Grothbolagen takes the next step on the digitalization journey together with Upheads

Former IT partner lost momentum after buyout

Carl Groth and his wife Lillemor Groth are the founders of Grothbolagen. After selling a previous company, they decided to do more of what they are really passionate about - helping companies develop and modernize. Carl explains:

- We acquire companies in mature industries where expertise is high and they are good at what they do, but where there is a need for modernization. Here we can contribute with our knowledge of development and leadership, while at the same time the companies can continue to run their core business under their own management. The companies retain their names and they run the operations, but we provide support in those areas that may be a little neglected - IT and communications, for example.

For a long time, the Groth companies had a well-functioning collaboration with an IT partner. But since they were acquired by a much larger IT company, Carl felt that much of what they previously thought was so positive disappeared.

Everything became so complicated, big and also expensive. It went from being a group that we actually knew and had worked with for many years, to new contacts and contact routes being added all the time. Many people we had appreciated having contact with also chose to leave the company. The service was negatively affected and at the same time prices rose.

"Upheads are available in a way that makes us feel confident that there is always someone to help us if something goes wrong - they act quickly when something unexpected happens"

- Carl Groth, founder of the Groth companies

More effective communication creates the right conditions for shared values

When Grothbolagen acquired the company Park & Vatten, Carl was recommended to contact Upheads. Park & Vatten had used Upheads for a long time and were very satisfied with the collaboration. A dialog was initiated and after initial conversations, Grothbolagen chose Upheads as a supplier for the implementation of Azure Virtual Desktop for access to the company group's various business systems. However, they quickly realized that this was just the beginning and a collaboration for increased coordination of the companies' communication began. For this work, Microsoft Teams is the starting point. Carl explains:

- Our companies are very production-oriented and softer values are therefore overlooked; how you appear as a company, what you stand for and which customers you want to work with, for example. For us at Grothbolagen, however, it is important that our values, which are largely characterized by contributing to social improvement in various ways, permeate our activities. To convey this message, we must find ways to make all companies feel part of the family we have created. Teams will be a central point from which we can do this.

Common structure for cross-company cooperation

Together with Upheads, a common internal communication structure in Teams has been built up for all companies. This helps both to ensure that information can be easily conveyed in the various activities and that communication and administration are coordinated and become more efficient. Carl again:

- Within each company, the different departments have their own communication channels - one for finance, one for communication, one for business development and so on. This allows us to use the same structure for all companies and makes it easier to take part in ongoing discussions. Although the companies do very different things in their respective areas of activity, they still face the same challenges - personnel issues, customer issues, coordination, market presence, contact with the authorities, etc. The exchange is therefore very rewarding. In addition, the work in Teams becomes more efficient and creates synergies. Instead of each company having its own resources for finance and administration, a few employees can handle the work for all operations. It also makes it easier to collaborate and exchange knowledge with each other across company boundaries, in roles that could previously be quite lonely.

"Some IT suppliers you meet are so technical in their approach and the distance to the staff in our companies becomes so great that they end up speaking completely different languages. Upheads bring the conversation to the right level and are friendly, humble, forward and knowledgeable"

- Carl Groth, Founder of Grothbolagen

 

Towards digitalization - step by step

Although the collaboration with Upheads is based on the work with IT solutions, Carl would like to highlight the spirit that Upheads contributes:

- Upheads are available in a way that makes us feel confident that there is always someone who can help us if something goes wrong - they act quickly when something unexpected happens. I also feel that they are very professional in their dealings with our companies and that they thus become an extended arm of the Groth companies. They reinforce what we want to stand for and in the meeting with newly acquired companies, where they explain how we work with digitization, they help to create a positive image of us in general. Some IT suppliers you meet are so technical in their approach and the distance to the staff in our companies becomes so great that they end up speaking completely different languages. Upheads puts the conversation at the right level and is at the same time friendly, humble, forward and knowledgeable.

Carl sees the implementation of Teams as one of many steps on the journey towards digitalization and points out that this is just the beginning. He concludes:

- There is so much functionality included in the Microsoft licenses you already have and it is a very small part of what you use. Being able to participate in the webinars that Upheads holds to learn more is a good starting point to then discuss further about what would be suitable for us to do next. Step by step, we are moving forward on our digitalization journey. It's an ongoing process that never really ends and means that we are constantly developing and improving.