The longer the rumor mill churned, the more uncertainty it produced,” says Edgar Craubner about the time before MAN, an engine, commercial vehicle and mechanical engineering company, entrusted its data centers to T-Systems. Being a passionate mountain biker, Craubner is not given to timidity. But the 2-year old father of three was still worried about the future location of his workplace. “I’m from Munich, my family lives here, and we had a house built for us – moving would have been a huge step.” At the same time, Craubner, an Account Manager, had to assuage his internal clients’ concerns as well.

So he and his co-workers sighed with relief when the transfer process finally picked up speed – starting on the day MAN awarded T-Systems the contract. “I never would have expected that they would bring us on board the moment the contract was signed,” says Craubner.

Norman Herz, former Head of Human Resources at MAN IT Services, also praises the change management processes: “We found a way of working with T-Systems as partners, instead of customer and provider. The basis for this relationship was sound planning: hand-in-hand with T-Systems, we developed tailor-made concepts very early on. And thanks to standardized reporting, all project stakeholders were kept up to date at all times and given ample opportunity to clear up any questions. We met employees’ needs by implementing robust communications processes. And T-Systems’ staff ensured fairness and
transparency, particularly when it came to contract and payment terms. Both of these are now comparable with what we had at MAN. The range of activities undertaken led to a high level of acceptance and motivated employees.”

What’s more, the new colleagues’ willingness to fit in had a positive impact, too: “Eddie, as Craubner is known at work, not only found his feet fast but he also contributed to creating a new team spirit between former MAN employees and their T-Systems co-workers – in addition to doing a great job as Account Manager. It was a positive outsourcing experience,” praises Michael Friesinger, Account Executive for MAN at T-Systems.

Seamless integration was a major priority, especially for the sales team, who had to continue advising clients on an ongoing basis. Even before the official change of control on July 1 last year, the MAN team met with their future boss and new co-workers several times to ensure smooth integration of the teams. As Craubner puts it, “The personal relationships have to work in a change process like this.” So when the 144 new employees were greeted at an official Welcome Day at T-Systems offices in Munich-Allach, Craubner was already familiar with the faces – but still the event was a new experience for him: “We received a very warm welcome. Senior employees gave us our first overview of the organizational structure at T-Systems.”

In their first weeks, the new colleagues were given training on the tools and processes. “Organization was excellent, from the invitations to the workshops themselves. And the courses posted on the intranet were a completely different dimension.”

Motivator for new heights

A different dimension comes with a different kind of pressure. When ICT is the core business, it doesn’t have to merely work right – it has to be competitive. “But that knowledge spurs you on,” explains Craubner, “especially since you have more internal support.” Plus, he and the other MAN employees who transferred with him have an incalculable competitive advantage: they have known their clients for years. And they can maintain these close relationships due to the smooth transition.

Craubner’s clients quickly came to appreciate the benefits of T-Systems’ service. The ICT solutions portfolio is much broader now. “I had to work hard to get up to speed,” says Craubner, “but in sales, it’s great to have an abundance of options.” His prospects widened in other ways, too. After a mere six months, he was made Account Manager for new business for MAN’s manufacturing division. “Management encourages you to be flexible and face new challenges quickly,” says Craubner. As an added bonus, he also shaved time off his commute: he lives closer to the T-Systems offices than to MAN.