90% Less Time Spent Searching: How Weserstadtwerke Is Professionalizing Its " contract management "

“Our expectations were fully met. Not only the efficient time savings, but also the intuitive operation of the user interface and the fast and professional support we give it a solid A.”
Andreas Brandl
Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH
330
Contracts have already been entered centrally in ContractHero
<1Monat
until successful implementation
0
No more missed deadlines thanks to a clear overview of deadlines
90%
Save time when searching for a contract


With 330 centrally managed contracts, an implementation period of less than one month, and approximately 90% less time spent searching for information, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH has established a modern and reliable foundation for its “ contract management ” (Contract Management System). This results in greater transparency, clearly defined responsibilities, and greater certainty when dealing with deadlines and obligations.

About Weserstadtwerke

Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH is a municipal service company. As a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Holzminden GmbH and Gas- und Wasserversorgung Höxter GmbH, it is responsible for key operational tasks for both companies.

These include, among other things, energy sales, gas network operations, water distribution, and other operational management services for municipal utilities and public utilities.

In this environment in particular, a structured contract management plays an important role. This is because contracts involve not only legal issues, but also deadlines, obligations, and business decisions in day-to-day operations.

Andreas Brandl
Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

Challenges

As the number of contracts grew and responsibilities diversified, Weserstadtwerke faced an increasing need to make its contract management system ( contract management ) even more structured, centralized, and future-proof. Contracts were scattered across various filing systems and departments. While this generally worked in day-to-day operations, it made research, transparency, and cross-departmental collaboration increasingly time-consuming. Furthermore, knowledge regarding contracts, deadlines , and obligations was sometimes concentrated in the hands of individual employees or within specific departments. Particularly with regard to temporary replacements, personnel changes, and future process optimization, this knowledge needed to be more centralized and made available independently of individual organizational structures.

“Some contracts were managed at the local level. We didn’t always have a complete overview of which contracts had been signed where and what obligations arose from them.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

deadlines and contract data should be consolidated more centrally

Different storage locations and a wide variety of structures complicated processes. However, deadlines and contractually relevant dates were generally available; in the future, however, they should be traceable in a more systematic and centralized manner.

Established structures made it difficult to get a quick overview

Contracts were stored within a structure that had evolved over the years. This made it more difficult to quickly consolidate information and consistently access contracts, their contents, and associated obligations. As a result, there was often a lack of a clear overview, particularly at the interfaces between different areas of responsibility.

“With files scattered all over the place, our hands were tied after the person in charge left the company.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

A lack of oversight cost resources

Anyone who needed contract information often had to search in multiple places or involve other people. This took time and made collaboration more cumbersome. That is why Weserstadtwerke sought a centralized solution that would make information readily available and streamline processes.

Economic potential needed to be made more visible

Without structured access to contract data, it was difficult to reliably keep track of price escalation clauses, adjustment options, and financial obligations. The goal was not to replace existing processes, but to make them more transparent and reliable.

“Our worst-case scenario was that we would fail to exercise the value preservation clauses because the deadlines expired and the contract was ignored.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH


The Solution with ContractHero

With ContractHero, Weserstadtwerke has centralized its contract management ( contract management ) and brought it onto a unified platform. Contracts are now consolidated in one place, stored audit-proof , and can be searched for much more quickly.

“We were also very impressed by the AI-powered scanning of all contracts. This allowed us to quickly and efficiently gain a comprehensive overview of the contracts.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

Targeted AI analysis boosts efficiency

For Weserstadtwerke, it was important to quickly obtain a reliable overview of a large number of existing contracts without having to manually process every document in detail. For Weserstadtwerke GmbH, especially given such a large volume of contracts, it was crucial not to have to review every document manually, but rather to quickly obtain a well-organized and structured overview. AI-powered scanning helped to quickly scan the contracts, extract relevant content directly, and significantly reduce the workload.

“We had to scan hundreds of contracts, which the AI processed in no time at all, providing us with tremendous support.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

Structured search for quick access to contracts

Full-text search and keyword search are particularly relevant to Weserstadtwerke in its day-to-day operations. Full-text search allows for faster verification of the factual accuracy of contract-related information and better tracking of deadlines . At the same time, it significantly reduces the effort required for searches and saves valuable time in day-to-day work, since contract content no longer needs to be searched for manually in various filing systems.

“100% accuracy in full-text searches. This allowed us to review contracts very quickly and find the relevant content right away. It makes it easier for us to handle day-to-day reviews and keep track of important deadlines.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

Deadline tracking provides peace of mind in everyday life

Reliable deadline tracking was a key selection criterion for Weserstadtwerke. The goal was to be able to track contractually relevant deadlines even more systematically and centrally in the future. With ContractHero, deadlines are now specifically documented and monitored, ensuring that relevant deadlines remain visible at all times. This increases certainty in contract management and minimizes operational and financial risks.

“One of the biggest benefits was the deadline tracking feature, which ensures that important deadlines are always visible and can be addressed in a timely manner.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

All financial obligations at a glance

Thanks to ContractHero, Weserstadtwerke now has significantly greater transparency regarding its contracts and financial obligations. Key information and upcoming tasks are centrally available and can be tracked at any time. The shared database also facilitates collaboration, as all stakeholders can access the same information rather than having to request it from individual employees.

Results

330
Contracts have already been entered centrally in ContractHero
<1Monat
until successful implementation
0
No more missed deadlines thanks to a clear overview of deadlines
90%
Save time when searching for a contract

Significant time savings when searching for contracts

A significant increase in efficiency is evident almost immediately after implementation. Contracts can now be found quickly and easily, rather than having to search for them in various places.

“Thanks to ContractHero’s optimized contract search and overview, we estimate that we’re saving about 90% of the time compared to before.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

Complete transparency and no missed deadlines

Thanks to the centralized structure and deadline tracking, important dates are now even easier to keep track of. Weserstadtwerke now has a clearer picture of its obligations and when they are due. This improves visibility and makes management easier.

“Since then, we can say that we haven’t missed any deadlines and can see exactly what our obligations are and when they’re due.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

More Professional, Centralized " contract management "

The greatest added value lies not only in digital storage, but in the new quality of the contract management. Contracts are no longer dependent on individual knowledge or decentralized structures, but are part of a centralized, reliable working foundation.

"Our contract management has become fully professionalized thanks to the central consolidation of the database."

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

Implementations in less than a month

The intuitive user interface and ease of use made the implementation of the software at Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH much easier. Questions and challenges were quickly resolved with the help of ContractHero Support. Both the prompt response to inquiries and the sustainable solutions further simplified the implementation process for Weserstadtwerke.

Conclusion: More than just contract management

With ContractHero, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH has established a centralized, modern, and future-proof foundation for its “ contract management ” (Contract Management System).

This results in significantly less time spent searching, greater transparency regarding obligations, and increased security at deadlines. This is particularly crucial in the municipal utilities and public services sector. After all, contracts here are not merely documents, but a vital foundation for management, reliability, and financial oversight.

“Our expectations were fully met. We give it a perfect score—not only for the significant time savings, but also for the intuitive user interface and the fast, professional support.”

Andreas Brandl, Commercial Managing Director, Weserstadtwerke Service GmbH

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Frequently asked questions

How is Weserstadtwerke improving transparency regarding contracts, obligations, and responsibilities?

Weserstadtwerke is consolidating its contracts in one place, thereby creating a uniform and reliable foundation for its operations. Instead of having to gather information from various filing systems or departments, contracts, their contents, and obligations are now more readily available and easier to track.

How does Weserstadtwerke reduce the time spent searching for contracts by up to 90%?

Thanks to the centralized repository and full-text and keyword search functions, contracts can now be located much more quickly. Relevant content can be found directly, without having to sift through multiple folders or make internal inquiries. This saves a noticeable amount of time in day-to-day operations.

How can Weserstadtwerke keep better track of important deadlines and contractual obligations?

Contractually relevant dates are now recorded in a much more structured and traceable manner. This allows Weserstadtwerke to keep better track of upcoming obligations and ensures greater reliability in day-to-day operations, particularly with regard to recurring deadlines and important deadlines.

How does AI-powered contract scanning help in quickly building a central contract database?

AI-powered data capture helped Weserstadtwerke efficiently capture hundreds of contracts and convert them into a standardized format more quickly. This made it possible to establish a centralized contract overview in a short period of time without having to process each document manually.

Why is " contract management " an important management issue for Weserstadtwerke in its day-to-day operations?

For Weserstadtwerke, contracts involve not only legal matters but also deadlines, areas of responsibility, and financial obligations. A structured contract management therefore lays the foundation for better managing operational processes, making more informed decisions, and accessing information more quickly.