aspenPLUS the easiest way to manage your IT
aspenPLUS the easiest way to manage your IT
Our new client Loganair is the biggest operator of domestic routes in the UK. The airline have been busy supporting our island community throughout the pandemic and maintaining scheduled links for essential passenger travel, delivering mail and parcels. They have also been flying contracts for oil and gas companies, in addition to providing dedicated air ambulance capability for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
As with many in the aviation sector, Loganair revenues have been affected in the pandemic. They had to review the current cost base, as well as adapt to meet customers’ needs with a partially remote workforce. Microsoft 365 had been used to support the business through the pandemic. As with many businesses, Microsoft Teams has become an integral tool for external and internal video meetings.
Changes to the Microsoft offering meant that many different combinations could be used to achieve the same business outcome, however the different license types could significantly impact on the cost of the solution. With just under one thousand users and a 24/7 operation, there could be no downtime however in transitioning the licenses onto our platform. Loganair needed a local partner to take ownership of the project in a transparent manner.
Microsoft have changed their licensing options for 365 as they work towards a one product solutions for communication, encryption and anti-virus. This change is focus from Microsoft can lead to cross over from existing AV and encryption software. Therefore it was essential to understand what other services Loganair were using.
We challenged ourselves to build a solution that was best in class as opposed to reviewing the existing setup. This involved lengthy discussions about how the different departments worked and ultimately how did Loganair want them to work. Loganair’s costs had swelled due to changes in Microsoft licensing. The pandemic, along with new management coming into the airline, gave them impetus to review their current setup.
As we’re a Microsoft Gold-Certified Partner and a cloud services provider (CSP) of Microsoft products, we knew we could be a great asset to the client. We worked with Loganair’s internal IT team to build a tailored solution to suit the needs of the different user groups in the business.
This involved auditing the existing reactive supplier setup and using software to analyse how the existing licenses were being used. We reconciled with the client’s HR data to ensure only active employees were licensed. Once the new license proposal was approved, our team implemented a seamless transition from the previous supplier with zero downtime.
Our proposed license count resulted in a slight increase of licenses, but more importantly we reduced costs by 15%. This change will result in ten of thousands of pounds saved over the next few years. This tremendous saving will help our client Loganair manage their overhead as they fly out of the pandemic!
Importantly the procedures we implemented for starters and leavers at Loganair will allow them to control this overhead going forward. Consequently we will also be able to offer self service to manage the license counts. This will ensure the internal IT team can offer a more dynamic cost effective solution for the airline.
Importantly the procedures we implemented for starters and leavers at Loganair will allow them to control this overhead going forward. As we bed them onto our platform, we will be able to offer self service to manage the license counts. This will ensure the internal IT team can offer a more dynamic cost effective solution for the airline.
“After what the world has been through recently, it is never been more important to have strong working partner relationships. The efficient approach by the team at Aspen Solutions was clear from the start. The financial savings provided by their strategy will make a huge difference to our airline for years to come. Customer service is something that Loganair value greatly. I’m delighted that Loganair have Aspen Solutions to help with our IT support!” Rob Millar, IT Manager, Loganair
If we can help your business, we would certainly love to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to contact us!
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