For a global healthcare giant like Siemens Healthineers, ensuring its 70,000 employees across 75 countries have the right tools at their fingertips is paramount.
Connecting a global workforce in these enlightened days of Digital Transformation, may, on the surface, appear seamless. But the sheer scale of managing mobile devices for vast and geographically dispersed workforces presents a logistical labyrinth, impacting everything from IT support to procurement.
Recognising these complexities, Siemens Healthineers has embraced a globally scalable Mobile-as-a-Service (MaaS) solution, promising a smoother, more efficient, and ultimately better experience for its employees.
The challenges faced by Siemens Healthineers were multifaceted. Leaders grappled with the familiar ‘legacy issues’ where the primary focus on cutting hardware costs sometimes overshadowed the crucial aspect of user-friendliness. The seismic shift brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a surge in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, also introduced significant security headaches for the IT and Chief Security Officer (CSO) departments.
Added to the mix was the sheer volume of devices that made effective portfolio management and maintaining a clear global inventory a significant hurdle, hindering accurate demand forecasting and a clear understanding of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Supply chain disruptions only compounded these woes, leaving buyers facing unpredictable delays.
The goal was to realise a future where mobile device management was no longer a headache but a seamless, supportive service that also delivered an outstanding user experience through a comprehensive MaaS model. From a budget perspective, the move aimed to shift the substantial upfront capital expenditure (CAPEX) associated with hardware into more predictable operating expenses (OPEX), allowing for better cost management and forecasting.
And beyond the balance sheet, there was a keen focus on mitigating potential litigation costs associated with data security and device disposal. Environmentally, the company set its sights on bolstering its sustainability credentials through more efficient device lifecycle management.
Seamless standardised workflows
To turn the vision into reality, Siemens Healthineers partnered with solution integrator Insight, which tailored their global Device as a Service (DaaS) offering, ‘Flex for Devices,’ to meet the needs of the healthcare innovator. The model provides a suite of product-related services at a transparent monthly cost per device. While offering the flexibility to purchase, finance, or lease primary equipment from preferred manufacturers, Insight’s value lies in the wraparound services that cover the entire device lifecycle, from initial sourcing right through to responsible disposal.
The partnership began with device selection. Acting as a vendor-neutral advisor, Insight guided Siemens Healthineers towards standardising on Apple devices as their primary product line, complemented by accessories from various Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The move towards standardisation was a pivotal moment, laying the foundation for effective portfolio management, which is crucial for accurate forecasting and sound budgeting practices.
Suddenly, real-time visibility into inventory availability became a reality. Working hand-in-glove with project stakeholders at Siemens Healthineers, Insight developed a strategic stockpiling approach, ensuring optimal device availability while carefully mitigating potential risks.
Leveraging its extensive network of sales and integration centres, alongside its partner ecosystem, Insight was able to guarantee the multinational coverage needed for a company of Siemens Healthineers’ scale.
At the same time, technical specialists from both organisations collaborated to integrate the Insight and Siemens Healthineers systems through ServiceNow connectors. The digital handshake streamlined the often-cumbersome ordering and approval processes within Siemens Healthineers, significantly reducing repetitive tasks for purchasing teams, ensuring greater order accuracy, and boosting overall order fulfilment efficiency.
The direct result? A vastly improved employee user experience, with less administrative hassle and quicker access to the tools they need.
“The results were even better than envisaged,” said Dr Stefan Henkel, CIO Siemens Healthineers. “Out of our 70,000 employees across 75 countries, over 95% are expected to benefit from our new lifecycle management. The global scope of the solution is truly remarkable.”
Productivity boosted via Integrated services
The benefits of the MaaS solution extend far beyond just procurement and deployment. Insight proactively applies a protective film to all Apple iPhones before they reach the employee, an effective measure that has reduced the rate of defective devices to less than 0.5%. The reduction in damage also directly enhances employee productivity by minimising downtime and the frustration of dealing with broken equipment.
Streamlining and sustainability
Bundling also plays a significant role in Siemens Healthineers’ sustainability drive. By ensuring that equipment and necessary accessories are readily available, Insight can deliver a complete package directly to the employee’s home or a local branch office in a single shipment. This consolidated delivery approach directly contributes to a reduction in the company’s carbon footprint by minimising the number of individual shipments.
When devices encounter issues, the focus shifts to repair rather than replace. Insight facilitates the repair of defective devices, prolonging their lifecycle and reducing the need for immediate replacement. Furthermore, devices that have reached the end of their primary use are reintegrated into the product cycle as refurbished hardware, a practice that is both economically sound and environmentally responsible.
“With Insight’s DaaS model, we have effectively reduced hardware delivery times for employees globally from weeks or even months to just a few days, while also decreasing process costs. The fulfilment rate for our Service Level Agreements concerning Delivery Performance and Response Time for Service Requests stands at 99.5%,” said Dr Henkel.
In partnership with Insight, Siemens Healthineers has also implemented a streamlined and environmentally conscious refresh process. The updated procedure ensures meticulous tracking of devices throughout their lifecycle. The refresh process is seamlessly integrated, allowing users to automatically receive a new device when their current one reaches its End-of-Life (EOL) status. Each shipment of a new device includes a pre-paid return label for the old one, simplifying the return process for the employee.
Crucially, before any returned hardware is resold or recycled, it undergoes a certified data erasure procedure, ensuring sensitive information remains secure. These controlled returns also guarantee that EOL devices are handled responsibly, preventing potential safety risks and allowing Siemens Healthineers to recoup any residual value.
Tangible results speak volumes
Siemens Healthineers and Insight adopted a phased rollout of the MaaS model, initially launching in Germany before extending its reach across EMEA, the US and Asia.
Innovation: The quality of equipment and the associated services provided to Siemens Healthineers employees have demonstrably improved. User-friendly, fully traceable, and dependable processes are now firmly in place for all stakeholders involved. Hardware updates are performed automatically, ensuring employees are always equipped with the latest device generations, enhancing their productivity and access to the newest features.
Resilience: The implementation of break-and-fix protocols ensures rapid equipment repairs, directly enhancing user satisfaction by minimising downtime and lowering process costs associated with device issues.
Efficiency: By implementing an optimised global portfolio management system, Siemens Healthineers has increased control over their mobile device ecosystem. This bolsters their sustainability performance through better lifecycle management, strengthens audit and privacy security measures, ensures greater regulatory compliance, and ultimately contributes to increased user satisfaction.
For Siemens Healthineers, plugging into the power of MaaS has not just streamlined device management; it has laid the foundation for a more innovative, resilient and efficient future.
Dr Henkel added: “Our objectives were ambitious, and our requirements were both high and complex. With the new solution, we have effectively managed this complexity.”
