The flexibility and customizability in the Atlassian products have paved the way to success at Zettle.
Zettle is a rapidly growing company that needs the right tools to scale efficiently while maintaining the company culture. To achieve this, together with Riada - Now part of Eficode, Zettle’s teams continuously ensure they take full advantage of Atlassian’s products.
Zettle is a fintech company that is on a mission to help small businesses succeed in a world of giants. The company was founded in 2010 and has since become a leading provider of digital tools for small businesses. Today Zettle has offices in 12 countries in Europe and Latin America and employs more than 700 people worldwide.
The challenge: Combining structure with Agile
A challenge for Zettle is handling the company’s rapid growth while maintaining an Agile approach. Providing great collaboration and productivity tools are essential in dealing with this challenge.
Steering teams toward using the same tools is also important, to facilitate collaboration and synergies. The teams are encouraged to use the tools without having to change their way of working, and they are educated in the many advantages of each Atlassian tool.
“My goal is to help people increase their productivity and work more efficiently. The Atlassian tools are very customizable which means we can set up great solutions for different teams.” - Maaike Gerritse, Application Manager, Zettle
Zettle first started using the Atlassian products without the advice of a consultant. A small group started, creating projects and setting things up to get their job done. Eventually, the success of the company has led to more employees and a greater need for process support. In order to address these challenges, an ‘Atlassian team’ was created consisting of Zettle employees and a Riada - Now part of Eficode consultant.
The solution: Attention to workflow and flexibility
The so-called ‘Atlassian team’ believes in using a soft approach. They reach out to different teams and ask what they need, how they work at the moment and how things can be made easier. The 'Atlassian team' can then point out how the Atlassian tools can help productivity and efficiency.
“People like their freedom here. We can’t tell them what to do and how to do it. All we can do is facilitate their work. The strategy is showing people the way.” - Maaike Gerritse.
Most teams have an Agile coach, who is a great entry point for the Atlassian team. The Agile coaches are important ambassadors; they give valuable input on what is working and what could be improved. The rollout plan is to provide the right tools for their needs, and then adoption will follow.
The result: Improved transparency and collaboration
The Atlassian team practices what it preaches: the procurement process for IT tools is set up in Jira Service Management. The tool is perfect for supporting a process that involves many different stakeholders, demands clear communication, and where there is a need for documentation.
“The Atlassian tools are great for Zettle since we are constantly growing and changing. All the teams can use the same tool but in completely different ways, because we can create customized workflows.” - Maaike Gerritse.
When people want a new tool or add-on:
- They submit a ticket in Jira Service Management
- The applications team checks if Zettle already uses a tool that meets the requirements. If there is a need for a new tool
- The request is further investigated
- Other departments such as legal, finance and security are involved to establish a strategic fit and purpose
The person who submits the ticket is informed throughout the whole process. Handling the procurement process in Jira has proven to facilitate the application management immensely.
Results:
- More control through transparency
- Easier team collaboration
- Productivity and efficiency improvements
- Things are documented automatically
The collaboration: A team effort
Zettle and Riada - Now part of Eficode have been working closely since day one. The partnership means working together in order to bring order to the previous chaos, and set a structure and strategic approach for efficient use of the Atlassian tools in the future.
“Riada - Now part of Eficode feels very professional and I can trust their advice. They want us to have the best possible solution that fits our needs” - Maaike Gerritse.
Riada - Now part of Eficode also helps strategically planning the management of the tools, and suggests improvements when needed. The goal is to free time for the teams so they can focus on their core business.
