Lotus Cars reduces compliance-related issues by 40% with Syskit Point
Customer
Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Hethel, England, Lotus Cars is a legendary name in automotive innovation. Known for crafting high-performance vehicles like the Emira sports car and the all-electric Evija hypercar, Lotus also spearheads advanced engineering solutions through its Lotus Engineering division.
With a strong focus on digital transformation, the company continually invests in technologies that support both speed and security on the road and behind the scenes within its Microsoft 365.
Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer at Lotus Cars
Before implementing Syskit Point, we relied on manual processes, spreadsheets, and native M365 tools to manage permissions, governance, and access reviews. These methods were time-consuming and prone to human error.
Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead EngineerChallenges
Prior to implementing Syskit Point, Lotus Cars relied on manual processes and limited native Microsoft 365 tools to manage governance across a growing digital estate. As their operations scaled, so did the strain on internal systems.
Access reviews often took up more time than they should, and there was no centralized dashboard for understanding permission structures or spotting irregularities.
Three core issues stood out:
Inefficient permission management
With multiple departments sharing digital workspaces, controlling access was critical. Yet, without a centralized system, managing permissions has become a constant source of friction.
“Tracking user access and privileges across M365 was cumbersome.” Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer
Without precision, it became harder to ensure that access remained appropriately limited, something especially important in an industry where proprietary designs, supplier contracts, and compliance data must be carefully managed.
Lack of comprehensive reporting
Permissions reporting and inventory overview was limited, leaving the team without clear answers to basic questions like “Who has access to this folder?” or “When was this permission changed?” In a business where traceability is vital, from design approvals to compliance audits, this lack of visibility posed both operational and regulatory risks.
“We had limited insights into who had access to critical data.” Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer
Without complete reporting, the team struggled to identify gaps or verify that governance policies were consistently applied across the environment.
Compliance challenges
As Lotus’s digital operations scaled, so did the pressure to meet internal governance policies and external regulatory requirements. Manual processes were no longer sustainable and meeting governance standards required more robust tools.
The most difficult areas included “managing access reviews, auditing changes, and ensuring compliance”, all of which required levels of automation and auditability that existing tools couldn’t deliver. In an industry subject to strict data confidentiality and operational transparency standards, these gaps made compliance a recurring pain point.
In the automotive industry, data confidentiality and regulatory compliance are paramount. Syskit Point ensured we met these needs effectively.
Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead EngineerSolution
Phased approach to governance
Lotus evaluated several options before selecting Syskit Point as the platform to overhaul its Microsoft 365 governance.
From the start, the team took a phased approach, piloting the tool with key users before rolling it out across IT. The transition was smooth, supported by clear internal communication and onboarding.
“The primary challenge was ensuring all communications were sent out beforehand and that users could trust the new process.” Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer
The features addressed each of Lotus’s critical challenges head-on. Permission management, once a manual chore, is now handled through centralized dashboards and automated access reviews. Teams no longer rely on spreadsheets or have to guess who has access to what.
Syskit Point’s inventory and reporting features filled the previous visibility gap, giving the IT department clear, real-time insights into access levels and historical changes.
“The UI is highly intuitive, making it easy for both technical and non-technical users to navigate and leverage its features.” Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer
Compliance processes also saw significant improvement. With automated reviews and audit log insights, the team can demonstrate governance without the manual overhead. Access reviews are vital to maintaining data security, ensuring compliance, and preventing unauthorized access. Support and training further accelerated adoption, helping the IT team achieve full value early in the deployment.
In addition to strengthening governance and compliance, Syskit Point also brought measurable improvements to storage management. By identifying and reclaiming over 11 terabytes of unused or redundant files, the platform helped Lotus Cars streamline its Microsoft 365 environment and reduce unnecessary data sprawl.
This not only freed up valuable storage space, but also improved system performance, lowered costs, and reduced the risk of retaining outdated or sensitive data longer than necessary. With a cleaner, more efficient data footprint, the IT team gained better control over their environment supporting long-term scalability and security.
“We chose Syskit Point because of its user-friendly interface, comprehensive reporting capabilities, and its ability to seamlessly integrate with our M365 environment. It also provided better cost efficiency compared to competitors.” Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer
Results
Since implementing Syskit Point, Lotus has seen measurable improvements in both operational efficiency and compliance posture. In an industry where data confidentiality, design versioning, and regulatory standards are tightly woven into daily workflows, these gains have been significant.
What previously required days of manual overview; access reviews, permission tracking, and data cleanup, is now automated and centralized. Teams can focus on innovation rather than maintenance, while leadership has better visibility into how governance supports broader business goals.
“Syskit Point has become an integral part of our governance strategy.” Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer
The change is not just technical, it’s cultural. Governance transformed into a proactive discipline embedded into how the entire organization operates.
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1.40% fewer compliance-related issues
With better visibility and audit readiness, the team has significantly reduced policy gaps and misconfigurations.
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2.50% reduction in time spent on access reviews
Manual reviews were a drain on time and accuracy. Automation halved the effort, freeing up resources for more strategic work.
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3.30% faster problem resolution
Clear audit trails and access logs have made troubleshooting quicker and more precise.
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4.11 TB of redundant data cleaned up
Syskit Point helped identify and remove outdated file versions and duplicates older than four months, tightening up storage hygiene.
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5.20% annual savings in governance-related operational costs
Reduced manual effort and improved efficiency delivered tangible cost reductions.
Syskit Point is a must-have for organizations looking to simplify M365 governance while enhancing security and compliance.
Elton Kuttschreuter, DevOps Lead Engineer, Lotus Cars