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08/17/2010 ESPRiT News: Hospital Analysis and Recommendations for Process Optimization in Belgium
A lot of hospitals find it difficult to provide necessary monthly treatment for chronically ill patients because their outpatient departments are overloaded and currently have no appointments available.
To highlight ways in which hospitals can increase efficiency without making any undue effort, ESPRiT has analyzed numerous hospitals and their treatment processes, and has followed this up by making a series of recommendations. These should ensure that it is always possible to provide necessary treatment for the patients.
The 30 Belgian hospitals decided to engage ESPRiT Consulting as their consultancy partner because ESPRiT has at its disposal experience gained from working in more than 250 other hospitals. This work has delivered some notable results, such as reducing waiting time by 90%, doubling the number of patients treated using the same resources, and reducing the overtime that hospital staffers have to put in. |  | |
08/16/2010 ESPRiT News: Supervisory Board Reporting and Planning at the Austrian Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (Federal Real Estate Agency)
ESPRiT Consulting has supported the Austrian Federal Real Estate Agency (BIG) with the adaptation of supervisory board reporting and planning. With real estate assets of around nine billion euros, the BIG is one of the most significant real estate owners in Austria.
In the case of supervisory board reporting, it is necessary to prepare a print-ready version of the balance sheet, profit and loss statement and cashflow statement on a segmental basis, which will be generated by SAP BW.
The planning includes cost center planning (costs, revenues and investments) and cost object planning (rental income planning, operating expense planning, planning of vacant spaces, investment planning etc.). In the profit center planning, the two areas are then merged into an overall profit and loss statement. |  | |
08/11/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: ESPRiT Consulting is Once Again in the Special Expertise Program SAP for Insurance
For the sixth year in succession, ESPRiT Consulting has been selected by SAP Germany as a member of the Special Expertise Program (SEP) in the category SAP for Insurance. The fact that ESPRiT has again been included in the program is confirmation that the Munich-based consulting firm is clearly aligning its service portfolio to the challenges of the insurance sector in the fields of customer focusing, CRM, system harmonization and rollout, as well as the industrialization of service lines. | | |
08/06/2010 ESPRiT Speech in August: Field Report on Acquiring and Retaining Good Staff
The 48th roundtable of the initiative "Munich Entrepreneur Group IT" met in Munich on August 5th, 2010 to discuss the issue of "acquiring and retaining good employees – provide values and highlight perspectives". Henrich Götz, Head of Human Resources at ESPRiT Consulting, participated in the presentation program by making a field report.
The background to the presentation was the award the Munich-based consulting firm had received with the seal of approval "Germany’s Best Workplaces 2010". In his report, Henrich Götz shed some light on the particular challenges involved in retaining good staff in the consulting business. Götz described the continuous development of ESPRiT’s corporate culture as a particularly important factor in creating the extremely strong bond ESPRiT staffers have with their company. In addition, he mentioned approaches in the context of staff development, such as the ESPRiT mentoring and coaching concept, as success factors that in the end brought about the pleasing award of Best Workplace status.
The Munich Entrepreneurs Group IT (Münchener UnternehmerKreis IT), the host of the roundtable, is an initiative of Munich-based companies from the IT sector. The group aims to provide a platform for the wide-ranging exchange of information and experiences.
For more information about this presentation, please contact henrich.goetz@esprit-consulting.com |  | |
08/01/2010 ESPRiT Speech in July: Efficient and Effective Practice Management in the Treatment Process for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Eye Disease)
On July 31, 2010, Sascha Bayer, a Manager at ESPRiT Switzerland, gave a presentation on the subject of "Efficient and effective practice management of anti-VEGF treatment" at the Congress Of Japan Clinical Ophthalmology in Kobe, Japan. The presentation was about process optimization during the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. ESPRiT has already been able to successfully optimize this treatment process in more than 250 hospitals in 15 countries, and possesses all the detailed know-how that is necessary for the optimization of hospital workflows.
In the course of his presentation, Sascha Bayer showed how the process optimization has been implemented in Europe and North America, and how this can now be transferred to Japan. One particular challenge is to quickly adjust to the special culture of each new country and any unique aspects of the country’s healthcare market, and how to adapt recommendations accordingly.
The presentation really caught the interest of around 300 ophthalmologists attending the congress, and led to some lively discussion in the follow-up.
You can get more information about this presentation from sascha.bayer@esprit-consulting.com. |  | |
07/30/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: The Wall of Silence around Consultants
In issue 27 of the Swiss business newspaper Handelszeitung, there is a report on an interesting phenomenon: the creation of a wall of silence around the activities of external consulting firms at many large company groups. Nevertheless, a recent study by the Association of Swiss Management Consultants (Asco) has revealed that despite the economic crisis, 90 percent of all large Swiss companies have been utilizing the support of consulting firms. That’s more than in 2008, when about 76 percent of the companies engaged external consultants.
It is also becoming clear that the deployment of consultants is becoming more selective and price pressure is increasing within the sector. In a comparison based on revenues from consulting fees in 2009, Handelszeitung named ESPRiT Switzerland as one of the biggest management consultancy firms in Switzerland.
Full German Version for Download |  | |
07/26/2010 ESPRiT Speech in September: ESPRiT at the 8th Decision Maker Forum Outsourcing 2010
The Decision Maker Forum Outsourcing is one of the biggest annual conferences covering a range of important issues in outsourcing.
This year, on September 8th and 9th in Bad Homburg, Germany, there will once again be a lot of exciting and interesting contributions to the discussion on the following issues:
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Business Strategy, Sourcing and Corporate Success
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Flexibility in Business, in Sourcing Contracts and in the Rendering of Services
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Value Chain Networks
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Outsourcing
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Cloud Computing
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Other Special Subjects
Michael Gomolka, the Partner at ESPRiT Consulting responsible for the service line Strategic IT Management, will take part in this event as a speaker. Together with Theo Veltkamp (Head of Business Consulting & Partner Management, EnBW Systems Infrastructure Support GmbH) and Prof. Sören Dressler (Managing Partner, Dressler & Partner Management Consulting), he will be giving the presentation "EnBW – Successfully Managing Selective IT Sourcing" on 9th September at 2.30pm. This field report outlines the development of an international sourcing strategy at EnBW SIS, and explains the tools and methods used, including sourcing guidelines currently in place.
You can find more information about this event in the program or on the website of the Decision Maker Forum Outsourcing. |  | |
07/16/2010 ESPRiT Speech in September: ESPRiT at the 11th International Controller Healthcare Conference
Am 23. September findet zum 11. Mal die internationale Controller Gesundheitstagung in Wien statt. Organisiert wird die Tagung vom Arbeitskreis Gesundheitswesen des Internationale Controller Vereins (ICV). Die Tagung gibt allen Anwesenden die Möglichkeit, sich über das Controlling im Gesundheitswesen auszutauschen, interessante Fachbeiträge zu hören und sich über künftige Entwicklungen in diesem Sektor zu informieren.
Dr. Ernst Antensteiner, Partner bei der ESPRiT Consulting GmbH in Österreich, wird als Referent zusammen mit Mag. Manfred Ferch und Mag. Larissa Pinter (KABEG Management) einen Vortrag zum Thema "Abbildung medizinischer Leistungen im Management Informationssystem SAP BW – spezielle Lösungsansätze" halten.
Weitere Informationen zu der Veranstaltung finden Sie im Programm oder auf der Website des Internationalen Controller Vereins. |  | |
07/14/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: Good Partnership
On July 2nd, 2010 ESPRiT Consulting got together with the Irschenberg Children’s Village to co-host a large event centered round the screening of the soccer World Cup. This big screen event was special because the framework for the event was organized jointly by guests and residents of the Children’s Village in the spirit of the partnership slogan: "Creating common perspectives". Everyone really got actively involved. Kids, carers and ESPRiT staffers with their friends and family all joined "mixed teams" to supply refreshments, set out chairs and decorate the hall for the screening, provide musical accompaniment for the meal, and, last but not least, entertain the younger kids. Members of the press were also in attendance.
Here you can read what the press wrote about this very special day:
Press reaction on the website of Das Gelbe Blatt
Press Commentary Miesbacher Merkur as PDF for Download
Press Commentary Mangfallbote (source: UVB-Medienhaus) as PDF for Download
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07/12/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: ESPRiT Accepted into SAP Business Initiative
ESPRiT Consulting has become one of the first consulting firms to be accepted by SAP Germany for the Collaborative Business Initiative (BPM) in the segment Business Process Management (BPM). By accepting ESPRiT Consulting into the CBI, SAP has underlined its recognition of ESPRiT’s know-how in the field of process analysis and technical realization.
The goal of this cross-sector initiative is to enhance collaboration between SAP and its partners, and to provide reconciled solution concepts for process automation within and between enterprises. That means that customers have the opportunity to stand out from their competitors as a result of transparency and efficiency they get in the processing of complex procedures.
You can read all the press reaction by going to the website of it-production.com, the online magazine for successful production. |  | |
07/09/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: SAP and ESPRiT Work Together Closely in the Field of Business Process Management (BPM)
In the segment Business Process Management (BPM), ESPRiT Consulting was one of the first consulting firms to be accepted into the Collaborative Business Initiative (CBI) by SAP Germany. By accepting ESPRiT Consulting into the CBI, SAP has underlined its recognition of ESPRiT’s know-how in the field of process analysis and technical realization. | | |
07/06/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT Employee Receives Excellence Award from the Bavarian State Government for Successful Completion of Professional Development Course
At a special ceremony at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria on July 5th, the 80 best graduates from 28 Chamber of Commerce professional development examination courses received Excellence Awards from the Bavarian State Government. In addition, 28 of the graduates received the Book Prize from the Chamber of Commerce for being best of class in their subjects.
One of the award winners was Melanie Kreuzpaintner, an employee in the marketing department at ESPRiT Consulting, where she is responsible for the organization of specialized client events. Melanie Kreuzpaintner received the Excellence Award for her graduation in the professional development course as an "Event Organization Administrator Certified by the Chamber of Commerce", which she completed last year as an evening course whilst continuing to do her day job at ESPRiT.
The Chamber of Commerce President, Erich Greipl, and the Bavarian Minister of Economics, Martin Zell (FDP), congratulated the graduates on their success. "You have successfully taken a big step in your professional development, and in doing so, you have shown that you have an above-average level of commitment and ability to cope with a heavy workload," commented Greipl to the award winners. "Our economy urgently needs efficient and motivated skilled workers like you," continued the Chamber of Commerce President. Greipl emphasized that, in our knowledge-based society, education is the most important success factor for enterprises and also for the personal development of employees. In the winter / spring of 2009/2010, a total of 1,659 participants successfully completed their professional development training courses as master craftsmen/craftswomen, business administrators, specialist clerks, or business economists. A maximum of 20 percent of the best in each examination received the Excellence Award from the Bavarian State Government.
ESPRiT is absolutely delighted about this award for Ms. Kreuzpaintner. "Individual professional development training for our employees is a matter of great importance to us," explains Karsten Höppner, CEO of ESPRiT Consulting. "It makes us really proud to know that Ms Kreuzpaintner has managed to earn this award in addition to doing her demanding job here at ESPRiT. "For us this is a good example of the exceptional performance that highly-motivated employees are capable of."

ESPRiT Employee Melanie Kreuzpaintner (back row, 3rd.of.l.) at the Excellence Award from the Bavarian State Government Source: IHK |  | |
07/02/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: People in Demand
In the issue 7/8.2010 of the university magazine aud!max, the focus is on "people in demand". After a previous decline in the number of job vacancies, the prospects for engineers in the consulting field are once again looking rosier.
As a graduate in industrial engineering, Tobias Kaiser, a Senior Consultant at ESPRiT, has written this article to describe the career opportunities for engineers in the consulting sector. He sees tremendous development chances for engineers because "the learning curve is just far steeper because of the varied project work they do."
Full German Version for Download
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07/01/2010 ESPRiT News: Integrated Information System "Uno" at PostBus Switzerland Ltd
PostBus Switzerland is the leading public transport bus company in Switzerland. With nearly 3,000 employees and more than 2,000 vehicles at its disposal, PostBus carries over 115 million passengers every year. Its trademarks – the three-tone horn and the yellow post buses – are part of Switzerland’s cultural identity.
In future, PostBus would like to maintain its position as the number 1 in public transport on the road in Switzerland, as well as expanding its activities abroad. This requires an increase in PostBus’s competiveness, which will largely be dependent on the quality and completeness of the information basis established for decision-making, and the extent to which this information is available as and when required. The existing information system architecture is extremely complex and exhibits a largely historical growth pattern. Currently there are a multitude of manual interfaces and media discontinuities.
ESPRiT supported PostBus Switzerland with drawing up a project charter commissioned by the executive board for the implementation and realization of a new integrated information system. This included the documentation of plan and actual analysis results, as well as the derivation of a required course of action and proposals for various approach options. These were set out in the form of twelve specific measures, such as the extension of cost and activity accounting in SAP, the set-up of a data warehouse and reporting platform, and the drawing-up of a feasibility study "Process integration with SOA on the basis of SAP NetWeaver PI 7.1". These measures were divided into projects and undertakings in accordance with their scale and duration. As a result, five projects and seven smaller undertakings have been defined, as has the overall program management.
PostBus Switzerland has taken the decision to use the approach option that will place the least demands on its resources. With this option, the goal is to complete all of the projects and undertakings by the end of 2012. ESPRiT Consulting will be continuing to support PostBus Switzerland. This will include support for program management and some of the various projects and undertakings. |  | |
06/30/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: ESPRiT: From 0 into the Top 10 of the Lünendonk List
In the Lünendonk ranking for "leading German small and medium-sized management consulting firms 2009", ESPRiT has achieved an eighth place standing at the first attempt. The Munich-based consulting firm was taking part in this category of the ranking for the very first time. | | |
06/30/2010 ESPRiT Publication: Trends and Strategies in Group Planning and Controlling
In the June issue of "CFO aktuell – Zeitschrift für Finance & Controlling" ("CFO Today – Journal for Finance & Controlling"), Ernst Antensteiner, a Partner at ESPRiT Austria in Vienna, and Andreas Lauterbrunner, a Senior Consultant at ESPRiT, report on current trends in group planning and controlling.
According to the authors, the successful development of modern planning solutions depends on good cooperation between specialized departments and IT. In this context, the two experts present a meta model that should provide orientation for this process. The model was developed to make it possible to provide technically efficient coverage of the individual business-related requirements of integrated planning. It facilitates easier communication between finance departments and IT by clarifying implementation expectations and creating greater understanding of the technical complexity involved. In the article, two examples are used to demonstrate practical implementations using SAP BW-IP.
If you are interested in the ESPRiT meta model or the article, please get in touch with ernst.antensteiner@esprit-consulting.com or andreas.lauterbrunner@esprit-consulting.com. |  | |
06/29/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT in the Lünendonk TOP 10 of Small and Medium-sized Management Consultancies
Every year the market research and consultancy firm Lünendonk GmbH identifies leading enterprises in the German market in the fields of consultancy, software and IT services, and provides current data and information about the various market sectors.
In 2010 ESPRiT was listed for the first time in the category Management Consultancy, with an eighth-place ranking in the TOP 10 of small and medium-sized management consultancies. This ranking demonstrates that ESPRiT Consulting has developed into one of the leading independent management consulting firms in the German-speaking world. |  | |
06/22/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: Social Partnership Between ESPRiT and Irschenberg Children’s Village is Developing Splendidly
"Creating common perspectives" – This is the slogan for the partnership between the Irschenberg Children’s Village and the Munich-based consulting firm ESPRiT Consulting that has been running extremely smoothly for the last three months. Various joint projects have already been started successfully, whilst others are just getting off the ground. | | |
06/21/2010 ESPRiT News: National Efficiency Project at The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR idée suisse
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), marketed as SRG SSR idée suisse, is a public service broadcasting organization run in accordance with private law and the principles of a stock corporation company. With more than 6000 employees, annual revenue of around 1.6 billion Swiss francs, 18 radio and 8 television channels and accompanying websites and teletext services, the SBC is the largest enterprise for electronic media in Switzerland.
The SBC would like to merge radio and television operations in language regions, with the aim of improving the variety, quality and productivity of multimedia offerings with media-convergent production processes. In this way, it should then be possible, even in this age of increasingly fragmented and non-linear media consumption, to provide the biggest possible audience with access to the current offering, independent of time or location. That’s why the broadcasting corporation decided to launch the project "Media convergence and efficiency".
ESPRiT is supporting the SBC in the national sub-project efficiency with a new concept for the procurement organization as well as the procurement processes and systems. The support function in the procurement division should be further economically optimized, in order to generate cost savings of at least 10%.
The SBC chose ESPRiT Switzerland as its consulting partner on the basis of ESPRiT’s extensive project experience in the field of procurement and logistics, as well as its method competence. |  | |
06/18/2010 ESPRiT News: Another Extremely Successful Exchange of Experiences Between Enterprises in the Field of Portals / Content Management / Enterprise Search and Collaboration
On July 17th, ESPRiT Consulting once again invited clients and other interested parties to an exchange of experiences at their Munich head office. Representatives from eight different companies – 7 of them DAX-listed companies – accepted the invitation and came to discuss the latest developments in the field of portals.
Entertaining field reports from the participants provided a good overview of deployment opportunities for portal solutions. The issues discussed included portal governance, approaches to optimal portal infrastructure, goals and challenges for an after-sales portal, best practices for the set-up of a central platform with the Microsoft Sharepoint Server, and the topic of end-to-end monitoring for global portal solutions.
Of particular interest to all those present was an extended Enterprise Search solution – a new, innovative procedure that facilitates intelligent and context-specific search of various data files within an enterprise.
Oliver Wucher, the Associate Partner in the service line Technology at ESPRiT Consulting responsible for all issues concerning portals, is well satisfied: "We have been hosting this portal experience exchange for several years now, and every time we come to the conclusion that the personal exchange of practice-based experiences involving the latest portal technologies is of great value to all participants. What makes our event special are the intensive small-group discussions between the participants, where lessons learned during portal projects can be addressed directly."
ESPRiT would be glad to provide interested clients with an individual workshop on this subject. If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with Dirk Sokollis or Oliver Wucher. |  | |
06/16/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT Participates in the SAP NetWeaver 7.3 Portal BETA Evaluation
The end of this year will see the launch of SAP NetWeaver 7.3, the next major release of SAP NetWeaver. ESPRiT Consulting is one of the few companies that will be allowed to take part in the SAP NetWeaver 7.3 Portal BETA.
This means that ESPRiT will be able to provide its clients with advanced information about any innovations included in the new major release of SAP NetWeaver that can be used with the corresponding SAP systems of the clients.
If you have any questions about this subject, please contact oliver.wucher@esprit-consulting.com. |  | |
06/14/2010 ESPRiT Publication: CRM 2010: Status Quo, Trends and Our Own Plans
D. Bernhard Braunmüller, the ESPRiT Partner responsible for the service line Customer Management, is available on the Competence Site website to answer questions posed by a team from the CRM expo and the Competence Site.
The subject of this virtual roundtable, which puts questions to leading figures in the CRM world, is "CRM 2010: Status Quo, Trends and Our Own Plans".
In the PDF of the Competence Site, you can read all about which trends Bernhard Braunmüller has noticed in this field, and the plans that ESPRiT has. |  | |
06/11/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT at the 4th Swiss SAP Customer Conference for Purchasing & Logistics
ESPRiT Switzerland was represented by a partner booth and a presentation at the fourth Swiss SAP Customer Conference for Purchasing & Logistics in Regensdorf on June 10, 2010.
In the course of some fascinating field reports and live demonstrations, customers provided insights into the workflows of their projects and processes. It became clear that even in a difficult economic situation, the innovative purchasing and logistics processes of the SAP solutions Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) have proven their worth and created the basis for new growth.
Mario Wissel, an Associate Partner at ESPRiT, made a presentation together with Rolf Duda, Head of the SAP SRM Department at Karstadt GmbH, on the subject of "SRM as a success factor in troubled waters" to around 40 guests. This included a field report on the way that Karstadt has used SAP SRM to recognize and exploit optimization potential.
In addition, the Purchasing & Logistics Customer Conference provided an opportunity for the participants to discuss issues with SAP experts and customers from procurement and logistics in a relaxed atmosphere, and to pick up useful information for their daily business.
For more information about the Purchasing & Logistics Customer Conference and the ESPRiT presentation, please get in touch with mario.wissel@esprit-consulting.com.

ESPRiT at the 4th Swiss Customer Conference for Purchasing & Logistics |  | |
06/11/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT Consulting Hosts 6th Business Intelligence Roundtable in Vienna
This is now the sixth occasion that ESPRiT Austria has hosted its Business Intelligence Roundtable in Vienna. This year’s event had the slogan "Well-founded planning instead of gazing into a crystal ball", and focused on important facts regarding the subject of financial planning.
How can you guarantee professional financial planning for your own enterprise? Which tools are available to do this, and what do you have to watch out for when implementing a new tool? At the roundtable, there was a presentation of current trends in group planning and controlling, as well as the reporting and planning systems from SAP BusinessObjects. In addition, the roundtable event included a live demonstration and a recent example project in the canton of Zurich to show the practical deployment of this SAP tool.
Ernst Anteinsteiner, the Managing Director of ESPRiT Austria, was extremely satisfied: "This year it was once again possible to open up an extremely interesting discussion with our guests, and in future we will continue in the same way, seeking a direct exchange of experience on the subject of business intelligence."
If you have any questions about this event, please get in touch with melanie.kreuzpaintner@esprit-consulting.com. |  | |
06/04/2010 ESPRiT News: Release Upgrade for Global Template Systems at ERGO
The ERGO insurance group is one of the market leaders for direct insurance. Its business lines include life insurance, health insurance, and property insurance in more than 30 countries worldwide. ERGO belongs to Munich Re, a global leader in the reinsurance business. The accounting system of most ERGO companies is a SAP ERP solution that has been designed as a global template that seamlessly connects to the consolidation process at Munich Re.
ESPRiT Consulting is supporting ERGO with a release upgrade for the entire global template system landscape. The upgrade is to the latest SAP release ERP 6.0 with Enhancement Package 4. ESPRiT is providing support for both the planning and the project management of the upgrade project. The intensive test phases are also being accompanied by ESPRiT employees, who support the international test coordination and preparation, as well as the execution and reporting.
This release upgrade ensures the mainstream maintenance of the SAP system until 2015, and creates the basis for the usage of a number of new functionalities, such as the Closing Cockpit for automated support of closing processes and future enhancement packages. |  | |
06/01/2010 ESPRiT News: Frame Contract with the State Capital Munich for Support and Further Development of SAP BI Systems
In a public invitation to tender made by the City of Munich, the state capital of Bavaria, ESPRiT Consulting has been awarded the contract for the support and further development of SAP BI systems. ESPRiT won the contract in the face of stiff competition from a number of other applicants. The duration of the contract is limited to a maximum of four years. The planning for the next few years includes the further development of the reporting system on the basis of SAP BW, and the establishment and extension of financial planning systems. |  | |
05/31/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: ESPRiT Consulting Wins Best of Consulting Award from WirtschaftsWoche Magazine
ESPRiT Consulting has been awarded first prize in the category Sales and Marketing in the new ranking of consulting firms made by WirtschaftsWoche magazine. In addition to the outstanding evaluations that ESPRiT received from its clients, the key factor to secure top spot was the project ESPRiT submitted for the competition in the field of customer management. | | |
05/28/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: Best of Consulting 2010: Consultants Win with New Approach
For the first time, the highly-regarded German business magazine WirtschaftsWoche has held a competition to find the "Best of Consulting" in Germany. The goal of the competition was to find the best consulting specialists in five categories. ESPRiT Consulting jumped straight to the number one spot in the category "Marketing and Sales".
The article in WirtschaftsWoche describes some of the problems that consultants encountered when working with their clients, the projects they implemented to solve these problems, and the results that they achieved.
You can read the complete article (in German) on the website of WirtschaftsWoche. |  | |
05/21/2010 ESPRiT Speech in May: Enterprise Search, Content Management & Collaborative Scenarios in Enterprise Portals
ESPRiT Switzerland can look back on a successful event entitled "Collaborative usage options for enterprise portals". On May 20, 2010 around 30 interested guests met in Zurich to find out more about the topical issues of enterprise search, content management and collaborative scenarios in portals.
In the course of some short presentations, the participants were given an overview of the new potential for collaboration and ways in which this can best be nurtured. In addition, they were able to benefit from interesting customer showcases on:
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FirstSpirit Content Management System within the SAP NetWeaver Portal
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Collaborative scenarios based on the example of Microsoft and SAP
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Enterprise search based on the example of Google Search Appliance
The formal event was followed by a round of drinks, which provided ample opportunity for a general exchange of experiences and networking. Lars Erdmann, the ESPRiT partner responsible for the service line Technology, comments: "The positive feedback that we received has made it clear to us that there is a lot of interest in collaborative scenarios, as well as a need for more information on the subject. The optimization of collaboration between enterprises through the across-the-board deployment of solutions for collaboration, content management and search is becoming increasingly significant, and is developing into a competitive advantage for the enterprises concerned."
German Full Version for Download
If you have any questions about the presentations or the event, please contact valerie.favre@esprit-consulting.com. |  | |
05/14/2010 ESPRiT News: Informative Presentation Seminar on the Subject of "Data Quality and Process Integration"
On May 11th, specialists and managers met to attend a seminar about data quality and process integration at the Lindner Hotel Main Plaza in Frankfurt. The joint presentation made by Christian Freytag, a Senior Consultant for Finance and Controlling at ESPRiT Consulting, and Michael Wetzel, the Managing Director of Systematika Information Systems, outlined a solution approach to show how it is possible to carry out process and data integration from front-end IT systems to a central SAP ledger accounting system without using ABAP or expensive ETL tools. Using the example of an insurance company, it was possible to give the audience an insight into the way that inventory management IT systems in various countries can easily be linked to the central accounting system via a data turntable.
To get more information about this presentation and how to make a better link between pre-systems and SAP accounting, please feel free to get in touch with Christian.freytag@esprit-consulting.com. |  | |
05/10/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT on the Issue of "Overcoming Cultural Barriers" at the 8th ISM Symposium
On May 8th, a packed audience listened intently to the presentation "International project business: Chances and risks of cultural adaptation" made by Dr. Bernhard Braunmüller, a Partner at ESPRiT Consulting. The occasion of this presentation was the 8th ISM Symposium in Dortmund, Germany, which this year was themed on "Busting Cultural Barriers – A Key Factor For Global Success".
The International School of Management (ISM) is one of the leading private business schools in Germany. This is the 8th time that the school has hosted this event, which is organized by students for students. The goals of the event are to learn from experienced leaders and experts, and to reflect on and discuss different opinions.
Alongside Dr. Braunmüller, one of the other key speakers was Prof. Rürup, who founded and gave his name to the Rürup Pension Plan. The two of them, along with the other speakers, made this symposium an interesting and informative experience for the students. ESPRiT's contribution to the event was not limited to the presentation; in addition, ESPRiT was also one of the sponsoring partners. |  | |
05/05/2010 ESPRiT News: Warwick University (UK) Uses ESPRiT Model for an Official MBA Case Study
Warwick University in Coventry (West Midlands, United Kingdom) has decided to use the ESPRiT model "Customer satisfaction in business-to-business" as an official case study for their Master of Business Administration (MBA) course. This model shows how it is possible to measure customer satisfaction levels for business customers and, based on specific analysis of the results, how particular customer relationships can be optimized.
Dr. Bernhard Braunmüller, the ESPRiT Partner responsible for the consultancy service line Customer Management, comments on the inclusion of the ESPRiT model in the curriculum of the MBA course: "We are absolutely delighted to further enhance this MBA course with this model developed by ESPRiT on the subject of customer satisfaction, and in this way to be able to pass on some valuable tips based on our practical experience. More than anything, this decision demonstrates that in the view of a top European university, our consultancy methods have a highly innovative character." |  | |
05/03/2010 ESPRiT Publication: Good Job Prospects for Generalists
The weekend issue of the Austrian daily newspaper Die Presse from April 30, 2010 includes comments by Dr. Ernst Antensteiner, a Partner at ESPRiT Austria, about the good job prospects that generalists currently have in the field of Business Intelligence (BI).
The reason for this is that in the course of a BI system implementation, there is first of all a requirement for a business-oriented concept, and then later for a technical system architecture. Anyone who would like to be involved in this line of work should ideally be at home in both of these worlds – business and information technology.
Full German Version for Download
You can find all important information about the Austrian daily paper Die Presse by going to www.diepresse.com. |  | |
04/28/2010 ESPRiT Publication: Governance Risk Compliance in a SAP Banking Environment
In the current issue (272) of the magazine HMD – Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik (HMD – Business Informatics in Practice), Sven Petermann, a Manager at ESPRiT Consulting, reports on the implementation of specific access controls.
This is of great importance for adherence to valid laws regarding proper financial reporting. For example, companies have to be in a position to provide evidence at any time that only authorized persons have access to business-critical data. Without access controls that have been company-specifically designed and regularly appraised, the reliability of generated data relevant to the rendering of accounts cannot be sufficiently assured. Nevertheless, a lot of companies regard compliance and the associated regulations as purely cost drivers. In fact, efficient and effective implementation of the access controls can create a comparative competitive advantage for a company, for example through the deployment of a governance risk compliance (GRC) tool.
Full German Version for Download
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04/27/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: ESPRiT Switzerland is New Special Expertise Partner of SAP (Switzerland) for EPM and CRM
SAP (Switzerland) has awarded two new Special Expertise Partnerships to the Swiss consulting firm ESPRiT in recognition of the firm’s extensive project experience and solution-finding competency. | | |
04/15/2010 ESPRiT Publication: Transparency in Procurement – a Factor for Success
Within an enterprise, the purchasing department is expected to contribute positively to the operating result by making cost savings. Especially in times of economic crisis, considerable pressure is applied to ensure that these expectations are fulfilled. To be able to meet these demands in the long term, the purchasing department has to demonstrate its added value in the enterprise beyond just securing reliable supply, and has to establish its role as a recognized partner. In doing so, however, it is often the case that purchasers are provided with an inadequate information basis.
In the current issue of the Swiss specialist magazine Beschaffungsmanagement (Procurement Management), Florian Lorenz, a Consultant at ESPRiT, and Thomas Münger, an ESPRiT Partner, reveal how the scope for action in supplier relationships can be significantly expanded by actively and systematically consolidating and optimizing the information basis.
Full German Version for Download
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04/14/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: High Performer with a Big Heart: ESPRiT Switzerland Wins Swiss HR Award
ESPRiT Switzerland has received the special SME prize at the renowned Swiss HR Awards presented by the specialized journal HR Today. The jury particularly praised their mentoring and coaching concept and the instruments that ESPRiT uses to retain staff. | | |
03/29/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: Forward-Looking Partnership with Children’s Village Irschenberg
ESPRiT Consulting and the Children’s Village in Irschenberg have decided to set-up a long-term partnership. With the slogan "Creating common perspectives", executive board members and staffers of the Munich firm are going to be supporting the Children’s Village with jointly-planed projects, opportunities for further education, events, career advice for youngsters and, above all, with their time, their networks, and their experience. | | |
03/18/2010 ESPRiT News: New Order Monitoring Function in SAP MM at armasuisse
armasuisse is the procurement, technology, and real estate center of the Swiss Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS).
To guarantee the proactive control of purchase orders at the level of materials management, armasuisse has successfully implemented SAP Progress Tracking. In the course of this implementation, the SAP standard functions were adapted to the purchase order processes at armasuisse.
The new system-based process handling means that armasuisse now has new functions at its disposal that facilitate forward-looking and proactive control and intervention for purchase orders. For example, there is a traffic light function that provides an optical depiction of any missed deadlines in the course of purchase order processing, or a new print functionality with which the purchasing department can issue all the relevant SAP Progress Tracking data for each purchase order. This form is then assigned to the corresponding supplier with the counter signed contracts. In addition, the reminder processes have been automated and made more professional. When a deadline has been missed, a reminder is issued automatically to the supplier. This includes both the plan and the actual order data.
This means that delays in purchase order processing can be recognized at an early stage, so that the purchasing team can take appropriate measures to ensure adherence to defined delivery dates. Furthermore, purchasers and managers also have other supplier analysis functions at their disposal.
ESPRiT was able to provide armasuisse with optimal support based on their extensive experience in the field of procurement, and accompanied the project from the concept to the implementation. |  | |
03/16/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT Expands its Service Line for Insurance in Switzerland
ESPRiT has been strongly represented in the insurance sector for many years. In Germany, the list of long-standing clients includes noted direct insurance and reinsurance companies such as Allianz, ERGO, Hanover Re, and Munich Re.
Since 2009, ESPRiT has also been focusing on further expansion of the core sector for direct insurance and reinsurance in Switzerland. To this end, there has been a build-up of targeted resources with all the necessary skills. ESPRiT clients benefit from the consulting firm’s extensive experience of managing major international projects, as well as their tried and tested approach and project methodology in the insurance business.
ESPRiT is right on track for further success in the field of insurance. In addition, their close partnership with SAP (Switzerland) in the field of insurance has been renewed and strengthened. If you have any questions about this subject, please get in touch with Walter Kuhlmann und Robert Savi, who are responsible for the service line Direct Insurance and Reinsurance at ESPRiT.

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03/15/2010 ESPRiT News: Go Live for Supplier Portal on Basis of Microsoft SharePoint 2007 at Migros Cooperative Federation (MGB)
Since the beginning of March 2010, a new supplier portal based on Microsoft SharePoint 2007 has been available to the partners of the Migros Cooperative Federation (MGB). The MGB is a federation of 10 regional cooperatives operating under the brand name Migros, which is well-known in Switzerland as a leading trading company.
Working together with its partner company Garaio AG, ESPRiT Consulting supported MGB with the conceptualization, implementation, and introduction of the new supplier portal. The goal was to create a standardized collaboration platform that can be adapted to future requirements in order to optimize collaboration between Migros and its suppliers and reduce the effort required for support.
As the MGB is set up as a future-oriented organization, the decision was made to implement the portal on the basis of Microsoft SharePoint 2007 and to add enhanced functionalities. The new portal has a structured filing system for information, a comprehensive search capability, personalization options, and a standardized look & feel. As a result, the number of support requests has been reduced and supplier satisfaction levels have been significantly increased. By introducing a single sign-on and a direct entry point to other applications and services, the supplier portal has become the focal point for information exchange and collaboration with suppliers. Further system integrations and the implementation of enhanced collaboration features are planned for the next half year. |  | |
03/12/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: Successful 2009 for ESPRiT Consulting
ESPRiT Consulting has posted good results for the last fiscal year 2009. As a result of its excellent collaboration with long-standing clients in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and North America, the consulting firm can now look back on the second most successful fiscal year in the company’s history. ESPRiT Switzerland was also able to increase its revenues.
Here you can find the complete press reaction from the online portals Swiss iT Reseller and inside-channels.
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03/12/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: Crisis? Not at ESPRiT Consulting!
ESPRiT Consulting posts good results for the fiscal year 2009. Despite the global economic crisis, ESPRiT records second best year in the company’s history. | | |
03/10/2010 ESPRiT News: Second Successful Exchange of Experiences for Purchasers from Leading Swiss Companies
On 9th March 2010, purchasing managers from leading Swiss companies met to exchange experiences. The event, hosted by ESPRiT and SAP (Switzerland), took place for the second time in Regensdorf. During the first exchange of experiences, the discussions showed that the challenges and problems facing purchasing managers are similar, even when the companies and sectors are different. The focal point was reinforcing purchasing processes in a time of economic crisis, as well as the topics of service procurement, transparency and cost reduction.
This time the topics in the foreground were the bearing and value contribution of purchasing, benchmarks for purchasing, and transparency. At this event, the 20 or so guests benefited from the experiences of the other participants, and all contributed to some lively discussion. The main event was followed by an informal round of drinks, which provided a relaxed atmosphere for the guests to chat about the current procurement challenges they are facing.
“We were really delighted about the number of purchasers who signed up for this event. The feedback we got from the guests was really positive, and we were assured that with this exchange of experiences, we have created an important platform for purchasing managers and senior buyers,” commented Thomas Münger, a Partner at ESPRiT Switzerland.
In response to the positive feedback, ESPRiT and SAP are planning to hold this event twice a year. The guests will be given the opportunity to put forward topics in advance. This is to ensure that the topics discussed are really the ones of interest to the participants.
If you have any further questions about this event, please contact Thomas Münger or Mario Wissel. |  | |
03/08/2010 ESPRiT News: International Project Business: Chances and Risks in Cultural Adaptation
At the ISM Symposium in Dortmund on May 8, Dr. Bernhard Braunmüller, the Partner at ESPRiT Consulting responsible for the service line Customer Management, will be reporting on the challenges involved in doing project work in an international context.
The 8th ISM Symposium, which this year has Dr. Jürgen Rüttgers (the Minister-President of North Rhine Westfalia) as its patron, is an event organized by students for students. The slogan of this year’s event is “Busting Cultural Barriers – A Key Factor for Global Success”. The event provides an opportunity for students and leading figures from business, politics and the arts to exchange ideas and opinions. The central point of discussion will be overcoming barriers in today’s globalized world. The goal of ESPRiT Consulting is to let students share in the wealth of international experience that has been gained by its consultants, and we are looking forward to some lively discussions with the event participants. You can find out more about the Symposium by going to the event website. |  | |
03/01/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: Working Here is Fun!
In this year’s poll of Germany’s Best Workplaces, five companies from Munich came out right at the top – and amongst them was ESPRiT Consulting. The employee survey carried out by the Great Place To Work Institute shows that employees identify more strongly than average with their company, and that the relationship between employees and their line managers is very highly rated.
Here you can read all about the reaction in the press. |  | |
02/25/2010 ESPRiT Press Release: Germany's Best Workplaces 2010: ESPRiT Consulting has once again been awarded
New award for ESPRiT Consulting: "Germany's Best Workplaces 2010". | | |
02/19/2010 ESPRiT News: Optimization of FX Management at Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in power generation and transport infrastructure, setting new standards for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train as well as the automated metro with the highest passenger capacity worldwide. In addition, they deliver integrated turnkey solutions for power generation, equipment and services for a variety of energy sources such as water, nuclear power, gas, coal and wind. The group employs around 80,000 people in 70 countries, and in 2007/08 had orders worth € 23.5 billion.
The high volatility of FX markets and large fluctuations in interest rates have created massive challenges for FX management. To be in a position to meet these challenges proactively, Alstom initialized a project to optimize their FX hedging processes.
The goal of the optimization was, on the one hand, an increase in the transparency of FX management and, on the other hand, an optimization of the underlying processes. Specifically, a new reporting cockpit based on SAP NetWeaver BW was installed. This includes not only retrospective hedge effectiveness reporting, but also prospective reporting for planning and controlling purposes. In addition, operative processes were optimized through the targeted deployment of workflows. In doing so, it was, of course, essential to comply with international accounting regulations (IAS 39).
ESPRiT supported Alstom in this project from the analysis to the implementation. The first step was to analyze the value flows and processes. On the basis of this analysis, an optimization concept was drawn up and the IT adaptations were defined. To ensure greater reliability in a complex environment, the requirements were implemented and tested in a prototype. Once the solution had received approval, the IT adaptations were implemented, staff training was carried out, and support was provided for the go-live.
Today Alstom has at its disposal improved transparency and optimized processes in FX management. The reporting system facilitates better planning, hedging and reporting for FX effects. The workflow processes take the pressure off treasury staff and lead to better process quality, whilst at the same time saving time. |  | |
02/16/2010 ESPRiT News: lnteractive Forms for the Incident Management Process at Canton Zurich
The CC SAP at Canton Zurich uses the SAP Solution Manager incident management solution to create tickets and process them. Communication with the SAP team takes place via the SAP Solution Manager using Adobe Interactive Forms. To simplify the processing of tickets for the end user, the CC SAP decided to deploy a solution that provides the highest level of comfort for the end user: an interactive Adobe form (AIF). With the help of this new solution, it is no longer necessary for the ticket originator to log in to the SAP system, which means he does not need a SAP account. This leads to an increase in operating comfort, whilst at the same time reducing complexity. The user can process the ticket offline in the familiar environment of Adobe Reader, whereas the support employee can still work directly with the Solution Manager. ESPRiT supported the CC SAP at Canton Zurich with the implementation of the new interactive forms. It was possible to smoothly integrate the new solution into the existing incident management ticket process within just ten working days. |  | |
02/09/2010 ESPRiT Press Commentary: “The Human Side” of a Consultant’s Daily Work
In the February / March issue of the university magazine aud!max, Karsten Höppner, Founding Partner and CEO of ESPRiT Consulting, provides some human insights into the everyday lives of management consultants. In his interview, he describes how even experienced consultants can slip up occasionally, and that the best way to get out of such a situation is to demonstrate honesty and sensitivity.
Full German Version for Download
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01/08/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT Supports the Swiss Federal Office of Personnel (EPA) with the Implementation of a new Organization Structure
The Swiss Federal Office of Personnel (EPA) is the government office responsible for federal staffing issues. The EPA develops frameworks and instruments for the management, further development, and coordination of the federal administration’s workforce, which comprises of 36,000 employees. Within the structure of the EPA, the organizational unit Competence Center Human Resources (CCHR) is responsible for managing the human resources and information system BV PLUS. This includes specialized operations, training and consulting for the users, and further development of the system. An organization analysis was carried out to determine the best possible set-up for the organizational unit CCHR. ESPRiT supported the EPA with the analysis and the evaluation of the possible organization forms. ESPRiT was able to provide the EPA with optimal support thanks to its extensive experience working with the public sector, its wide-ranging expertise in the SAP environment, and the process and organization analysis. |  | |
01/04/2010 ESPRiT News: ESPRiT is now a Trusted Partner of e-Spirit
ESPRiT has been designated as a Trusted Partner by e-Spirit in recognition of the successful collaboration between the two companies. e-Spirit is a provider of enterprise content management systems, with a focus on the product FirstSpirit™. ESPRiT has already successfully supported a number of projects on the basis of FirstSpirit™. This entailed providing consultancy services for CMS strategy, conceptualization, implementation, and project and quality management.
Companies can become e-Spirit Trusted Partners if they have successfully implemented significant FirstSpirit™ projects and have experienced, trained consultants at their disposal. Despite this designation, ESPRiT remains independent of any manufacturer, and does not have reseller status with any of its product partners.
For more information, please get in touch with oliver.wucher@esprit-consulting.com. |  | |
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