Table of Contents
Problems Solved
Inefficient User Onboarding
Limited Remote Work Options
Project
Migration to Microsoft 365
Customer Challenge: Addressing Legacy Technology Constraints and Operational Efficiency Gaps
Established in 1941, Eisai is a pharmaceutical company operating globally in research and development, manufacturing, and marketing, with a strong focus on prescription medicines.
Eisai’s environment presented several significant challenges, many of which were brought on by their reliance on the Lotus Notes email application, an outdated technology with limited support within their industry. Their email system was unable to support effective team collaboration due to a lack of integration with their larger productivity suite. Furthermore, the absence of remote working options made their situation more difficult because there were few work-from-anywhere or work-from-home options available.
Maintaining their Lotus Notes infrastructure required substantial personnel investment, involving thorough technical training in both technical intricacies and more extensive client customization. This challenge was brought on by the technology's relatively low adoption rate and limited marketplace support. Consequently, sourcing skilled individuals to provide support was notably challenging. To overcome this, they were compelled to recruit non-Lotus Notes employees and provide them with extensive training which was not a sustainable solution for future growth.
The Solution: Comprehensive Microsoft 365 Migration and Technical Training to Enhance Operations
To address their challenges, the solution included a comprehensive migration from Lotus Notes to Microsoft 365. The proof of concept was completed by about ten professionals focusing on their email functionality. The project also included a migration from on-premises mobile device management (MDM) to Microsoft Intune for improved mobile management and cloud security capabilities. The initiative aimed to improve automation, specifically in onboarding procedures and updating their productivity suite (Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook etc.) A series of technical training sessions, including webinars and in-person instruction, reinforced this.
Eisai’s digital transformation involved two distinct stages. Level 1 involved addressing their on-premises operations and from there the migration advanced to Level 2—a shift to cloud technologies, specifically migrating thousands of mailboxes for all their employees to the Microsoft 365 environment. This level also included automating the rollout of Microsoft 365 for Business, the Microsoft 365 for Enterprise Productivity suite, and SharePoint components, so they could migrate away from the Lotus Notes custom applications. Also, as part of progressing to Level 2, the organization transitioned towards a unified user identity. This involved moving away from the complexity of managing multiple identities, including Lotus Notes and Active Directory, and consolidating them into a single, streamlined identity framework.
The Impact: Improved Remote Work Benefits, User Experience, and Employee Satisfaction
The impact of enhancing the automation of user onboarding through the transition was significant for Eisai. By leveraging a meticulous process involving extensive discovery and scripting, the user onboarding experience underwent a transformative shift. Through careful automation, the organization achieved operational efficiency, eliminating the need for manual intervention during critical processes. The automation encompassed various aspects, from mobile device setup to configuring Microsoft 365 mail clients.
This seamless automation resulted in immediate benefits, as processes were executed "right out of the gate" without necessitating complex customizations. User interaction was minimized, translating to user experience improvement, time savings, and operational efficiency. Furthermore, the initiative facilitated remote work benefits, allowing users to work from anywhere, a testament to the solution's versatility and alignment with contemporary work trends. Overall, the Microsoft 365 migration, coupled with robust automation, substantially improved user experience, productivity, and the organization's technological agility.
