KONE – In skilled and reliable hands with Softability

Softability’s consultants have worked on KONE’s projects since 2010 – collaboration has spanned over a decade.

According to KONE product Owner Alessio Calcagno, the long-term collaboration is based on trust, transparency, skilled consultants, and high quality. A team from Softability currently works with KONE on various projects.

“I believe that transparency, communication, and good performance are the key factors to our longstanding collaboration.”

Calcagno leads a team that works with the software to help keep lifts moving. Software designers building the safety-critical integrated system must work precisely and comply with certain regulations.

Consultants meet high expectations

KONE works with many companies, and like working with Softability, good collaboration is based on openness, transparency, and high quality.

“When we work with Softability, you get what was promised. The consultants’ skills correspond to what was promised, which is not always the case.”

Alessio has been particularly satisfied with Softability consultants’ high-quality skills.

“We have plenty of new products that we’ve developed together with specialists from Softability.”

Alessio’s team includes Softability software developers with various backgrounds and qualifications. Skilled consultants have also acted as Scrum Master. In addition to regular software development, other consultant tasks include:

• Architecture design and maintenance
• Software requirement specifications
• Test planning and manual testing

Softability’s consultants have strong expertise in industrial manufacturing. Over the years, they’ve become familiar with many systems and processes—in part because they helped develop them.

A consultant is a trusted part of the team

When we asked Calcagno what separates KONE’s employees from Softability’s consultants, he quickly answered.

“Nothing at all. We’re all part of the same team. To me, Softability’s people are team members, and any one of Softability’s consultants can take on any role as necessary.”

There is no need to distinguish between consultants and KONE employees. The most important things are that team members successfully integrate into the team, that collaboration is successful, and that team members treat one another with respect.

“It’s particularly important to me that everyone in our team gets along well with each other.”

Close collaboration now and in the future

Calcagno believes it is crucial for collaboration that the subcontracted company regularly stays in touch to show they are available. Using consultants in projects has provided KONE with a certain kind of flexibility.

“If we need someone for a task quickly, it’s often easy to get someone, for example, from Softability”, says Calcagno.

The lift industry is continuously developing and moving towards ever-smarter systems. Lifts are largely mechanical devices, although the role of technology and software is increasing across the industry. For that, we need skilled software developers who are familiar with the industry and the value chain.

Overall, Calcagno is satisfied with the workers from Softability, who carry out high-quality work and have integrated well into the team.

KONE’s mission is to improve the flow of urban life. As a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, KONE provides elevators, escalators, and automatic building doors, as well as solutions for maintenance and modernization to add value to buildings throughout their life cycle. In 2022, KONE had annual sales of EUR 10.9 billion, and at the end of the year over 60,000 employees.