Many companies are using managed services as part of their IT strategy to reduce operational costs and improve service levels. By consolidating existing contracts with a single supplier and rolling-out a new desktop infrastructure, BAA will make massive savings, as well as improving the flexibility and mobility of its staff
BAA is the world’s leading airport company, with more than 200 million passengers using its seven UK and 11 international airports every year. BAA also owns and operates the Heathrow Express rail service between London Paddington and Heathrow – the world’s busiest international airport – and travel retail specialist World Duty Free.
The need to balance IT innovation and performance with expenditure is a challenge that faces every organisation, and one that must be addressed if operational costs are to be controlled. “There needs to be a very explicit link between the demand for IT and the associated costs and benefits,” says Richard Rundle, BAA’s group IT director. “By optimising our business planning, we have been able to expose the links between the money BAA invests in IT and the value it delivers. As a result the company is able to make intelligent investment choices, and our internal clients become more discerning about their IT purchases.”
To help ensure the company gets value for money and maximum performance from its systems and suppliers, BAA takes part in a regular benchmarking exercise. As part of this process, BAA found that while most areas in IT were performing above standard, there was room for improvement in some areas, one of which was desktop services.
As Kevin Mercer, BAA’s service delivery manager, explains: “Four suppliers were involved in managing our desktop estate, which meant there was duplication of effort plus an overlap with some of our internal IT services. Our desktop infrastructure was also based on legacy technology, which was not only inefficient but also becoming more costly and complex to maintain.” To address these issues, BAA decided to embark on an innovative refresh of its desktop environment and services delivery model.
“We took the decision to invest in a server-based computing
model, which will ultimately lead to a more efficient and cost-effective
desktop environment,” comments Mercer. To help roll-out the new
infrastructure across its 19 UK sites and provide ongoing managed services,
BAA turned to Computacenter.
In April 2003 Computacenter became responsible for a range of services,
including technology sourcing, maintenance, asset disposal, and installations,
across BAA’s UK estate of around 10,500 desktops/laptops.
“By consolidating our desktop services with a single supplier, we were
able to make immediate savings,” says Mercer, “and this second phase
will enable even greater economies of scale.”
As part of the second phase of the agreement, 31 staff transitioned from BAA to Computacenter under TUPE (transfer of undertakings, protection of employment) regulations. These staff are now part of a 50-plus on-site team, which is helping BAA to complete the migration to its ‘web-top computing model’. This involves the roll-out of Microsoft Windows XP, Citrix and Wyse thin clients. Thanks to the flexibility of the new desktop environment and its web-top computing approach, BAA will be able to address a number of business challenges.
As Rundle explains: “By providing staff with the means to access
information and applications at any time – and from any location – we
are able to address problems such as traffic congestion at airports
and crowded facilities.”
Flexibility is also a key part of the ongoing managed service, as Computacenter
client director Stephen Ball explains: “BAA is constantly innovating
and evolving its business, so it is essential that we are able to support
and keep pace with this change. We therefore flex and scale our skills
and resources according to BAA’s changing needs – rather
than sticking to the letter of our contract.”
Due to the nature of BAA’s business, Computacenter also needs to ensure its services are continuously available and prioritised according to the different needs of airport staff and departments.
As Jo Chambers, service delivery manager at Computacenter, explains: “BAA’s desktop estate is spread across the airport environment, and supports highly visible and critical customer services. It is therefore essential that we are able to respond quickly and effectively, and minimise any risk to business continuity.”
In addition to its work around BAA’s desktop environment, Computacenter also provides network support and maintenance, and sources a range of software and hardware, including HP servers, desktops and laptops. This enables BAA to ensure it spends its IT investment wisely; balancing value for money with risk and strategic choice, which is one of its key strategies. Chambers explains: “Thanks to our multi-vendor relationships, we are able to leverage BAA’s buying power to ensure it can maximise its investment in new technology.”
As a result of these and other cost-saving strategies, BAA will be able to reduce its expenditure by at least £2.4 million over the contract term. Financial savings, however, are by no means the only benefits of the desktop managed service. As Mercer confirms: “For the first time in three years, the number of service desk calls has decreased. The new environment is much more intuitive for end users, and there is greater central and remote management than before.”
Working together to identify potential opportunities is a key differentiator of the relationship between BAA and Computacenter, as Ball confirms: “Any problems are resolved collectively and we operate as a single team.”
