Sport-Thieme, founded in 1949, is Germany's leading mail-order retailer specializing in institutional sports equipment. Now a global company, Sport-Thieme provides a wide range of sports products and services to schools, clubs, and other organizations.

The challenge 

Sport-Thieme was an early adopter of Atlassian's Jira Service Management (JSM), using it as a versatile tool for project management and ticketing across various departments. But with Atlassian's shift towards cloud-based solutions and the discontinuation of support for their server version, Sport-Thieme faced a decision: should they stick with Atlassian and migrate to the cloud, or explore other options?

The answer was a resounding "yes" to staying with JSM. It very much met their needs for data protection, usability, and integration with Active Directory. But how could they make the leap to the cloud without disrupting their day-to-day operations? This was the challenge that led them to seek expert guidance.

The solution 

Eficode (formerly Jodocus) jumped in to help Sport-Thieme tackle the cloud migration head-on. It was a true team effort, with both companies collaborating closely throughout the project. Eficode went beyond simply moving data to the cloud; they dove into Sport-Thieme's existing systems, identifying areas for improvement and streamlining processes along the way.

This collaborative approach led to a much more efficient setup for Sport-Thieme. Eficode's expertise in ITIL processes proved invaluable, equipping Sport-Thieme's IT team with the knowledge and skills to manage their systems effectively.

The migration itself was a bit of a rollercoaster. A technical hiccup meant Eficode had only 24 hours to complete the move. But they managed to pull it off without a hitch. By Monday morning, Sport-Thieme was up and running in the cloud, with no downtime or disruption to their operations. 

The benefits

The transition to Atlassian Cloud was a success for Sport-Thieme. They no longer have to worry about the headaches of manual updates and system maintenance, freeing up their IT team to focus on more strategic projects. This means more time for innovation and less time spent on tedious tasks.

"We no longer have to worry about complex updates and ongoing system maintenance. The entire administrative effort in this direction is completely eliminated. This results in significant time savings and a great facilitation of work."

Alexander Boog, IT System Integrator and Lead Administrator for Jira and Atlassian products, Sport-Thieme

The benefits didn't stop there. In the cloud, they can easily set up automations and create custom forms, making their processes even more efficient. This allows their team to work faster and with greater ease.

"It simply works much faster, significantly more efficiently, and even minor changes are now easier to implement than before. As the lead administrator of JSM at Sport-Thieme, I can only emphasize that I am very satisfied. JSM Cloud saves me at least 70 percent of the work compared to the previous model." 

Alexander Boog, IT System Integrator and Lead Administrator for Jira and Atlassian products, Sport-Thieme

The collaboration with Eficode also left Sport-Thieme with a valuable asset: in-depth knowledge of ITIL processes. This newfound expertise empowered them to take control of their own JSM instance and confidently manage it in-house. Plus, with Eficode as a trusted partner, Sport-Thieme has the support they need to tackle future projects with confidence.

"We had several providers in mind, but everything just clicked with Eficode from the beginning – not only professionally and financially but also on a personal level." 

 

Marcel Bansleben, IT Infrastructure and System Administrator, Sport-Thieme

One for the future:

Sport-Thieme has its sights set on the future with plans to create a company-wide knowledge base. The goal is to centralize information and make it easily accessible to all employees, improving collaboration and efficiency even more. While the specific tool for this project is yet to be determined, Sport-Thieme is confident in their continued partnership with Eficode through this next phase of digital transformation.