CUSTOMER STORIES

Native interoperability for an international education services provider

Woman and man sitting at a table both working on their laptops
Discover how a leading education services provider unified global teams by integrating Google Workspace with Microsoft Teams.
The background
The challenge
The solution
The results
THE BACKGROUND

A leading international education services provider specializing in educational programs and standardized test preparation transformed its internal collaboration by integrating Google Workspace with Mio. By connecting its core operations in the United States and Europe, the organization eliminated communication silos and enhanced productivity among its employees.

THE CHALLENGE

Overcoming cross-platform communication barriers

With employees in the U.S. using Google Workspace and employees in Europe on Microsoft Teams, the company faced significant collaboration challenges. As their employees swivel-chaired between Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams, time was wasted, messages were lost, and frustration built. For employees, productivity slipped, in what the Harvard Business Review calls the “toggle tax.” For IT managers, operational complexity and administrative time increased, having to manage duplicate user identities on both platforms. These issues were further exacerbated by asynchronous work schedules across international time zones.

Migrating all employees to a single platform was considered but deemed too expensive and disruptive, requiring extensive change management and retraining for thousands of employees accustomed to their existing workflows.

THE SOLUTION

Integrating Google Workspace with Microsoft for unified collaboration

The education services provider recognized the critical need for an interoperability solution, understanding it would be easier to integrate than consolidate.

Recognizing the need for an effective interoperability solution, the education services provider leveraged Mio's Chat Sync and Directory Sync capabilities to bridge Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams. This integration allowed employees to communicate seamlessly without switching platforms or IT admins managing dual licenses. By connecting their existing tools, the company eliminated the need for employees to "swivel-chair" between applications, streamlining communication and collaboration.

THE RESULTS

Streamlined communication and increased productivity

By unifying their communication platforms with Mio, the organization achieved:

  • Enhanced productivity: Employees reduced time lost to context switching, leading to more efficient workflows.
  • Improved employee satisfaction: Teams could continue using their preferred tools while collaborating seamlessly with colleagues across regions.
  • Simplified IT management: IT administrators experienced reduced complexity in managing user identities and platforms.
  • Cost savings: Avoided the expenses associated with a full platform migration and minimized operational overhead.

With teams now collaborating effortlessly across platforms, the education services provider is well-positioned to elevate educational success through enhanced workflows and streamlined communication.

Key highlights

  • Cross-platform communication challenges: A leading international education services provider with thousands of employees faced collaboration hurdles due to U.S. employees using Google Workspace and European employees on Microsoft Teams.
  • Inefficiencies and frustration: Employees wasted time toggling between platforms, leading to lost messages and frustration—a phenomenon known as the "toggle tax." Asynchronous work schedules across time zones exacerbated the issue.
  • Migration not feasible: Migrating all employees to a single platform was deemed too expensive and disruptive, requiring extensive change management and retraining.
  • Implementation of Mio's interoperability solution: The company integrated Mio's Chat Sync and Directory Sync capabilities to bridge Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams, allowing seamless communication without switching platforms or managing dual licenses.
  • Empowered global teams: The organization unified its global workforce without disrupting established workflows, enabling it to focus on its core mission of delivering exceptional educational programs.

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