The path to the modern workplace
Creating a modern working environment is a complex task that requires expertise, experience, time, and resources. After all, companies and IT departments are faced with major challenges in this area: security risks are increasing, employees are demanding greater ease of use, device and technology landscapes are becoming more heterogeneous, and innovation cycles are accelerating. It is difficult for IT teams to master all these challenges alongside their other tasks, respond proactively and flexibly to changes, and seize new opportunities.
Robert Hamel is a solution architect at EBF and supports many companies from the very beginning. In this interview, he explains why EBF in particular offers our customers significant added value. He describes how we help overcome challenges and make the modern workplace a reality.
Robert, why is it advantageous to be familiar with many different UEM systems?
“We need many different systems because we naturally have many different customer requirements. The range is very broad. Some companies are regulated by legal requirements and rely on on-premises solutions. Other companies may already be using a hybrid cloud approach or are completely in the cloud. The application scenarios are also very different. Logistics companies, for example, use rugged devices, while others only want to manage smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop devices—or less.
Every company uses the UEM system in a different way. And the larger our portfolio is, the more products we can view and the better we know them, the better we can evaluate what is really the right product for each customer and make an appropriate recommendation. At the end of the day, this makes our recommendations and advice better and more independent.
Since you just mentioned the cloud, what is the current trend there?
“I would say that the cloud is a topic of interest for many customers. If only because there is a certain amount of cost pressure in companies and cloud solutions are cheaper than on-premise solutions.
In the past, data protection was often an issue in this context because there were fears that large American companies would extract data. However, a lot has changed in this area. Many cloud providers, such as Microsoft, have sought and found solutions to this problem. They have set up local data centers with appropriate protection and now host the data in Germany and Europe. This ensures the necessary data protection.
When we look at our customers, I would divide them into three categories: There are companies that now pursue a cloud-first strategy: they move everything they can to the cloud in order to save as much money as possible and minimize IT costs.
The second group includes companies that prefer hybrid solutions. They look at the options available in the cloud and then take the best of both worlds and combine them.
And then we have the third group: This includes companies that cannot use a cloud solution due to legal requirements and regulations.
The shift to the cloud is a general trend that also extends to UEM systems. The same considerations apply here. This does not necessarily mean changing providers. Many companies are considering switching to the cloud product of the respective manufacturer in order to relieve their own infrastructure, while device management can remain largely the same.”
In addition to our broad portfolio, what is the significant added value we can offer?
“EBF has been in the EMM/UEM business for 20 years now. This means that we have naturally acquired extensive expertise in this field and, since we support so many different solutions, we have a broad overview of the possibilities available. This enables us to advise customers very quickly and in a targeted manner, and also to point out new avenues.
Customers, on the other hand, have a multitude of issues to deal with and often don’t have enough time to think in detail about what new possibilities are available or what adjustments are necessary. As a result, it often seems that once a company has implemented a system, it doesn’t make any major changes to it. That’s where we can help. We provide information about necessary changes and new possibilities and make recommendations.
This also applies to topics such as single sign-on, modern authentication, and conditional access, which are currently the subject of much discussion. Many customers are unsure how to implement such solutions. They fear that it will be very complicated. We can alleviate this fear because we have the relevant experience and can share our expertise.
We also find customized solutions—for example, if UEM manufacturers do not offer certain functions. In such cases, we can provide support with our own development department and implement the requirements.
It is important to us that we are certified for all systems. We strive to keep our certifications up to date. This provides a solid foundation for offering our customers sound advice.
In addition, our structured approach, the 5-phase model, has proven to be very effective in helping us master our projects. We document everything in great detail from start to finish. If new requirements arise during a project, we can also support these – in a follow-up project, if necessary.”
What are the advantages of working closely with manufacturers?
“By working closely with UEM manufacturers, we have the opportunity to integrate new features into the systems in a timely manner. When we receive significant requests from customers, we approach the manufacturers and discuss the ideas with them. Usually, several customers have the same requirements, so we can use this as a good argument and work towards implementation. Of course, this doesn’t happen overnight. But depending on the requirements, it can be implemented two releases later.
Our strong network and cooperative relationships offer another advantage: when innovations are introduced or changes occur in the environment, we receive information from the manufacturer at a very early stage. This means that we sometimes see roadmaps that customers never get to see. With this information, we can prepare our customers for changes, advise them, and make recommendations.
However, we don’t just make recommendations to customers. Manufacturers also sometimes ask us for our opinion on whether certain things are the right way forward for us. This shows that we are taken seriously by manufacturers as a company and have a certain potential to bring about change.”
Thank you very much, Robert, for the exciting insights!
Join us on our journey!
Creating a modern digital workplace presents many challenges. Can you meet the complex requirements? Or would you like to discuss collaboration options? We have the expertise, resources, experience, and network to create a digital workplace that is secure and offers a great user experience.
