Challenge.
Régie de Fribourg has relied on managed services by Bechtle for its IT infrastructure for over a decade. Together, the two companies decided to migrate RFSA’s server infrastructure into the Azure Cloud, where all of its virtual servers are hosted to provide resources for its various IT needs. RFSA was using a Citrix infrastructure based on Windows multi-session servers to enable a centralised user experience and access to business applications. RFSA’s files were stored on virtual Windows servers deployed as file servers. Communication between the Citrix servers and end user clients was largely unrestricted, making it easy to share data between the two environments, but also meaning that security was lacking. Against this backdrop and driven by its wish to replace the company’s legacy telephone system with Microsoft Teams, RFSA commissioned Bechtle to realise this extensive project.
Solution.
To fulfil the requirements of Régie de Fribourg, it was necessary to switch from a Citrix VDI environment to a Microsoft Intune-managed desktop environment, which would allow admins to manage and secure the entire device fleet. All the files that resided in the Azure Cloud were migrated to Microsoft SharePoint, making it much easier for RFSA’s employees to access them. As a unified communications solution, Microsoft Teams was deployed on all end user computers, giving employees a full range of tools and features to collaborate and share information. The goal of consolidating its various communication channels also required RFSA to give its device fleet a complete overhaul. The company chose to equip its some 50 employees with Dell XPS laptops, which were customised with the RFSA logo and rolled out by Bechtle. To create RFSA’s desired modern working environment, each workstation was also equipped with two large-screen monitors and a headset.
With our experience with Bechtle as a managed services provider for our IT infrastructure, choosing Bechtle for the next big IT project we had in mind was a no brainer. The proactive and handson mindset of the entire team, the way they understand what we need, their professional expertise and know-how made it the great success we came to expect.
Cyril Gallandat - Deputy Director and CFO, Régie de Fribourg SA
Benefits.
Implementing the new solution delivered a number of benefits for Régie de Fribourg. For starters, the migration to SharePoint allowed the company to rethink its server and backup structure. “After 20 years, we essentially had to start from scratch, but the reorganisation was a big step forward. All employees now work on a shared basis, which is a real plus for our business. As part of the project, we also had to consolidate our various tools, which ultimately lead to better usability across the board,” explained Cyril Gallandat.
Then there is the communication solution itself. Cyril Gallandat: “We want to empower everyone with better mobility and a modern working environment that our colleagues can truly enjoy. We have achieved that, and then some. Our telephony is much simpler, too, and we’ve become overall more responsive.” With a project like this, it’s important to help employees feel comfortable with their new solution right away. Once the old desk phones had been removed and everyone had received their
new hardware, it was time to familiarise RFSA’s employees with their new tools to make sure they would be successfully adopted throughout the organisation. Bechtle experts provided key users with face-to-face training in SharePoint, as well as remote training for their colleagues, with recordings of the sessions available to everyone as and when they need them. In addition, all employees received on-site training to optimally navigate and reap the benefits of Microsoft Teams.
“We now have a host of channels to choose from, which can be overwhelming at times, but it also requires us to refresh our way of communicating. We rely much less on e-mail than we used to, which is great, and colleagues are much more responsive now in our Teams channels,” says Cyril Gallandat.
Other changes also contributed to a better working environment at Régie de Fribourg. As a result, the company’s management team decided to implement a remote working policy to allow their employees more freedom in choosing where it’s best for
them to get the job done. “Besides better flexibility and mobility, along with super fast connectivity and better usability of our business solutions, this project also allowed us to unify the way we work, which is a real plus in particular with respect to actual business needs like the ability to share photos straight from a smartphone. This added efficiency saves valuable time, which is a real gain in the properties market.
Partner.
