Topics in This Article

Company Overview

Hafen & Hof is a modern, versatile commercial complex in Berlin, featuring a maritime atmosphere and an innovative mix of tenants. The site is home to 317 employees across 11 businesses, including bus operators, a commercial vehicle workshop, a city marina with a boathouse, boat rentals, floating apartments, various tourist offerings, and high-end dining. The location stands for diversity in practice and efficient facility management, ensuring top-level infrastructure and service.

Timly and Hafen & Hof Cooperation

The Challenge

With steady growth and high visitor traffic, the facility team and tenants faced key challenges:

  • Managing a wide variety of facilities, seasonal equipment, and both mobile and stationary assets year-round.
  • Knowledge about locations, maintenance schedules, contacts, and manuals was often scattered and not centrally accessible.
  • Round-robin emails and coordination delays slowed responses to questions like “Who has the key?” or “When is the next service interval?”
  • Manual tracking and documentation proved error-prone and time-consuming.
  • Maintaining a high level of service for tenants and guests required reliable availability and transparency at all times.

The Solution

With Timly’s digital inventory management, Hafen & Hof implemented a cloud-based, location-independent system:

  1. Mobile overview of all assets and real-time access to all information via QR code scan—whether on smartphone, tablet, or desktop.
  2. Structured document management: inspection reports, manuals, and service contracts are stored digitally and accessible at any time.
  3. Automated maintenance and defect reporting with photo attachments enables fast, complete processing.
  4. Clear history for the return, assignment, and transfer of inventory—traceable for everyone involved.
  5. Personalized workflows and clear responsibilities for defects, reorders, or inspections simplify collaboration significantly.

The Results

Implementing Timly has fundamentally simplified and accelerated management at Hafen & Hof. Central access to all asset information—from seasonal equipment to technical installations—ensures employees can quickly and independently find answers, regardless of device or location.

Maintenance and repair requests are structured clearly, reducing time spent on follow-ups and internal communication.

  • All inventory data is accessible on mobile devices, so every employee—from janitorial staff to restaurant operators and boat managers—has up-to-date information at their fingertips.
  • Defects are reported and handled directly via QR code scan, and maintenance intervals are digitally documented.
  • Documents such as maintenance reports, inspection logs, and service contacts are always accessible and can be stored directly in the system.
  • Historical traceability through check-in/check-out allows tracking of inventory movement and accountability.
  • Automated reminders for maintenance, reorders, and inspections improve operational safety and significantly reduce downtime.

Key Takeaways

Digital inventory management has made knowledge at the Berlin site accessible to everyone, not just individual employees, regardless of location. The facility team now works proactively rather than reactively, with all relevant deadlines and tasks visible in the system. Cloud-based and mobile functionality enable efficient, paperless workflows.

  • Internal knowledge sharing has improved sustainably, and individual queries and mass emails have been greatly reduced.
  • Workflows for defects, maintenance, and reorders are clearly defined and fully traceable.
  • The software adapts to the unique needs of different businesses and teams, supporting flexible workflows from boat rentals to restaurants.
  • Digital management of inventory, defects, and documents is a clear win for operational safety and sustainable growth at the site.
  • Timly’s cloud synchronization and mobile accessibility increase team adoption and promote a modern, efficient work culture.

Photo: Hafen & Hof