A transformation is underway at Norwegian ski manufacturer, Madshus. A Cepheo Managed Services agreement, proactive consulting, and Microsoft Power BI enable Madshus' employees to spend more time optimizing production with innovative work processes.

In 2019, Madshus was at a crossroads:

"Our biggest challenge was that our previous ERP partner provided such poor support that it was difficult to correct errors and deficiencies. It was also challenging to further develop our Microsoft AX platform," says the IT manager of the Norwegian ski manufacturer, Bjørn Myhre.

The inadequate support from the previous partner limited Madshus' ability to run an efficient and successful business. The ski manufacturer had a choice: follow their current path or make a change? Madshus chose the latter.

"We were not satisfied with the performance of our applications. We wanted an ongoing assessment of what we could and should do to optimize performance. With Managed Services from Cepheo, we now have the opportunity to do is needed to get the most out of the applications," explains Bjørn Myhre.

The Managed Services agreement means that Madshus has outsourced the operation of its on-premise ERP system, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, to Cepheo. The agreement includes strategic consulting as well as round-the-clock monitoring, administration and maintenance of the production company's applications. This gives Madshus' employees more time to optimize production and develop new innovative work processes.

The positive effects are already being felt at Madshus, according to the IT manager:

"Our employees are more efficient now. It reduces waiting time and gives employees more time for other tasks."

Proactive consulting opens up new possibilities   

For more than 100 years, Madshus has produced top-quality skis. The ski manufacturer's headquarters are located near Lillehammer, where nearly 90 employees produce around 90,000 pairs of skis annually for the general consumer and world-class athletes. Madshus also exports its products to a wide range of countries in Europe, North America and Asia.

Although Madshus ranks in the global elite on paper, the company lacks the capacity to be among the first to embrace new technological opportunities in the market. Based on this, the company has entered into a Service Delivery Manager agreement with Cepheo.

"We have no dedicated IT personnel. This makes us dependent on having partners who are up to date on current opportunities and solutions. We have no opportunity to analyze what needs to be done to optimize our IT resources," says Bjørn Myhre.

The Service Delivery Manager agreement includes proactive advice on technical challenges and opportunities.

"Cepheo has given us many good insights and tips to make our business more self-sufficient. They have also advised us on initiatives we should take to improve existing systems and to expand and connect new applications," says Madshus' IT manager.

He mentions, among other things, a significant improvement in the digital handling of incoming and outgoing invoices.

Microsoft Power BI simplifies everyday tasks for Madshus' Employees

Madshus has also invested in Microsoft Power BI with Cepheo. The solution helps the company leverage its business data more effectively by analyzing sales and delivery services.

"Power BI helps the company get a better overview of the situation. The solution makes it easier to track the situation day by day in all areas," says Bjørn Myhre and continues.

"It has become easier for employees to get the overview they need. The solution allows more employees to get information from our systems themselves, instead of relying on other employees to create the overviews for them," he says.

The reactions from employees have also been positive, according to the IT manager.

"Our employees have embraced Power BI. Previously, we used the pivot functions in Excel, but it takes a long time to update, and it is difficult to make changes if you are not familiar with pivot. Power BI updates quickly, and it is easy for everyone to find the information they need," he says.

The IT manager also emphasizes that it is a significant advantage that the Power BI solution is available on Microsoft 365 and as an app. This allows employees to access the information anytime and anywhere.

Effortless collaboration 

The collaboration with Cepheo was established following a recommendation from Madshus' ASP provider.

"We asked if they could suggest a professional partner to assist us in the future. They recommended a meeting with Cepheo. After the introduction and reference check, we had no doubt that Cepheo was the right choice," emphasizes Bjørn Myhre.

"Cepheo's consultants have been on-site to get to know our company and observe how we work with the ERP system, providing us with tips on how to simplify our tasks. The collaboration has been very good," says the IT Manager.

Outsourcing provides time for innovation and development

The combination of outsourcing, proactive advice on technological opportunities and challenges, and easy access to business data in Power BI together enables Madshus to elevate the company to a higher level.

"We continue to work on digitizing and automating more processes. We aim to reduce the amount of manual work, allowing our employees to have more time for other value-adding activities," he says.

There is no doubt about how the extra time will be utilized:

"We will use it to reduce stress and pressure on individual employees and departments. We will also use it to further develop the company. It gives all employees more time to assess what can be done better and more simply," he says, continuing,

"Because if employees constantly have too much work, it is difficult to find time to lift their heads and identify improvements," concludes Madshus' IT Manager, Bjørn Myhre.