Information EXP

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a tech-based consulting company. We help organizations across every industry find digital tools that help them stand out and thrive.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Information EXP?

One of our clients had a goal to implement a document management solution, and one of our requirements was to try and leverage the existing platforms to avoid spending money on new solutions. The goal was to use the client’s Microsoft environment in the new solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The solution had to manage healthcare organizations’ document portfolios, which include state policies, procedures, version control and approval processes, and digital inventories. The solution is built on Microsoft Sharepoint.

How did you come to work with Information EXP?

I came across them on YouTube in a search I did for relevant companies. They do monthly workshops and post videos of those sessions online. I was impressed, as they showcased their work with Microsoft.

How much have you invested with them?

The initial investment was around £35,000 (approximately $44,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July 2021–January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

100% of our client’s staff is now using the document management system and the Sharepoint sight for sharing information internally. We’ve successfully moved from the previous solution to the new one and it’s been 100% successful.

How did Information EXP perform from a project management standpoint?

I was involved in all the weekly calls to ensure we were capturing the correct information from all parties. Our client is a startup and followed a very agile methodology, which required us to have regular sprints and touchpoints to ensure we were meeting each stage of the deliverables.

We communicated through Microsoft Teams. I and our client both have access to this Teams environment, and we store all our project documentation there as well.

If there have been delays, they’ve come from our client changing requirements. Otherwise, Information EXP has hit 100% of our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What my client and I really liked about Information EXP is their ability to communicate about technology in laymen’s terms. They guided our client through what was and wasn't suitable for them, even if that meant missing out on business. Their team was purely focused on helping our client deliver on their needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s hard to pinpoint anything in particular, but I’m sure they could improve their understanding of our regional marketing in the UAE, especially around regulatory requirements of storage documents.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You don’t need to look for anyone else; Information EXP is the best in the market in terms of expertise and delivery.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of engineering change at a power supply manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Information EXP?

We were looking to minimize errors in our processes, and we needed their team to automate these through SharePoint.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Information EXP has been helping us migrate from manual to automated processes through SharePoint configuration. As we adopt this new system into our company, Information EXP has also been conducting training sessions for our existing and newly onboarded staff to make changes on their own. SharePoint users who encounter technical difficulties may also approach Information EXP’s team for assistance.

What is the team composition?

We work with at least six resources from Information EXP, including their project manager, engineers, and QA group.

How did you come to work with Information EXP?

I came across one of Information EXP’s YouTube webinars about SharePoint configuration and was interested enough to explore their website. Their previous works and proven expertise resonated with everything we needed, so we decided to onboard their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement commenced in June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve recently launched the system, and its usability is our core metric for now. Apart from that, we’ve also compared the feedback we’ve got on SharePoint with our previous manual documentation system and seen significant improvements and fewer complaints. Overall, we’re satisfied with the system’s performance and appreciate how it’s been helping us save more time by simplifying our processes.

How did Information EXP perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate via weekly status calls. Information EXP is a reliable partner that adapts well to our requirements and strives to meet our deadlines. We’ve encountered delays because of our team’s shortcomings and miscalculations, but they’ve remained supportive and flexible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re most impressed with Information EXP’s patient handling of our needs and their adaptability in traversing through this journey with us. We’ve needed a passionate and knowledgeable team that we can trust, and they’ve been that exact partner to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re already a very effective team, so they can just maintain or refine the skills they have now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Once you finalize your requirements, actively work with Information EXP in identifying solutions and practices that can precisely address your needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CTO on Conversity, an intelligent guided sales platform used by retailers and brands to help people find products and services that they need.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Information EXP?

We wanted to build an intranet and get some help with our document management. We’ve been a user of Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and other relevant services for a few years now. Basically, we needed someone to tidy up our internal processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Information EXP offered expert advice and guidance on setting up our system and how to use them. They then built an intranet to be shared among our employees. One of the deliverables was to completely reorganize all of our documents and create a proper structure so that each team had its own area to manage, which they could share among other teams. 

After setting up the configured model for our document management, the Information EXP team then showed us how to do it ourselves. We started this process with an information-gathering exercise, where they gave us a list of their plans for the workshop and what topic they would tackle in each day of training. After we approved their proposal, they trained our department heads on how to manage our intranet through SharePoint. This included teaching them how to publish content in the correct locations and how to share them properly. They did all of their work remotely due to COVID-19.

The bulk of the work is done, but they continue to support us on a monthly basis. We contact them whenever we have specific questions, and they show us how to do things correctly. If it has anything to do with information management, we revert to Information EXP for guidance.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a consultant.

How did you come to work with Information EXP?

They weren’t the first vendor we approached, but their proposal tackled our needs. They knew the best way to position things and which components to use within SharePoint.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000–$25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2020–January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The way Information EXP conducted the training was excellent. Whenever our teammates asked questions, they provided the proper context and explained in detail how to resolve problems without taking too much time. The team offered alternative solutions, as well. They trained a lot of our internal team members, and they were very good at managing a crowd of people with opinions. 

Thanks to their help, we were able to find and share information much faster within our organization. They really helped us understand the tools we were already using.

How did Information EXP perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was very well-managed, and the timing was spot on. If anything, we slowed them down because we weren’t ready sometimes. We knew what we were expecting, and they delivered. To communicate, we used Zoom Meetings and Microsoft Teams, which was the main channel of communication. We also used email to talk about the project scope and deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with their knowledge of Microsoft 365 and SharePoint. They were very experienced and offered efficient and proper solutions. Overall, the guidance they provided was invaluable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were a pretty small organization, so it was evident that our project consultant was working with other clients. However, it wasn’t a big issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage with them if you’re looking for advice and guidance on making the best of your investment in the Microsoft 365 infrastructure.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director of a software company. We provide software to the London insurance brokers’ market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Information EXP?

We were trying to organize our internal document storage, architecture, and communication processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve solicited quotes from them for a number of projects, but so far they've only completed a platform review for our use of Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. They led a series of workshops to determine how our organization circulated information and documents. Based on these workshops, they then designed an information architecture in SharePoint. Their team also developed some complementary processes for documentation creation and built a document management system application that operates out of Teams. Using this app, all our employees can upload and access documents in a standard location.

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact on their team.

How did you come to work with Information EXP?

I heard about them through a word-of-mouth recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £7,000 (approximately $9,900 USD) with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together since February 2021. We’ve completed this project, but are getting ready to work with them on a client-oriented SharePoint project and an Intranet implementation project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their work has definitely improved our internal communication capabilities. In line with this, our processes have been more efficient. We’ve saved considerable time and effort thanks to them.

How did Information EXP perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was delivered on time and as agreed upon based on what they quoted us. We had weekly meetings via Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The simplicity of what they offer is great. When we ran into this business challenge, they stepped in and easily solved our problem.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We don’t have any written documentation on their work. They gave us an overview of what they did, but we chose not to have them train our internal staff on their solution. As such, when our staff runs into questions, we have to contact their team for answers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you give them any information about your organization that they request. Once you do, they’ll be easy to work with and flexible in building a solution for your business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT change and project manager of FareShare UK. We’re a food banking organization. I oversaw the project on our side.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Information EXP?

Our organization has grown organically and so have our storage systems and internal communication platforms. We were finding that different parts of the organization couldn’t share documents effectively or meetings were being booked on different platforms depending on the department. The overall objective of the engagement was to unify those aspects within our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Between our team, the Information EXP team, and a third party, we carried out an extensive review process. We settled on a platform that’d meet all our functionality and communication needs while meeting cost requirements. We utilized SharePoint and the Microsoft Office 365-based platform for all staff and users.

What is the team composition?

We had one main contact who was the SharePoint developer.

How did you come to work with Information EXP?

They were recommended to us by the organization that upgraded our entire IT systems. We chose them because they were available and competitive.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement was from April–October 2020. They’ve provided one-off post-launch support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The deliverables have been game-changing for a lot of users, especially remote users. Having a unified file storage platform means we don’t have to email people to find things. Everything is there and available, regardless of if a user is on-site or remote. Having this in place is saving huge amounts of time for us.

The functionality that’s resulted with regard to Microsoft Teams has helped manage cross-department meetings and correspondence in a more effective way. Information EXP’s expertise in terms of design was excellent. They analyzed our needs and built something that successfully met those needs.

How did Information EXP perform from a project management standpoint?

The first Microsoft team to go live was the project management one. They used it as a demo to show us things but also managed the project through it. It was very useful because it helped embed knowledge for our members and staff before we went live. What’s more, the project was delivered on time and within budget.

Our main contact was always approachable via the phone, video conferencing, or email. Their communication skills were great. If they needed something from us, they knew the appropriate way to get ahold of us. They took the time to understand how we worked and communicated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The speed at which they understood our needs was spectacular. They quickly picked up how we worked, what we needed, and how our old systems interacted or didn’t. Their team’s knowledge and ability to find the right and workable solution were very impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, most of the challenges of the project came from our side. They were stellar in dealing with those issues as they arose.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Being very open with them will benefit your needs. The more information they have, the better solution they’ll find. They have a good mind of both the detail and the bigger picture at the same time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Director of Surelock, Investigators and Security Consultants

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Information EXP?

He required tuition on Office 365 and Teams

What were your goals for this project?

To gain more knowledge of the operating system

SOLUTION

How did you select Information EXP?

By recommendation

Describe the project in detail.

We had a series of online training sessions.

What was the team composition?

The team at Surelock were assigned an office manager to give online presentations (due to COVID-19)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Ben is really good at understanding how his clients work and understanding their objectives, his teaching style is great in that he discusses the pros and cons and is very deferential on how we chose to set up our teams and channels*

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We got on really well with Ben, and he was very helpful to our company's problems.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Just a few suggestions: 

• More of an overview in the first training session of using OneDrive and Sharepoint in Teams – understanding the hierarchy, best to assume that we know nothing.
• Ben could afford to be a bit bossier when he feels we were not setting things up/working the best way – clients usually don’t mind being told what to do/be given best practise, when they are learning a new process.
• A very quick re-cap/reminder at the beginning of each training session of topics covered in previous session (via a shared screen demo).

Are there any areas for improvement?

Obviously face to face sessions would have been better, but we made the best of the online presentations

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the PMO head for a community health services organization. We provide 42 different clinical services to our community to avoid patients going to a general practitioner or a hospital.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Information EXP?

Prior to the pandemic, we were looking at how to address the growing demand of services across the Kingston area. We wanted to address it with minimal intervention of our clinicians going out and providing point-to-point services and, instead, doing it in a virtual way. 

Then, COVID-19 happened and we were forced to provide new ways of working more virtual consultations to our patients. We needed help with our roadmap in how we could be more digitally savvy within our organization and how we provide services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were looking at an Office 365 platform to transform the way we collaborate internally as well as how we provide our services to external stakeholders. They provide consulting services on how it can be used for day-to-day collaboration, not just within the organization but also externally. They helped us provide an architectural view of what suits our purpose and how we can grow with the foundational basis our organization has. 

The first phase of the relationship has almost come to a close — there are a few pieces left. The first phase included laying the foundation and the architecture required for the digital transformation. We did a few pilot runs on some of the tools that are provided within Office 365 to create an example of how we can benefit and build on top of those foundations.

What is the team composition?

We work with a lead architect.

How did you come to work with Information EXP?

We got a recommendation from another organization. I had some discussions with their lead person who had a great amount of experience within Office 365 and the architecture and design side of the projects.

After a discussion with him, it made sense for us. He shared some of the similar principles that I had in my roadmap and they had the experience and background with Office 365 and SharePoint we needed. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £20,000 (approximately $26,200 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2020 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They’ve really helped us, especially during COVID-19. Had they not been around, it would have been very difficult to quickly roll out the virtual workspace we envisioned.

They truly helped us from the bottom of rolling out teams and the information governance (IG) space that’s required behind it. They provided the right advisory services to quickly build the platform and enable any of our members to use it. 

How did Information EXP perform from a project management standpoint?

They are available via phone, Teams, and in-person as well. They’re very receptive to however we want to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a very friendly team — they feel like a part of our team. I never feel like I’m working with an external stakeholder; they feel like a friendly colleague.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I’d have them change. Since Office 365 is a new environment, there was a bit of a learning curve for them, as well. Now that they’ve learned the ropes and challenges of it, I’m sure they’d do much better with their next client, too. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I definitely recommend using them. Have them in every discussion especially around the architecture — they bring in a lot of value with their experience. They can truly understand things from the requirement gathering process. Make them part of the digital journey so you can get the maximum benefit out of them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Head of Marketing & Product Management for Bruker Microbiology & Diagnostics Business Area. We produce instrumentation and diagnostics tests used in clinical laboratories. We also provide diagnostic tests for Infectious Diseases, including COVID-19.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Information EXP?

We were using Webex, but there were some gaps and issues which we felt Microsoft Teams would address. Due to lockdown and everyone working from home, we needed to get familiar with MS Teams urgently, especially as the workload of the team exploded as we were addressing the huge demand for COVID-19 PCR Tests that we produce. We also needed to support our other Microbiology Systems in the field, as these also provided a critical solution to clinical laboratories during the pandemic. Suddenly moving from a strong face-to-face team environment to a lockdown home office environment meant we all needed to get up to speed on working with MS Teams and exploit the functionality very rapidly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team helped us get familiar with the product and its tools. They showed us how to use messages, video calls, team calls, planners, sharing documents, and invite new people into the team. It was a relatively deep view of the program to bring the whole team into it.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Rupert (Commercial Director) and Ben (Consulting Director).

How did you come to work with Information EXP?

I know Rupert, and that he had started up the business. Once I understood what they did, I realized that we needed some help due to the lockdown to keep communication high.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested £1,000 (approximately $2,000).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We definitely have had a positive impact from their training. Everyone quickly adopted Teams and felt comfortable, even the people that were hesitant. People stopped using phones to call each other, using Teams instead.

The video aspect is important for facial interaction and reactions. Overall, it was very helpful, acting as an accelerator that helped us in our communications.

How did Information EXP perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was very easy through email and phone. They spoke with our IT team to understand our structure and issues in order to most effectively focus on training.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The training itself was very good. Ben has a nice interactive style that’s relaxed and informative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if they offered a refresher course 4–6 weeks after the initial training to help understand the functionality tools better. They could also offer a more basic version of the training.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly convey the systems you want to use, what you hope to get out of it and find out what tools are available within the system to achieve your goals.