As a Google Apps Authorized Reseller and a Google Referred Partner for Google Apps Training, Dito has developed long-standing relationships within the marketplace and has become a complete solutions provider assisting numerous companies transition to the cloud. Dito’s team is comprised of Google Apps subject matter experts (SMEs), industry leading Google Apps Trainers, Lean Six Sigma experts and a strong software development group. Dito achieves a high-level of efficiency in its business practices, ensuring consistent and exceptional results with a focus on the clients’ needs first.
TheHomeMag® is a leading local home improvement direct mail Magazine. The Magazine is the Franchise, and its success is directly connected to each Publisher - its franchisee. Its franchisees publish their local edition of TheHomeMag® by leading their team of sales consultants and office staff toward the best publication each month. TheHomeMag® is the leading advertising vehicle for home improvement professionals.
Challenge
TheHomeMag needed to provide increased reliability and collaborative capabilities to its nationally distributed franchisees. Its existing FuseMail and Outlook solution did not offer the ability to support branches remotely, a requirement for the support staff at the corporate offices and a critical component of growth.
Solution
Having made the decision to use Google Apps, Dito and TheHomeMag's IT Manager, Steve Aldrich, decided to use a phased deployment of Google Apps Premier Edition, rolling out the service to nationwide offices in 4 phases over the course of one month. Starting with the planning stages of the deployment, Google Apps Training Sites as well as Getting Started Guides were created and distributed by Dito to help transition employees. During later phases, Dito provided user and group provisioning along with ongoing support for the duration of the user migrations. The approach led to an extremely successful adoption rate, since the users were well prepared and supported during the transition.
Result
TheHomeMag is experiencing tremendous growth and the transition to Google Apps is providing economies of scale which allow the company to continue to provide first class support across its growing user base.
"The workflow improvements are already paying dividends, and the ability to have everything right there in one interface makes supporting the franchisees and their staff a breeze," says Aldrich.
In regards to the transition, Aldrich notes that "Better than 90% of our users have converted to the Google Apps web interface, leaving behind Outlook and other desktop email clients. The first few days of trepidation gave way to resoundingly positive feedback. This conversion took folks by surprise at just how easy it was."
Chris Goebel, president of the company, says, "TheHomeMag has a win on its hands with this conversion. We are now looking forward to the ability to support the next wave of growth for our franchise, as well as the continued growth of our franchisees' businesses."
