VINCI PLC, the largest British subsidiary of VINCI, needed to decide how to integrate the messaging system from recently acquired company Taylor Woodrow Construction into its communications infrastructure, in a way that would allow the company to be agile and efficient. After considering several possible solutions, and carefully investigating the currently-used Google Apps offering, VINCI PLC chose to migrate its new users to Microsoft Outlook Web Access. VINCI PLC users now have a common e-mail and calendaring solution that interoperates with existing applications, and that provides the VINCI PLC IT team greater manageability, improved user satisfaction, simplified IT management, and increased flexibility compared to Google Apps.

1. Microsoft Customer Solution
Customer Solution Case Study
Construction Group Finds Microsoft Solution
Better for Business Than Google Apps
Overview ―Many of the things you normally expect to be able to
Country or Region: United Kingdom
Industry: Construction supervision and do at an enterprise IT management level were not
management services
available with Google Apps—things like the ability to
Customer Profile easily manage groups and users.‖
With nearly 4,000 employees, United
Tina Parfitt, Head of IT, VINCI PLC
Kingdom–based VINCI PLC handles
construction and facilities management
projects in the public and private sector.
The main operating company is VINCI
VINCI PLC, the largest British subsidiary of VINCI, needed to
Construction UK Limited. decide how to integrate the messaging system from recently
Business Situation
acquired company Taylor Woodrow Construction into its
In acquiring Taylor Woodrow, VINCI PLC communications infrastructure, in a way that would allow the
gained 1,400 employees who used
Google Apps for e-mail and calendaring.
company to be agile and efficient. After considering several
VINCI PLC sought an alternative e-mail possible solutions, and carefully investigating the currently-used
environment for its new staff.
Google Apps offering, VINCI PLC chose to migrate its new users
Solution to Microsoft Outlook Web Access. VINCI PLC users now have a
After evaluating competing solutions,
VINCI PLC migrated its new users to
common e-mail and calendaring solution that interoperates with
Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access. existing applications, and that provides the VINCI PLC IT team
Users adjusted to the software with little
training, and IT staff gained a more
greater manageability, improved user satisfaction, simplified IT
manageable system. management, and increased flexibility compared to Google
Benefits
Apps.
 Straightforward, supportable
enterprise e-mail solution
 Better system and data control
 Improved user satisfaction
 Flexibility and extensibility

2. Situation already outsourcing technical support.
Founded in 1899 by a pair of French Taylor Woodrow chose Google because it
engineers, VINCI has grown into a world seemed to be an easy, inexpensive, and
leader in concessions and construction, manageable stand-alone solution.
with 164,000 employees in 90 countries
and annual revenue of U.S.$50 billion. After the acquisition of Taylor Woodrow,
VINCI PLC, based in Hertfordshire, England, the IT staff at VINCI PLC faced the task of
is the largest subsidiary of VINCI in the migrating all 1,400 users to an e-mail
United Kingdom. VINCI PLC works in four environment that would be interoperable
sectors: Building, Civil Engineering, with its own Exchange Server–based
Facilities Management, and Air, and it has a solution. Although Taylor Woodrow had
Technology division specialising in had some success with Google Apps, VINCI
Research and Development for the PLC was concerned about supporting this
Construction industry. The company had additional environment and concerned
revenue of $1.69 billion in 2008. about the enterprise capabilities of Google
―We need a system that Apps. ―There were definitely some usability
In September 2008, VINCI PLC acquired issues,‖ says Tina Parfitt, Head of IT at
makes it easy to transfer construction firm Taylor Woodrow, which VINCI PLC. ―Many of the things you
e-mail and accounts as had a longstanding relationship with its normally expect to be able to do at an
client list and had long-term facilities enterprise IT management level were not
part of selling a business. management contracts with many of its available with Google Apps—things like the
clients. With the acquisition, VINCI PLC was ability to easily manage groups and users.‖
And we need to be able able to fill a niche in its construction
to connect new users offerings. At the time, VINCI PLC had 1,600 Gmail also posed challenges to the way
employees; the acquisition added another VINCI PLC staff normally use e-mail. VINCI
quickly when we acquire 1,400 employees, for a total of 3,000. PLC users need to send very large attach-
ments, so that employees can transfer
another company." When VINCI PLC acquired Taylor Woodrow drawings, plans, blueprints, and other large
Tina Parfitt, Head of IT, VINCI PLC Construction, VINCI PLC was using files. Within VINCI PLC, the e-mail system
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 for e-mail, had a 150-megabyte (MB) attachment limit,
with a Web mail option for home workers. whereas Gmail had a 20-MB limit.
Employees used the Microsoft Office
Outlook messaging and collaboration client VINCI PLC was also concerned that any new
as their office e-mail application. e-mail system needed to be extremely
flexible and easy to reconfigure. Both VINCI
Taylor Woodrow, however, had moved all PLC and The VINCI Group have continued
its employees from Hewlett Packard growing through acquisitions, and they
OpenMail to Google Apps Premier Edition occasionally sell parts of the business as
between March and July of 2008. well—for example, since the Taylor
Employees had access to the complete Woodrow Construction purchase, VINCI
Google Apps suite, including Gmail for e- PLC has sold two of the smaller parts of its
mail, Google Calendar, Google Sites, and business and acquired another company.
Google Docs, even though the company ―We need a system that makes it easy to
was still widely using Microsoft Office. transfer e-mail and accounts as part of
Although the company used Microsoft selling a business,‖ notes Parfitt. ―And we
Office Outlook as its office e-mail client, it need to be able to connect new users
had never used Exchange Server, and it was quickly when we acquire another company.

3. "We wanted an We wanted an enterprise solution we could expensive at first, it costs money to support
manage ourselves, because we manage and run it.‖
enterprise solution we most of our IT projects, systems, and
support in-house.‖ Gmail also presented usability challenges
could manage ourselves, for VINCI PLC that could impact employee
because we manage VINCI PLC had a very tight deadline for productivity. Some VINCI PLC employees
making the transition. VINCI PLC acquired work at home and others are often on the
most of our IT projects, Taylor Woodrow in September 2008, and road, moving from one construction site to
planned to rebrand the company as VINCI another, without guaranteed access to a
systems, and support in- Construction UK in January 2009. Taylor fast, reliable Internet connection. ―We have
house.‖ Woodrow users needed to be able to people who expect to be able to receive
receive e-mail through the large drawings,‖ says Parfitt. ―If they don’t
Tina Parfitt, Head of IT, VINCI PLC vinciconstruction.co.uk domain as soon as get them quickly, they could have a large
possible without messages bouncing back workforce standing around waiting.‖
to the sender, and they needed access to e-
mail messages that they had formerly The Gmail interface was a source of
stored in remote Google servers. concern as well. VINCI PLC employees were
used to being able to create as many
folders as they needed to organise and
Solution store their e-mail messages, but Gmail does
In spite of a tight timeline, VINCI PLC felt it not offer that option—users can label
was important to evaluate a number of messages, but there is no folder capability.
different communications solutions in order ―I think Google got that one wrong,‖ says
to make a decision that would fit best with Parfitt. ―They believe too strongly in their
the company’s long-term business goals to search engine for finding messages, which
have a flexible and easily scaled technology is not how many users think. Also, Gmail
infrastructure. Starting in September 2008, collapses conversations into single threads,
VINCI PLC not only looked at the existing which makes it easy to accidentally forward
Google Apps deployment—and considered an entire conversation. If you’re using a
the possibility of moving all its users to product like Microsoft Office Outlook Web
Google—it looked at other solutions, due Access or the Office Outlook client, you see
to the fact that while VINCI PLC was using exactly what you’re forwarding.‖
Microsoft Exchange Server, The VINCI
offices in France were using Lotus Notes, Given the tight deployment timeline, VINCI
and VINCI PLC had previously used a PLC decided that the best solution would
Novell Groupwise system. be to move Taylor Woodrow users over to
a messaging system that would be as
Multiple Options to Evaluate compatible as possible with the existing
VINCI PLC evaluated the Google offering VINCI PLC infrastructure. The company
carefully. ―When we looked at the size of looked at available offerings from Microsoft
our business and our plans for the future, and felt that for the initial rollout it would
we felt that Google Apps would be be easiest to give Taylor Woodrow
unmanageable for a business like ours that employees a Web-based e-mail solution to
needs to react quickly to changes like provide a smooth transition from Gmail.
acquisitions and sell-offs,‖ explains Parfitt.
―And although Google may appear less

4. Smooth Transition to a New Solution Training and Support
VINCI PLC made the decision to base the To facilitate the transition to Office Outlook
new VINCI Construction UK e-mail solution Web Access, VINCI PLC provided training
on Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 in materials and hands-on instruction. IT staff
conjunction with Microsoft Outlook Web not only placed an Office Outlook Web
Access 2007. The first step in the migration Access FAQ site on the company’s
process was to move all the existing Taylor Microsoft Office SharePoint Server intranet
Woodrow messages and calendars over to portal, it also developed user guides,
the new system. Given the lack of easy organised workshops, and replaced Google
export tools in Google Apps, VINCI PLC desktop shortcuts with pointers to Office
chose to bring in a partner to help with the Outlook Web Access. The company also
move. With assistance from Microsoft, enlisted some of its ―super users‖ as in-
VINCI PLC hired BitTitan, a software office resources to answer questions and
development company and Registered give advice to other employees.
Member of the Microsoft Partner Program
that specialises in helping clients Most users adapted quickly to the new
implement solutions based on the system. ―From the user point of view, it was
Microsoft environment. as simple as adjusting to a new Web-based
―From the user point of e-mail system,‖ says Parfitt. ―We sent out
VINCI PLC was pleased with its choice of invitations to 1,400 users for a migration
view, it was as simple as BitTitan for this project. ―We felt they were workshop, and only 50 people replied. It
an extremely willing partner who turned out that most of them had basic
adjusting to a new Web- collaborated with us to do something that questions, so we did not need the large
based e-mail system." is not easy,‖ says Parfitt. ―They worked with workshops, and we only held training for
us to develop a migration tool that pushed those users with more sophisticated
Tina Parfitt, Head of IT, VINCI PLC the boundaries as much as possible, while requirements.‖
still keeping our strict deadline in mind.
They faced a lot of technical challenges, but By choosing a robust and well-established
the transition went smoothly. There aren’t messaging environment, VINCI PLC gained
any other tools out there on the market, so access to a wealth of easily accessed
it was quite an achievement.‖ support and troubleshooting information.
―If you’ve got an Exchange issue, you
BitTitan not only transferred all e-mail usually don’t need to call a support line,‖
messages, but also automatically converted explains Parfitt. ―So much information is
users’ labels from Gmail to Office Outlook already available on the Web, through
folders, so that users’ e-mail organisational Microsoft TechNet and other sites. I don’t
structures were maintained. Google think we’ve had to call Microsoft more than
Calendar entries were moved over as well, three times in five years.‖
so users still had access to historic calendar
data. BitTitan was able to complete the On the other hand, VINCI PLC had major
project in only a few months, making it concerns with Google support. ―We asked
possible for the conversion of Taylor them basic questions about things like
Woodrow accounts to VINCI Construction network administration rights—the sort of
UK accounts to take place on schedule in things you need to do quickly after an
August 2009. acquisition—and we found we were
logging a lot of calls,‖ says Parfitt. ―The

5. information just isn’t out there on the lose some enterprise-level administrative
Internet yet.‖ control. For example, with our Microsoft
solution, as soon as we deactivate or
suspend an Active Directory account, that
Benefits user can’t access the system directly or via
VINCI PLC has given its newly acquired virtual private network [VPN].‖
employees an e-mail system that is not
only easy to use, but that has improved Improved User Satisfaction
functionality compared to Google Apps. The former Google Apps users who are
With Office Outlook Web Access in place, now part of VINCI Construction UK have
VINCI PLC now has standardised on been pleased with Office Outlook Web
Microsoft e-mail solutions, which simplifies Access. ―We received quite a lot of positive
IT support, increases system and data feedback,‖ says Parfitt. ―The interface looks
control, and puts VINCI PLC in an excellent better, sending e-mails is easier, spell-
position to adapt its infrastructure to checking is better, and users have access to
changing business needs. a single global address list. They also
"The variety and appreciate the folder capabilities they have
Straightforward, Supportable Enterprise now for message storage and organisation,
interoperability of E-mail Solution and they don’t have to worry about the
Microsoft offerings By standardising on Microsoft solutions for attachment-size restrictions of Google
e-mail and calendaring, VINCI PLC has Mail.‖
ensures that we have the established a communications
infrastructure that fits the company’s needs Flexibility and Extensibility
tools we need to support and goals. ―It’s about having something VINCI PLC and VINCI Construction UK are
smart business that we can easily manage and support well-positioned for future growth and
internally with minimal training,‖ says changes with a communications
decisions.‖ Parfitt. ―And standardising on Microsoft infrastructure based on Microsoft tools. The
tools makes it simple for us to adapt as the companies already have their next steps
Tina Parfitt, Head of IT, VINCI PLC
structure of the business changes. It means planned. ―As soon as we can, we’re going
we can plan for the future without worrying to move 100 of our users to the full version
about technical details.‖ of Office Outlook,‖ says Parfitt. ―The variety
and interoperability of Microsoft offerings
Better System and Data Control ensures that we have the tools we need to
As part of the transition to Office Outlook support smart business decisions.‖
Web Access, VINCI PLC has taken all of the
e-mail and calendar data that had
previously been stored on hosted servers
and brought it all in-house. The company
now manages its own applications on-
premises as well, so it can better administer
and control programs and data. ―When we
were making our decision, we considered
the fact that moving to a hosted solution
meant taking our data out of our data
centre and putting it in someone else’s
hands, which potentially has risks,‖ says
Parfitt. ―With a hosted solution, we also

6. For More Information Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
For more information about Microsoft For more information about the Microsoft
products and services, call the Microsoft server product portfolio, go to:
Sales Information Center at (800) 426- www.microsoft.com/servers/default.mspx
9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft
Canada Information Centre at (877) 568- For more information about Microsoft
2495. Customers in the United States and Exchange Server, go to:
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can reach Microsoft text telephone
(TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234.
Outside the 50 United States and
Canada, please contact your local
Microsoft subsidiary. To access
information using the World Wide Web,
go to:
www.microsoft.com
For more information about BitTitan
products and services, visit the Web site
at:
www.bittitan.com
For more information about VINCI
Construction UK products and services,
visit the Web sites at:
www.vinciconstruction.co.uk
www.vinci.plc.uk
Software and Services  Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
 Microsoft Outlook Web Access 2007 − Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
 Microsoft Office
− Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
This case study is for informational purposes only.
MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
Document published February 2010