Microsoft Teams –
Connecting & Empowering Global Users
Who is Awin?
Awin is a leading global affiliate marketing network, connecting users in over 100 countries across the world. Awin builds web-based applications that their clients use to manage the affiliate programme, dealing with over 15,000 advertisers and 200,000 publishers.
Why Cisilion..?
Alex Taylor, Group IT Director
"Cisilion has been with Awin since the start of our journey and are treated as an extension of our IT team.
As our trusted technology partner, we look forward to working with them on up and coming projects."
Snapshot:
As a global affiliate marketing network, collaboration is essential for Awin and was targeted as a key area for improvement following the end-of-life announcement for Skype for Business.
Throughout their 10+ year partnership with Cisilion, Awin’s collaboration solution has evolved from Lync, to Skype for Business on-premise, to Skype for Business Online.
With the existing solution approaching its end-of-life, and after extensive investment in Microsoft 365, Awin turned to Cisilion to help them realise and enable their future collaboration strategy, which centred around Microsoft Teams.
CHALLENGES:
Awin had the following challenges with its existing collaboration solution:
- Skype for Business Online solution approaching end–of–life.
- Multi–vendor environment created a disjointed collaboration user experience.
- The need to connect and collaborate seamlessly across global workforce.
- A desire to drive automation, workflow and intelligence across their future collaboration strategy.
- Required a robust, secure, and streamlined platform to truly deliver unified communication and knowledge sharing.
The Solution – Microsoft Teams
As Awin’s strategic partner, Cisilion utilised our Microsoft Gold status with Gold Communications competencies to deploy Microsoft Teams globally.
Combined with Cisilion’s User Adoption strategy, the reliable and scalable solution enables Awin to embrace next-generation collaboration, providing live chat, conferencing and live document sharing.
BENEFITS:
With the collaboration platform deployed, Awin achieved impressive ROI and benefits:
- Significant financial and administrative savings achieved by reducing the need to run hardware across global data centres.
- One sole platform for all of Awin’s collaboration needs
- Achieved operational efficiencies through using Microsoft Teams applications to automate business processes
- Users are able to bring all aspects of their work into one centralised location
Microsoft Recognition
NicolÁS Charritton, Senior Product Manager - Microsoft 365
"Cisilion is clearly an extension of the internal IT team at Awin.
They paint a picture of what's possible and take them on the journey to make it a reality."
Previous Awin Projects – 2015:
In 2013, Awin were moving their London offices, and required the new office to have collaboration technology that portrayed and supported the global company it is. After being recommended by Microsoft, Awin partnered with Cisilion.
Previous Challenges:
Awin were using Nortel BX, BT Conferencing and old handsets which weren’t compatible with Lync Online – the instant messaging (IM) platform they were using across all offices.
- High cost of calls and pricey hand devices
- Outdated and expensive conferencing system
- Issues with internal communications
- Agile phone system not compatible with other internal platforms
Solution: Microsoft Lync
As budget for replacing their aging phone system came through, Awin approached Microsoft to suggest a partner to consult them on Microsoft Lync (now Skype for Business).
As a result, Awin partnered with Cisilion after providing them the required information to reassure that the deployment of the Skype for Business full Enterprise solution would be the easiest and most cost-effective solution. With a tight timeframe from both parties, Cisilion successfully deployed the solution for it to be ready in the new offices by moving day.
2015 Benefits & Numbers:
Through the deployment of new collaboration technology across their sites, Awin were able to achieve some significant cost and business operation savings including:
- 12K Annual Cost savings for getting rid of old conferencing system
- 15% increase in internal storage due to decrease in email usage
- 50% cost savings in international call charges and phone hardware
- Reduced travel requirements thanks to an all-rounded, international phoning and conferencing system
- Improved security & employee productivity by enabling fast and reliable platform