates. The inventory module also proved to be extremely useful in this particular situation. Because everything had to be done quickly, it was only possible to check the basic functions of the new notebooks: Are the hard disk, CPU and display size suitable? The IT team then used acmp Inventory to determine all other special features - such as the condition of the battery.
This gave them a quick overview of what is hidden inside the new devices. Details that were not exactly known before the ad-hoc purchase of the laptops.
Additional surplus licenses made available quickly
Angela Merkel's admonitions on social distancing had barely faded away when the employees of Nußdorfer Spedition were already able to start working from home. "Without the client management system, we would never have been able to do this in so few days," says Volker Jahn, Head of IT at Johann Dettendorfer Spedition.
Technical queries only concerned screen settings and similar marginal issues - the switch to working from home therefore worked without any major additional workload for the IT department - and without direct, personal contact with the employees, which is currently being kept to a minimum. "aagon provided us with exemplary support during the whole rush and made the licenses available in no time at all," says Martin Schiefer. "The telephone support was available at all times in this difficult situation and was on hand with help and advice. This kind of all-round service should not be underestimated, especially in crisis situations."
Conclusion
"Solidarity is needed in this difficult crisis. That is why we have expanded our customer support to meet the new requirements and offer comprehensive remote consulting, including for setting up home offices or where
whenever the need arises," adds Alexander Stühl, Director Sales and Marketing at aagon. "If we can support our customers quickly, pragmatically and unbureaucratically in this way, then we are very happy to do so."
Briefly noted:
Workstations to be connected:
350 Windows clients
Products used:
acmp Application Usage Tracking, acmp Desktop Automation, acmp Inventory, acmp License Management, acmp OS Deployment, Package Cloud, acmp CAWUM
Project start:
2015
About Dettendorfer
Since the company was founded in 1825, the Dettendorfer Group has developed into an innovative full-service provider for forwarding services far beyond the borders of Europe. As a service provider, Dettendorfer offers a comprehensive service in the areas of transportation, logistics and merchandise management. Customers benefit from the flexibility, flat hierarchies and value awareness of a healthy, medium-sized, owner-managed family business.
Would you like to benefit from the same advantages?
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