“With Lync Server 2010, our call charges are significantly lower than they were before. Our researchers can make more calls and communicate more effectively with partners and colleagues.”

Andrew Archer, Head of Business Technology, International Institute for Environment and Development

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in the United Kingdom (UK) wanted to improve productivity and business agility while lowering telephony costs with unified communications. Microsoft Gold Partner Outsourcery deployed Microsoft Lync Server 2010 for IIED in just three weeks. As a result, the institute avoided buying a new private branch exchange (PBX), and is now offering employees more productive ways of working at home and abroad.

Business NeedsFounded in 1971, IIED is an independent nonprofit group that promotes sustainable patterns of world development through collaborative research and policy studies. The London-based institute has four research groups, consisting of staff who regularly spend time travelling abroad and working away from the office. One of the organisation’s principal requirements was for employees to communicate and collaborate effectively from anywhere—whether in London, abroad, or at the IIED Edinburgh office.

Andrew Archer, Head of Business Technology at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), says: “Our existing telephony system was no longer fit for purpose. We were paying for expensive PBX maintenance, integrated services digital network (ISDN) line charges, site-to-site communication, and roaming charges on international calls. We also wanted to offer lower-cost alternatives to international travel through a more cost-effective audio and video conferencing system.”

In September 2011, IIED planned to move to a new office in London, providing the

opportunity for an upgrade to unified communications. The institute wanted a more flexible solution for both its IT and telephony as part of an overall information management strategy.

Archer says: “We were keen to improve our user experience. Our staff previously used desk-based analogue phones. This also meant that when they travelled abroad, they were incurring heavy mobile phone charges dialling back to the UK. These costs often deterred them from making calls to colleagues.”

SolutionIIED wanted to avoid incurring capital expenditure on a new office-based PBX and saw the advantage of a cloud-based hosted solution using unified communications. It followed a staged migration to unified communications, starting with an early version of Microsoft unified communications technology, to introduce instant messaging and presence information between its two UK sites.

Outsourcery worked with IIED on this project and also introduced the institute to Microsoft Lync Server 2010. IIED considered other solutions, but its

Customer: International Institute for Environment and DevelopmentWebsite: www.iied.org Customer Size: 100-5,000Country or Region: United KingdomIndustry: Nonprofit—Charities and philanthropic servicesPartner: Outsourcery

Customer ProfileThe International Institute for Environment and Development is a research institution that promotes sustainable patterns of world development through collaborative research, partnerships, and policy studies.

Software and Services Microsoft Server Product Portfolio− Microsoft Lync Server 2010− Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010− Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: www.microsoft.com/casestudies

Microsoft Server Product PortfolioCustomer Solution Case Study

Research Institute Improves Business Agility and Flexibility with Unified Communications

familiarity with Microsoft technologies, easy interoperability, and cost-effectiveness were deciding factors. The institute also upgraded its document management system to Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010.

Archer says: “We proposed very tight timescales to Outsourcery, but its professional project management ensured that these were met. In fact, it delivered Microsoft Lync Server in three weeks rather than six. We were impressed with the support and services from Outsourcery.”

IIED now has full telephony across the organisation and has also moved its previous Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 hosted email to Outsourcery as a multi-tenant cloud deployment. The Microsoft Partner carried out network assessments and helped develop a connectivity solution with dedicated private circuits, wide area network failover, and voice quality of service.

Rosie Jackson, Head of Product Proposition, Cloud Services, Outsourcery, says: “We offered IIED a state-of-the-art cloud-based hosted solution and delivered the migration in record time, which helped to ensure business continuity. Using its Unified Lync product through Microsoft Lync Server, Outsourcery has helped IIED avoid expenditure in several areas, including ISDN line charges. The alternative would have been a large upfront installation cost with physical servers and ongoing maintenance for an on-site PBX.”

BenefitsIIED has lowered its IT costs with Microsoft Lync Server 2010, avoided capital expenditure on a new PBX, and reduced telephony costs. The solution has boosted business agility and introduced greater flexibility through unified communications. Moving to Lync Server 2010 allows IIED staff to benefit from hot-desking and roaming functionality, which has improved productivity and collaboration.

Telephony costs are reduced with hosted Lync Server 2010. IIED has made substantial savings on its telephony compared to the previous PBX system, while freeing its staff to make more calls. Archer says: “With Lync Server 2010, our call charges are significantly lower than

they were before. Our researchers can make more calls and communicate more effectively with partners and colleagues.”

User experience is enhanced through unified communications. Moving to Lync Server 2010 with the option of Bluetooth headsets, USB handsets, and desk phones allows staff to benefit from hot-desking and roaming functions. All employees have laptops, and can either connect to a docking station or work around the office. People now have the flexibility to work wherever is most suitable for the task.

Outsourcery cloud-based solutions boost productivity. Through hosted Lync Server 2010, IIED now benefits from IP telephony, instant messaging, and voice conferencing. Archer says: “When fully implemented, the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 built-in conferencing facility will greatly improve communication at a fraction of the previous cost.”

Hosted platform ensures business continuity for IIED. With Lync Server 2010 and Microsoft Exchange Server as part of its new disaster recovery solution, IIED is at less risk of disruption at its London site. Key communications channels can continue to operate seamlessly in any emergency.

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published August 2013