Ströer X

Ströer X is a prominent player in the call center industry. It operates 25 call centers across Europe and provides cutting-edge communication solutions. As the department lead for Application Management and Software Development, Markus oversees the company’s digital initiatives, ensuring that their software solutions meet the dynamic needs of the business.

Three years ago, Markus noticed low-code making waves in the tech industry. Many organizations had recognized the potential to accelerate development processes, and Ströer X was no exception. However, their parent company’s reliance on Microsoft Power BI posed a significant challenge due to its prohibitive costs. Ströer X needed a more cost-effective and flexible solution that could be self-hosted and integrated seamlessly with their existing infrastructure.

The team faced two major hurdles. First, the application development process was slowed by the diverse skill sets required within the team—one developer specialized in building frontends in PHP, another in ASP.NET, and so on. This diversity made it difficult to streamline the creation of database-centric applications. Second, the team needed a more efficient way to build front-ends, as the existing processes were too time-consuming.

The Search for the Perfect Low-Code Platform

In their quest to find the right solution, Ströer X explored various low-code platforms, including Retool and Appsmith. However, these platforms proved too complex and rigid, adhering too closely to their founding principles, which didn’t align well with Ströer X’s specific needs.

“Budibase was more general and flexible in its approach to building apps, which was a better fit for our use case,” Markus explained. The ability to tailor the platform to their unique requirements was a significant factor in their decision.

“We like the UI - it’s powerful. It looks good by design,” Markus added.

Discovering Budibase: A Seamless Integration

The team at Ströer X discovered Budibase and quickly recognized its potential. Budibase’s Docker-based installation process was a perfect match for Ströer X’s existing Docker environment. “What was good was the easy way to install. It was already Docker-based from the beginning, so hosting within a container was possible, which was good because we have a Docker environment. It was very easy to install,” Markus noted.

Another critical advantage of Budibase was its support for Microsoft SQL Server, which was essential for Ströer X. “From the beginning, Budibase supported Microsoft databases. When we found that Budibase had this Microsoft SQL Server driver feature, it was a big plus as integration wouldn’t have been possible without it,” said Markus.

Self-hosting was another non-negotiable requirement for Ströer X, given their extensive on-premises infrastructure. Budibase’s ability to be self-hosted set it apart from other platforms. “We need the ability to self-host to reach our internal systems, so this was a big plus for Budibase,” Markus emphasized.

Transforming Processes with Budibase

With Budibase in place, Ströer X began developing a range of applications that transformed their operations:

Contract Approval System:

One of their most critical apps is a contract approval system that requires the heads of three major departments to approve a contract before the CEO signs it.

Previously, this process was managed via email, slowing down approval times and making it easy to lose track of documents. The Budibase app has streamlined this process, saving the sales team approximately two hours per contract.

“This is one of our bigger apps. It’s a major success, they use it daily.”

IT Announcements:

This app allows the IT department to notify employees and customers about downtime. Budibase populates and sends predefined emails based on form inputs, ensuring clear and consistent communication.

“Historically, people didn’t know what to mail, and employees would only send one line of information. Now we have a structured email for incidents.”

Database Access Apps:

Ströer X developed several apps that provide access to product databases. Previously, employees had to submit IT tickets to access data. Now, with Budibase, they can quickly look up the information they need, allowing them to work more efficiently.

“We have now empowered our employees to look up the data with a Budibase frontend. This is very helpful.”

IT Ticketing System:

This app is used internally to manage IT tickets. It features graphs showing ticket ownership, completion rates, and more, providing valuable insights into IT operations.

“This was a great success. It gets used by every IT member, every day.”

Digital Visitor Log:

To comply with German data privacy laws, visitors to Ströer X’s office must log their visits. Budibase replaced the previously paper-based process with a digital form, reducing paperwork and ensuring compliance.

“We have overcome this previously paper-based process by rolling out an app called ‘Digital Visitor Log’. This has saved three pieces of paper that have to be signed for every visit as it’s now all digital.”

HR Documents Archive:

Ströer X also built an app that allows payroll to access data from outdated systems without incurring high license fees. This app has saved the company substantial costs while maintaining access to critical HR data.

“We need to have this stuff online so we can save a lot of money, so we built a Budibase app where people can still look up data in these old systems, without paying huge license fees to keep these systems running.”

Translation App:

An app that translates text from German to other languages and improves text quality by adding informal speech has streamlined communication within the company.

Employee Number Finder:

Previously, finding an employee number took 10-15 minutes. With Budibase, this process now takes just one minute, significantly improving efficiency.

What’s particularly impressive about Ströer X’s use of Budibase is the sheer diversity of applications they’ve been able to build. From streamlining contract approvals and enhancing IT communications to digitizing visitor logs and archiving HR documents, Ströer X has harnessed the flexibility of Budibase to meet a wide array of needs across different departments.

This versatility not only showcases the power of low-code development but also highlights how a single platform can drive innovation across an entire organization.

The Results: Substantial Savings & Increased Efficiency

The implementation of Budibase has led to impressive cost savings and efficiency gains for Ströer X.

“I would say that for the full year, we have saved roughly €300,000 by using Budibase,” Markus estimated.

The platform’s flexibility and ease of use have enabled the team to build a wide range of applications that continue to drive digital transformation across the company.

Budibase’s approach encourages continuous innovation, allowing the team to build and deploy multiple applications, rather than being restricted to a single-use case.

“Budibase has an approach that lets you build more apps. On Power BI, you build one app, deploy it, and then you’re done. There’s no encouragement to build the next app. It’s very closed in on one use-case, while Budibase lets you take your components and your learnings and reuse them to build more apps and reach your potential,” Markus noted.

The Road Ahead

Ströer X’s journey with Budibase is a testament to the power of open-source, flexible, and cost-effective solutions in driving digital transformation. The platform has enabled Ströer X to streamline their development processes, build a wide range of applications, and achieve significant cost savings.

“Budibase is a big win for our company because we managed to achieve a lot of digitalization potential,” Markus concluded.

As Ströer X continues to innovate and expand, their partnership with Budibase promises to remain a cornerstone of their digital strategy, paving the way for even greater efficiency and success in the future.