10th sam® user workshop 2020 in Hamburg

Around 130 sam® users and secova employees came together at the Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. The program included lots of new, interesting and helpful information about the holistic solution system for professional EHS management. In addition to presentations and “World Cafés”, there was also plenty of opportunity for personal discussions. The mix was right, as numerous participants confirmed.

With a fitting “Moin!” secova was once again able to welcome numerous participants to its sam® user workshop. Afterwards, there was plenty of “voting” to loosen up and get into the mood. However, instead of using external end devices – so-called “clickers” – such votes can now be easily carried out using the sam® Voting app. This provides sam® users with a very practical tool for conducting surveys or loosening up group training sessions quickly and easily: add a QR code to the relevant slide at the click of a mouse, scan it and off you go!

What happened at secova and sam® in 2019 and what’s coming up in 2020? At the beginning of his presentation, Managing Director Jörg Klaas showed how the appearance of Team secova has changed from the first user workshop in 2011 to the present day: Because instead of a suit and tie, there is now a fresh, colorful look. This relaxed and fresh approach simply suits the company much better and also represents its preferred form of customer relationship.

Last year, we added over 200 customers with many exciting projects. For example, secova can now access the support of Eco-Compliance in the legal database area. The sam® EHS Manager – the app for mobile use directly on site – has also been significantly expanded. Great progress has also been made with sam®-VR.

Since secova attaches great importance to appealing user-friendliness – as with the “new sam®”, the relaunch of the homepage or the editorial redesign – we are increasingly producing the photos we use ourselves. Everything must also be coherent in terms of content. For this reason, the sam® risk assessment is currently undergoing a certification audit to review process quality.

Offering the best possible quality is also the aim of the service team every day. The number of service tickets remains high at over 6,000 in 2019, and chat is also increasingly being used. We are very pleased about the recognition of our commitment by our customers, 98 percent of whom are satisfied according to the latest survey. The portfolio of editorial topics is now extensive with a total of 480, including over 200 English and US topics. They are available to all sam® users free of charge in the system.

One focus in 2020 will be the ongoing rollout of the “new sam®”, which will gradually include additional function modules. How can sam® be used in an even more versatile and supportive way in all desired locations? To this end, various innovative applications and uses are being tested this year.

The new “secova headquarters” in Rheine has already been occupied. The expanded secova team now has enough space there again. Workshops, meetings and seminars can now be offered here in future, especially for and with customers. Because the premises are equipped according to the latest ergonomic criteria, they offer optimal, variable working conditions – including various places to retreat to in terms of work-life balance.

Managing Director Jörg Klaas can see for himself what this can look like: Just a few years ago, he was a fan of “Beafer, bratwurst and children’s bars”, but he has since completely changed his diet and now follows the “7 principles” of a healthy lifestyle. As a taster, all workshop participants were given a breathing exercise as a meditation after the lunch break – the “seven rounds of seven”.

All the innovations in the modules, specific questions for the respective developers and VR or app sessions – these were the topics of the sam® cafés. This is where things became more specialized, with many different aspects being discussed due to the individual use. The participants learned how sam® can support a wide range of tasks and requirements in other companies.

The four guest lectures were also informative and practice-oriented. “Legal relief and cost savings through risk assessment (GBU)” was the topic of the experts Ralf Gehrz and Tim Bredernitz from TÜV Thüringen. They highlighted the many opportunities, but also the potential risks associated with GBU that need to be taken into account. In his presentation “Please smile: about photos and understanding, myths and mysteries”, data protection expert Elmar Brunsch provided information on the correct handling of image material in the workplace. For example, no separate consent is required if a separate data processing contract is used.

Holcim Southern Germany has been using sam® since 2015. The speaker, occupational safety engineer Jasmin Weinmann, already accompanied the implementation of the GBU as part of her bachelor’s thesis. She reported from daily practice on the topic of “Sample assessment – instructing colleagues on how to use the sam® risk assessment”.

“Find your three percent!” was the challenge given by Martina Mühlschuster from Eco Compliance, which supports companies in the customized creation of their own legal register. Eco Compliance examines, bundles and evaluates the constantly increasing and constantly changing laws and regulations – the assessment and implementation is then carried out by the customers themselves.

As part of the evening program, this time we went “over the rooftops of Hamburg” to the Penthouse Elb-Panorama. All participants were able to enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the city from the 20th floor of the Atlantic Haus. After an appropriate welcome with Hamburger Schnack, dinner was served, accompanied by magician David Lavé, who then brought many a customer on stage in his show.

This workshop was once again a successful mixture of concentrated information, a lively exchange of experiences, plenty of suggestions and numerous opportunities for networking. The secova team was once again able to look after and accompany “its guests” with great dedication and pleasure. The trusting and close customer-secova relationship inspires us again and again! The feedback cards also confirm our course – we are happy to take on board the suggestions they contain.