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A Magazine for the IFS Ecosystem
Vol.2 // 2021
IFS and CSR
Turning the Tide
on Sustainability
How does a
Moment of Service
Impact your Industry?
The People Behind
IFS Cloud
Giving Customers a Voice
The Voice of the
Customer Program
24 Why IFS Cloud?
5 convincing reasons
26
02 Table of Contents
How are
Freedom and
03 Letter from the CEO
Choice built into IFS Cloud?
04 IFS News Update
06
A Journey to UX 28 Axios
Systems Acquisition:
what does it mean for you?
An interview with user experience
32
fanatic Rangika Ekanayake, Senior
Manager Software Engineering at IFS Lighting up the World
in Purple
08 Why did Cimcorp choose
IFS Cloud? 34 TSustainability
urning the Tide on
12 Aston
Martin Cognizant
Formula OneTM Team 38 HImpact
ow does a Moment of Service
embraces new Cost your Industry?
Cap Compliance with IFS
40 TBehind
he People
16 Hear from the
Heroes
of the IFS Community
IFS Cloud
44 Hhave
ow AI and Automation
20 Gtheiving Customers a Voice—
Voice of the Customer
already changed
Service Delivery
Program
46 FMartin
ollow IFS Customer Aston
Cognizant F1™ Team
through the rest of the 2021
Season
MindFuel // 2
Dear Customers,
As I write this, I am struck by how much our lives and them value, while benefitting from cutting edge
businesses have changed since my last letter. The technology ranging from Analytics to Augmented
pandemic and our road out of it has brought a new Reality and from AI to Robotic Process Automation,
rhythm to our lives, and with vaccinations now well that comes as standard.
underway in many parts of the world, some of us can
imagine a return to normality, while for others it seems We also acquired IT Service Management provider
there is a long way to go. For businesses, the focus is Axios Systems, enabling our customers to connect
on planning and defining the way forward, not only systems and share data and insights across their
in terms of performance but also in how we operate, functions to ensure that internal and external
what our customers are expecting and how we must workflows are most effective. In combination with IFS
adapt to our new reality. Cloud, Axios becomes part of an end to end platform
that helps companies to develop outstanding service
At IFS, our focus has first and foremost been on our offerings and differentiate themselves from the
responsibility to our customers, not only in terms of competition.
helping them to manage the pandemic, but also
helping them to grow, become more efficient, diversify In this issue, you will learn more about the Moment of
and to generate new sources of revenue. We have Service, Axios Systems, IFS Cloud and our Voice of the
re-imagined how we deliver our products and our Customer initiative and I hope you enjoy the read.
strategy to better align to our customers’ needs and
the market dynamics they face. But before I sign off, I wanted to share another
announcement that I am immensely proud of. In April,
The launch of our Moment of Service concept in we launched a 3-year sustainability plan that will see
February underpins this. Service has become relevant us release a new module as part of IFS Cloud. The
across every industry, and customers and consumers module will enable our customers to track the impact
are expecting more from suppliers, manufacturers, of their business on the environment so that they can
and service providers. They expect guaranteed become more sustainable themselves, and a portion
outcomes and experiences that delight them every of the revenue from the module will be used to support
time, and while the potential rewards for businesses sustainability causes around the world. The plan also
that deliver upon this expectation are huge, it includes our target to become carbon neutral by 2025
is not straightforward to achieve. It requires the and the appointment of Lewis Pugh, the UN Patron
orchestration of every part of a company to enable of the Oceans, as our Sustainability Ambassador to
it to deliver outstanding Moments of Service to its help raise awareness in the community and guide our
customers. efforts for the future.
It is this understanding that is driving IFS’ strategy. With that I will leave you to enjoy the rest of the
It guides our commitment to bring value to our magazine and wish you all every success over the next
customers through our products, people and services, few months.
and it’s why in March we launched IFS Cloud; a
transformational release that brings our deep industry Until next time
expertise and digital capabilities together into a
single platform with one common architecture, one
data model and one look and feel. However, with
individually deployable modules, our customers can Darren Roos
pick and choose the functionality that will provide Chief Executive Officer
MindFuel // 3
IFS News Update
01
Introducing: MindFuel Moments
In April we live-streamed our first
installment of MindFuel Moments, a new
LinkedIn series. Check out the first session
which highlights our commitment to
sustainability, with CEO of IFS, Darren Roos.
bit.ly/3weaWxI
02
New Executives Strengthen IFS
03
Interview with Darren Roos
With a continued commitment to on IFS Cloud
strengthening the business and driving In this interview with Business
our growth strategy, 2021 has seen the Transformation, CEO of IFS Darren Roos
hiring of three new executives at IFS; discusses the company rebrand and the
Johan Made1 as Chief Commercial Officer launch of IFS Cloud.
and Jacqueline de Rojas2 and Hanna
Jacobsson3 as a non-executive directors bit.ly/3omj6RL
on the board.
ifs.biz/ub6
1 2
ifs.biz/v7z ifs.biz/n7b
3
MindFuel // 4
04
Change for Good Awards
IFS launched the Change for Good awards
in June, which recognize sustainability
excellence within our customer community,
at both a business and individual level, and
provide an opportunity to celebrate those
who are making a difference. Entries are
open until August 31st.
ifs.biz/k2c
05
Q1 Financials Released
Our financial results for the first quarter
were announced, with recurring revenue
over 80% of software revenue, cloud
revenue growth at 102% and representing
over 50% of recurring revenue.
ifs.biz/5qq
06
Oliver Pilgerstorfer on Rebranding IFS
In this interview with Enterprise Times,
IFS CMO Oliver Pilgerstorfer details the
rebranding of IFS, the Moment of Service
ethos and shares a tip for any CMOs thinking
of rebranding their own company.
bit.ly/3yivlTN
A Journey to UX
An interview with user experience fanatic Rangika Ekanayake,
Senior Manager Software Engineering at IFS
A person’s (or user’s) experience with a product or Last year, through my work with the Future Careers
service can make or break purchase decisions. In fact, Bridge Program3, I did several webinars on the subject
90%1 of users have stopped using an application due of UX Design and UX Research for university students
to poor performance, and 88%2 of users are less likely in Sri Lanka. With these sessions I had the opportunity
to return to a website after a bad user experience. to get connected with the UX enthusiasts outside
Rangika Ekanayake’s passion for User Experience (UX) IFS. This has opened my eyes to one of the biggest
came from curiosity and has developed into activities challenges faced by newcomers into the UX designing
that expand past her role at IFS, so we sat down with career path. That is not having a central place to
her to learn more about her journey to UX. find information on how to start their journey. I saw
an opportunity here and decided to fill the gap by
So, Rangika, what’s your background at IFS? creating journey2ux.com4—a non-profit website. The
purpose of this website is to serve as an entry point
I joined IFS back in 2006 as a Software Engineer, but
to newcomers starting their UX journey. As of today,
during this 15-year period I was fortunate to work
the website contains an introduction to UX and UX
diversely in the roles of Software Engineer, Software
design, the skills they need to acquire, courses they
Designer and as the UX Coach in the Projects group at
could follow, books to read, TED talks and podcasts to
the R&D Business Application unit. Today I am a Senior
listen to, and I’ve been publishing my own educational
Manager Software Engineering where I work with the
articles on the website too.
R&D Projects leadership team to support continual
improvement of software delivery within IFS and
alongside contributing to the UX team in UX research. What kind of focus does IFS have on UX?
At IFS, there is a strong company-wide focus on
How did UX become an interest of yours? delivering delightful experiences for our customers,
which ties in well with the Moment of Service
I have a curious mind and I always like pushing myself
ethos—we enable our customers to provide great user
to do more, so one day I approached management
experiences for their customers—at the Moments of
with the idea of running a risk management
Service that matter the most.
functionality survey with our first and second line
teams at IFS to understand more about improvement
areas. This survey was very insightful, and it eventually As a company, we are always thinking about
led to some valuable inputs from customers as efficiency, usability, and user productivity, because it
well. This feedback was eye-opening for me and is crucial for our users to complete their work tasks in
is what triggered my interest in user experience—I the most efficient way. Also, we strive to keep things
was fascinated to see just how much detail I could simple and align our UX across our product portfolio.
gather about how a user expects a certain function to
behave, by using a simple survey. Also, IFS R&D is investing in learning more from our
user base and making sure we provide the right
From there, I carried out a lot of UX-related initiatives functionality and usability for different roles and user
within the R&D Projects team (grooming the UX scenarios.
mindset, sharing UX knowledge, tips and tricks,
holding workshops, creating templates, etc.) whilst
also self-learning about the UX space.
1;2
bit.ly/3hwXJMg bit.ly/3uOzRYd
3 4
bit.ly/3vd8shU
MindFuel // 6
What does the future hold for the UX space?
There is one quote I really like which says “Nowadays, people
do not buy products and services, people buy experiences”. It
is true that people look firstly at the experience a product or
service provides, and a good example of this is the Apple
iPhone; we don’t tend to look at the product itself now, we
look to see what new experiences can be gained from it.
User experience plays a major role in defining the
success of any product or service in the market and
with upcoming technologies like AI, AR and VR, there
are many more opportunities being added to the
User Experience space. New technologies have
allowed us to purchase clothes online via virtual
stores, whilst providing the same experience we
would expect from a physical store.
One of the main influencing factors of a
purchasing decision today comes down to
user experience, and everything connects
around it. So, I imagine a great future
ahead for the User Experience space, with
potential for enormous growth. I would
say the sky is the limit!
MindFuel // 7
Why did Cimcorp choose IFS Cloud?
One of the core credos at Cimcorp is to get more out “Ultimately our customer experience relies on the
of less. We began supporting the company in that happiness of the end-customer, how our customers
ambition five years ago when they first adopted IFS can serve their customers the best. As an automation
technology, combining scattered information from provider, we enable things. In this fast-paced world
different locations into one ERP system. And over the consumers expect fast and error-free deliveries.
years it’s become clear Cimcorp are truly innovative We provide turnkey automation solutions for our
in solving their business problems. So, in 2020, it was customers, which enables fast deliveries, and ensures
exciting to learn they’d be deepening that approach maximum uptime and full traceability.”
by adopting our new product and platform: IFS Cloud.
And as with any complex business, to ensure moments
We recently got together with the leadership team at of service are consistently delivered, Cimcorp need
Cimcorp to chat about their experience with IFS Cloud to clearly see and understand multiple customer
so far and how the product stacks up against their touchpoints. Pekka Nurmi, Corporate IT Director at
original expectations. Cimcorp explains:
“We use IFS to get the big picture and to help us find
Rethinking the customer experience the point at which our solutions connect with our
customers.”
If you spent the day visiting a random sample of other
IFS customers, you’d likely encounter an enormous
range of different business activities: people building
ships, developing food recipes, or examining financial The servitization journey
ledgers, for example. But our diverse customers tend Many businesses see servitization—the shift to a
to have one thing in common: complex business service-based business model—as key to boosting
processes. Cimcorp are a prime example of this, and resilience and growth in manufacturing. This was
in order to satisfy their customers, an intricate web of reinforced by a study we developed with IDC1, which
internal processes needs to be executed on time and surveyed 421 production-oriented companies on their
to a high standard. maturity stages, as they transition to a servitization
model. Respondents expected the average proportion
Tero Peltomäki, CEO at Cimcorp, explains the of annual revenue generated from services versus
importance of delivering such moments of service: products to double in a two-year period: from 8% in
2019 to 16% in 2022.
1
ifs.biz/kra
MindFuel // 8
For Cimcorp, data capture is key to the
servitization of their products. The company
plans to present customers with insights on their
equipment and operations using an enhanced
Internet of Things (IoT) data ingestion processes.
They will also use data-driven insights, mobile
work orders and other software to streamline
after-sales processes for shorter delivery times
and better pricing of parts and services. Ilpo
Nummelin, VP, Corporate Customer Support at
Cimcorp, summarizes:
“We use IFS to get the big
“The ability to offer more equipment condition
data and statistic-based services or parts
picture and to help us find the
to customers will widen our service portfolio.
These new services can be also transferred to
point at which our solutions
existing customers to benefit their operations connect with our customers.”
and to create new revenue for us. The more we
have data available, the more we have tools to Pekka Nurmi, Corporate IT Director at Cimcorp
provide value added services. Data is the key.”
Embedded innovation
Transformational technologies are ready to use
‘out of the box’ within IFS Cloud, so they can
be applied and deliver value immediately—not
as separate modules, add-ons or proofs of
concept that need lengthy, expensive trials.
For Pekka Nurmi, it was this sort of clear, quick
business relevance that was key:
“We’re doing our homework on technologies
such as IoT, artificial intelligence (AI), machine
learning (ML) and digital twins—utilizing them
more and more in our business. We want to
be part of the new waves of technology and
digitalization as they evolve, be pioneers
and not the ones trying to catch up with the
requirements and needs. With this lead we will
“We are constantly looking for also re-focus our resources. The only way of
being successful in IT is to be one or two steps
technologies and processes ahead of business requirements. We are striving
that will allow us to work to unite IT with our business even better.”
smarter and faster than our Likewise, quick time-to-value was crucial to
Jyrki Anttonen, Technology Director at Cimcorp.
competitors…IFS Cloud gives Jyrki also explained to us the importance of
deepening analytics at Cimcorp:
us a platform where we can
deploy and operationalize “We are constantly looking for technologies and
processes that will allow us to work smarter
innovation in a pragmatic and and faster than our competitors…IFS Cloud
gives us a platform where we can deploy and
safe way.” operationalize innovation in a pragmatic and
safe way. This, combined with IFS’ deep industry
Jyrki Anttonen, Technology Director at Cimcorp functionality, gives us a way to outflank the
competition while delivering more value to our
customers.”
“Analytics is one of the focus areas for us at
the moment…by nature, Cimcorp automatic
material handling systems are generating large
amounts of data, which can be utilized for
different purposes with proper analytics. So far,
we have concentrated on edge or on-premisesanalytics and IFS Cloud will enable us to have
another level on top of that with Cloud based
analytics. With this, we could link the data and
analytics from different customers and different
sites to the assets already existing in our ERP. The Cimcorp Group is one of the world’s
We will have centralized, easy access to all leading providers of automation systems for
data and analytics, enabling us both better
tools for ourselves, and opportunities for better the tire industry. The company also holds a
services to our customers.”
strong position as a provider of order picking
systems and mail distribution automation
Looking to the future
solutions for the food and retail industries.
We’re excited to be part of Cimcorp’s journey.
The data Cimcorp’s products produce can be The Cimcorp Group is owned by the Japanese
truly leveraged when put into the context of
operational data in IFS Cloud. By increasingly Murata Machinery Ltd. Headquartered in
servitizing their products and the data they
Ulvila, Finland, Cimcorp Group has locations
generate, Cimcorp can deliver more and more
Moments of Service—that point where countless in Canada, India, Spain, Germany and United
business activities successfully come together
to delight a customer. States, as well as sales and customer service
partners worldwide.
And to keep up the momentum, we’re here to
help Cimcorp realize their most forward-looking
ambitions. IFS Cloud delivers embedded
innovation—it’s a single platform that lets
you quickly unlock value from augmented
collaboration, machine learning, advanced
scheduling and optimization, digital twin
technology and much more.
To learn more about our new product and
platform, watch the IFS Cloud launch videos2
now.
2
ifs.biz/agj
MindFuel // 11Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team embraces new cost cap compliance with IFS
This season sees the introduction about those with the deepest pockets winning
time and again; but rather which team spends
of the FIA’s exciting—and their money in the most effective way to achieve
the best performance.
stringent—new Formula One™ cost
“It will help the bigger teams be more financially
cap audit requirements. To comply sustainable, so they can make profit. And it
should help the smaller teams compete on a
and to optimize its operations, more equal basis,” he observes.
the Aston Martin Cognizant
New accountability
Formula One™ Team is using its This year sees the Aston Martin F1 team starting
with a cap of $145 million, gradually reducing
IFS software to track costs, make to $135 million by 2023, which places the team
mid-grid compared to spending pre the cap. The
complex investment decisions implications are far-reaching, especially for the
finance operation of each team.
and development choices, and
“The FIA can come and audit us at any time”,
evidence compliance of spending explains Yeowart. “They can scrutinize our
accounts—examining everything we’ve spent,
in competition accounting when and where. The new reporting requirements
are demanding. Alongside the technical and
periods. competition compliance we’re used to, the body
is looking for anomalies and trends to expose
any team operating beyond the defined cost
cap parameters. We have to be ready to supply
The 2021 season sees a radical change in the
the evidence and audit trails to support any
way Formula One™ racing teams can spend
inspection.”
funds to compete. New cost cap rules by the
sport’s governing body, the FIA, now limit racing
team expenditure for developing, building and Because Aston Martin F1 is currently already
improving F1™ cars. operating below the cost cap, it’s in a unique
position. “We’ve always been known as a team
that has performed very well given our budget,”
Robert Yeowart, Chief Financial Officer for the
explains Yeowart. “So now as most other teams
Aston Martin F1™, is responsible for ensuring the
are looking at reducing or reallocating resources
business operates as efficiently and effectively
to comply, we’re able to strategically add
as possible, and, with the cost cap, getting even
resources where we need them. As the cap comes
more value from every pound spent. “This change
down and our ambitions rise, we can see our
hopefully levels the playing field by equalizing
team grow.”
the amount of money that teams have to spend,”
he explains. “For the first time it’s not simply
MindFuel // 13“IFS has given us the perfect platform to build on,”
says Yeowart. “It enables us to really understand
where we’re spending our money by detailed cost
analysis, which we couldn’t do before. We can track
our inventory and answer questions like ‘what parts do
we have available to us?’ What state are they in? How
many parts are in the building and how much does
each cost?”
“IFS will provide data,
When we do developments, we can now implement a
knowledge, analytics and ‘pound for lap time’ ratio analysis. For the first time we
information. It will be used can objectively look at how much one upgrade might
cost versus another, and the resulting performance
across our entire organization improvement in lap time for each. To make truly
informed decisions like this we need quality, timely
to support decisions and drive data, and IFS can provide that.”
efficiency.” The FIA also requires teams to track inventory to
ensure the cost of parts isn’t allocated to the wrong
Robert Yeowart, Chief Financial Officer, Aston Martin accounting year, including evidencing when parts
Cognizant Formula One™ Team are first used with a bar code tracking system. All the
data needed will be fed through IFS. “We know exactly
where our inventory is, when we first used a part,
how many kilometers it’s done, how much life it has
The FIA’s cost cap is intended to capture all the
left and when we need to be considering a spare or
elements that really differentiate performance. “The
replacement,” says Yeowart. “Towards the end of the
governing body is mindful every team is different,” he
season all this is absolutely critical as we may have
explains. “Because some teams will have a bigger
had accident damage and be up against the cap.”
marketing function, sponsorship levels or perhaps
a corporate head office that they need to report
As F1 racing evolves, Yeowart is clear about the
to, certain business support spending is excluded.
importance of the system. “IFS can help our team
Currently that includes payments for marketing,
meet the cost cap regulations through improving
finance, legal, HR and drivers.”
our planning, our data and our analytics. It helps
us understand where we’ve spent our money so far,
what we’ve left to spend against the cap and how
Cost control using IFS we plan to spend it. It lets us analyze where we’re
Aston Martin F1 first implemented IFS across all its adding performance on the car, and if that’s the best
financial reporting. This was followed by expanding use of our capped resources. And it ensures that,
the implementation into production areas and, when we report to the FIA, we are 100% sure that the
despite COVID restrictions, went live by the end of information we provide is accurate and exactly what
the year. is required.”
MindFuel // 14Exciting format, sprint qualifiers “There’s a spend allowance for the spring qualifying
races, which remains fixed if we have no incidents. If
Alongside the cost cap, there are exciting changes we sustain significant damage requiring a pit stop or
to the F1™ racing calendar format for fans. The retirement, we have to prove the cost of damage to
2021 F1 sprint qualifying season spans three race the FIA to get it exempted from the cap. Teams will be
meetings, the first of which is at Silverstone. Each deciding whether to pull into the pits after damage to
meeting comprises a practice session and a qualifier claim or try and continue to finish the race.”
on a Friday, followed by a short (100km, 1 hour) sprint
qualifier on the Saturday which dictates the grid for
the main race event on the Sunday. “It’s in all our
interests to keep making sure we bring the fans into
The perfect opportunity
the sport and give them the best F1 experience we At the end of 2022, Aston Martin F1 will also become
possibly can,” says Yeowart. the first team in 20 years to occupy a new, purpose-
built factory. “Against a cost-cap environment, we
The format also creates a new challenge for teams. have the perfect opportunity alongside our IFS
Explains Yeowart, “Qualifying in spring impacts the system to really focus on efficiency, optimization and,
cost of the car. Firstly, we don’t know how much ultimately our purpose: helping over 650 people to
race damage cars may suffer early in the year, and create, within regulated constraints and spends, the
secondly, racing the cars harder and sooner means highest possible performance for our F1 competition
more wear and tear on parts. The cost cap means we cars,” says Yeowart.
must be certain about what we spend on, and when.
MindFuel // 15Hear from the Heroes of the
IFS Community
In the past year, we’ve had 14 customers
become heroes in the IFS community. What is
a hero you ask? To earn the status of hero, you
must be an active member of the community.
These customers are regulars on the site,
coming in not only to ask but to answer
questions. They spend valuable time offering
their advice, which for some comes from
years of experience. We’re very lucky to have
them and are grateful for their contributions.
So thank you to our heroes!
If you’re still undecided about joining our
community, read on to find out why the
heroes themselves think it’s worth your time:
“The IFS community
has been invaluable to
us as we have migrated
from IFS 7 to IFS 10, whilst
also broadening our use of its
functionality in many areas.”
Ged Pierce
IT Manager,
Unipart Powertrain Applications
MindFuel // 16“In order to fully
utilize IFS functionality,
“I was working in IFS Poland for 18 years, since 1995, as
there is a level of detailed an implementation consultant and quit this job to join
help that can only be satisfied IFS project in Technip, where I have spent another 8
years implementing and then maintaining IFS solution.
through an interaction Especially maintenance job I am doing currently
is day to day issue analysis and problem solving. I
with a knowledgeable or gathered a lot of experience during that time, learned
experienced user.” some tricks and nuances and found that things easy
and simple for me are not so for everyone. I became
Shawn Berkstresser a kind of mentor inside my local team, and sharing
knowledge with community of IFS users is natural for
Global IT Project Manager,
me. Sometimes people need just a little guidance
Instron
to deal with what they consider a big issue, and it is
pleasure for me to provide such guidance. And I am
learning still looking at the answers given by others.
I am impressed looking at growth of the IFS
“The IFS community has been invaluable to us as community. It is lively place; with new members every
we have migrated from IFS 7 to IFS 10, whilst also day and I believe it will keep going that way. To keep
broadening our use of its functionality in many areas. it lively, it is vital to leave no question without an
We have never yet submitted a request for help that answer. It encourages to ask another one. Sometimes
has not been responded to in a way that has helped one have to deal with a case he has never seen here
us move forwards. In return, we help where we can before, but usually someone somewhere had resolved
and provide assistance in the areas where we have similar problem before, and it is great to have a place
specialised knowledge and expertise. We certainly where questions can be asked and quickly answered,
would not have achieved as much in the last 18 on friendly terms. No one is lone island.”
months without community support."
Adam Bereda,
Ged Pierce, TechnipFMC
IT Manager, Unipart Powertrain Applications
“In order to fully utilize IFS functionality, there is a level
of detailed help that can only be satisfied through
an interaction with a knowledgeable or experienced
user. Joining employees, partners, and customers all
in the same system of understanding is a useful way
to share that detail. Not all employees have been “I am impressed
exposed to how the partners setup IFS for customer
requirements and customer use of IFS in a detailed looking at growth of the
manner often exceeds the general design criteria IFS community. It is lively
or help for a function. The community provides an
open environment to answer everything (or at least place; with new members
ask) from very basic questions to incredibly detailed
questions that have no out of the box solution. The every day and I believe it will
community allows me to share my experiences where keep going that way.”
I’ve encountered the same issue, but it also allows
me to learn along the way as I review questions and Adam Bereda
answers provided by others. I would have loved to
TechnipFMC
have this forum when I first started learning IFS.”
Shawn Berkstresser,
Global IT Project Manager, Instron
MindFuel // 17“The IFS Community
has been one of the For me the Community isn’t just about a user asking
a question and an expert answering. I feel if I have
single biggest benefits that’s a similar experience to what’s being asked, I will try
and explain how we overcame or delivered a solution
happened in the past to what the what business needed. I think if people
12 months.” can see that other users and businesses have similar
problems or requirements to overcome, it promotes
Adrian Egley the community feel and engagement in the platform.”
Applications Support Team Leader, Adrian Egley,
Markerstudy Group Applications Support Team Leader, Markerstudy Group
“The IFS Community has been a really helpful
way to get rapid feedback from both peers and
IFS support. That combination is something not
available anywhere else for IFS. And in addition to
simply getting an answer to something, the related
comments that often come out along the way can
themselves be very insightful in unexpected ways.
“Our company went live on IFS Apps 10 in September
2020. In the lead up to cutover, our IFS Account
Manager introduced us to the IFS Community. Since I love to help others when I can, but I also want
joining, I have found the forum to be an invaluable to “pay-it-forward” and invest in the growth of the
resource. The community is populated with a very Community because I personally find it to be an
active user base of consumers, consultants, and IFS incredibly helpful and responsive resource. That only
employees. Each provides a unique perspective on the happens because of the help—large and small—from
product itself, and I have leveraged their collective all of the contributors, so the more people who
expertise numerous times since our launch. I look contribute the better it is, and the best way to
forward to the continued growth of the community!” encourage others to contribute is to do so myself.”
Nick Porter,
Chad Johnson,
Global Director, Enterprise Applications, Ensign-Bickford Industries
Manager of Operations Innovation, New Standard Corporation
“The IFS Community has been one the single biggest So join our IFS employees, partners, customers and
benefits that’s happened in the past 12 months. HEROES in the community today! Membership is free
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There’s always more than one solution to a problem
in most cases and it’s great to see the different ways
that are possible. The knowledge articles are also
great too. It’s not heavy reading and the ability to post
clear screen shots and instructions help massively.
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DN20 8HHGiving Customers a Voice—
the Voice of the Customer Program
By Claudia Belardo, VP Business Transformation, Customer Service Experience
Historically at IFS, customer surveys consisted of a With that objective in mind, I started to think about
cross section of the IFS customer base being sent the best vendors to represent us. I wanted to find a
an annual survey where they were asked around 30 third-party vendor that would partner well with our
questions that looked for insights and trends about values and understood the design-driven survey
a mixture of topics, asked in a traditional way. One approach, as well as having the ability to set the
of the reasons for my arrival at IFS was to shake this intention of each question through behavioural
process up and ensure we gained more value from psychology. Customerville came to mind; their
customer input, and so the Voice of the Customer approach to customer listening programs fulfilled all
program was born in October 2020. the requirements I was looking for to represent IFS.
So, after sharing our vision with the vendor,
A new way to connect with customers Customerville came on board to help us design and
deliver the 2020 IFS Customer Survey. This survey was
When I joined the project team, my objective was to
somewhat of an experiment—the challenge being if we
ensure the customer survey reflected the direction IFS
did things differently this time around, would we see a
was headed in. I wanted our customers to know we
better participation rate and more valuable insights?
were redesigning the survey, and that we were taking
into account behavioural psychology, so we made
sure expectations were set, and helped customers
understand what we would be doing with their data to
honour the time that they invested in completing the
survey. This was the start of the ‘You Spoke, We Acted’
approach.
MindFuel // 20Data-driven change at an organizational level. The power of the program
allows us to see trends develop as they happen
The results of the survey saw an increase in the and prevent issues before they start. By combining
response rate by over 20% and an increase in our operational data with our customer experience
verbatim comments by 660%, which we had not seen data, we can complement and scale the work we do,
before with previous surveys. Using the data from making us more efficient and effective.
the survey we conducted some driven analysis and
read every single survey which evolved into a set of
The design-driven embedded approach incorporates
customer-driven goals for IFS. We learned from this
into the value offering and helps drive our customers
survey that customers wanted a better and easier
down the path to success. With each new survey that
way to engage on a regular basis with IFS rather than
comes in we can work as an organization to ensure
a long, once-a-year kind of survey that often meant
that we improve as we go, to make the journey as
reporting issues when the time for action had long
effortless as possible for every customer that works
since passed.
with us by identifying quickly when we need to make
course improvements, adjustments or changes.
From here the Voice of the Customer program was
born, and by mapping the IFS Customer Success
journey we were able to identify touchpoints for when
it made sense to send short surveys to complement
Enhanced functional visibility
the work we do, or to enforce actions that we had As an organization we are making use of this customer
taken. The program consists of eight touchpoints, or experience data to help functions across the entire
listening posts as we like to call them, that happen business prioritize in a data-driven way; from what we
throughout a customer’s lifecycle with IFS as well as need to be working on and developing next, as well
just after an event that takes place in the ongoing as monitoring trends and changes early enough to be
relationship, for example, after an IFS support able to accommodate them easily. We are starting to
case closes or just after an IFS demonstration has build a picture of the IFS teams that are performing
happened. best, where the areas of best practice are, where we
need to replicate processes, which implementation
teams are performing in an expedited way and in a
Acting when it matters most way that’s resonating well with customers, and we are
learning what certain teams are doing differently from
By connecting with customers in the moment, we other teams. This growing level of visibility derives
receive feedback in real time and can act on it when it from customer feedback and is shaping the way IFS
matters most—both for that specific customer but also works for the better.
MindFuel // 21Building a successful customer To build better and successful customer experiences
it is important to make sure that the listening posts
experience are set at the right time, and with the right questions
The design and deployment of the program is always to drive better outcomes and that our teams are also
improving but is not something that can happen empowered to action the insights that are coming in.
quickly if we want to ensure that what we build is
valuable and honours our customers’ time. We are The IFS Voice of the Customer program asks
proud, however, that within the first two months of the customers to share their stories at important moments
program the first listening posts were live. We continue in their lifecycle with IFS, so we have the visibility of
to make sure that subject matter experts and business what is going right and provides valuable lessons on
area experts are involved with each of the listening what we need to change. That is the customer-driven
posts we are creating. design approach in action—have you been invited to
participate and complete a survey yet?
The Customer Lifecycle Sales Progress
Voice of the Customer Touchpoints Survey
Evaluate
We are generating Demand We are Qualifying We are
Adopt Sel
1a lin
Customer Awareness Discovery Defin
g
Obtain Expand itio
n
1b
Advocate
cy
ca
Advo
Buy
Renew
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We ar
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ign
e Im
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Go-Live
MindFuel // 22Why IFS Cloud?
Few would accuse IFS as a company of our two-day launch event1, gave interviews
being quiet this year. In February, we across a variety of media, and, in the last
broadcast our new-look brand through the issue of MindFuel, delivered a 14-page
lights of Times Square and Burj Khalifa, via product deep dive2.
major television stations, and the pages of
international newspapers and magazines This time, we’re going back to the heart
(see page 32 for more on this!). And in March, and soul of IFS Cloud with a quick recap of
we unveiled the biggest product launch its core strengths. Here are five ways our
in our company’s history: IFS Cloud. We new product and platform stands out from
dished out product drivers and details at the rest.
1
ifs.biz/24b 2
ifs.biz/scx1. Unique industry depth 2. One product,
IFS Cloud lets you harness a level of industry several class-leading solutions
experience and expertise you simply won’t With IFS Cloud, you access all our solutions
find in other products. Industry-focused and capabilities from a single product, built
accelerators help you implement much on a common platform. Simply turn on the
more efficiently, along with the personalized capabilities you need today and add more
lobbies, reports and dashboards you need for as your business needs change, all with one
fast, accurate decision-making. common user experience, one underlying
technology infrastructure and new capability
updates every six months.
3. Innovation embedded 4. Choice and parity,
and ready to use wherever you deploy
IFS Cloud puts emerging technologies like AI, We offer a choice of deployment models for
Machine Learning and Augmented Reality your IFS Cloud software. Whether it’s in our
to work and with clear business relevance cloud or you’re managing the deployment
and value—right from day one. Embedding yourself, you can run it where you want.
capabilities into the heart of the product Whether you choose a cloud, remote or self-
means you capitalize on the latest, most managed model, you get exactly the same
relevant technologies without needing to run functional solution, no compromises—and no
expensive or lengthy pilot projects. forced timings for upgrades, or restrictions on
how you can tailor to make it your own.
5. Delightful product experiences
With a responsive, people-first design, IFS
Cloud has been built to delight. It’s easy to
configure and personalize to work the way
you do: whether that’s at home, out in the
field or on the warehouse floor. And it comes
with a wider IFS Lifecycle Experience and
portals that support how you buy, implement,
operate and extend every step of the way.
MindFuel // 25How are Freedom and Choice
Built into IFS Cloud?
Build it for your business
Cloud and on-premise • C
apabilities are modular and
individually deployable. You start with
the functionality you need right now
• C
loud and turn on more as needs change.
We provide IFS Cloud as a service to
you from our cloud—connect to the • A
dd and connect your own innovations.
service, and we take care of the rest. 100% open RESTful APIs cover all data
and every process. Built-in capabilities
• R
emote enable direct API access, process
We supply a pre-packaged “virtual automation and more.
appliance” with IFS Cloud software,
which you operate together with the • T
ailor and extend IFS Cloud. Perform
main database, on supported platform drag-and-drop configuration with the
software, with choice of data residency. built-in Workflow Designer. Optimize
the information shown to users with
• S
elf-managed lobby and page designers.
We provide you with the various
software artifacts (e.g. containers and
database scripts) that make up IFS
Cloud, so you can install and operate it
yourself, with choice of data residency.Releases when you need them
• T
o ensure your security, monthly
service updates are routinely applied.
However, releases can be deployed at
a time that you choose.
Works the way you want to work
• O
ur twice-yearly release schedule
means fast access to our latest
• I FS Cloud is made for portability. You
capabilities and low impact to your
can go from on-premise to the cloud,
business. But releases are optional—
and from the cloud and back again.
they will never be forced upon you.
• It’s the same great software in all
• I FS Lifecycle Experience puts you in
three deployment models. Whatever
control of your implementation and
your choice, you get exactly the
update lifecycle. Manage it yourself,
same functionality and intelligent
invite IFS to, or let one of our partners
capabilities.
take care of things.
• P
eople-first, responsive design
automatically adapts to your
environment, whether that’s desktop,
laptop, tablet or mobile. Offline-
capable mobile apps are available too.
MindFuel // 27Axios Systems Acquisition:
what does it mean for you?
“Most organizations seek the ability to connect IT and Over the years, we’ve invested substantially in our
the back office to the front office and customer acting service management business, which grew over 100
teams. Bridging those silos and creating visibility with percent year on year in 2020. By acquiring Axios
a rich ESM [Enterprise Service Management] solution Systems, we’re deepening our service management
will help organizations drive service innovation and capabilities with new IT Service Management (ITSM)
visualize the value." and IT Operations Management (ITOM) functionality.
The new capabilities will help our customers improve
In two short sentences, Ray Wang, principal and the design and automation of workflows, drive
founder of Constellation Research Inc, neatly efficiency internally, and connect data across teams
encapsulated the main drivers for our acquisition and systems to ultimately create opportunities to
of Axios Systems earlier this year. Here we further better serve their customers. Joining forces with Axios
examine what the purchase of the Edinburgh-based Systems is instrumental in extending our ambition to
ESM provider can deliver for our customers and how. cement ourselves as the market leader in the Service
space.
Why did we acquire Axios Systems? In our initial discussions with Axios, it soon became
clear that their leading product capabilities and
At IFS, service and value for customers come first.
close customer relationships stand out in the ESM
And in launching IFS Cloud earlier this year, we
market. What’s more, Axios’s flagship product, Assyst,
reinforced our commitment to help our customers go
is entirely complementary to the IFS product stack.
through digitalization and become more outcome-
And as with any successful partnership, the decision
and service-led. Cimcorp is a strong example of a
was based on more than just our shared technology
customer on this journey—see pages 8 to 11 to learn
capabilities. Over the past few months, we’ve seen
more about the company’s experience with IFS Cloud.
strong cultural alignment between the IFS and Axios
Ultimately, our goal is to help you deliver when it
teams materialize with ease.
matters most to your customers—at the Moment of
Service.
MindFuel // 28What benefits will you be able to see?
We’ve maintained a stronghold as a Leader in
the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service
Management Software1 every year since 2014. By
acquiring Axios Systems—recognized as a Niche
Player in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Service
Management Tools2—we’re accelerating investment in
Assyst and adding further specialism to our product
and platform. The new proposition will let you:
• B
enefit from ITSM and ITOM functionality. You’ll
be able to improve the design and automation of
workflows, drive efficiency internally, and connect
data across teams and systems to ultimately create
opportunities to better serve your customers.
• C
apitalize on end-to-end internal and external
service management capabilities, all on one
platform. The Assyst solution was primarily built to Axios Systems, a global provider of
address internal-facing processes and workflows—
combining it with IFS technology results in a cloud-based Enterprise Service Management
complete end-to-end service solution.
(ESM) software. Recognized as a leader in IT
• S
hare a unified employee experience in one
common portal. By combining internal and external Service Management (ITSM) and IT
workflows within one place, we can address more Operations Management (ITOM), Axios
than just the requirements of the CIO and their
service management, supply chain, business Systems has built a reputation for the quality
management or operational needs. For example,
we envisage field service workers logging into of its omnichannel service management
the common portal and being able to book leave, solution, which many of the world’s most
request a new phone, review their work schedule, or
check out the stock needed to complete the tasks respected brands rely on, including Aviva,
for the day. This approach enhances employee
productivity and engagement levels. KPMG, FedEx and many more.
• A
ccelerate your digital transformation, by
integrating back-office systems with asset,
technician, service history, customer, and partner
data.
• L
everage the omnichannel capabilities provided
by the Assyst solution platform. You’ll be able to
engage with IT support across different channels
within a single conversation.
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ifs.biz/k0a 2
bit.ly/33MyHk2How will the new solution be delivered? This would all be possible through our common
platform and user experience. The customer request
At IFS, we offer choice and parity, wherever you deploy. would come in via our call center solution and would
We’re adding ITSM and ITOM capabilities into IFS be logged as a ticket. This would then initiate a
Cloud, which offers three different deployment models workflow for:
(see page 26 for an overview of all three). Choice is
important to all our customers, across a variety of
• I T—to contact the broadband provider and schedule
industries, but for some of our service management
the installation of broadband and set-up for the
customers, the range of deployment models we
smart meter
offer is critical. For example, we recognize that for
asset-intensive industries in particular, on-premises • T
he field service technician—to dynamically
environments are essential for performing certain schedule him/her to install the smart meter plus
field service and remote operations. We will continue request the stock items needed
to offer you a variety of different deployment options
and support you in making the best choice for your • Accounting—to set up the relevant billing criteria
particular business needs.
• T
he set-up of the customer profile—to consolidate
Like all elements of our proposition, you can deploy the overall service and the resulting installation
Axios Systems’ ESM capabilities as a best-of-breed costs plus the monthly billing
point solution or integrate it with other capabilities • Accounting—to finally invoice and collect the cash
built into IFS Cloud. This puts us in a unique position
to offer an end-to-end service solution that supports
employees internally, and in the field, as well as Enjoy more Moments of Service
businesses as they deliver products, outcomes or
When everything that goes on in your organization—
indeed services. For the first time, customers will be
the myriad decisions, processes, and people—all come
able to connect both worlds and create a new level
together successfully, your customers are enjoying the
of visibility across their value chain so that they can
best of your business. Moving to an end-to-end service
delight customers in delivering great Moments of
solution lets you deliver more of these Moments of
Service.
Service, as the technology helps you manage and
optimize more of your business activities.
To give you an example scenario, think of an energy
company looking to digitize, where part of their
Great service connects you to your customers. It
program is the roll-out of smart meters. To deliver this,
creates loyalty. And loyalty impacts margins. Our
they’d need to combine the following:
new service management solution, combined with IFS
Cloud, will help you rethink your business so you can
• T
he customer requests—for a smart meter plus the
focus on services and outcomes instead of products.
need for broadband
It’s been built to help you orchestrate your customers,
• F
ield service—for the scheduled installation plus the your people, and your assets as your business
stock items needed transforms.
• I T—to reach out to the original equipment Our mission is to provide an easier path to digital
manufacturer for the broadband installation plus transformation. We remove product silos that
the connection of the smart meter by the field segregate data and slow decision making. We give
technician you the choice to deploy in the cloud or on-premise,
and we’ve embedded digital innovation for you to use
• E
nterprise resource planning—for billing/cash right out of the box.
collection
MindFuel // 30Drive more business.
Our supply chain & manufacturing consulting professionals
combine the knowledge of IFS solutions with deep industry
and process experience to help clients strategically align and
optimize all aspects of their supply chain and operations.
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Ltd., the members of which are separate and independent legal entities. © 2021 Baker Tilly US, LLP.Lighting Up the World
in Purple 1
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MindFuel // 32* Lewis Pugh is the UN Patron
of the Oceans and will
influence our sustainability
plan, as well as engage
with the IFS ecosystem to
challenge and celebrate
sustainability best practice
Turning the Tide on
Sustainability
Climate change is the defining issue of our time.
We asked ourselves what we can do to be part of the solution.
At IFS we believe in investing in sustainability and dedicated to supporting the industry at large, to
the value it can drive to your business. Through encourage more accountability to our environment,
investments in technology and connected data, more across the industry. To that end, we are delighted to
businesses can better build, manage and measure share our multi-year plan that lays out our stepped
their sustainability initiatives. Our commitment approach and commitments for the next three years
to sustainability is built upon our plan to improve and brings IFS’s long-term thinking on the importance
operations, enabling our customers to achieve their of sustainability internally and its ecosystem and
sustainability goals and commitments. We are also owners to the fore.
MindFuel // 34The stepped approach will be established around three core pillars:
1. Our own business Developing an impact mindset
We are looking for ways to further accelerate our
In line with the United Nations Sustainable employee awareness of and contribution to the
Development Goals1, we have identified several areas sustainability agenda. We will be introducing a
where we will increase our focus for greater impact. framework to trigger people’s mindsets and to guide
engagement. The framework will drive how the
Education company is making it possible for its employees to
The IFS Education Program2 already works with impact sustainability as individuals and assess how
nearing 80 universities and higher education successful IFS is at engaging its workforce behind the
institutions globally. The program provides Impact Mindset.
scholarships, grants, IT equipment, as well as practical
knowledge through internships and mentorships for Volunteering
students. Over the course of the next three years, we All employees are given the opportunity to invest one
plan to expand the program to 150 institutions globally. workday a year to support a charitable cause of their
choice. In 2023, we strive to have the equivalent of
Carbon emissions three years’ worth of work invested by our employees
In a program started in 2019, we committed to Employees
reducing our carbon footprint, in part through
consolidating our real estate and improving the green IFS has set the bar high against peers in the industry
credentials of our properties. From mid-2019 to date, in terms of diversity in employee mix sets. For example,
we have reduced the square meterage of our global women make up 34 percent of the business, above the
real estate by 9.5 percent, shrunk our car fleet by 86 industry average for tech
percent versus 2019 and are committing to reach • W
e will continue to drive grass-roots programs
carbon neutrality by 2025. such as the IFS Education Program to foster
diversity across the industry
Philanthropy
We champion and partner with the IFS Foundation3 • T
he health and wellbeing of employees remains
to alleviate poverty and other social ills in Sri Lankan top of mind, with a new program being launched
rural villages—Sri Lanka is home to the largest for employees across the world and measured by
proportion of the IFS workforce. The IFS Foundation’s twice-yearly employee surveys
mission is to help improve the living standards of
Governance
people in the countryside by addressing aspects
of health, water and sanitation, education, and IFS has always maintained policies on Human Rights
economy, and resulting in a self-sustained community. and Anti-Slavery and will further ensure that this is
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Sri not only in line with UN criteria and reporting but also
Lanka have already improved the lives of over 3,000 pervasively included in the education of its employees.
people. IFS supports the IFS Foundation’s planned
expansion to encompass additional areas within
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3
remote and rural areas of Sri Lanka.
MindFuel // 35You can also read
