ARAMARK Holding Deutschland GmbH – Bechtle implements Apple Business Manager for VAT rate change made easy

ARAMARK Holding Deutschland GmbH – Bechtle implements Apple Business Manager for VAT rate change made easy.

Aramark’s German branch, Aramark Holding Deutschland GmbH, is known for its individual concepts and unique customer satisfaction. The catering and service management provider is always one step ahead of the game when it comes to managing its services economically. Following this ethos, Aramark wanted to adjust the VAT rate change as of 1 July 2020 as innovatively and fast as possible by using iPads. Thanks to Apple Business Manager, a software subsequently installed by Bechtle Product Management, Aramark was able to automatically install the corresponding checkout app on all of their devices.

Project details.

Services

Modern Workplace

Industry

Trade / Service

Manufacturer

Apple

Company size

> 1,500 employees

The challenge.

Aramark stands for good catering and a unique food experience. Their German branch, Aramark Holding Deutschland GmbH’s vast range of services is just as colourful and diverse as its customers. Whether it’s freshly-made meals in the company restaurant, speciality coffees from the espresso bar, mobile catering on office floors or an around-the-clock vending machine service—Aramark’s teams of cooks serve everything ranging from large corporations, SMEs and the media to clinics, retirement homes and kindergartens. Innovative thinking and exceptional customer service are their credo, and Covid-19 has changed nothing about this. On the contrary, many demands have to be met in an even faster and more efficient manner. One of these was the VAT rate change from 19 down to 7 percent that applies from 30 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 to all meals in restaurants and bars to support the catering industry, which has suffered greatly under Corona restrictions. Aramark had to find a solution for a checkout software that could easily make the transition—and fast.

The VAT rate change was imminent and we knew instantly that the only way to run the checkouts without interference would be to use an iPad app. We hadn’t ordered Apple Business Manager when we bought the devices, but thanks to Bechtle, we had it installed on all of our iPads after purchase. It’s a relief that everything is working fine now. We’re able to work without having to configure the devices too much, which is a huge relief for IT.

Markus Riehl, Head of IT, Aramark Holding Deutschland GmbH

The solution.

The solution was to use a checkout app that Aramark had already been using on iPads worldwide, which already provides the necessary feature. Aramark therefore ordered 35 iPads for their locations in Germany that will be used as checkouts in future. Unfortunately, Apple Business Manager was not ordered along with the devices. This software identifies the iPads so that Apple can allocate them to Aramark and carry out the initial installation using Mobile Device Management (MDM) registration. Allocating Apple Business Manager to the devices after the purchase is difficult—but not impossible for Apple Premium Partners. Bechtle Product Management subsequently linked up the iPads’ serial numbers with Apple Business Manager enabling Aramark to send the iPads out to their locations across Germany and their head office in Neu-Isenburg without having to reconfigure every device individually. Instead, Aramark’s IT provided an images that included the checkout app, which had been successfully used by Aramark for some time and already had the VAT change rate setting implemented. As soon as a user turns on their iPad, the device signs in automatically and downloads the image. This way, all of the checkout iPads were configured and ready for use in no time.

Business benefits.

It was only thanks to the help of a very specific iPad app that Aramark could master the VAT rate change in early July 2020. Thanks to Apple Business Manager that Bechtle subsequently registered, the installation of the iPads for all locations across Germany and at the head office in Neu-Isenburg went smoothly. Aramark would like to retain this flexibility for future IT installations, since Apple Business Manager in combination with a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution saves them resources and hence a lot of time and money.