Modern Workplace with SharePoint Online
By Matt Phillips • July 7, 2021
Client Name: Girling Jones
Industry Sector: Recruitment
Locations: Exeter & Cardiff
Contact: Simon Girling
Job Title: Director
Date: May 2021
Based in the South West, Girling Jones are a specialist recruitment consultancy for careers in the construction industry.
The company specialises in the recruitment of technical and chartered professionals into the professional services sector of the construction and property industry. From initial concept and design through to the construction phase and total building management, they offer their clients temporary, interim and permanent solutions for their recruitment needs.
They work for clients directly, as well as for developers, main contractors and specialist subcontractors. Their aim is to support the build cycle, from the planning and designing stages through to construction and handover.
Girling Jones had been using thin clients connected to a terminal server to run their business. They were experiencing performance issues and increased costs to support and maintain the infrastructure. Ultimately, they wanted to replace terminal services with a more modern and flexible solution that would improve productivity and restructure their data. Their primary line of business application was a SaaS model that was installed and accessed via a desktop shortcut on each user's terminal server profile. This was configured to connect to a hosted database in the cloud. The business wanted a robust way of accessing this SaaS application without relying on the terminal server.
They approached IT Champion to produce a modern workplace strategy using Microsoft technologies. The strategy needed to include a solution for accessing their recruitment application, migrating data to the Microsoft cloud and an intranet for collaboration and information sharing.
IT Champion were commissioned to conduct the migration from their terminal server infrastructure and provide an ongoing Managed IT services to support the company and allow it to focus on its core business.
The project was planned by a senior IT Champion SharePoint Consultant. Key goals of the project were to:
Replace the thin clients and terminal server before the support contract came to an end
Create a new modern workplace strategy for the business using the following Microsoft technologies:
Configure devices to log straight into Office 365
Point local desktop documents and data into OneDrive
Build a new data structure and branded Intranet portal using SharePoint for company wide data, contacts, events and other centralised information
Enforce best practice data protection and security measures
The modern workplace project was a huge success. It has changed the way the business operates, and it provides users with flexible and secure access to data and information. The new Intranet built in SharePoint online has become an information hub for the business and it was aptly named "The Nexus".
"We needed to dramatically upgrade and simplify our IT systems and processes and engaged with IT Champion to help. They were fantastic. From the initial deep dive to understand our needs through the implementation process, the team held our hand all the way. Everything ran smoothly to pre-agreed timescales and the team were extremely helpful and polite. Our new system is fantastic and perfect for our current needs. We would highly recommend IT Champion and look forward to partnering with them going forward."
Simon Girling - Director