Hermes Einrichtungs Service relies on WeASSIST from WERMA

Hermes Einrichtungs Service GmbH & Co. KG (HES) is Germany's leading service provider in the field of two-man handling. With around 8,000 employees, the company handles more than five million deliveries annually – from furniture and fitness equipment to large electrical appliances. At the heart of its operations are its Germany-wide HUBs (main transshipment bases), where goods flows are bundled, processed, and then distributed to end customers. The Ansbach site is a hive of activity every day, with several thousand shipments leaving the hall each day. In goods dispatch in particular, it is crucial that processes run smoothly, communication between employees and managers is efficient, and routes are as short and efficient as possible.

The challenge: enormous loss of time due to long walking distances

Until mid-2024, however, the reality in the goods issue area at the Ansbach site was quite different: communication in the hall was largely informal. When employees needed assistance—whether it was to have a manager approve load securing or to ask quality questions—they literally had to run around looking for the person responsible. Shirley-Ann Dorsch, Lean Management Team Leader at the Ansbach site, describes the situation at that time as follows: "It used to be like a fish market here – loud, uncoordinated, and with a lot of running around."

Roman Posen, Team Leader Goods Issue, adds: "The sheer size of the hall meant that valuable minutes were lost. Productivity suffered considerably as a result, and it was clear to us that we had to find a solution." Missing approvals often led to entire work processes coming to a standstill, as the responsible employees in goods issue could only continue working once a manager had approved the loading of a truck or the responsible person from the quality assurance department had come to help.

The combination of constant interruptions, loud shouting, and unnecessary walking around put a strain on employees and made the working atmosphere hectic and restless. In addition, efficiency and productivity were significantly reduced. "We are always looking for processes that we can optimize," says Dorsch. "And here, it quickly became clear to us that we could do much better."

The solution was quickly found: WeASSIST from WERMA

"Our goal was to structure communication in the goods issue department, speed up processes, and shorten distances," says Posen. "Above all, we wanted to give employees a tool that would make their work easier." While searching for a solution, HES came across WeASSIST, the digital call and information system from WERMA Signaltechnik, at the Logimat trade fair in Stuttgart.

"And then everything happened pretty quickly," recalls Posen. An eight-week pilot phase began in the summer of 2024: Three signal towers including WeASSIST and boxes with push buttons were installed at the gates in one of the halls in the goods issue area, the software was installed, and employees were immediately able to test the new system step by step. The phase was accompanied by weekly feedback in the form of a simple smiley survey: green, yellow, or red.

"It was very important to us to involve everyone from the outset and to obtain appropriate feedback – because only if the employees on site accept and use the system can it lead to lasting success," recalls Dorsch. "Acceptance was extremely high right from the start because the system is self-explanatory and everyone immediately understood how it works." Her colleague Posen adds: "Everyone immediately noticed a change and experienced the positive impact of WeASSIST in their everyday work."

The intelligent system solution "WeASSIST" – fast, simple, and self-explanatory

With WeASSIST, WERMA offers a cross-industry cloud solution and universal IIoT solution for status recording, visualization, and analysis of statuses and processes. WeASSIST offers full transparency across the entire value chain and displays the statuses of both machines and manual workstations as digital twins in an individual dashboard. This means that malfunctions, downtimes, and bottlenecks can be identified at a glance, and thanks to the cloud, all data is available anytime, anywhere.

Signal towers are retrofitted with transceivers to record conditions contactlessly and transmit them to a gateway via radio. It is also possible to request assistance directly at the workplace at the touch of a button. The responsible person or department is automatically notified of the problem – both on the PC and directly on the smartphone. This reduces travel and waiting times and increases productivity. All data is sent in encrypted form to the WeASSIST cloud, where it is analyzed, visualized, and stored.

Help at the touch of a button

In the goods dispatch department at Hermes, WeASSIST is as simple as it is effective: instead of calling loudly for help, employees can trigger a signal at the touch of a button. The colors clearly and unambiguously indicate what kind of assistance is needed: yellow signals that a manager is needed, blue stands for quality issues, red for the end of loading, and white indicates that the signal has been acknowledged and help is on the way. If the green light is on, everything is fine.

At the same time, the responsible persons receive a push notification directly on their laptop and smartphone. Robert Posen emphasizes: "The huge advantage is that the information arrives directly and immediately on the cell phone. That saves an enormous amount of time." The message can also be acknowledged, so that employees can see that help is on its way. Employees can remain at their workstations and continue working on another task if necessary, while the manager is already informed and on the way.

After just a few weeks, the benefits of the solution became clear. The hall became quieter, the atmosphere noticeably more relaxed, and productivity increased. Posen describes the change: "People used to run through the hall to get help—now they stay at their workstations, calmly press a button, and simply continue working." Dorsch also emphasizes the positive effect on motivation: "Employees feel taken seriously because they know that someone is coming. This reduces frustration and makes work more enjoyable."

Less walking, more productivity, less stress

A key advantage of WeASSIST is its transparency and predictability. Managers can immediately see where they are needed and prioritize their assignments accordingly. Misunderstandings and unnecessary trips are now a thing of the past. The intuitive usability, which is immediately understandable regardless of language or education, is particularly appreciated. "Everyone understands the color system, regardless of language or education level," adds Dorsch. Even temporary employees or temporary staff can use the system without any problems. The combination of visual signaling and digital networking makes WeASSIST a real game changer in everyday operations.

Collaboration with WERMA – cooperative and agile

Hermes also rates the collaboration with WERMA as particularly positive. Feedback from the test phase was immediately taken on board and incorporated directly into further development. "It doesn't feel like a classic customer-service provider relationship, but rather a partnership, almost like a family," emphasizes Dorsch. "Our ideas and suggestions are really listened to." Feedback from the test phase was immediately taken on board and is being incorporated directly into further development.

A look into the future

The introduction of WeASSIST is a prime example of how a well-designed digital system can bring about real change in everyday working life. Clear, digital communication replaces frantic shouting, increases productivity, reduces stress, and creates a better working atmosphere.

HES is already thinking about the next steps. The goal is to expand the use of WeASSIST, create more detailed evaluations, and optimize processes in an even more targeted manner. This includes analyzing the reasons for calls, measuring processing and response times, and making cross-location comparisons. The HUB Löhne in North Rhine-Westphalia is also showing great interest in introducing the system, so a gradual rollout is planned. Dorsch is convinced: "We still see so much potential. And with WERMA, we have a partner on equal footing – open, friendly, and uncomplicated."

Shirley Dorsch sums it up: "I know I sound like a fan girl, but it's just the way it is: the system is incredibly simple and extremely effective at the same time." For Hermes Einrichtungs Service, WeASSIST means not only efficiency and productivity, but also motivation, clarity, and employee satisfaction – real added value for everyone involved.