Single Submit, Multiple Reuse

IT firm Visma Connect streamlines its clients' processes to align with standardized government agency requirements. The end goal is providing a "single-window process" platform, a requirement for all countries within the EU.

"For example, a single window or screen combines all border formalities into one message format, so there is only one submission, but reusability of information allows all government organizations to use the messages for their own business processes,” explained Marnix Vermaas, business architect at Visma Connect.

Based in the Netherlands, the firm saw a business opportunity due to the number of requirements for a cargo ship to dock in the country. "There are so many formalities before the ship can dock. Various government organizations have to be notified that it's coming, what's onboard, what it's worth, and who is working on board."

Visma Connect was experiencing inefficiencies due to a lot of manual effort, out-of-date procedures, and old technology stacks. The time between receiving information to getting it disbursed to various agencies and returned in a standardized structure was too long. Visma Connect needed real-time responses to obtain quick agency approval. Further, the original platform Visma Connect was using did not meet privacy standards within the EU, so the firm sought a solution that would address new security regulations and allow amendments. Further, with nearly 3,000 clients, Visma Connect needed something that would provide the quickest, easiest customer onboarding possible.

New Components, Improved Functionality

Visma Connect uses a number of TIBCO products, including TIBCO BusinessWorks™ integration platform, TIBCO BusinessConnect™ B2B gateway, TIBCO® Managed File Transfer, and TIBCO Enterprise Message Service™ (a core capability of TIBCO® Messaging) to provide its service solutions.

"We implemented a TIBCO solution because we wanted an improved platform with new components and modern functionality. We managed that with TIBCO, and I think that was really our 'party' moment," said Elsbeth Bodde, business development executive at Visma Connect.

Streamlined Messaging

"If a single window is not on, our National Harbor or Port of Rotterdam cannot function. It has a huge economic impact if we get something wrong," said Bodde.

TIBCO has allowed Visma Connect to streamline border and customs processes. One of the most noticeable improvements was in messaging technology. The biggest concern Visma Connect had in transitioning to a new platform was whether or not it would be able to keep up with message bursts. Upon implementation, the new platform is easily sustaining bursts of up to 30,000 messages per minute.

Faster Onboarding

"When we selected our technologies, it was very important that customer onboarding was done safely. Onboarding also needed to be done fast and in a way that if anything needed troubleshooting, we could do it," said Bodde. "We needed a product that would let us do a fast analysis of what was going on, where we were stuck, and why. TIBCO had the best way of providing us with these solutions."

Improved Customer Service

Visma Connect has seen an improved relationship with customers using BusinessConnect™ to help them solve their problems. The solution allows the company to provide 24/7 customer service and perform better analysis on issues than it could previously.

"As a service provider, you need to trust your customers, and customers need to trust you. Without trust, every IT project of any scale is doomed to fail," said Bodde.

"Because we implemented our new platform with a view to the future, we know that we can support greater amounts of messages and continue to onboard more customers, so it is indeed future-proof, just as we had intended."