The ITSM experts behind business optimization
By Rajitha Sivakumaran
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Cost reduction techniques are all the rage in the frail Canadian business economy we live in. One Montreal-based company is striving to push aside the limiting economy by offering cost-effective IT Service Management (ITSM) solutions for better business efficiency. Since its inception in 2008, C2 Enterprise, a luminary in the Canadian IT industry, has showcased its talent by providing clients with an all-in-one service management, service desk, and service catalogue solution. With a highly satisfied customer base scattered across the country, the company actively engineers, develops and implements software solutions that complement the needs of various types of industries like retail, health and biomedical, insurance, finance and banking, education and the public sector.
The company’s mission is to exceed their client’s customer satisfaction. “We want our clients to be superstars of customer services — we want to help them be heroes,” Stéphane Lauzière, CEO of C2 Enterprise, says.
Lauzière first started as a computer programmer, but he took a leap into entrepreneurship when he founded his first company in 1994. Like himself, C2 Enterprise hires a lot of programmers or employees with an IT background, but the organization is comprised of many other talents, including personnel with expertise in administration and marketing.
“The variety of the profiles that we have here brings a lot of good collaboration between people because they can help each other out,” says Lauzière. This collaboration positively impacts the upkeep of the company; differing strengths and weaknesses is beneficial to boost the support for one another, he added.
When Lauzière began the company in 2008 with co-founder Mylène Bouchard, C2 Enterprise consisted of only six employees. In the span of less than a decade, the staff count more than tripled, now numbering at 20.
From public to private sectors: IT Service Management for all
In addition to business IT support, C2 Enterprise specializes in enhancing customer service quality, enabling operational delivery of multi-department services for HR services, finance and procurement, along with key asset management such as wealth, personnel, commodities, inventory, equipment and contract information. Offering both SaaS and On-Premise deployment, C2 Enterprise prioritizes the security of confidential data while maintaining speedy operational performance.
Solutions are tailored to the needs of the public sector as well. For example, in the healthcare industry, the company offers continual high-speed performance and compliant IT & asset service management software. When working with municipal organizations, C2 provide efficient self-service tools such as a web portal through which citizens can correspond directly with the city.
The company offers strategic solutions that focus on building transparency between governing parties and their citizens. Software solutions also enable parties to meet high expectations regardless of limited resources and staff. The result: elevated public approbation and reciprocated satisfaction from government officials.
The company communicates heavily with clients, using a collaborative approach to mould solutions based on specific need and measurable objectives. Furthermore, communication does not cease upon product implementation; in addition to providing training and technical support, C2 Enterprise touches base with clients during bi-annual user group meetings.
“Everything we can measure, we can improve,” Lauzière said.
C2 ATOM: Flexibility, intuitiveness and efficiency
With these initiatives in mind, C2 Enterprise created C2 ATOM, an all-in-one codeless web-based ITSM software that has been shown to reduce business operating costs. The solution allows clients to provide state-of-the-art customer service with improved team efficiency, Lauzière said.
C2 ATOM is a flexible and custom-built solution designed for any specific business context. Customer demand has also ensured the release of the mobile app design for iOS and Android for this software later this year. With core values that centre on commitment, integrity and respect, the company has celebrated almost 500 implementations so far.
Living in the technology era, IT has become a pivotal part of the business world, but industry challenges exist nonetheless.
“As a technology company, you always have to adapt to new business models and new technology innovations” Lauzière said.
To compete in the market, C2 Enterprise has had to undertake various ventures in marketing and sales, such as the shift to inbound marketing, in order to draw customers. Aligning software solutions with business needs, increased transparency and good old-fashioned persistence have ensured commercial success. The company also uses the web and social media platforms to engage potential clients.
Sometimes a complete rewrite of the software is needed to maintain quality and almost four years ago, C2 Enterprise embarked on such a quest, using the latest technology and a strong team of experts to produce a more refined product.
Fortunately, downfalls in the economy have had a positive influence for the company and that is simply because of the types of services offered. Businesses want to streamline their operations and reduce their operating costs — this is what C2 Enterprise offers. With IT solutions from C2, processes (incident, problem, change, project, service request and event management) become automated, reducing manual errors and costs, and increasing efficiency. C2 Enterprise ITIL-framed software provides key performance indicators, dashboards, and more reporting features — all of which are essential for businesses to achieve their goals.
The world of IT is one constantly changing industry, and consequently, ITSM becomes a perpetual process rather than a tangible destination.
“The perfect process does not exist. It needs to be improved according to the business maturity and its evolution” Lauzière said.
At C2 Enterprise, products and services are always being tweaked and updated agilely, especially as the needs of the clients change.
Implementing software from C2 is neither burdened by technical knowledge or dependence. C2 analysts provide training to the IT staff, ensuring that they get the same knowledge as their trainers. This ensures the client’s autonomy. Furthermore, programs are user-friendly, easy to comprehend and require no knowledge of coding.
“We like to develop a partnership and a relationship with our clients; it’s not a one-time thing,” Lauzière said.
Giving back to the community
In addition to the technical aspect of C2 Enterprise, the company has a charitable side as well, particularly through its enthusiastic involvement for the past several years in the Make-A-Wish 48-hour bike event. The bike event raises money for sick children, but it also helps foster a strong relationship between C2 staff as they work together to make a difference.
“It’s a nice team-building project. It brings people together,” Lauzière said.
In 2015, C2 Enterprise was selected to participate in the SME Passport Program, a program that prepares companies for global expansion. Dubbed “one of the most prepared companies” by a consultant of the program, C2 Enterprise now has a detailed business plan for expansion into the United States.
“Our platform is ready, it is mature, we are accumulating success with it and I think now is really the time,” Lauzière said. For more information on C2 Enterprise, visit www.c2enterprise.com.
