Arkadin Cloud Transformation Services
Enabling Successful Digital Transformations

With the rise of the digital platforms, enterprises across the globe now understand the benefits of investing in communication platforms and cloud-based unified communications (UC) to save cost and enhance productivity. However, the digital transformation initiatives of many companies fail due to improper planning, a focus on technology instead of the end user, and a lack of expertise in digital transformation.

Coming to the rescue of such enterprises is Arkadin (an NTT Company) and its new Cloud Transformation Services business unit. This complete suite of consulting, deployment, and operational services helps companies transform Office 365 or Cisco Spark into an enterprise communication platform, which improves the user experience and cuts costs.

To ensure a digital transformation project fulfills its objectives and delivers ROI, Arkadin starts each engagement with an ‘Envision Workshop,’ a unique consultative program that takes a granular approach to business discovery, assessment, and goal setting. As a result, the enterprise has a framework to evaluate their solution options and create a solid plan for change management and risk mitigation.

Once Arkadin and the client complete the Envision Workshop, they move to an extensive planning phase. In that, Arkadin assesses, designs, and prepares for the cloud communications deployment. Key to this step is creating “user personas” for each group of eventual users, to make sure their unique needs will be met.

Subsequently, Arkadin deploys the UC solution, with a major focus on driving user adoption. They rely heavily on proven organizational change management techniques and effective user education with an on-demand training portal. Finally, in the operational phase, management tools and administrative services are delivered to ensure system performance and maintain a positive user experience.

“Arkadin utilizes a unique approach that guides clients through each step of their digital transformation journey, which ensures success and protects the ROI of the project.” says Mark Alexander, President of Arkadin-Americas.

An example of an enterprise that has benefited from Arkadin Cloud Transformation Services is a large global services organization operating in over 40 countries. Although their UC solution was mostly deployed, their users weren’t adopting and engaging with the system. Arkadin’s Envision Workshop team gathered to understand the clients’ expectations and the requirements of the end-user community. The workshop brought to light a number of shortcomings that weren’t addressed during their planning phase, notably that priorities differed based on the different demography of the users. This discovery led to the development of an effective plan to solve the issues and redeploy the platform. As a result, the client was able to successfully move their enterprise voice and communication applications to the cloud, across the globe.

Arkadin utilizes a unique approach that guides clients through each step of their digital transformation journey, which ensures success and protects the ROI of the project

Alexander emphasizes the need for CIOs to champion digital transformation, as well as understand and plan for the cultural and governance issues that can disrupt a shift to cloud-based UC solution. While addressing the need for business leaders to rework on their organizational structure, Alexander says, “Success in the UC journey truly begins in the C-suite. Arkadin brings the expertise, flexibility, and innovation that enables executives to drive digital transformation initiatives.”