Partner Success Story
With Shareflex, MODUS Consult GmbH has found the optimal DMS solution for all its customers who do not want a classic DMS or ECM, but rely entirely on the Microsoft platform.
When the Bechtle Group, with more than 15,000 employees, needs Microsoft specialists, MODUS Consult GmbH, a subsidiary of the group since 2015, is often the first point of contact. “Especially in the area of Microsoft Finance & Operations (FO), it can sometimes be international”, explains René Milberg, who works at MODUS Consult as a Solution Manager Dynamics 365 FO and Business Developer in the ECM area. “Our traditional customers are based in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)”. Above all, “we are very strong as specialists in our industries. As well as the appropriate IT specialists, we have food engineers and mechanical engineers on board, depending on the industry”.
The partnership with Portal Systems is the result of chance and “actually a very exciting story”, as René Milberg puts it. “You need to know that MODUS Consult has always been strong in the field of ECM – formerly known as Document Management Systems (DMS).” Over the years, the company had established partnerships with various DMS providers. One of these was very active on the Microsoft platform. “We wanted to have a closer look at it”, continues Milberg.
MODUS Consult GmbH is the Microsoft Dynamics partner of the Bechtle Group and has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the group since 2015. MODUS Consult is headquartered in Gütersloh. The company also has offices at five other German locations in Mönchengladbach, Nuremberg, Villingen-Schwenningen, Stuttgart and Neckarsulm and employs a total of more than 300 people. Founded in 1995, MODUS Consult started with “Navision” and is now a specialist in Microsoft’s ERP and CRM Dynamics products, particularly in the engineering, manufacturing, furniture, food and professional services sectors.
“Until 2010, Microsoft wasn’t that exciting for us,” admits René Milberg. “The basics were starting with SharePoint, everything was still on-prem,” says Milberg, listing a few arguments. But then they got on board. “We were looking for something for our customers who didn’t want to implement a classic DMS or ECM with their existing DMS partner,” explains Milberg, “but who wanted to rely entirely on the Microsoft platform – at that time, of course, still on-prem.”
“It was clear to us even at that time that Microsoft was a great supplier of technology, but not so much of solutions,” says René Milberg, looking back. Through the SharePoint project business, they came across Portal Systems. “At that time, we needed support, an extended workbench, more resources,” he outlines the core problem, “because we were very strong in sales and had more orders than we could handle.”
That’s how the collaboration began, and it was “characterised by an incredible partnership and cooperation on an equal footing,” Milberg recalls. “It was also a great partnership in the consulting area.”
In the course of the cooperation, Portal Systems also presented its own Shareflex products to MODUS Consult GmbH. “And they were very interesting.” René Milberg describes the actual goal of the partnership as follows: “Basically, we were hoping for more success in the entire SharePoint segment and wanted to expand our on-premises business.” But then things moved very quickly because the SaaS (Software as a Service) issue came up and grew rapidly. “So we looked for a vendor that understood a pure SaaS business,” Milberg recalls. And Portal Systems had set out to create a very strong product in this area with Shareflex, “which I think is unique in the world.”
“In addition to the people themselves, it was the technology at Portal Systems that convinced us,” explains René Milberg, “because the approach was very innovative, the way Portal Systems integrated the Shareflex software into the Microsoft SaaS environment, i.e. the Azure environment.” As the responsible Business Developer at MODUS Consult, he saw a lot of potential in the SaaS software strategy, “but above all in the cooperation with the people at Portal Systems, which had developed on an equal footing over the past few years.” From today’s perspective, Milberg says: “We were hoping for more business from the partnership, and it has developed fantastically over the last 8 years.”
“In addition to the people themselves, we were impressed by the technology at Portal Systems, because the way Portal Systems integrated the Shareflex software into the Microsoft SaaS environment, i.e. the Azure environment, was very innovative.”
At MODUS Consult, a dedicated team has been set up to look after the Shareflex software for customers. “In Dynamics projects, however, the cooperation is a two-way street,” adds René Milberg, meaning that the people at MODUS Consult and Portal Systems work closely together. “Of course, we are the specialists when it comes to Microsoft CRM and ERP, and when Portal Systems has a topic where, for example, the ERP or CRM needs to be deeply integrated, then of course they also come to us and our specialists – and the integrations into the Dynamics world also come from us into the partner channel.” They complement each other perfectly, is how René Milberg sums up the collaboration.
“We are an extremely strong sales organisation,” says Milberg, referring to MODUS Consult, but also to Bechtle, which has a tremendous reach. “We have our own sales channels, often with ERP or CRM as the driving force, and we offer our customers our own solutions, the MODUS filing plan in conjunction with enterprise resource planning. These are the topics that we then present to our customers.” They have their own pre-sales department and many sales people who take the pre-sales people with them to present the solutions. For example, “how the source documents from an ERP system, i.e. a merchandise management system, are completely archived in Shareflex Documents.“
There are topics and challenges that arise for customers that MODUS Consult can quickly and reliably address with Shareflex products in the cloud. “We often deal with topics such as ‘processing incoming invoices’, which of course always involves financial accounting, or ‘quality assurance in the food industry’ or ‘contract management‘, which is the basis of every business relationship,” says Milberg.
Then, for example, you show the customer what contract management with Shareflex Contract looks like, describes René Milberg. “Over the past few years, we have had more than 1000 ERP and CRM projects. We find our customers ourselves and sell them the products.” But from time to time, Portal Systems will approach MODUS Consult with a customer who has a specific Microsoft challenge. “Occasionally we take over from there.”
René Milberg was particularly impressed by the ‘Hamburg spirit’ at Portal Systems. He explains: “Working together as equals is something that has become rare, and the moment we need technical support from the team, it is there, as is sales support. It is an absolutely close, partner-like relationship that should be highlighted in a very positive way. From the board to the developers, everyone is there when you need them. It is absolutely fantastic.”
Are you interested in a cooperation, solution or technology partnership? Are you looking for a DMS/ECM solution that perfectly complements your portfolio as an ERP system provider (e.g. in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC environment)? Or do you have an idea for a new business application or industry solution based on Shareflex?
Then learn more about our partner programme and make an appointment to discuss your requirements. We look forward to your questions!
It took about two years from the first meeting in 2014 to the signing of the agreement in 2016. “The actual agreement was fairly straightforward, but in business you have to write and sign partner contracts too,” Milberg continues. “This is reviewed on both sides – and just this year we tightened up the 2016 contract, which at the time was still based on on-premises products.” Although there were already elements of the SaaS business at the time, “we have tightened up the terms and conditions and the SaaS business in particular.” He concludes: “From my point of view, it is easy to sign a contract like this, because everyone agrees and there is nothing bad in such an agreement.”
There are no sales quotas or anything like that to meet. “It was clear from the start that we were not going to work with any kind of punitive model,” says Milberg. “Success has come of its own accord, not through coercion, and that’s the charm of it.”
Eight years ago, MODUS Consult was one of Portal Systems’ first partners. Since then, the collaboration has more than paid off, both humanly and financially. “We have acquired many customers over the past few years. It’s really exciting to see what has been created.” And it’s not just about the one system. “For us, it’s always a case of interlocking cogs: the ERP system couldn’t work without the sales process or the CRM, but neither of these systems could work without the archive or the upstream processes for processing incoming invoices.”
“For us, using a system like Shareflex also means customer loyalty,” explains René Milberg. “This means that today, without having to install local servers or software on site, customers can grow with us on a rental basis – and when our customers grow, our joint business grows, both at MODUS Consult and Portal Systems, and at Bechtle.” This, he says, is a success story.
In order to be able to advise a customer properly and ultimately use the Shareflex product correctly, the relevant MODUS colleagues had to be trained by Portal Systems as partners – both digitally and in person. “Of course,” says Milberg, “this is a complex platform, and it was certainly an advantage for us to have been involved from the very beginning and to have experienced the whole framework and so on – in other words, what preceded today’s platform.” But, as with other software, it doesn’t explain itself, he points out. “There is still a need for training and education – and I would strongly advise against cutting corners. As a new partner or customer, empowering people is the key to success, because ultimately it’s the people who make the project happen.”
Further expansion of the collaboration with Portal Systems is firmly planned. “It is a fantastic partnership and a great relationship,” concludes René Milberg. „We have a lot of plans for the next few years on both sides.“
Patrick Carl
Chief Sales Officer
Email: info[at]portalsystems.de
