SBB: Moving 1.6 million Passengers Safely with Seamless Data Connections

Struggling with disconnected data systems and ineffective reporting? Learn how SBB replaced Power BI with Strategy One’s "single source of truth," unlocking operational efficiency.

SBB is a Swiss integrated railway system transporting 1.6 million people and 175,000 tons of freight every day.

To achieve this, they need to transport passengers efficiently and safely while keeping 30,000 employees protected.

The Challenges

1.

SBB used Microsoft Power BI to store and access information, but due to the platform's fragmented nature, the data remained within isolated systems.

2.

This caused each department to operate with scattered data across multiple systems, creating a fragmented workflow.

3.

Data insights provided by Power BI were based on outdated information due to the absence of a centralized data repository, reducing their reliability.

4.

Without a single source of truth, each department used a different set of metrics, leading to inconsistencies in reporting during meetings.

5.

SBB not only faced issues due to Power BI’s inconsistencies but also risked losing critical data insights.

Discover a new approach to data consolidation and transform
strategic decision-making.

Strategy One vs. Power BI

The Issues faced by SBB

Departmental Silos

Each department's data was collected and managed in isolation, leading to a fragmented workflow.

Lack of Data Centralization

Multiple transactional systems generated critical data, but the lack of a centralized data warehouse led to inconsistencies.

Manual Data Handling

Employees had to extract data from multiple systems and manually compile reports, increasing the risk of errors.

Inconsistent Reporting

Fragmented data sets and metrics resulted in reports often showing conflicting numbers, creating discrepancies and confusion.

Lack of Real-Time Data

Reports and insights were often outdated or incomplete, reducing their ability to guide operations effectively.

The Solutions

SBB transformed its data architecture with Strategy One, a business intelligence solution designed to simplify data management and enhance operational efficiency.

Using the powerful Semantic Layer, SBB implemented a new data consolidation system that merged fragmented data into a single source of truth, eliminating the risk of discrepancies.

Strategy One’s AI-powered analytics automatically compiled and analyzed data, minimizing errors and ensuring timely, accurate reporting.

SBB unlocked a high degree of customization with interactive dashboards, allowing each department to design personalized dashboards and visualize data to uncover new insights.

“Strategy gives us the information we need to move 1.16 million passengers every day.”

— Carole Trösch Business Analyst SBB

The Impact

Whereas Power BI lacked unified data governance, Strategy One’s Semantic Layer integrated all data streams, giving SBB visibility and consistency across departments. SBB seamlessly merged disparate data from SAP and dozens of other sources, enabling comprehensive analytics.

Strategy One’s artificial intelligence empowered SBB to quickly extract insights through conversational AI, create sophisticated dashboards, and even build custom solutions for each department.