SPSS Support, Savings, and More for Netherlands’ Top Statistics Agency

THE PROBLEM

ORIGINA PROVIDES ONGOING SPSS® STATISTICS SUPPORT TO PREMIERE DUTCH STATS AGENCY

The third-party software maintenance (TPSM) model is an emergent and powerful tool for organizations facing specific technical challenges. When an audit notice crosses the desk or lingering technical issues threaten stability and uptime, having dedicated, on-demand expertise that evaluates success on the ability to resolve the issue can be a significant boon.  

But acute blockers aren’t the only reason the public and private sector have increasingly warmed to the industry over the years. In many cases, saving money and gaining quick access to expertise are all the motivation needed.  

Such was the case for Statistics Netherlands, known as the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, or CBS, in the bureau’s native Dutch.  

Like many government, science, and academic entities, the CBS leans heavily on an IBM® SPSS to collate, analyze, and visualize statistical data. Its open-ended architecture and large collection of modules make the platform popular in cases where complex variables and relationships must be tracked across dense numbers of sources – and governmental statistical work is nothing if not complex.  

With over 120 years in operation and formal status as its country’s premiere statistical resource, the CBS exhibits a clear mastery of its field. That statement includes knowledge of the agency’s complex SPSS environment, which the institution feels quite confident utilizing and maintaining on its own day-to-day.  

Any outside service Statistics Netherlands used was more of an insurance policy; the agency has the necessary in-house skills to address almost any issue that comes up. That said, the density of the technical environment had raised concerns within the bureau in the past, making the need for a backing expert presence clear.  

CBS’s long-term software plans had also become a point of concern. While the bureau wasn’t ready to move away from its full SPSS installation, usage of certain modules, including Decision Trees and Modeler, had dwindled to almost nothing. Others would soon require complex version upgrades. This led Statistics Netherlands to the conclusion that a migration of some sort had to be part of their long-term planning and a thorough review of licensing needs would eventually be required.  

Without knowing exactly what its eventual tech stack would look like, the agency found itself in search of added technical flexibility that would allow it to maintain the status quo until its outlook clarified. 

THE SOLUTION

CONCIERGE-LEVEL SUPPORT, SAVINGS, AND GREATER FLEXIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE

Origina can decrease IBM® software maintenance costs by up to 50%. That’s an appealing first pitch in any field, but especially one as budget-bound and savings-conscious as government.  

However, it’s just as true that a reduction in spending often forces organizations to cut corners. With SPSS providing operations-critical capabilities in a national government’s broad-reaching, endlessly complex software stack, there was no room for compromise. Any service the agency chose would need to match or outperform what IBM could offer in terms of price and quality.  

As the TPSM industry’s recognized IBM expert, Origina remains uniquely equipped to handle both needs. That fact became evident within minutes of the CBS first contact with the TPSM provider. The CBS knew its long-term plans included a migration from SPSS, but the specific agenda beyond that was less certain. With Origina, the agency found a partner that could help extend the life of their current estate and free its experts to plan growth based on logical next steps, not accelerated upgrade paths that primarily benefit the software vendor.  

Indeed, the ability to sustain a self-driven IT roadmap, not one dictated by the company supplying the software, was a major reason the CBS ultimately chose the TPSM model over costlier first-party options. 

Today, the Statistics Netherlands IBM estate looks and operates just as it did before – with the added benefit of Origina’s presence in the event a question beyond the team’s broad technical expertise arises.  

Day-to-day, the agency can take confidence in knowing its operations are supported without needing to lock into an upgrade path that might not align with its health or growth plans. Just as importantly, the Netherlands’ top statistical institution knows the industry’s noted IBM expert has their back when it comes time to migrate from SPSS.  

Far from acute technical issues, these general concerns and the responses Origina provided nevertheless swayed the CBS away from first-party support and towards the TPSM model. Based upon the savings and greater level of control they achieved, stakeholders within the institution are now strongly considering Origina to help provide security for their current IBM estate as well, having seen firsthand the expertise a leading TPSM brings to the table.