Consulting Firm Simplifies Conferencing
with Logitech and Microsoft Teams
Seattle
1947
ESTABLISHED IN
The Challenge
Milliman is a global consulting firm that provides actuarial, financial, and technology solutions to clients in various industries. With over 3,000 employees and 60 offices worldwide, Milliman relies on effective communication and collaboration among its teams and clients.
However, Milliman’s conference rooms were not equipped with a consistent and reliable AV solution. Jim Parkhill, the facilities and security manager at Milliman’s Seattle headquarters, described the situation:
“We had an offering of piecemeal conference room solutions that presented varying degrees of difficulties to the end users,” Jim explained. Among the problems that Milliman faced with their old AV systems were:
- Lack of video capabilities (or low-quality webcams) in some rooms
- Different audio devices and speakers that were not tailored for the size of the rooms
- Connectivity issues with the displays and speakers
- Lack of interoperability with Microsoft Teams, Milliman’s unified communications platform
These problems resulted in poor user experience, frustration, and wasted time. Moreover, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Milliman into hybrid work, the need for a better AV solution became even more urgent.
“We wanted to homogenize the AV experience, adding an element of continuity,” Parkhill stated, “so that the AV experience would be the same no matter which conference room you choose to occupy.”
The Solution
Milliman decided to upgrade their conference rooms with a modern and consistent AV solution that would enable seamless collaboration with Microsoft Teams. They partnered with eGroup Enabling Technologies, an AV specialist and nine-time Microsoft Partner of the Year Award Winner.
eGroup Enabling Technologies provided Milliman with a comprehensive assessment of their conference room needs and provided several options to meet the use cases. Ultimately, Logitech Teams Room Systems were the best fit for Milliman’s requirements. Logitech Teams Room Systems are pre-configured bundles that include a touch controller, a conference cam, and a mini PC. They are designed to work seamlessly with Microsoft Teams and provide high-quality video and audio for any meeting space.
Mr. Parkhill explained why Milliman found Logitech to be their best choice:
“We weighed the pros and cons—including functionality, ease of use, and of course, price—on a few different systems until we ended up ultimately with the Logitech solution. We liked the AV quality, the scalability, and the ease of use from an end-user's perspective."
Milliman upgraded eight conference rooms in their Seattle office with Logitech Teams Room Systems, with different configurations depending on the size and layout of the rooms. eGroup Enabling Technologies provided the project management, installation, and training for the project.
The Results
Since deploying Logitech Teams Room Systems, Milliman has experienced significant benefits in terms of user satisfaction, productivity, and cost savings. Some of the results include:
- A dramatic reduction in service requests and support issues related to AV equipment
- A consistent and intuitive user experience across all conference rooms, with one-click join, plug-and-play connectivity, and touch control
- Improved video and audio quality for both in-room and remote participants, with HD cameras, auto-framing, and noise cancellation features
- Enhanced collaboration and engagement with Microsoft Teams, with easy content sharing, whiteboarding, and chat functions
- Lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and maintenance, with affordable and durable devices that are easy to update and manage
Each room is outfitted with basic instructions that are laminated and placed on the table. Jim shared some of the positive feedback that he received from the end users, saying, “Overall it’s been very positive! I received a note from a colleague saying ‘Our team gave our presentation in the Northwest Conference Room and it worked flawlessly, allowing us to be on one camera that was super easy to set up.’ That is indicative of the feedback we receive.”
Mr. Parkhill also expressed his appreciation for eGroup Enabling Technologies’ role in the project. “eGroup Enabling Technologies supplied the personnel that initially walked through our facility to make recommendations of the type and size of equipment we would need based upon the different room specifications,” Parkhill noted. “They provided a project manager who helped guide us through the process of selecting the right solution for our needs and eventually supplied us with our AV installation. They made it easy.”
Summary
Milliman is now enjoying a modern and consistent AV solution that enables them to communicate and collaborate effectively with Microsoft Teams. With Logitech Teams Room Systems and eGroup Enabling Technologies, they have transformed their conference rooms into productive and engaging meeting spaces.
You can watch our conversation with Milliman’s Jim Parkhill below!
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