An ITSM system for small IT teams?
Some preconceptions are hard to shake. For instance, the idea that ITSM systems are only for large IT teams. They're supposedly too complex to set up and operate, not to mention expensive. However, the Saxony-based company BANG Kransysteme, one of the hidden champions from eastern Germany, proves otherwise. Despite having only two employees and a small budget at the outset, the IT department introduced the IT service management software KIX. They did it completely on their own.
100-Ton Projects and Digital Cranes: Why Structured IT Service Became Necessary
When a special crane is needed anywhere in the world, the phone probably rings at BANG Kransysteme, whether in Europe, Asia, Africa, or the USA. Based in Oelsnitz (Vogtland) in Saxony, the company produces smart, partially or fully automated cranes for a variety of purposes. These include the metal and automotive industries and even the nuclear sector. These cranes can withstand years of handling radioactive materials and are used to transport pressing tools at Volkswagen. BANG supplied a 100-ton crane for Tesla's Gigafactory in Brandenburg.
The family-run company currently employs around 200 people and produces cranes worldwide in a 25,000-square-meter area. Werner Bang founded the company in 1989 as a one-man operation specializing in lifting equipment. Twenty years later, in 2009, Daniel Gerstner joined the team as the first and, for a long time, only IT administrator. As crane systems became smarter and more digital, and as the company continued to grow, new IT service structures finally became necessary.
IT Support at Its Limit: Why a Ticket System Became Necessary
In 2020, Daniel Gerstner was joined by a new colleague. Since then, IT has officially been a separate department at BANG. Even with two people, however, the tasks were difficult to manage. In addition to general digitization, administration, and software development, the team provides IT support to employees and maintains the network and telecommunications systems.
Employee support, in particular, often meant that other areas fell by the wayside, says Daniel Gerstner, with a wink. "Our office is centrally located in the main building. That's why we're easily accessible to all employees. It's great for chatting with colleagues. Unfortunately, people were knocking on our door more and more often with their IT problems. On top of that, we were getting dozens of calls every day. Basically, wewere busy just fighting the symptoms. There was hardly any time left for addressing the root causes and conducting in-depth analyses.
ITSM instead of Ad Hoc: Deciding on a Ticket System
This change began in 2023. However, hiring more staff was difficult. At that time, the market for IT administrators in the Vogtland region was virtually empty. Therefore, the small IT department decided to improve the organization's basic processes and IT services. They quickly agreed on an idea: the introduction of an ITSM solution. "Our plan was to consolidate all requests into a ticket system and eliminate unplanned interruptions," says Gerstner.
KIX Choice: Open-Source ITSM from Chemnitz
While searching for a suitable solution, BANG's IT administrators considered various manufacturers. Ultimately, they chose KIX, an IT service management software developed just 90 kilometers away in Chemnitz by the same-named manufacturer. An important criterion was the intuitive user interface. In a company where all requests had been handled by telephone or in-person visits for 35 years, the transition to a new system had to be as seamless as possible. The customization options offered by open source software and the local proximity to the manufacturer were also deciding factors in choosing KIX.
Keep it simple – KIX Cloud was implemented in three weeks.
The IT duo began the implementation process in September 2023. They opted for the cloud version and initially used the ITSM system internally within the IT department. From cloud installation to go-live, it took only about three weeks. Daniel Gerstner said, “The implementation of the KIX cloud was easy and cost-effective. The two of us were able to set up everything we needed pretty quickly. What's also great is that we can easily switch to the on-premises version at any time. Until now, the cloud has been more of an exception at BANG.”
However, in some areas, the team had to slow itself down at the beginning. For instance, the administrators had planned to introduce ITIL processes and had even attended a training course. However, they quickly realized that applying the best practice guidelines would mean skipping a few steps. "ITIL is great, no question, but for two people, it meant more work than benefits. That's why we decided to save this step for later and start with a few clear ticket templates for the company," Gerstner says.
Self-Service Portal and Ticket Templates for All Employees
For a company that had not previously used a ticket system, the administrators limited themselves to three templates. This was primarily to make the transition as easy as possible for their colleagues. Now, BANG Kransysteme employees can use the KIX self-service portal to report requests and malfunctions, submit procurement requests, and organize the onboarding and offboarding of new colleagues.
Reinforcement across the board: fewer interruptions and a better overview thanks to ticket management.
Initially, IT professionals had to be patient because not all employees were comfortable with the new system right away. They continued to contact the IT department in person or by phone. "It was basically a complete change in the way we worked. Of course, there was resistance. But now, two years later, the situation is much better,” says Gerstner. "Acceptance has increased noticeably, and our work has become much more efficient. We now process around 100 to 150 tickets per month with KIX." Previously, there were many unplanned interruptions when processing an incident, and many minor user problems were overlooked. With ticket management, processing can be much more coordinated. This saves a tremendous amount of time. In addition, everything is clearly assigned and fully documented."
The IT department at BANG has grown to six people. Daniel Gerstner is glad he introduced KIX when he was working with only one other person.
"I recommend that all IT professionals closely examine the possibilities offered by an ITSM system, even for small teams. In fact, I think it was easier to start with just two people. In the meantime, we have expanded KIX and won't have to start from scratch with a team of six.”
The team has been strengthened in terms of personnel, and KIX has proven its worth in the first two years. Now, all employees have a much better overview of all processes and can respond to inquiries more quickly. Tasks that used to get lost because another colleague was waiting at the door with a request are now documented in KIX according to priority. This also enables management to track areas for improvement, such as equipment or personnel capacities, in a transparent manner.
Conclusion: Why KIX is particularly worthwhile for small IT teams
For Daniel Gerstner, introducing KIX was a complete success. He and his colleagues plan to optimize internal processes further with the ITSM software. They are already making much faster progress, especially in software development for the cranes.
Gerstner sums it up by saying, "KIX has improved not only our work in IT but also that of the entire company. Even as a small team, we were able to get started without any major problems, and everyone is getting along great with the system. It was absolutely the right decision.”
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