Planned Right. Decided Right!
Customer Story by BIRKHOLZ UND PARTNERS Ingenieure und Fachplaner für Medizin und Informationstechnik GmbH
Since 1994, we have advised clinics, hospitals, large medical practices, leading research institutes, and government organizations on the procurement of medical and information technology. Maintaining a clear overview in this environment requires foresight, expertise, and experience. To achieve this, using and being supported by comprehensive project management software such as BCS is essential for us.
About BIRKHOLZ+
Hospitals, clinics, and large medical practices have relied on our expertise in medical and information technology since 1994. As engineers and specialist planners, we provide comprehensive support – from initial, vendor-independent consulting and requirements analysis to specialist planning, procurement, and project implementation.
Engineers, physicists, and IT specialists – working hand in hand since 1994
The structural transformation of the healthcare sector requires solutions that combine technology and economic efficiency. We support this process with in-depth expertise and a clear focus on sustainable healthcare structures.
Under the motto “Plan right. Decide right.”, we bring together the expertise of our engineers, architects, physicists, and IT specialists. Together, we develop sustainable and functional solutions that help make healthcare fit for the future. We focus on tailored approaches rather than standard solutions.
Our goal is to create the foundation for economically stable and technologically innovative concepts that meet tomorrow’s requirements today.
BCS in use since 2008
As a planning and engineering firm, we manage a wide range of complex projects for our clients, with varying durations, budgets, and project stakeholders.
Before introducing BCS, our IT software landscape was characterized by decentralized standalone solutions. Project organization, time tracking, and customer management were handled using several separate applications and, in some cases, manual processes.
As the number of projects grew, it became increasingly challenging to identify overlaps at an early stage and to consistently monitor schedules and budgets. We therefore looked for an integrated solution that could support both project work and planning processes as well as professional CRM across the entire company.
Choosing BCS
In our search for a new software solution, we chose BCS in 2008 following an intensive selection process.
The decisive factor was its comprehensive coverage of our requirements, including the flexibility to adapt to HOAI-oriented project structures, an integrated CRM for quotations, sales opportunities, and customer relationship management, as well as transparent budget planning. Another major advantage was the ability to configure processes individually without the need for extensive custom development. It was also particularly important to us to benefit from a single platform that allows us to standardize processes while still keeping them flexible.
By the end of 2008, we were already managing all projects in the information technology division with the software; the medical technology division followed in 2009. Since then, we have managed all of our complex projects entirely with BCS, using the software to efficiently plan tasks, resources, and schedules, keep track of budgets, record working hours transparently, and clearly document project progress.
In particular, the integration of project management and CRM on a single platform makes day-to-day collaboration easier – helping us maintain a clear overview, increase efficiency, and carry out projects in a much more structured and successful way.
From a PM tool to a business operating system
After three years of successful use in project management, we evaluated in early 2012 whether BCS could also replace our existing ERP solution. Our goal was to establish a single software solution for all external customer projects as well as internal business and organizational processes.
In the second quarter of 2012, we began planning the “second expansion stage,” which went live at the turn of 2013. Since then, we have used BCS as our central management system and handle quotations and contracts, invoices, travel expenses, vacation planning, and internal controlling centrally in BCS.
For us, the key added value lies in linking project data with administrative processes. Using the project assistant, we create new projects based on templates, which saves time and ensures quality. In visual scheduling, drag-and-drop allows us to respond flexibly to changes.
Seamless time tracking for work packages provides us with reliable data on project progress, while vacation management helps us identify resource bottlenecks at an early stage. Travel expense accounting and invoicing are also handled directly in the system.
In the past, we spent a great deal of time laboriously consolidating data. Today, BCS provides us with a seamless process – from the initial idea through to invoicing. The software is far more than a planning tool; it is the fundamental operating system for our day-to-day work.
Outlook and conclusion
BCS is a central tool for us, efficiently connecting operational project work, resource planning, and customer management. The solution adapts flexibly to our requirements and supports us in delivering projects on time, within budget, and with a strong customer focus.
An important milestone was the migration of our server installation to hosting by Projektron GmbH in August 2022. The transition went smoothly; since then, we have benefited from a highly available, high-performance cloud environment. We have significantly reduced our maintenance effort: With every release, we review new functions, which Projektron Support implements for us quickly and easily. We greatly value this collaborative partnership – especially the fact that our suggestions are incorporated directly into the further development of the software.
