NASCAR DRIVES INTO DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WITH OFFICE 365

This article will discuss how NASCAR overcame their logistics issues faced for running each event by using Microsoft Office 365 and the associated products.

If you are unfamiliar with Office 365 and its benefits, read our previous article here.

In the last five years, we have seen NASCAR retool technology in every aspect of our business, from electronic fuel injection to how we work in the office.

- Nick Franza, Manager, Technology Integration and Development at NASCAR

The real-time collaboration between office staff and employees on the field was at the heart of this digital transformation.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, better known as NASCAR, is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock-car racing. It was founded 1948 in the United States of America by Bill France Sr.

Each year, NASCAR runs over 1,500 events, through 11 series, on 110 racetracks, across 37 US States, Mexico and Canada; they also have over 200 employees and vendors for each event. With these high numbers, NASCAR not only have revolutionised their use of technology in the race cars and track-side mechanics, but they have also used it for accelerating their operations.

Intranet Site

One of the biggest projects for NASCAR was building an intranet site for their employees to use. This all came about when the people working in the Technology Integration and Development department heard their fellow team members, who worked in offices next to each other, continually calling out over their cubicles to coordinate planning for each event. They thought that there must be an easier way to communicate and that is how NASCAR’s intranet site; Inside Track, was born.

NASCAR built their intranet through SharePoint, so all their employees could stay up to date with event news and retrieve sources with ease. 

They created separate sites for each department, like HR & Finance were also created so that information could be stored in a structured manner. NASCAR aptly mentioned that their SharePoint site is a cloud-based, digital version of a cockpit.

Operations Workbook

The use of SharePoint allowed NASCAR to store critical files which could then be transferred into an operations workbook. This workbook would then be given to staff who could track; vendors, car rentals, catering and fuel deliveries. This tracking system would be done in real-time, and the document can be edited by up to 15 staff members at the same time; that meant no more locked excel spreadsheets with various versions.

Things change from second to second building up to a race, but the logistics team stays on track with SharePoint Online. We’re saving time putting out fires, and our productions run more smoothly.
- Nick Franza, Manager, Technology Integration and Development at NASCAR

Personnel Grid

The data transfer also helped NASCAR create a personnel grid to help manage over 120 staff members at one event. This service allowed managers to:

• Track hours of staff
• Gather & store personal information
• Note travel accommodation
• Find flights
• Log overtime

Access to this information hadn’t be available prior to deploying Office 365, unless you were in a high corporate position.

Meetings

Using Skype for Business helped employees across the world stay in contact, all day every day. The main feature NASCAR saw was the most beneficial to them, was video conferencing as it created an easy way for staff to communicate with one another.

The installation of the Surface Hub Device into Skype also allowed the chairman to use the virtual whiteboard which could be used to write notes, create diagrams etc. And, once the meeting ends; all the chairman needs to do is click one button to release the imagery. This service was revolutionary because it saves so much time and optimises the most important tasks.

Apps

The data integration using Power Apps for mobile devices allowed staff to become improve their agility drastically:

The fact that our data is all real time and in one place is the most significant change, because everyone shares the same workbook, checking it in and out of SharePoint Online, we don’t worry about versions and can work with the comfort of knowing that we are all on the same page. And now that we have anytime access to current data, employees in the finance department open the spreadsheet on Monday morning and are ready to create all the necessary billing for services rendered over the weekend, so we get paid faster.
- Denise Katz, Crewing Manager/Logistics at NASCAR Productions.

NASCAR are fully behind Office 365 and have seen great benefits from the services offered:

The ideal way to work today takes a mobile-first, cloud-first approach. We looked at G Suite, but Microsoft Office 365 provides a single platform of services that are enterprise ready. Employees can go from email to SharePoint Online to OneDrive for Business to Skype for Business Online without leaving our work environment—and with security and access management tied in.
- Nick Franza, Manager, Technology Integration and Development at NASCAR

They have gone from sitting behind a desk, locked to a computer that’s secured to a local network; to embracing new technology, increasing mobility, being able to work around the clock and provide real time logistics.

Do you think Microsoft Office 365 could work for your organisation? Contact us today.