Two sites, one goal: enhancing the user experience at Sysco

With approximately 330 distribution facilities worldwide, Sysco is the largest global distributor of food and related products. The company serves more than 600,000 customer locations. Because of Sysco’s far-reaching scope, streamlined system design is imperative to keeping business functions efficient.

 

The Problem

Sysco had two sites running different FM:Interact systems with separate licenses and databases. The systems functioned independently with minimal communication between the Corporate Office and Sysco Business Services (SBS) site. Neither system was particularly user-friendly, leading to little user adoption and usage. Sysco also had a simple and limited move management process which needed enhancement. This is when Darryl Lott, Safety and Security Manager at SBS, decided it was time to contact RSP i_SPACE for help streamlining their systems and enhancing their processes.

Project Goals

• Enhance the overall user experience of the system and make it more user friendly
• Merge two separate FM:Interact systems into one
• Automate processes so system could run independently

 

The Solution

The first step in the overhaul was to define each unique user and their desired experience. The user experience needed to both reduce friction and be intuitive. The team mapped out user personas and explored categories like goals, pain points and job needs. These persona maps then prescribed design and configuration desires to best meet the user needs.
Merging the two systems into one from a technical perspective also required understanding the distinct design of each and how best to merge them, all while retaining the needed functionality. Two site administrators were brought together in a workshop to iron out key details and ensure buy-in for using the one merged system. Since both sites handled activities differently, a new homepage and request submission process was developed.

 

The Results

i_SPACE used their extensive knowledge as a FM:Systems business partner to configure the system to meet the needs but also deliver a superior user experience. With a redeveloped move request system — and an improved user experience — Darryl was able to gain traction with Sysco employees to adopt usage of FM:Interact when requesting moves and searching for people and conference rooms. Streamlined request forms, a homepage redesign that enables intuitive user navigation and simplified floorplan drawings all contributed to increased system usage. The system was also configured to run as independently as possible. The automated system design frees Darryl to focus on his daily tasks and not be stuck managing a queue of requests and service issues.

 

 

“Having a partner like RSP made it very easy”
– Darryl Lott, Manager at Sysco Business Services

 

All projects completed by i_SPACE follow a standard approach. Starting with a client-centric goal setting exercise at project kickoff, the team used a gated approach through design, configuration, testing and deployment to ensure the client’s needs were monitored and upheld at every major milestone throughout the project. By following this protocol, i_SPACE and Sysco were successful in delivering a software solution that ensured a user-friendly experience for all employees. Sysco can now effectively manage their space, occupancy and moves.