Challenge

Recent expansion into North America led to the need for a solution that would accommodate rapid scalability and growth while maintaining a highly secure and reliable environment. They also needed the solution to have the potential to move to an AWS platform in the future.

Selection Criteria

Proven and reliable cloud hosting, Citrix, and HIPAA experience in order to allow for a smooth transition to a full-production environment quickly.

Result

SHI realized better than expected results with more than double its users in just six months of being in production.

Schlafender Hase (SHI) is a global leader in proofreading software and services for regulated industries. When SHI wanted to introduce a Software as a Service (SaaS) version of the Text Verification Tool, they decided to partner with a hosting company that could provide the IT infrastructure and services they needed.

Schlafender Hase (SHI) is a global leader in proofreading software and services for regulated industries. Their computer-driven proofreading solution, the Text Verification Tool (TVT), automatically compares documents and identifies discrepancies. Most effective in regulated environments like the global Pharmaceutical and Medical Device industries, TVT can be used in any proofreading situation where it is necessary to produce error-free and consistent documents. Failure to achieve 100% accuracy on products in the market may result in significant liability and costs to SHI’s clients. For example, if a pharmaceutical drug is labeled incorrectly (e.g. a hyphen was missing and instructions read “take 12 capsules every 6 hours” instead of “take 1-2 capsules every 6 hours”), the pharmaceutical client could be subject to litigation, fines and even product recalls which could cost millions of dollars and loss of market share.

Regardless of the file format, size, or language, TVT helps its clients avoid these errors, while saving them time and money during the proofreading process. A 500,000-word document would take a professional proofreader about 1 week to spot all the differences, whereas it takes TVT just 3 minutes. SHI’s customers have widely testified to TVT’s accuracy, time savings, and quick ROI, while vastly improving overall document accuracy.

The Challenge

Traditionally, SHI’s software has been sold either as machine-based (one license per machine) or as an on-premise server-based license. As the market leader in Europe, Schlafender Hase recently expanded its operations in North America (which represents a large share of the global market). Moving to North America, SHI realized they needed a solution that could accommodate rapid scalability and growth while being highly reliable and secure. SHI decided a hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, would facilitate quick deployments to its North American customers, but also recognized some industry trends which were driving its clients toward a greater acceptance of a SaaS model. Namely, (1) large ERP companies such as Oracle and SAP educating the market and paving the way, (2) enhanced, proven security of the cloud, including highly regulated industries and (3) the ability to pay-as-you-go and shift capital expenses to operational, freeing funds for more R&D. Having made a commitment to pursue a SaaS hosting solution, SHI began its search for North American-based providers. Key criteria for selecting a provider included:
• Proven, reliable cloud hosting since any downtime or delay, even a few hours, can cost their clients millions of dollars if products aren’t on the shelves making money
• Strong Citrix expertise for building a web-based storefront
• Outstanding security and HIPAA compliance experience in order to meet the stringent demands of a heavily regulated pharma market
• Ability to move the solution to AWS in the future should it be required

The Solution

SHI evaluated several vendors and eventually decided Connectria was the best fit for them now and in the future. “Aside from Connectria’s impressive HIPAA compliant cloud hosting experience, the other vendors simply could not offer what Connectria could,” noted Peter Muller, SHI Managing Director. Among these included Connectria’s ability to offer a low cost, low-risk production-ready trial (called QuickStart), the ability to bundle Citrix licensing into a single monthly fee, and flexibility to move the solution to a Connectria-managed AWS platform in the future should it be required.

Muller went on to say, “Connectria made it easy for us to do business with them. The ability to execute a proof-of-concept with them was key. If things didn’t work, SHI could simply walk away. Fortunately, the trial went very smoothly, Connectria’s cloud hosting and Citrix expertise were clearly evident throughout the process and we were able to quickly transition the proof of concept solution to a full-production environment with customers in a matter of days.”

The Results

Connectria’s solution for SHI has been in production for just six months, and in that short time, SHI has more than doubled its users. According to Peter Muller, “The entire process with Connectria has been smooth. We’re executing our plan as we anticipated, continually adding users with no downtime. As our growth continues on an exponential curve, we’re confident that Connectria will handle whatever we can throw at them.”