Customer Solution Case Study
/ Market Analysis Firm Uses Windows Touch Devices to Boost Staff Mobility
”The key benefit we have gained with Windows 8 Pro is flexibility. Having Windows 8 Pro on my tablet means I can be flexible and productive. I couldn’t do that with just the iPad.”
Neil Taylor, PC and Network Support Analyst, Glenigan
Glenigan sells construction market information in the United Kingdom. To support an increasingly mobile workforce, Glenigan worked with Modern Networks to test Lenovo tablets and ultrabooks with Windows 8 Pro. The employees testing these devices are replacing their iPads and laptops with one computer, boosting agility, productivity, and job satisfaction. And Glenigan IT staff use existing PC management tools to help secure Windows 8 Pro computers.
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.Document published May 2013
Business Needs
Glenigan supports construction and real estate companies throughout the United Kingdom. Its customers use the web-based Glenigan Index and proprietary analysis tools to mine the company’s construction data. By providing detailed, new build and refurbishment construction project sales leads, Glenigan helps its customers compete for and win contracts. “We differentiate ourselves through the quality, reliability, and accuracy of our information,” says Nigel Miller, Head of Internal Sales at Glenigan. “Customers rely on our data so that they can grow business, reduce risk, and examine new prospects.”
To stay competitive, Glenigan uses the latest Microsoft technology to maintain its revenue-generating website and analysis tools. “We stay current with business productivity software so that our staff has the tools to work productively,” says Neil Taylor, PC and Network Support Analyst at Glenigan.
Glenigan standardized on the Windows 7 operating system for its PCs and laptops. Management staff carried iPads for sales demos and to demonstrate the functionality of the company’s online tools. “The iPad looks great, but it has massive limitations as a business tool,” says Taylor. “Staff couldn’t join the corporate network to access shared resources, and they couldn’t run Microsoft Office without a third-party tool. People carried the iPad and a business laptop to get work done. And IT couldn’t apply corporate security policies to secure and manage the iPads.”
Glenigan wanted employees to move around the building and exchange ideas with colleagues. Staff wanted to carry a single device as they traveled between the Bournemouth and London offices. “Researchers, content creators, technical teams, sales staff, and trainers all meet customers,” says Theresa Ferguson, Head of Delivery at Glenigan. “We needed the right computing platform to help support mobility and productivity. And it had to be flexible, intuitive, and easy to manage.”
Solution
Glenigan found the right solution in the Windows 8 Pro operating system running on Lenovo tablets and ultrabooks. In February 2013, it worked with Modern Networks, a member of the Microsoft Partner Network, to deploy two Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 tablets and a couple of Lenovo ThinkPad Twist Ultrabooks. Glenigan employees who use the Lenovo devices are also excited about Microsoft Office 2013 and the capability to open and save documents directly into SkyDrive Pro and Microsoft SharePoint sites. “With Office 2013, saving and accessing your files from anywhere at any time become totally seamless,” says Taylor.
“Modern Networks helped us configure the Lenovo devices to work with our Cisco wireless network,” Taylor continues. “It was easy to add the new devices to our corporate domain and apply our security policies. We love the Windows 8 picture password feature, which gives us an extra layer of security.”
According to staff feedback, Windows 8 Pro runs the applications and tools that Glenigan employees work with every day but with improved performance. Says Miller: “The start times with Windows 8 devices are ‘wow,’ you turn it on and it works instantly. Performance wise, Windows 8 is excellent!”
Ferguson experienced no challenges while installing Microsoft SQL Server data management software, the Microsoft Visual Studio development system, and Remote Desktop Connection. “I’ve used the Lenovo ThinkPad Twist for two months. I’ve never been so attached to a machine—the Twist functionality and the touch computing are amazingly intuitive. And it’s more reliable than my PC.”
Glenigan employees with Windows 8 Pro use their Microsoft accounts to sign in to the computers, access the Windows Store to download apps, and sync apps, programs, and personal settings across any computer or mobile device also running Windows 8 Pro.
Benefits
In just two months and with only four devices, Glenigan is already realizing the value of Windows 8 Pro in promoting a flexible, productive work environment.
Increases Workplace Flexibility, Productivity
Glenigan employees love the mobility that comes from the combination of intuitive touch computing and imaginative form factors. Being able to work on one device that fits a variety of scenarios delivers a new level of workplace flexibility that improves productivity and employee satisfaction. “I can have my PC, laptop, and phone all running the same software for a productive experience from anywhere,” says Taylor.
Adds Ferguson, “I was sitting in a coffee shop, waiting for the train, filling out a questionnaire, and I was using the laptop to start answering questions. The train arrived, I closed the keyboard, switched to tablet mode, and just carried on. I didn’t even realize I had done it. I take the Lenovo Twist with Windows 8 Pro everywhere, and I’m able to get more work done on the go than ever.”
Enhances Security
Glenigan IT staff use the company’s existing infrastructure management solution to help protect computers running Windows 8 Pro, which was not possible with the iPads. “We think Windows security offers more for a business than Apple,” says Taylor. “With Windows 8 Pro, we can use our current domain security settings and group policies to protect the new devices just like our Windows 7 machines.”
Reduces Costs
Those employees that are testing computers running Windows 8 Pro are beginning to retire their iPads in favor of their computers running Windows 8 Pro. “I’m now an ex-iPad user,” says Miller. “I love the touch screen, and I take my ThinkPad everywhere. Rather than having two devices, employees will all be using one, reducing the total cost of ownership.”
This seems a likely scenario, according to Taylor. “Large scale corporate purchasing decisions are made by the central IT group in London, but as the front runners at Glenigan, we’ll be pushing to expedite the global deployment of Windows 8 Pro. We love it.”
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.Document published May 2013