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NewsQuarter Two 2013

What’s New In Corporate Mobility?

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[email protected]

Birchman is an international company that providesconsulting services, solution delivery and managedservices to many of the world's leading organisations.

Our Consulting business assists our customers toextract maximum benefit from business and technol-ogy investments.

Our Solutions business enables measurable businesstransformation and improvement through the imple-mentation of back and front office solutions, ourindustry specific solutions and other informationtechnologies.

Our Managed Services business delivers hardwareand software based services that provide a high levelof on-going support to our customer.

Birchman is measured by the success of its cus-tomers. With every engagement, Birchman uses atailored approach to deliver the best possible out-come for each customer.

The Birchman

Group

3birchman news | foreword | quarter 2/2013

Welcome to the Q2 2013 edition of the BirchmanGroup Newsletter. As you may already know, theobjectives of this publication are to provide infor-mation and ideas about relevant topics and issuesthat face organisations and their Information Tech-nology functions today.

To help us achieve these objectives, this is our firstNewsletter in which we include an interview toone of our customers. We are happy to introduceyou to Xavier Sancliment Casadejús, who has beenthe ICT Manager at the Terrassa City Council inSpain since 2008. Terrassa is the one of largestcities in the North East region of Spain, withapproximately 216,000 residents. Sancliment dis-cusses their main strategic and transformationalprojects that have influenced the city, as well asthe main challenges in the near future. He talks tous about Cloud, Big Data and Mobility and the roleof the CIO in the organisation.

Following on from the technology trends in 2013article in our last issue we already see significantprogress in mobility including the mobilisation ofenterprise applications, cloud and in-memory com-puting; and big data. We will continue to focus onthese subjects during the year. In this issue welook at mobility.

Newer generations no longer understand life with-out mobility and connectivity. But mobility is abroad concept. We try to review it in our article“What’s New in Corporate Mobility?” focusing ouranalysis on corporate applications that are normal-ly extensions of backbone systems. Our articleincludes the discussion of the difficult question ofaffordability, coming to the conclusion that ROIwill be linked to the business benefits from thereal use of the application put in place and thetrue adoption by the end users.

We also look at the role of the finance function indriving change and maximising value from existingsolutions. CFO’s are driving change, but not disrup-tive changes that add risk to already uncertaineconomic conditions; however significant value isbeing unlocked through optimising existing finan-cial systems and processes.

More of our customer are preparing for SEPA (Sin-gle Euro Payment Area) regulation that comes intoforce by 1st February 2014. The cost of not beingable to operate the new payment and receipt sys-tems through the bank is high. Incrementalchanges add up to significant value of erosionespecially when you consider that the budgeting,periodic forecasting as well as the actual resultscould all benefit from similar improved processes.Expert help and increasing the value of a singlesoftware tool can be significant.

We highlight our fashion and retail expertiseacquired throughout the years having developedand implemented a range of industry solutions inmany major companies. To reinforce this, we areincluding the Pepe Jeans’s success story, being thecompany one of the world’s leading iconic fashionbrands.

I hope you find this a simulating read and welcomeyour feedback. Information Technology continuesto deliver step-change for our client’s customers,employees and suppliers. We are pleased to beworking with so many interesting companies tohelp drive and support these exiting changes.

If you have any questions or suggestions please contact us [email protected]

Birchman General Update

Niel SchoemanChairman

4 birchman news | consulting | quarter 2/2013

The Finance Function: Evolution not Revolution

Big disruptive changes are sometimesneeded, however the risk of these are largeand the impact to the business is significant soare often rejected. The focus of many CFO’stoday is to manage risk whilst pushing forwardchange within the business. A key opportunityto achieve this is by leveraging the value of ex-isting software systems to meet the demandsfrom internal and external stakeholders.

Many small improvements to processes can addsignificant value with minimal risk and withminimal investment. This is what appeals mostto CFO’s. Investment of time in small projectsis easier to justify and aligned with a roadmapof objectives this continual improvement willsoon add significant value.

The most difficult task facing the Finance func-tion is not to identify the areas that require im-provement but to find the time and help to iden-tify HOW to make the changes, when at thesame time normal business requirements keepthem fully occupied!

It is not surprising that cost cutting is also a fo-cus when economic conditions are as uncertain

as they have been recently. This also has im-pacted the decision on whether time and supportis made available for changes within the busi-ness. Many companies today are making falseeconomies by only focusing on maintaining theprocesses around the day to day activities andnot improving them.

Changes are made either when necessityforces them or when the demand forchange becomes too great to ignore.The result is the slow evolution within the Fi-nance function, when changes are made eitherwhen necessity forces them or when the de-mand for change becomes too great to ignore.This added responsibility in addition to the normal day to day requirements is generally accepted, even though internal staff are notspecifically trained to manage projects and often not trained in new areas of softwarefunctionality. The value of bringing in tempo-rary expert support is often overlooked unlessthe value proposition is high.

One such necessity relates to the mandatorySEPA (Single Euro Payment Area) regulation that

The focus of manyCFO’s is to managerisk whilst pushingforward change

CFO’s are driving change, but not big disruptive changes that add risk to alreadyuncertain economic conditions. Significant value is being unlocked through optimis-ing existing financial systems and processes.

birchman news | consulting | quarter 2/2013 5

comes into force by 1st February 2014. SEPAenables you to make and receive payments ineuros within Europe… and the deadline is loom-ing! Treasury functions are rushing to plan themigration and it is predicted that many willmiss the deadline! The value of external ex-pertise to support this one off change can beeasily justified as the skills do not often existwithin the business and the costs of not beingable to operate the new payment and receiptssystems through the bank is high.

In addition, regular small process changes aremade by the internal teams to address ad hocbusiness requirements. Where these are madewithout consultation or review of all the options,these eventually lead to a large deviation fromwhat might be deemed best practice, through nofault of one individual. These situations reducethe value of the system and increase workload tostaff particularly at month end.

One common area of sub-optimal work isaround the financial consolidation. Due to theregular pressure of deadlines and working withremote sites, workarounds are regularly madeincluding time consuming manual calculation,data loading and inconsistent mapping of the

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data are all accepted. Is this really acceptablejust because the finance function manage theprocess internally or the cost or complexity offixing the root cause of the problems is consid-ered to be high? In many businesses, the realityis that incremental changes add up to signifi-cant value erosion especially when you con-sider that the budgeting, periodic forecastingas well as the actual results could all benefitfrom similarly improved processes.

The good news is that CFO’s are recognisingthat periodically these systems and processesneed to be optimised with non-value addingtasks eliminated. For example, using SAP Busi-nessObjects Planning and Consolidation (BPC).This is a single system (for SAP and non-SAPERP customers) that can be used for actual re-sults, strategic plan targets, annual budgetingand periodic forecasting. The value of periodi-cally using expert help and fixing the problemsand increasing the value of a single softwaretool is significant.

For more information, please contactDavid King [email protected]

How Evolution is managed in Practice

Some of the best finance functions in the world adopt an evolutionaryapproach to changes within the Finance function. Some practical stepsare shown below that improve both the business processes as well asthe IT systems over time.

g Create a Vision: give a description of the vision of the function inthe future. For example, by the year 2015 we will be meet worldclass standards for the financial closing cycle and budgetingprocesses. It is best practice to set a date as this focuses themind!

g Create a Roadmap: Identify the high level areas within the busi-ness functions, departments, processes and/or systems that mustbe improved to reach the vision. It is best practice to involve ex-ternal expertise at this stage to bring specific expertise, bestpractice knowledge and an independent point of view at this earlystage. Creating a high level plan of possible timings is required tofocus attention.

g Check the Value Proposition: Based on the Roadmap, validate theinitial high level views by breaking this down into more detail. AValue Check service from Birchman could identify further improve-ments and support the planning process for the next steps in theprocess. It is important to break the initiatives into small stepsthat are more manageable and less risky to implement.

g Identifying quick wins: In most cases it is possible to identifyareas that can be improved quickly. These lead to benefits earlyon and build momentum for future improvements.

g Kick Start Improvement Initiatives: Based on the priorities,teams get started and improvement initiative can be announced.Commitment from the top and good communication are al-ways important. Start initiatives in each function to involveeveryone in Finance.

g Tracking, Reporting and Managing: We have to meas-ure the initial situation and the changes found madeduring the improvement initiative. Finance are normallygood at this! Project management is a key role to ensurethe success of the initiatives.

g Celebrate the Success: Build momentum for the next success bynot forgetting to celebrate and recognise the improvementsmade.

7birchman news | consulting | quarter 2/2013

What’s New In CorporateMobility?

We are definitely in a mobile world. You only need to observe your child’s behaviour torealise there is no turning back. Games, videos, school apps, books, social networks…endless content available anywhere, anytime. The most popular subject is culture,because newer generations no longer understand life without mobility and connectivityto keep them constantly connected and in touch. The phenomenon of social networksis proof of this and an explosive driver in terms of their use even in these times of cri-sis, when people are cutting back on spending on many needs, but perhaps not ontheir need to stay connected… a need that is steadily growing in the Maslow pyramid.

But mobility is a broad concept. So letus try to dissect this world:

Mobility for whom?Thousands, perhaps even millions, of uses cometo mind. But we need to start differentiating be-tween two different worlds: consumer and cor-porate apps. This distinction defines the app’smain features regarding preferred device, archi-tecture, complexity, visual appearance, connec-tivity, cost, etc. While consumer applications arebuilt for anything you can imagine, yet not ne -

cessarily for profit (leisure is often the main rea-son), corporate apps are normally extensions ofbackbone systems such as ERP, CRM, BI, EPM,etc. We will focus our analysis on these kinds ofapps and the alternatives that can be found inthe market.

Mobility for what?This is the first issue to be tackled. But is it ne -cessary to mobilise all processes for all users? Itmost definitely is not. The toy’s cost is high, sowatch out! If you want to achieve your organisa-

We need to startdifferentiating bet-ween two differentworlds: consumerand corporate apps

birchman news | consulting | 2/20138

tion’s expected ROI, you have to select theprocesses to be mobilised. Next, an example:

Classico Sales force automation, most common fea-tures are:• Sales agenda and activity planning• Customer and contact database• 360º customer view• Opportunity management• Quote and order capture• Travel expense reporting• Route management

o Field service• Asset management• Repair management• Preventive and corrective management• Expense reporting• GPS location• Work order scheduling

However, as is occurring in the consumer world,needs and solutions are also sharply rising in thecorporate world and some examples of thesenew apps are:

Field marketing: customer surveys, samples,competition data captureRetail

o Point-of-sale data captureo On-shelf stock controlo Promotion managemento Layout implementation managementg Timesheetg Leave Requestg HR Approvalsg Employee Lookupg Interview Assistantg Manager Insightg Mobile BI: executive dashboards g Inventory and RFIDg Measurement and readingsg Cash collection

g Travel managementg HD Product catalogueg Pharma o Medical visito Pharmacy order capture

g Others

Mobility on what?Undeniably, the two main drivers of mobilityover the last ten years have been telecomnetworks and the changes in devices. Ease ofuse, size, weight, durability, endurance, bat-tery performance, connectivity, conditions ofuse and price are all factors to be taken intoaccount when choosing the proper device for aspecific need and user. An iPad can be fashion-ably nice, but not necessarily the best mobiledevice for a field engineer who is constantlyworking in dirty locations filled with dust andgrease. An industrial PDA can provide the rightperformance, but perhaps lacks the image andfashionable connotations that your organisa-tion wants to communicate to its customerbase.

An incredibly broad range can be found in themarketplace and below is a brief summary:

Classic laptops (still relevant and real players interms of their many uses, now with the addedextra of Win 8 and Mac).

Notebooks as a compact evolution from laptops,cheaper and supporting most applications.

Smartphones and tablets, both worlds convergingbut with one big question mark: which platform

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will last and dominate the marketplace? Let usrecap the alternatives:

o Apple-iOS-iPhone-iPad, Apple premiumworld now leading in terms of usability,look, app variety – revolutionary products

o Android, supported by Google, Samsung,Sony… the open platform apparently gainingmarket share at reasonable prices with top-notch performance

o RIM-BlackBerry, used to be the preferredcorporate device, but now at the crossroads

o Windows Phone and Nokia, the Microsoft al-ternative that will have a lot to say in thenear future

Industrial handheld devices: rugged and robust,designed for use under tough conditions andcomplete with specialised accessories such ascode scanners, RFID readers, waterproof covers,high-resistance touchscreens, long-lasting bat-teries, GPS location appliance, special ergonom-ics, etc.

In the end, choosing the right device is a key suc-cess factor for the project that will facilitateuser adoption and probably the main cost driver.So think twice before making your choice.

Connected or disconnected mobility?Another key discussion point to throw into thepot. When asking a user about this topic, the an-swer is typically: “I need the app all the time”.In most of Europe and America nowadays, tele-com network coverage is enough to provide ap-proximately 90-95% service with an excellentconnection speed through 3G-4G at reasonableflat rate prices. So why disconnected? Is con-nected good enough? Are users aware of offlinecosts and limitations?

By being connected via a simple smartphone, wecan access an unlimited set of contents and in-formation existing in backend systems and takingadvantage of all calculation complexities as theyare arranged by the same backend. The ease ofadministration is obvious, as virtually no devicemanagement, deployment or configuration is re-quired. A sales manager checking fully updatedsales performance info on a tablet when visitingcustomers at city headquarters needs connected,online apps.

Disconnected is to be chosen only when re-quired. A sales rep working in rural areas with in-adequate network coverage and visiting a point-of-sale outlet to capture sales orders withcomplex pricing and promotions will require dis-connected. A field engineer working in an en-

Disconnected is to be chosen onlywhen required

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closed space in a building’s basement needs dis-connected, unless he can afford to populate thework order after finishing his work once he stepsout to where the equipment is located.

Connected means:

Application availability anywhere, anytime

Multiple device management and administration

App development dependent on operating sys-tem device, which means costs will be multipliedin case different devices/technologies are re-quired for different users

Disconnected means integration: information go-ing up and down the mobile devices needs to bestored and managed in some kind of data con-centrator that will integrate with back officesource systems - EAI should be considered at thispoint

Data synchronisation management: only the rightdata moved to a specific user device to minimisedata traffic and costs and optimise data storagein mobile limited devices

Data security: data is replicated in mobile de-vice, so it needs to be protected and secured

Data traffic cost: more data volume is replicatedup and down

End-user support: many issues arise from deviceconfiguration, so resolving problems hundreds orthousands of kilometres away can become adaily problem and definitely a significant cost

So go connected as long as possible!

Is mobility affordable?A difficult question. It can effectively cost fromalmost zero to an investment of millions. On theone hand, most corporate applications are al-ready web enabled, so publishing them on atablet using Safari or Chrome already existing incurrent devices can be quite inexpensive. This isreal and simple mobility. On the other hand, im-plementing an offline order capture solution in-volving acquisition of licenses, new devices,complex integration, bespoke development,

complex deployment and remote administrationcould mean an investment of hundreds of thou-sands of euros. ROI will be linked to the businessbenefits from the real use of the apps put inplace and true adoption by end users.

What’s in store for mobility?By now, you should have a clear idea about thedrivers to boost mobility. We are currently at aboiling point that is ready to explode, if it hasnot happened already. Many innovations bringopportunities and uncertainties:

Telecom networks: 4G is a reality and the ex-tended broadband it provides is a key factor formaking more complex apps available.

Cloud and SaaS: mobility means cloud andvice versa. Mobility means collaboration andsharing apps that are used by a high numberof users coexisting under the same multi-ten-ant platform.

Mobility can costfrom almost zero toan investment ofmillions

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For more information, please contact:Francisco Muñ[email protected]

Social networks are changing people culture andthe ways we relate with others. Coming genera-tions will be adopting these apps en masse andthis fact will guide the way they work togetherand the corporate tools they will demand in thefuture.

Devices: fashionable, trendy, fun, useful… andrapidly changing! So ephemeral that once youhave the latest of the latest, a new innovationcomes out to revolutionise the market. Nobodyknows which technology will win the battle, butAndroid and Apple are clearly in the lead, withRIM and MS catching up.

Application manufacturers: from classics such asApple and Microsoft to corporate such as SAP andOracle, as well as new players such as Googleand Facebook. Speaking of which:

o SAP has recently acquired Sybase and Syclo,both leading companies in mobility plat-forms and applications.

o Oracle has already launched Open UI as amulti-platform (multi-navigator) user inter-face for its leading mobile app: OracleSiebel CRM.

o Microsoft has established a strong alliancewith Nokia to develop the mobile phone op-erating system for the new generation ofmobile devices, to be completed by a fullset of apps aligned with the new Windows 8strategy.

It is a thrilling environment. The only clear thingis that we will enjoy whatever the future brings!

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We will enjoy whatever the future brings!

birchman news | interview | quarter 2/201312

What are the main strategic, transfor-mation projects you have tackled andhow have they influenced the city?We are working towards building a more citi-zen-centred, agile, simple, friendly and lessbureaucratic town council... and we are sup-porting this goal with technology in threeways. First, with broadly speaking technologi-cal platforms, namely, applications and sys-tems upon which the council is basing its oper-ations. For about four years, we have beenimmersed in a complete renovation process ofthese platforms and this is converting us into abenchmark in the field. Second, through inter-nal operational processes, on the one hand,which we are trying to simplify, and also withprocesses and procedures for citizens in whichwe want them to have full protagonism.

And finally, through the interaction points be-tween citizens and the Town Hall, which intechnology we usually call “channels”, tradi-tional offices serving citizens and telephone,mobile, Internet and social media, etc. Citi-zens decide on which channel to use to con-nect with the Town Hall and our aim is to offerthem a unique multichannel experience. Thisrequires exceptional organisational and cul-tural change, and although the challenge isenormous it is also very exciting.

Are you planning another short-termstrategic or transformation project?We are currently in the process of introducingour human resources management system. Wehave begun changing all voice systems and in-troducing unified IP telephony and communica-

Terrassa is the fourth largest city in Catalonia (with approximately 216,000 inhabi-tants) and some 1,800 people are responsible for administering its public services inthe Town Hall. Xavier Sancliment has been manager of the ICT Department since 2008.

Technology will be playinga vital role in all areas

Xavier Sancliment Casadejús

Director of TechnologyServices, Logistics &

Quality, Department ofFinance and General

Services, Terrassa CityCouncil

birchman news | interview | quarter 2/2013 13

tions. We are in the final phase of implement-ing our new application virtualisation platform.

We have (internal) cloud IT services and arebeginning to acquire some external cloud man-agement experience, testing this hybrid model,assessing advantages, problems, risks and,above all, identifying the economic scenariosof our various services.Opening public data aspart of our Open Data service and Open Gov-ernment strategy has already been integratedinto all the transformation projects we are un-dertaking.

Finally, we will continue with our technologicalrenovation plan, completing migration to Oracle11g, SharePoint 2013 or migrating our corporateemail to a different cloud service model.

What are the main challenges you arefacing in the near future?We are fully involved in so-called smart cityprojects, which I believe will be our focus inthe medium to long term. Moreover, the jour-ney towards cloud is unstoppable, and the vir-tualisation of servers, storage, applications anddesktop will be combined with infrastructurelike electronic networking. In this sense, thefuture is SDN (Software Defined Networks) andI sense that it will be to the world of network-ing what VMWARE was to the world of servers.

The idea is simple, instead of havingswitches/routers acting independently be-tween each other and with limited intelli-gence, we will install a central server to com-municate with all switches/routers. Thiscentral server has information from the entirenetwork and because of its powerful CPU is ca-pable of making more intelligent, automaticreal-time decisions. The result is a programma-ble network that automatically responds toevents, much smarter and ready to take on anynew challenge or future application. We areexcited to be one of the world’s pilot projects.

Technologies such as Cloud, Big Data,Mobility, etc. are on everybody’s lips,but do you believe they are matureenough?They are indeed today’s buzzwords. Regardingthe first, we have a private cloud in which wealready manage over 170 servers and 190TB of

fully virtualised storage. In terms of externalcloud, some web portals are already using thisnew technology (Azure and others) and we aretesting the use of integrated external storagewith our internal cloud.

When it comes to Big Data, besides the relativeimportance it has in smart cities, we are work-ing on a specific project. In Open Data, we arein fact constantly opening information anddata in our 4-star service portal (we will obtaina fifth star in a few weeks), according to theclassification by Tim Berners-Lee.

In regards to M2M, we are working on energymanagement in municipal buildings, which al-ready have teleactivity with specific buildingsand over ten buildings are being monitored.The savings associated by introducing a solu-tion of this kind are important and in our caseare over 30%.

Finally, the new BYOD trend is becoming inter-esting, albeit through very specific pilot proj-ects or tests. I have the feeling it will be aninitiative that we will have to address on alarge scale in the short to medium term.

Do you think the role of CIOs willchange in the near future?Many CIOs today participate in steering com-mittees, contributing to decision-making in or-ganisations. I believe in the future that theywill not only focus on contributing, but mustalso dedicate part of their time to thinking andinnovating, developing a key role in any areaof the company, because technology will beplaying a vital role in all organisational areas.

How do you see the relationship of yourorganisation with suppliers?The textbook answer is that it must be a win-win relationship. I expect professionalism, arelationship of trust, transparency and the factthat they truly add value. We look for techno-logical partners that understand our day-to-day, our “business”. I want the supplier to bepart of our team. Our team also works for thesupplier, providing information, helping withthe project, contributing knowledge and as-suming responsibility in decision-making. Weall fail or we all succeed together. We want aB2B relationship in which everybody wins.

We are working towards building amore citizen-centredtown council

14 birchman news | case study | quarter 2/2013

Today Pepe Jeans is one of the world’sleading iconic fashion brands. With a presencein 60 countries across all five continents anddistributed through nearly 7000 outlets world-wide.

Growing PainsMassive success saw the company grow at anincredible rate and growth continues exponen-tially. To keep abreast of the highly competi-tive fashion market, Pepe Jeans needed to sup-port their growing business with modernflexible business processes and systems.

Their highly customised aging information sys-tems were becoming a hindrance to their busi-ness success, and did not support the growth theywere experiencing. The fashion business is clearlyabout knowing how to evolve and Pepe needed toevolve their processes and systems onto a lead-ing-edge technology platform that would supportthe growing complexity of their business.

The SolutionTo capitalise on their growing brand presenceand to facilitate their worldwide expansionplans Pepe entered into a long term relation-ship with Birchman. This was, in a large part,due to our

extensive experience in the retail industry, andin particular fashion. In addition Birchman’sFashionWorks was chosen as the core platformto support their complex business model.

The main objectives of the relationship were to:

Optimise the business processes of the com-pany’s diverse operations into a single entity toimprove the efficiency and effectiveness oftheir supply chain, from vendors through tocustomers.

Deliver a leading-edge technology platform(SAP) without impacting the day to day opera-tion of the business.

It is 1973, in the heart of Portobello Road Market, London. The euphoria in the air ispalpable. A crowd of raucous kids arrives by subway, bus or bike from all parts ofLondon to converge on the city’s cutting-edge clothing market in a bid to lay theirhands on an elusive pair of iconic jeans which are the talk of the town! It was therein 1973 under the bridge in Notting Hill that Pepe Jeans London was born.

Pepe Jeans Success Story

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Establish a single data repository for the entirecompany which includes stock levels, singlecustomer view and integration across all distri-bution channels.

Build a system with the flexibility and scalabil-ity to address their current and future datacapturing and information reporting require-ments.

Deliver the program in less than 18 months,from business case approval to final implemen-tation.

To provide international support to their busi-ness operations; 24 X 7 X 365.

The BenefitsThe rapid growth experienced by Pepe Jeansrequired an enterprise wide process and man-agement solution that would allow integrationof the company’s various business lines. Themain project benefits delivered are:

The company now has an organisation wideview of their business processes. Individual de-partments no longer work in isolation andprocess efficiencies have been delivered acrossthe company.

A single ‘version of the truth’ has been deliv-ered through the implementation and manage-ment of the company’s master data. The datais entered once and is visible to all depart-

ments, starting from sales through to purchas-ing, inventory, finance and operations.

A modern flexible open technology platform al-lows the integration with different applica-tions. The EAI SAP PI tool has allowed integra-tion of all external solutions with SAP.

Full operations tracking; logistics and financial.Significant time reductions have beenachieved.

Standardised processes have resulted in an im-provement in supply chain efficiency, customerservice levels, and the company’s ability tomeasure and improve them.

The FuturePepe Jeans continues to evolve its processesand systems by investigating new innovativeways of working. Birchman is working closelywith Pepe Jeans to deploy the solution to thenew worldwide subsidiaries of the company.

For more information regarding anyof this information please contact usvia our website www.thebirchmangroup.com

birchman news | case study | quarter 2/2013 15

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Pepe Jeans is one ofthe world’s leadingiconic fashionbrands

birchman news | news & events | quarter 2/201316

“By February 2014 SEPA credit transfers anddirect debits across the euro area will be aseasy as domestic payments within one coun-try are now.” European Commission PressRelease, December 2011

This standard is legally-binding and the dead-line of 1 February 2014 also applies for migra-tion for domestic Euro payments.

Start planning your SAP migration now withthe help of Birchman’s rapid deploymentexpertise. With many SAP migrations alreadycompleted, your project will benefit from thisextensive experience and move to the SEPAstandard before the deadline expires.

If you are also experiencing reporting, dataquality or performance issues, Birchman’sfixed fee Value Check service can also supportyou to identify significant improvements.Some of the benefits include:

Linking financial strategy to financial operations

Identify unused or missing system functionali-ty or enhancements

Identify opportunities to support existing staffwork practices

Identify further integration opportunities

Identify Quick Wins

Improved ROI and lower Total Cost of Owner-ship (TCO)

For more information, please contact:Richard Taylorrichard.taylor@birchmangroup,com

SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) is the standard payment initiative for 32 counties,including 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland andMonaco. This will improve cross Euro border payments and reduce the fees of thesetransactions. UK companies trading in Euro’s will also benefit from reduced feesand faster payments using this payment initiative.

Birchman offers expertise to migrate to the SEPA payment standards as the deadline looms

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birchman news | news & events | quarter 2/2013

Birchman qualifies as a worldwide service providerLast January the International Standardization Organization (ISO)has granted certification in two different international standardversions to the Birchman Group. Specifically the ISO20.000:2011and the ISO27.001: 2005, which regulate the provision and secu-rity over the information of the 24 x 7 Birchman Service Desk.

These rules come to confirm the quality that Birchman providesto its customers. Not only in provisioning efficient services, butalso in preserving the end-to-end security. Birchman has a highinternal exigency level to purvey a fast and efficient service tothe needs of every customer.

In addition, Birchman executed the certification process accord-ing to the international standards, ISO20.000:2011 with APMGand ISO27.000:2005 UKAS model, which qualify our firm as aworldwide service provider.

For more information, please contact:Toni [email protected]

Annual Fashion and Luxury Goods Networking EventThe Birchman Group will hold next 13th of June an event wheremajor companies in the fashion and retail industry will meet toknow and share key trends and needs that the industry demands.

Birchman will provide an insight to a range of industry solutions,which have been developed and implemented in various majorcompanies. All of this will take place in a prime location inBarcelona, Spain, giving our guests the opportunity to visit thebeautiful city through an unique and personalised guided tour.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from others and also to shareyour experiences!... Don’t miss the change to hear from yourpeers in an international environment!

For further information or to book your attendance,please contact [email protected] or Sara Nistal at +34 93 553 3821.

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birchman news | news & events | quarter 2/201318

With more than 600 companies attending,this conference allows most important Share-Point partners to demonstrate their knowl-edge and the quality of their solutions to a“decision makers” customers audience. Birch-man collaborated as Silver Partner on theevent and presented two conferences withregards to SharePoint technologies.

On the first session Birchman explained itsexperience working with SharePoint as a WebContent Management Platform, showing howSharePoint 2013 helps our customers building

web sites, intranets and portals with featureslike Social Networks, Social Gaming, Advertis-ing, e-Commerce. The second session wasdedicated to how SharePoint 2013 helps build-ing multi device and responsive design webbased solutions (portals, intranets andextranets). Both sessions were scored veryhigh by all the attendants.

Birchman was one of the few companiesshowing customer references on SharePoint2013, the latest product version and one ofthe most important Microsoft investments for

Birchman, Microsoft Gold Partner and one of the companies leader on the SharePoint platform, sponsored the most important SharePoint event in Spain, the Spanish Users SharePoint Conference (CEUS), celebrated in Madrid on April the 8th.

Birchman sponsors the Spanish Users SharePoint Conference

More than 600 companies attendedthe conference

enterprise solutions this year. Due to havingmore than 8 months experience with this newrelease of the product, Birchman hasachieved a leadership position on the Spainand European markets.

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URL of the event:www.microsoft.com/spain/busi-nessproductivity/CEUS/default.aspxBirchman SharePoint Team Blog

Birchman sponsors the SAP FORUM UK& IRELAND Birchman is pleased to announce that onceagain we are sponsoring the SAP FORUM UK &Ireland entitled Experience the Future of Busi-ness.

The event takes place at the ICC in Birminghamon the 3rd and 4th of July.

For more information, please contact:+44 20 8754 7574 or mail [email protected]

User Conference in BirminghamOn the 25th Anniversary of the SAP UK & Ire-land User Group, Birchman will be sponsoringthe User Conference on the 24th until the 26thNovember. This year’s conference is being heldat the ICC in Birmingham.

For more information, please contact:+ 44 20 8754 7574 or mail [email protected]

Annual Fashion & LuxuryGoods Networking Event

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from others and also share

your experiences!

Barcelona, June 13th 2013CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemporània)

Please book your attendance:[email protected] Nistal: +34 93 553 38 21

The Birchman Group invites you to the