Since early 2015, MCX and Flexuz, formerly the Shared Service Center Peoplesoft (SSC-PS), have been working together optimally. Flexuz is a partnership of four Regional Training Centres (ROCs) in which the Oracle Campus Solutions application is centrally hosted. Core information for over 50,000 students is recorded within this system. This includes grades, data on internships, study choices, and so on. This is business-critical data, as the ROCs need this information to secure funding from DUO. Huub Overbeek, manager of Flexuz, speaks about the collaboration with MCX.

Technical management of Oracle Campus Solutions

Before MCX came into the picture at Overbeek, the infrastructure behind Oracle Campus Solutions was organized differently at the four ROCs (consisting of ROC Nijmegen, ROC van Twente, Noorderpoort, and Alfa College). “This made it difficult for us as a shared service center to resolve problems quickly and efficiently. The differences between the ROCs were enormous, both in terms of technology and organization. Furthermore, this infrastructure was also relatively expensive.”

Financial benefits from outsourcing technical management

During that same period, Overbeek set to work drafting a business case. “The financial benefits we would realize if we outsourced technical management to a central party were impressive. We could no longer ignore this.” And so it happened. Flexuz issued a European tender based on Best Value Procurement. The objectives were clearly formulated. “Our goal was to achieve high performance, guarantee operational continuity, and be unburdened at a technical level as a shared service center.”

Promises for performance improvement Oracle Campus Solutions

“MCX positioned itself as the best expert and immediately gave us the confidence that they would achieve our goals.” Overbeek recalls that this became clear at an early stage of the tender. “In the performance dossier, for example, MCX already indicated that they guaranteed a 20 percent performance improvement. But at the same time, they stated that they expected to improve performance by 40 percent.” The final transaction to MCX proceeded smoothly. “Despite the enormous confidence in MCX’s knowledge and expertise, such a transition is always nerve-wracking. Huge amounts of data are transferred. And you really don’t want everything to grind to a halt. Fortunately, none of these negative scenarios materialized.” And indeed: MCX achieved a performance improvement. “That 20 percent was reached. And although I don’t have exact figures, I think we are certainly heading towards 40 percent. Maybe even higher,” says Overbeek.

Benefits of outsourcing technical management of an Oracle application

The performance improvement is not the only great result of the collaboration with MCX. The business case that Overbeek had drawn up has also become a reality. Flexuz benefits from cost reduction through standardization. “In addition, we have – paradoxically enough – also become more flexible as an organization. MCX has taken over part of the tasks of our database administrators. That flexibility also provides us with a time advantage.”

Optimal cooperation

But what was the secret to their success in this case? According to Huub, it is due to the cultural fit between the two organizations. “We are both relatively small, are used to short lines of communication, and neither of us likes bureaucratic hassle. I can only put it this way: we have a truly pleasant collaboration.” Finally, we look ahead briefly. Overbeek is enthusiastic about the future: “MCX has built a standard environment and a template that is exactly the same for every ROC. This allows new ROCs to join easily. And although I will be focusing on starting up similar shared service centers as a freelancer in the future and will therefore be leaving soon, I will always look back on the decision to partner with MCX with a positive feeling.”

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