Municipal utility invests in innovative technology to improve regional quality of life
The future is green. The future is sustainable. It is therefore no surprise that sustainability and environment management are central to both the ecological and economic activities of every municipal utility. Investing in digital advances – innovative technologies and cutting-edge IT infrastructure – is crucial. Only then can a given region stay attractive in the long term while also responding flexibly to new demands such as those placed by e‑mobility and the Covid-19 pandemic.
By applying this logic and committing to forward-looking infrastructure, the regional market leader in the German city of Würzburg has been able to slash its CO2 emissions by 52 percent since 1990. Yet this performance reflects more than just astute management of the environment: WVV, the local provider of electricity, gas, district heating, drinking water, waste management services, local public transport and swimming baths, has also been instrumental in boosting the city’s attractiveness in this period.
Flexible workspace model drives employee satisfaction
In its capacity as a modern service provider and major employer in the region, the utility company trusts to the latest technology for its 1,400 internal staff too. WVV wants its people to enjoy flexible working arrangements and a healthy work/life balance built around a mobile workspace concept. Employees are supplied with customized mobile Apple devices via which they can access the company’s data. Working from home or on the move is perceived as positive by sales and field staff, as well as enhancing WVV’s ability to recruit young talent.
Cloud-based platform for digital workspaces
“During installation, we opted for VMware Workspace ONE as our cloud service so we could immediately use updates and new features. You can’t get better than that!” says Andreas Reumann, Group Leader IT-SL at WVV and the man in charge of both the data center and enterprise-wide IT. VMware Workspace ONE covers every one of WVV’s specific needs. It brings together all required applications plus 600 Workspace ONE licenses across about 1,400 devices on a central platform. Thanks to the customized iOS-based mobile Apple devices mentioned above, staff now have access to all corporate resources from any place and at any time.
Optimized workspace model – Efficient, flexible and sustainable
Based on the Workspace ONE platform, the new workspace model facilitates seamless remote working and was implemented in collaboration with WVV partner SVA System Vertrieb Alexander GmbH. It provides flexible, efficient and – above all – reliable support for intracompany cooperation. This employee-friendly strategy saves time and money, stimulates staff motivation and makes the company’s people more productive. The new, reliable platform for digital workspaces laid a firm foundation for the utility company’s future. When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, WVV sent about 40 percent of its staff to work from home. And, being well prepared, this procedure went relatively smoothly. Management and employees alike were pleasantly surprised – especially as the move to working from home did not involve any additional investment.
Looking ahead, the utility company wants to keep VMware and SVA by its side as it moves toward the future. Solutions such as smart parking space finders, smart power grids and smart meters will continue to underpin sustainable development in Würzburg and the surrounding region going forward. As a modern service provider, WVV is clearly well aware of its responsibility for the region’s development, not only today, but for future generations as well.
To find out more about our work with WVV, visit our website.
