Smollan's Transition to Google Workspace: A Success Story

When great teams and exceptional software come together, the outcome can be revolutionary.

This assertion stands strong in the case of Smollan Technologies, which recently underwent a monumental transition from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace. Japie Saunders, the Managing Executive for Google Solutions at Argility/Smollan Technologies, points to this transition as a hallmark example of how effective collaboration coupled with the right technological tools can catalyze unprecedented business growth and innovation.

Argility serves as a Google Premier Partner within the Digicloud Africa framework, which has played a pivotal role in helping Smollan navigate its shift to Google Workspace. This strategic move not only incorporated significant technological advancements but also emphasized the importance of team collaboration at every step.

During this extensive 547-day project, which involved transferring a staggering 9,064 users across 25 companies operating in 19 countries, the level of complexity was exceptional. “This project is recognized as one of the most intricate multi-domain, multi-region Google Workspace deployments globally,” states Saunders. The success hinged on the seamless collaboration of multiple stakeholders from various sectors.

“Google constructs the platform and continuously improves it. Our Google Cloud distributor, Digicloud Africa, ensures that it's accessible in Africa while providing essential training for partners. Our role is to execute the delivery, while Smollan takes on the risk of being a front-runner. Remove any one of these elements, and you could spell disaster or a quiet termination of the project,” explains Saunders. He emphasizes that the collaborative efforts over the past two years have showcased how all four components harmonized effectively, coinciding with the platform's continuous evolution – something that many users may not have noticed.

The Evolution of Google Workspace

One of the transformative features Saunders focuses on is the evolution of Google Workspace itself over the past year. At the Cloud Next event held in April, a significant development called Workspace Intelligence was unveiled. “This is not merely an app,” he clarifies, “but rather a layer that operates across Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Chat. It has the capability to comprehend the interrelationships within an organization’s data.”

Workspace Intelligence promotes contextual understanding, linking documents to specific projects and clarifying internal terminologies that may differ from conventional meanings. Unlike many AI tools that merely connect to existing data, this innovation is engineered to grasp the significance of that data within a given business context.

“In addition to that layer, the introduction of Workspace Studio last December has empowered users to describe processes in a simple sentence, effectively creating an automatic agent that functions across their communications and files—without requiring any developer support,” elaborates Saunders.

According to Saunders, businesses operating in multiple languages and time zones—like Smollan, which designs its operations around eight languages spanning 24 time zones—find this particularly advantageous. The process knowledge residing in long-term employees can now be easily disseminated to newcomers, a significant enhancement for a diverse workforce.

Governance also plays a crucial role in this migration. “With Google, administrators gain unparalleled control over permissions and can monitor various agents,” emphasizes Saunders. Features like Gemini Data Loss Prevention (DLP) enable organizations to maintain tight reins over their data with region-specific processing and client-side encryption ensuring maximum security. With these tools in place, cybersecurity conversations with CISOs have evolved from continual worries to productive discussions.

Maximizing IT Potential

However, as Saunders points out, software alone isn’t a magical solution for business value. “No software can create value on its own—it requires a culture of trust among users, effective governance, and ultimately, a shift in how employees operate,” he states. Reflecting on their own initial experience, Saunders recalls that Argility made the decision to transition its operations onto Google’s platform back in 2010—a decision met with skepticism but one that has paid dividends over the years. This intimate understanding of the platform's workings positioned Argility as a Google Premier Partner in 2024, placing them among the top three percent of Google partners globally.

Pioneering Change: Smollan's Leadership

Amidst the various transitions, Smollan took a bold step to be at the forefront of this migration. “We are talking about 9,064 users, across 25 companies and 19 countries, with eight languages and over 24 time zones involved in the process—all while ensuring zero acceptable downtimes,” Saunders highlights. This goal was achieved with resounding success, resulting in zero downtime and data loss during migration, culminating in a remarkable verified success rate of 99.77%.

Reflecting on this monumental project, Smollan CEO David Smollan commented,

"A change of this magnitude is not something to be underestimated. However, after a very well-organized process, I’m pleased that we’ve managed to cross over and our entire technology estate is now truly cloud-native. This presents us with a significant competitive edge as a distributed organization, and we are excited about exploring further opportunities on the Google platform."

Surmounting such challenges was possible due in large part to a champion network of advocates supporting the shift, multilingual training programs, and an emphasis on real-time enablers like Gemini, all instrumental in ensuring the sustained efficiency of the new platform post-launch. Saunders stresses,

"The biggest lesson out of nine thousand users was blunt: technical deployment without genuine change management is a failed migration."

Argility did more than just lend support—it actively championed the transition, living and breathing the process which provided invaluable insights and experiences. “Rolling out Google Workspace on our infrastructure provided us a level of depth that no theoretical model could replicate,

Our Take

This article underscores the critical alignment of teamwork and innovative software in driving significant business transformations, as illustrated by Smollan’s successful migration to Google Workspace—demonstrating that technology alone isn't enough without robust change management and collaboration.