Reference story Ferdinand Bilstein

Ferdinand Bilstein saves time and reduces workload with digital personnel files

• Location-independent access via PC, laptop or smartphone – even when working from home
• Legally compliant, role-based access for authorised HR staff
• Significantly shorter processing times
• Easy compliance with all retention periods

Ferdinand Bilstein embraces digitalisation: personnel files go paperless

Ferdinand Bilstein GmbH & Co. KG (febi), based in Ennepetal, North Rhine-Westphalia, is now run by the founding family in its seventh generation – and with great success. The manufacturer of automotive and industrial parts employs over 2,000 people across more than 20 locations worldwide. One of the cornerstones of this success: continuous innovation.

The company has experienced above-average growth in recent years. As a result, more and more employees joined – and with them, more and more paper-based personnel files. “The cabinets kept getting fuller,” recalls Andreas Blau, HR Business Partner at febi. “We had a windowless archive for our paper personnel files, with movable shelving units – like a large library. At some point, managing the paper files became extremely tedious.”

Digital personnel files can eliminate unnecessary extra work

Tedious and cumbersome – and at times even impossible when working from home or on the go. If a file wasn’t immediately found in the archive, the search had to extend to colleagues’ desks. This unnecessary extra work for even the smallest change or addition became a real challenge for febi, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea of digitising the paper files was an obvious one. But how? With a scanner and a lot of manual effort? And then what?

Ferdinand Bilstein GmbH & Co. KG began looking for a provider of digital personnel files. Three companies made it to the shortlist, including d.velop AG. The other two providers specialised in digital personnel files, “but we wanted to think beyond just HR,” said Andreas Blau, “so we chose d.velop AG, which not only enables digital personnel files, but also offers a complete document management system, digital signatures, and much more.”

The path to the digital personnel file: febi’s transition to efficient document management

To kick off its digital document management journey, febi decided in early 2021 to implement the digital personnel file from d.velop AG. “The digital personnel file can be a real relief for many companies,” says Kristofer Erlenkamp, Market Director Mechanical Engineering & Construction at d.velop AG. “There are cases where employees track changes in their paper files using Excel spreadsheets, just to get a quick overview. That, of course, creates even more work.”

For the scanning process, febi hired an external service provider who collected, scanned, and returned all approximately 2,000 files. This took around eight weeks. Including the selection of providers, file clean-up, scanning, software setup, and training, the transition took about six months. “Of course, we had to get used to the digital workflow first,” says Blau, “but by now, everything has become much easier.”

febi benefits from these specific advantages of the digital personnel file

• Location-independent access via PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone, including from a home office
• Access controlled by user rights (e.g. read-only or read & write) for relevant HR personnel
• Quick access to documents, for example via full-text search similar to that used by internet search engines
• All files always accessible with just a few clicks
• Significantly shorter processing times
• Easy compliance with all retention periods
• Secure encryption
• Clear, intuitive interface
• Information can be provided more quickly and easily on site

Andreas Blau: “When it comes to usability, I like to compare the digital personnel file from d.velop AG to Apple – it’s intuitive and easy to use.” The software setup also took very little time, and the interface was even customised to match the Bilstein Group’s corporate design.

febi: “We appreciate it when someone thinks ahead”

“I’d give our collaboration with d.velop AG an A+ with distinction,” says Andreas Blau. “d.velop was always available, consistently innovative, and we rarely had to ask questions. Especially during the setup phase, we felt that d.velop brought a wealth of experience and already understood what we needed. That was extremely helpful. Whenever we had open questions, we received a call back within hours or by the next day at the latest. We truly appreciate it when someone thinks proactively.”

Following the setup, training sessions were held over two half-days. Two so-called key users from febi received in-depth training. They were then able to pass on their knowledge to other febi employees who use the digital personnel file less frequently or in a more limited capacity.

The decision for d.velop AG: A strategic choice for febi

Now that the digital personnel file is running smoothly and the company is working well with it, febi plans to unlock further digitalisation potential – such as a digital document management system or legally valid digital signatures.

“We wanted to think beyond just HR,” says Blau, “which is why we chose a provider with more than just digital personnel files in their portfolio. The collaboration was seamless. d.velop AG supported us exceptionally well and made us feel like we were working as equals – not just as a customer being sold to.”