Speedy Services creates a platform for further improvement with Dynamics 365

Digital transformation of service delivery

Speedy was running on an older system which was nearing end-of-life. To continue to meet and improve its customer promise – and to meet its growth objectives – it needed a modern system. It wanted greater rental fleet visibility to maximise asset on-hire time, thereby maximising hire revenue. It also needed real-time replenishment data to meet order fulfilment requirements. In addition, it wished to offer recommendations to linked products to grow secondary revenue. “Like all businesses there was a need to modernise and digitally transform,” explains Mark Sunderland, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Speedy Services.

Speedy evaluated options to modernise its ERP system. Microsoft Dynamics 365 offered everything it wanted: a modern, evergreen, cloud-based, composable solution that provided more than just finance and supply chain. With Dynamics 365, Speedy was interested in the flexibility to add omnichannel, customer service, and marketing, all running in the cloud and working together.  

“We were looking for a solution that would provide us with enhanced security and a single system for operations and reporting,” explains Mark Sunderland. “We were also looking for faster, real-time data to optimise equipment and people resource and a reduction in overall ERP support. For us, that system was Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management.” 

The team began a programme to move to Microsoft Dynamics 365 in 2020. Speedy implemented Dynamics 365 core finance and supply chain for over 2,000 of its employees across all 200 branches, including B&Q outlets. 

Dynamics 365 is the core of a major digital transformation programme for Speedy. The new system went live in 2022 and brings the benefits of simplifying some of Speedy’s key business processes and significantly improving the user experience. Later phases will focus on reviewing and digitalising key processes to maximise the full potential of the new system.

Overcoming implementation risks and fears with effective change management

The project was a significant undertaking as it included the entire Speedy operation, supply chain and customer experience across all locations going live simultaneously. Some past implementations had not gone well, naturally leaving residual fear and resistance in the organisation. This time, Speedy needed the right solution to land in the right way. To accomplish this, Speedy planned extensively, working with Microsoft, and took an unusual approach: instead of re-engineering processes as part of the migration, they limited change to minimise the impact on the users and ultimately, the business.  

Speedy also worked with Microsoft to develop a change management and adoption programme. This included PROSCI, a center of excellence and implementation of WalkMe to drive adoption of Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Office 365. “From a people perspective,” says Lynn Jeary, Change Manager at Speedy, “the delivery of effective change management was a key part of the project’s success.”

Frontline staff, like Nicola Plummer, Office Team Leader at Speedy Services, have been delighted by the smooth transition to the new system and are excited by the opportunity to complete their work even more efficiently. 

A huge success

With Dynamics Speedy has 360-visibility of assets. “We track all of our assets on 15-minute updates,” says Mark Sunderland. “When a customer comes in to return an asset, it goes to a workshop where it’s cleaned, inspected and assessed for damage and if needed, it goes on to repair.  These statuses and locations are tracked in Dynamics… it could be in six different statuses within one day and the system has control of all of that. So, when somebody else comes in to hire an asset, we know whether we've got one available at that location.”  

The ability to see where the asset is and its status is key to keeping asset utilisation high, which results in more asset hire time and revenue. With this increased visibility and utilisation, Speedy has increased return on capital expenditure. Furthermore, it has increased workforce productivity for its front-office workers and engineers, while at the same time improving customer service and asset availability and lifespan by integrating with third party systems, such as those to predict stock holding requirements and improve utilisation.

The Speedy leadership team is now looking forward to seeing the benefits in many different areas of operations – from increases in secondary revenue to a higher control of productivity.

“Our foundation for the future is now set,” says Dan Evans, “with Microsoft technology being a big part of our effort to be more sustainable, more efficient and to offer a true omni-channel and excellent customer experience for all our customers.”