Case Studies
Hays plc - SAM facilitates Group Transformation
Executive Summary
Hays plc is among Britain's FTSE 100 companies, and its services
encompass CRM, Supply Chain and HR Management. On 4th March 2003
following a Strategic Review, Hays announced that they would no longer be 'a
diverse multi business Group' but would focus on the core business to
become a 'pure Specialist Recruitment and HR Services business'. The first
step in this process was a divestment program. To meet contractual
obligations in the sale process, all assets had to be accounted for.
TLC's proposed Group Review, involved some 12,000 desktops across the
globe. In gathering and centralising all available records, the review and
analysis process established the true licensing status worldwide. Hays were
then able to cover licensing shortfalls in one area with surplus licenses in
others through a simplified and efficient group transfer process, so mitigating
all unnecessary costs.
Challenge
Hays plc employ some 27,000 people in over 20 countries. This large organisation
with diverse locations and disparate cost centres, had no overall mechanism in place
to provide a global view of the group's software assets.
Although most of the company used a group Microsoft Select Agreement, parts of the
Group had been allowed to work in their own way for years. With the consequences of
changes in personnel coupled with ever evolving and complex Microsoft Licensing
rules there was a recognised gap between the expectation of a well managed
Microsoft estate and reality.
Our Group Review needed to achieve two things, firstly to provide the definitive
licensing position of all divisions of the business worldwide so that the imminent
divestment program could be completed, and secondly to assist the Group in
understanding where and why things were not 100% accurate and how to ensure that
the future of Hays Software Asset Management remains accurate.
Solution
A comprehensive Review of all Software Assets was undertaken entailing
considerable commitment from both TLC and Hays staff in gathering, collating and
examining data from around the entire Group to form the basis of a reliable and
resilient IT Inventory embracing the scope, scale and diversity of the organisation.
The subsequent analysis enabled the true licensing position to be established. Where
errors had been made in the interpretation of licensing rules or the tracking of the
asset base, the problems were identified and resolved. TLC then advised Hays on the
correct methodology and language to be used for the transfer of licenses to the
Divisions being divested hence balancing out any gaps.
Benefits
Since the successful completion of the
recent divestment process, a simpler
business structure now exists within the
group, providing an ideal window of
opportunity to identify enhancements and
improvements to business practices
using the principles of the SAM approach
to IT strategy.
As a result of the Review, many licences
where transferred around the Group to
compensate for over and under licensing.
If this process had not happened, excess
licences would have gone to waste and
extra licences would have had to be
purchased to fill any gaps. The financial
benefit of this process was approximately £200,000.
The information and knowledge imparted
during the Review can be maintained
and managed to facilitate better-informed
business decision making in the future.
Microsoft licensing remains a complex
area requiring specialist knowledge in
order to gain maximum advantage from
the assets themselves. Centralised
purchasing ensures that maximum cost
advantage is gained from the
accumulative effects of greater numbers.
Having the appropriate controls in place
means information is to hand both on a
Group and a local level. When an
organisation changes shape the assets
can be transferred and reused in the
most efficient way possible.
SAM Partner
Established in 1995, The Lapworth
Consultancy Ltd provides Information
and Communications Technology
solutions, services and support. TLC
aims to supplement customers' existing
in-house staff and systems with their
own skills and experience to ensure
customers reap the benefits of
flexibility, best business practices, and
return on investment.
TLC's principles have quite naturally
lead to the development of a SAM
Solutions team enabling TLC to share
their in-house knowledge and expertise,
allowing their customers to effectively
manage their software assets both now
and in the future.
TLC's SAM Team have been working in
close partnership with Microsoft since
2002, and possess wide-ranging skills
and experience in all areas of the SAM
process, including:
- advice and methodology
- audit tools and implementation
- installation and audit process
- inventory review
- training
- policy and process review
- ongoing asset management
The TLC SAM Team aim to provide
customers with information-rich
solutions to successfully manage their
software investments, and maximise
the value of the information to deliver
benefit to their specific business needs.
Customer Quote
"TLC were able to provide us with an
effective means of gathering and
presenting Microsoft licensing
information. More importantly they were
able to identify where our licence
records that we had not been able to
find were likely to be"
Fast Facts
Customer Profile
Business to Business Services
One of Britain's FTSE 100
companies
Challenge
Accurate inventory of a diverse
multi-business Group
Establish compliance in
readiness for divestment
Identify all problem areas and
advise accordingly
Solution
Global Software Review
Advice on all licensing rules and
regulations
Guidance on transferring of
assets across the Group
Benefits
Simplified divestment process
Better-informed strategic
planning
Partner
SAM Solutions TLC
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