How Felix Schoeller Slashed Meetings by 50% with MindMeister + MeisterTask (Success Story)

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In manufacturing, efficiency is key. From the boardroom to the shop floor, processes can be complex and time-consuming. That’s why every chance to improve them should be welcomed. Digitalization is increasing efficiency and transparency for companies who produce great products – tools like MindMeister and MeisterTask save time and keep costs down. Discover how global paper manufacturer Felix Schoeller used the Meister Suite to transform its meetings and cut meeting admin by 50%.

Felix Schoeller Meister Success

Felix Schoeller: A Global Family Business

People need things. It’s why the manufacturing industry exists, and why it’s so important. Although vast in size, firms that produce goods can be slow to embrace new technologies. Even large producers use outdated systems that can put them on the back foot in a tough market. Others use modern solutions to make their business tick – companies like Felix Schoeller.

The global paper manufacturer has an eye on the future. Established in 1895, Felix Schoeller is now using digitalization to improve commercial results. Clearly, they’re doing something right – in 2021 alone: 

  • Production hit 545,000 tons
  • Products were bought by around 1,800 customers in more than 65 countries
  • Sales rose to over 1 billion euros for the first time.

The scale of the business means that teams must be efficient. Speed, agility and transparency are not just words – they’re the keys to success. So how does an industry giant become as flexible as a tech startup? Here’s how the market leaders in specialty paper use MindMeister and MeisterTask to streamline processes and save time. 

The Challenge: Streamline Meeting Admin and Improve Efficiency

Mechtild Kerkhoff

Coordinating agendas, taking minutes and tracking action items was a huge drain on our time.

Mechtild Kerkhoff, Vice President Corporate Office at the Felix Schoeller Group.

The average worker spends over an hour preparing for each meeting. In a team of 8 people, that’s a whole day lost before the first agenda point. Some key reasons are quoted by teams who feel the strain of a meeting culture: 

  • Unclear agendas.
  • Little preparation time. 
  • Ineffective tools for planning and running meetings.

The solution? It all starts with an idea.

The Problem with “Static” Tools

Felix Schoeller saw better meetings as the first step toward productivity. An internal review revealed that: 

  • Processes were too long. 
  • Time was being lost to admin work.
  • Static documents were too inflexible to work effectively.

Traditionally, the Felix Schoeller team used Microsoft Word to create meeting agendas. As the “official” agenda was owned by just one person, items had to be requested from participants in advance. This added an extra step to an already long process and made changes hard to implement.

The “owner” of the topic needed to reach out to the “owner” of the agenda to make adjustments, so that the new version could be shared with the team. The more changes that were needed, the more time it took.

Using Microsoft Excel to note action points created more problems, and time was wasted copy and pasting items by hand. After meetings, there was no way to track progress or communicate effectively in the tool, which meant that the overview was quickly lost – and following up manually was yet another drain on their time.  

It was clear that the company needed a solution to make collaboration smoother. In September 2021, they found one. The Felix Schoeller Group initiated the pilot project “MindMeister and MeisterTask” to boost efficiency and save time

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Meeting Admin Slashed by 50%

Dart board.
The company has slashed time spent on meeting admin by 50%.

 

With MindMeister and MeisterTask, we reduced time spent on meeting admin by more than 50% […] I’m thrilled that we’ve found a way to boost efficiency with Meister’s collaboration tools.

Mechtild Kerkhoff

With the Meister Suite, Felix Schoeller has streamlined its entire meeting process. The numbers speak for themselves. Thanks to MindMeister and MeisterTask, the company has reduced operational costs and slashed time spent on meeting admin by 50%.

Mind maps have replaced the static meeting agendas – only the date of the meeting is noted in advance. Before a meeting, everyone adds their own items to create a collaborative agenda that can be edited at short notice. The result: more flexibility.

From meeting notes to project plans: save more time with ready-to-go mind map templates.

During meetings, minutes are taken directly in MindMeister so that updates appear in real time for all participants. This keeps the team on the same page. As MindMeister’s mind maps are web-based, they can be accessed by all users from anywhere, at any time.

After each meeting, action items are assigned from the mind map to the person who should complete them – the party piece of MindMeister’s MeisterTask integration. From the team’s MeisterTask’s project, everyone can see who should do what, by when. There’s no need for a meeting summary, which means the team has more time to get work done.

Discover how Sparkasse Mainfranken used MindMeister and MeisterTask to streamline workflows and reduce time spent in meetings.

Higher Acceptance. Greater Success.

The new process was received well by the team – we’re really pleased with the results.

Mechtild Kerkhoff

When new tools and processes are introduced in a company, some pushback can be expectedAlthough some at the company had doubts about the new tools, these were quickly put to bed. While mind maps may not always have the same depth as “old school” minute-taking methods,  a two-month pilot revealed that the extreme detail hadn’t helped them. “Writing and even reading a long document takes so much time. It’s better for us to be brief,” Kerkhoff notes.

The data supports this. When you receive too much information, it’s hard to focus on what’s important. A study by ESRI reveals that 66 per cent of those surveyed find it easier to understand documents that contain maps and graphics. Visual mind mapping tools like MindMeister make it easier to process and remember information.

As the high acceptance rates for MindMeister and MeisterTask show, design and usability are key. Teams were able to use the tools straight away, which lent to their overall success.

Weighing up the pros and cons of introducing a new tool? Software acceptance is essential to achieving your goals. Find out why.

Don’t Let Complex Processes Drag You Down.

Don't Let Complex Processes Drag You Down.
Workflows are easier to manage with the Meister Suite.

Meeting admin doesn’t need to drain your time – and it shouldn’t fill you with dread. With less time spent on repetitive tasks and duplicate work, your team can achieve more. From meeting preparation and planning through to task execution, workflows are easier to manage with the Meister Suite. The expression “work smarter not harder” has never been more apt. Why not see for yourself how much time you could save?

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