Unity-Enterprise Case Study

About the Client

Unity are a Scottish Charity and Social Enterprise. Since their foundation in 1989, they have provided support services to people who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or at risk of exclusion, to help them fulfil their potential. 

The Challenge

At the start of 2020, Unity’s premises were lacking cloud infrastructure and the technology to unify communications to facilitate data sharing across their various locations. Euro Systems, who were Unity’s IT partner, were tasked with the job to modernise and digitalise their work environment.

A thorough data migration was required to move Unity’s active directory and data to the cloud. It was also important to provide a solution for enhanced business agility, so that the staff could collaborate better remotely.

Later in the year, with the spread of COVID-19, new IT requirements developed. Unity’s work includes workshops and information sessions to support adults and young people with learning disabilities. With lockdown coming into force, the organisation had to adapt and embrace new technologies to continue their work, so Euro Systems looked at installing video-conferencing facilities for the organisation to be able to hold online meetings and continue carrying out their work.

The Approach

Euro Systems migrated Unity’s active directory and email data over to Microsoft Azure, installed SharePoint for the team to store files and data in the cloud, and Microsoft Teams was installed to improve business agility.

After the migration, Unity required an intelligent video conferencing solution for Team meetings and to make it easy for them to deliver their workshops and sessions online – a requirement that followed lockdown restrictions.

Unity’s sites are located across the West of Scotland; in Glasgow, Ayr, Irvine, and West and East Dunbartonshire. At their Central office, Euro Systems mounted on the wall a 50-Inch Smart TV, installed and configured a Yealink MeetingBar equipped with AI technology, Auto-Framing and Speaker Tracking.

The video camera counts with a 133° wide-angle lens and Auto-Framing technology, meaning it can recognise the number of and the position of attendees to include everyone smoothly in the frame regardless of the room size. On the other hand, the Speaker Tracking technology with a 20MP camera, allows face-to-face meeting in high definition for the best visual experience.

Euro Systems also installed Yealink CTP18 Touchscreens so that with Just one-touch, the team can start or join a meeting. All meeting controls can be navigated on the CTP18 with a simple touch or a finger swipe.

At the six other sites, Euro Systems built adapted mobile TV stands and mounted 32-Inch Smart TV’s, also installing and configuring Yealink MeetingBars & Yealink CTP18 Touchscreens.

The Results

Euro Systems performed a seamless data migration for Unity. SharePoint and Microsoft Teams have helped the team to collaborate better remotely, communicate with ease, hold online Team meetings, share documents with ease and keep data secure.

As the pandemic continues to disrupt “business as usual”, the staff at Unity have been able to work better remotely thanks to the cloud technology, SharePoint and Microsoft Teams.

The video conferencing facilities have allowed Unity to hold seamless video meetings across their different locations. The new audio-visual installations have also provided Unity with a tool for training and for bringing in new members of the team, connecting with them in a more humanised way.

As soon as lockdown restrictions ease, the team will go back to their offices, and they will be able to use the equipment for delivering workshops and sessions online.

We take our IT network and security seriously, and Euro Systems were the perfect partner to advise us in this regard, showing us the best way forward and ensuring it was implemented in an expedient and cost effective manner.

John Roberts Austin Lafferty Solicitors