Künz lifts the bar on Global Project Management Efficiency with Smartsheet

Step into any major seaport or container terminal, and you’ll inevitably come across Kuenz. Founded in 1932, this Austrian family-owned business stands as a global leader in crafting cutting-edge solutions for container handling. From innovative cranes to specialised port equipment, the company delivers efficiency and ingenuity at every turn.

“Kuenz is based near Lake Constance in Austria, with branches spanning Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Netherlands, and Poland,” says Christian Hainzl, Head of System Commissioning at Kuenz. “I manage the commissioning department from the heart of our business, guiding distributed teams on developing automation software for cranes, conducting on-site commissioning, and handing over cranes to customers.”

Documenting tasks on the fly

Hainzl sought a centralised solution to manage Kuenz’s teams spread across different locations efficiently. “We previously used a popular collaboration platform to record project stages and issues, but found it inefficient,” he shares. With many people on the site, keeping the document updated and aligned became challenging. As paperwork piled up, onsite workers spent more time on documentation. "Documenting our work is crucial, but it should be easy for onsite teams to do it in the background," Hainzl emphasises. 

Dissatisfied with existing collaboration tools, the company turned to Smartsheet, which a client introduced. Then Nanga Systems, a Smartsheet partner, initiated a proof of concept. "We aimed to streamline tasks like issue tracking, checklists, and daily reports," says Hainzl. 

“Smartsheet's appeal lies in its real-time collaboration features and integrated issue tracking, fulfilling our primary objective.”

"In complex, safety-critical engineering projects, meticulous issue tracking and reporting are vital for ensuring top project quality and timely execution," Hainzl explains. "My role involves collecting site information and preparing daily reports for project leads, all while minimising disruptions to site personnel." To streamline access to projects and data, he relies on Smartsheet dashboards. "With them, I can quickly assess project progress and identify outstanding issues," he notes. "For instance, if a colleague from Austria asks about work status in Italy, I can pull up the dashboard and provide instant updates."

Resolving the unresolved

Smartsheet reporting simplifies tracking and communicating outstanding issues to the team. “I can go to the site, take a picture with my smartphone to document unresolved points, add them to a Smartsheet note, and share with the team.” This real-time collaborative approach also aids Kuenz in streamlining crane handover to clients. “Previously, about 10% of commissioning tasks were left unresolved and required readdressing before the handover,” admits Hainzl. 

“Now, with automated Smartsheet checklists, our employees know exactly what work is remaining before releasing a crane to the client.”

Shifting problem reporting and solving online has reduced the need for repeated onsite visits. “Once we address all the issues, I can quickly update the documentation and send it to the project lead for final approval without them having to make an additional trip to the site. This saves us a lot of time and money.”

"Across the whole company, 23 project leads use Smartsheet dashboards to stay informed about their projects,” explains Hainzl. Given the often harsh weather conditions on site, rapidly accessing key data on their mobile devices is crucial. “This way, they can swiftly capture issues, make notes, or fill out basic forms, later adding more detailed information via the web browser version in the office.” Once updates are made to the existing issues or a new issue is created, automation ensures that all the involved parties are promptly notified.

A quick path from trainee to onsite worker

Smartsheet not only makes Kuenz’s project management easier but also plays a crucial role in training and onboarding. “Part of my job is ensuring our employees are adequately trained. Once, while browsing the Solution Center for insights into Smartsheet usage, I discovered onboarding templates, which I customised to suit our needs,” recalls Hainzl.

Through Smartsheet, Hainzl highlights critical topics and directs employees to the company’s intranet manuals. “With scattered documentation, this centralised approach is invaluable,” he notes. It saves him time on addressing minor inquiries and guiding team members to relevant files. He adds, “Now, they mostly learn independently. I only hold quick meetings to ensure clarity and address complex issues.”

Now, Hainzl can track the duration of each training stage, aiding both him and other managers in grasping the onboarding timeline. “I frequently receive inquiries about the duration required to train a new hire to operate independently on the site, so this is priceless for our management,” he says.

The HR department uses Smartsheet capabilities to enhance candidate pooling. “We organise recruitment meetings at schools to attract future graduates. However, for privacy protection, we can't access participants' personal information from the school,” explains Hainzl. “So, we create a QR code-linked form for future candidates. They can scan it, share their contact details, and receive HR emails about vacancies at the end of the school year. This process fully complies with data confidentiality regulations.”

Intuitive and scalable 

Currently, over 230 users take advantage of Smartsheet across different departments. “One of Smartsheet's greatest benefits, besides centralisation, is its user-friendliness,” remarks Hainzl. 

“Unlike other collaboration platforms, which often require expertise for customisation, Smartsheet offers intuitive templates tailored precisely to our requirements.”

Pleased with the outcomes, the company plans to expand Smartsheet's usage, including developing templates for Kuenz’s hydropower projects. “The digital journey with Smartsheet has proven rewarding,” sums up Hainzl. “And we intend to continue on that path.”