Success story process digitalisation: From our own project to an offering for others

When MicroNova set out to digitise its own processes in 2018, the team consisted overall of around 250 employees, several dozen of whom were based in Czechia. Then as now, the order portfolio included complex large-scale projects as well as smaller ones—from configuration solutions for mobile networks to the sale of standardised software for IT departments. The administrative system landscape at the time consisted of tools for project management, time recording and a few other systems.

Just a few years earlier, the company had looked very different: in 2015, the team had fewer than 150 members, and multilingualism was not yet an issue. The growth, which was welcome in itself, brought with it a number of challenges: the complexity of processes increased as work became more and more distributed; transparency decreased as a result, and communication became more challenging. By 2018 at the latest, it was clear that collaboration and ISO 9001-certified processes needed to be adapted to these circumstances.

MicroNova therefore set out to find a suitable tool for a comprehensive digital mapping of its business processes. The plan was to find a solution that would be helpful for all departments and optimise efficiency and resource allocation. In addition, responsibilities needed to be mapped more clearly again to enable faster decision-making. The declared goal was also to make it as easy as possible to share all information on process flows, individual steps and responsibilities with all parties involved. After a comprehensive evaluation of several offers, a low-code platform emerged as the favourite for digitising the processes.

In this way, process digitisation reached all areas of MicroNova's business. Most applications are found in the commercial management departments, including facility and quality management. ‘We were able to digitise 42 processes in 42 weeks. Whether it's the executive board or supervisory board, employees in purchasing or managers in operational departments—everyone now works with this system, paperless. At least where the law allows it,’ adds Oliver Kraus. ‘It is important that we can create processes quickly. For simpler processes such as training requests, this can be done within a few days. Even more complex processes, such as our quotation process, can be completed within a few weeks. And that ranges from the sales team and operations to the commercial department to the executive board and supervisory board, each with feedback and approval functions, document uploads, etc.’

With this process digitisation project, MicroNova has sustainably improved its workflows, including monitoring and control: faster processes, clear assignment of responsibilities for each step, a uniform level of knowledge for those involved, and better cross-location collaboration. This has significantly increased overall efficiency, primarily through the automation of repetitive tasks, which also reduces the likelihood of errors. This has been particularly helpful since the advent of home offices and mobile working: whereas previously, purchase requisitions had to be printed out and carried back and forth between buildings for signature, or even sent between locations, the process is now paperless and takes just a few clicks. In addition, digitalisation has enabled MicroNova to obtain certifications such as ISO 9001 more quickly. The tool also supports the company's further growth, extending to the human resources department and the more effective onboarding of new team members.

At MicroNova, as at most companies, the scope of processes varies—from more extensive requirements such as the creation and approval of quotations to smaller processes such as ordering business cards. MicroNova has achieved measurable and demonstrable success in this area and has built up extensive in-house expertise on tools and procedures; for example, over 50 per cent of orders are now approved on the same day—previously, the proportion was significantly lower. Today, the digitalisation department supports other companies in analysing and improving their processes so that they can ultimately be digitally mapped individually and without being tied to a specific tool—drawing on all the experience gained from its own digitalisation journey.