Consulting and software house
«Budgeting has become much easier and more reliable thanks to the intensive use of Vertec.»
Eric Cosandey CEO, Head of Consulting SMA und Partner AG
Field of activity: Planning, consulting and software development for railway systems in almost 30 countries worldwide
Location: Zurich, Lausanne, Santa Ana (USA), Frankfurt, Paris
Challenges
Benefits
Vertec Services & CRM incl. all apps,
Budget & Phases, Business Intelligence, Purchases, Resource Planning
Zurich-based SMA und Partner AG plans and optimises railway systems around the world. Its engineers and IT specialists ensure that timetables are optimally planned and that the railway infrastructure can be used in the best possible way. To make the most of the potential of its railway and IT specialists, SMA uses Vertec’s business software.
The eye of the needle rarely comes alone. Therefore, when new or extended rail lines are being built, the question is always whether the capacity of the rail network is really being increased or whether bottlenecks are simply being shifted. The mix of regional, long-distance and freight transport with different maximum speeds and safety requirements makes the answer extremely complex.
«The reporting is very comprehensive and flexible. it supports us in many areas of corporate governance and gives us an excellent overview of ongoing business.»
Around 70 highly qualified employees at the Zurich-based engineer and consulting office SMA deal with such and similar questions. The traffic planners, engineers and IT specialists support railway companies and authorities with infrastructure projects, develop timetables and create solution strategies. A dedicated IT department carries out extensive simulations and programs railway-specific software.
The high complexity of the area of activity is also reflected in the company’s internal processes. SMA often handles long-term projects for foreign ordering parties involving employees from different departments. “This places special demands on project management, Resource Planning, accounting and controlling,” says Gil Dörr, Chief Operating Officer at SMA.
The company relies on Vertec’s business software because it can cover these requirements with a single program. “Thanks to its modular architecture with custom field items, report options, etc., Vertec can be adapted extremely well to our needs,” says Dr. Thomas Bickel, Head of IT.
«Budgeting has become much easier and more reliable thanks to the intensive use of vertec.»
Thanks to its flexibility, Vertec is also keeping pace with the rapid, internationally oriented development of the company. For example, Vertec is also used at the newly founded SMA subsidiary in California. Thomas Bickel is pleased to be able to rely on the simple and reliable solutions of Vertec for the expansion of his company: “Vertec is a secure value that I would not want to do without under any circumstances.”
