How OVB MEDIA Transformed Collaboration
Summary
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The Challenge: OVB MEDIA struggled with communication silos and a fragmented IT infrastructure caused by isolated local MS Office setups and legacy Exchange servers.
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The Solution: The company implemented cloud-native Google Workspace using a phased rollout supported by employee training and internal Google Guides.
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Key Results: Real-time document collaboration significantly accelerated workflows, stabilized video calls, and streamlined central IT administration.
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Collaboration with PCG: PCG provided highly solution-oriented support throughout both the technical migration and the change management process
About the Company
Headquartered in Rosenheim, OVB MEDIA is the largest media company in southeastern Bavaria. Uniting 14 subsidiary companies and over 1,800 employees under one roof, the group’s diverse portfolio spans newspapers, magazines, online portals, video production, and radio broadcasting.
Breaking Down IT Silos
As a massive regional media network, OVB MEDIA faced the challenges of a fragmented IT landscape. Individual companies relied on isolated, local MS Office installations and maintained their own internal Exchange servers. Driven by a desire to foster unified communication and empower secure mobile working, the company began searching for a comprehensive cloud-based collaboration platform.
Florian Schiller, Managing Director of OVB MEDIA, explains the strategic vision:
“We wanted to think less in silos and act more as a unified group. Last but not least, we want to present ourselves as an attractive, forward-thinking employer in a highly competitive job market.”
Interestingly, Schiller notes that the technical migration wasn’t the biggest hurdle on the path to ‘New Work’:
“The main task was getting long-term Outlook and MS Office users on board with the new vision.”
A Phased Google Workspace Rollout with PCG
Ultimately, OVB MEDIA chose Google’s cloud-native applications for their intuitive design. “Usability is key, and you can immediately tell that Google Workspace was designed specifically for the cloud,” says Schiller.
Partnering with the cloud experts at PCG, the company didn’t just migrate emails and calendars; they executed a strategic, human-centric project plan. Operating on a phased approach, the core IT department was migrated first. Subsequently, designated “Google Guides” were trained across the organization to support their colleagues post-launch.
The bulk of the technical transition was completed in just six weeks. To ensure a smooth onboarding process, OVB MEDIA provided comprehensive FAQs on their intranet, gradually adapting traditional workflows to an agile, online-based methodology.
Simplified Collaboration & AI Power
Thanks to Google Workspace, OVB MEDIA has successfully streamlined its day-to-day operations. Florian Schiller notes the immediate operational benefits: “Room planning is now much easier via Google Calendar, and video conferences using Google Meet are significantly more stable than before.”
Real-time document collaboration has also drastically boosted administrative efficiency. For instance, evaluating customer complaints in the subscription service no longer requires sending multiple spreadsheet versions back and forth. Similarly, executive management now drafts and finalizes contracts in a single, centralized document.
While some long-term MS Office users initially hesitated, satisfaction with the new Google tools is steadily rising across the board. “People are really starting to see the many benefits,” Schiller observes. Furthermore, the internal IT team has greatly benefited from the simplified, unified administration, making the entire transition a resounding success.
The cooperation with PCG was fantastic and highly solution-oriented. Such a systemic change is always a leap into the deep end, but we felt extremely well looked after.
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