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Once upon a Time…

Published on May 17, 2017


Once upon a time, there was a small IT company in a picturesque town in Bavaria. There came a call from across the ocean, from Redmond in Seattle.

Microsoft said, Build your own IP!

And so, we did. This is our story.

We thought long and hard about the solution we could offer. We envisioned a solution that would improve lives, and help people around the globe, while giving us recurring revenue and ultimately making us the most successful Microsoft ISV in the world.

We thought, "We are Germans. We know a thing or two about organization!"

Changing the Way the World Works

So we decided to organize every single employee, in every single industry, in every single country.

In other words…HR Management for Microsoft Dynamics 365, which focuses on employee self-services, and manages all Human Resource processes.

Satisfied People Around the Globe

In short - we developed a solution that increases employee satisfaction, even as it reduces administrative tasks and costs. Disruptive!

Just imagine,

  • you meet with friends in a café, and they suggest a trip to the mountains next weekend. You check your remaining leave on your phone, request vacation and can have it approved before the barista has even made your coffee.
  • starting your new job with trainings and activities already outlined in a structured onboarding that helps you hit the ground running.
  • having a Management Dashboard with all your relevant deadlines at your fingertips.

To make the best business software in the world, we knew we had to build it on the best business platform - Microsoft Dynamics 365 , Office 365 and Microsoft Azure.

We presented our solution to Microsoft; they immediately recognized the potential and started helping us.

Double the planned Revenue - Reach for the Stars

We more than doubled our planned revenue. It was so easy! We asked our customers why they loved our solution and why they recommended it to others. It was simple – they saved up to 80% of admin costs, even while being able to offer unheard of self-service to their employees.

We then stopped offering implementation and software services and concentrated on SaaS in the cloud. Our company changed as we shifted from a local IT company to a global ISV.

16-fold Revenue Increase - The Game Changer

Increasing our revenue was great, but we wanted more. We could see the potential but we are based in Wuerzburg. You may have heard of our most famous son, Dirk Nowitzki, but few people outside of Germany have heard of our city. We faced the challenge of getting our message out, and reaching people around the world. But how?

This is where Microsoft stepped in again. With the foundation of AppSource, the worldwide marketplace for business solutions, they changed everything.

Over 100 leads poured in the first weekend. Since then, we have received thousands of leads. Prospects from around the globe arrived at our (virtual) doorstep.

We've realized a 16-fold revenue increase having customers in 36 countries.

Last month an NGO, funded in the United States. Last week a public sector organization in Jamaica. This week a company in the Black Forest area of Germany. Currently we have a requests from organizations in more than 20 industries around the world.

Helping Microsoft to Grow

We are proud that we can repay Microsoft for this opportunity by providing their customers with a complete HR solution for Dynamics 365. Customers extend their use of the comprehensive Microsoft IP stack. With HR Management for Microsoft Dynamics 365, every single employee in every single industry, in every single country uses the power of Dynamics 365, Azure, Office 365 and many more Microsoft products.

Hand-in-Hand with Microsoft

The Microsoft AppSource team worked with us every step of the way to create the AppSource presentation. The Director Strategic ISVs set us on the right track with the best strategy for a global ISV. We received tips for positioning ourselves in the market and working with partners. The campaign team assisted us with global marketing and partner contacts. Hundreds of sellers helped us to win customers for both xRM1 and Microsoft. In addition, the DX GTM Team boosted our international visibility. Thank you our personal coach for the intensive support and assistance.

Short and Sweet

It feels awesome to hear feedback from satisfied customers daily. We've realized unbelievable growth, our company has transformed from a typical Microsoft partner to a global ISV, offering SaaS in the cloud. Our team now includes employees from ten nationalities, who enjoy a close working relationship with the Microsoft team on every level.

As in all fairy tales, they lived happily ever after …


Franziskus Lorey
CEO Hubdrive