Delnor constructed new pathways for seamless communications

Tech Trends · Apr 5, 2019

Implementing TELUS Business Connect improves efficiencies, reduces costs by nine percent, and empowers mobile workers to customize their communications.

For the past 35 years, Delnor has been committed to client satisfaction, workmanship and repeat relationships. An expert in commercial construction services across Alberta, Delnor executes more than 300 renovation and new construction projects annually.

The company operates based on a clear vision and purpose. Glenn Cyrankiewicz, CEO and Principal, sums it up simply. “We want to sustain a profitable company by bringing people together and creating spaces, careers and lifestyles. Our commitment to being an employer of choice and achieving the highest levels of client satisfaction has remained consistent as we’ve grown and evolved.”

Delnor manifests this vision and purpose by motivating and empowering employees to provide the highest levels of service for every project and every client. Yet the realities of Delnor’s mobile business model revealed several inefficiencies in communication between employees and with customers.

Barriers in remote communication

At any given time, Delnor can have more than 60 projects under way, essentially making the majority of employees mobile, whether they are working in the office or in the field. Prior to adopting cloud-based communications with TELUS Business Connect two years ago, Delnor was relying on an end-of-support PBX (phone system) at its headquarters and mobile phones in the field to support its communications.

“Getting each new site’s phone lines, fax lines, and data set up in a cost-effective and timely manner was always a big hurdle for us,” notes Chris Bodnar, Senior Manager, Employment, Business and Information Systems. “Even with great service on the required professional installation, the time it took to get up and running affected our ability to communicate, which in turn, affected our ability to respond.”

With a service commitment rooted in responsiveness, Delnor project managers have to access and share information quickly and easily. However, the efficiency of the communication chain – between project managers, Superintendents, consultants and sub-trades -- was suffering.

Typically, in the construction industry, project bids close at 2:00 p.m. With its former process, it wasn’t unusual for Delnor to receive up to 100 emails with vital information within 10 minutes of a bid closing. Being able to receive information in real time, take calls and then share that information quickly became more and more critical to closing business successfully.

“We needed a solution that could remove our remote communication barriers and streamline our processes for seamless communication. It was vital to us to have one ecosystem that could be used by all employees, regardless of where they are,” says Cyrankiewicz.

Customizing communication

Cost reduction was certainly a priority, and so far, Delnor has reduced its communications costs by nine percent. But efficiency and empowerment were also key goals motivating the adoption of TELUS Business Connect.

Many of Delnor’s employees want to pick up a desk phone, while some in the younger generation value freedom and flexibility. Culturally, it was important for Delnor to appreciate the spectrum of generations in its workforce and bridge the technology gap without alienating anyone.

“Moving to the cloud has allowed us to energize employees by enabling them to customize their communications based on how they think they best perform. So while we solved our technology challenge, we also galvanized our cultural values,” notes Cyrankiewicz.

The seamlessness of communication and information sharing has been so impressive that Delnor is extending it to an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) team. A new, highly collaborative model within the industry, Delnor was able to collocate its team to a different site while maintaining consistent communication.

In addition, the conference calling features within TELUS Business Connect have allowed Delnor’s project teams to simultaneously start meetings to address issues as they arise. Previously, setting up conference calls was complicated and cumbersome. Being able to instantly collaborate with a wider team is a significant differentiator for project communications.

Advice for success

Since adopting TELUS Business Connect and realizing the power of a collaborative ecosystem, Bodnar is evaluating further cloud adoption and integration with accounting and ERP systems. He is currently running several pilots with a full roll out planned by the company’s next fiscal year. He is also in the early stages of exploring integrating Office 365 with TELUS Business Connect, as part of the larger plan to move away from on premise to cloud-based email management.

For Delnor, the change has been positive and created momentum because it was approached in the right way. Cyrankiewicz urges honesty about obstacles and inefficiencies when adopting new capabilities to address persistent issues.

“It’s vital to really examine your business and determine what is standing in the way of achieving your vision. For us, the client experience is everything, and communication is a critical driver of that. Choosing a trusted partner helped us remove the obstacles and move more confidently toward our vision.”

Bodnar also recommends taking the time to understand your employees, culture and the different use cases within your own environment. Some people will embrace the change immediately, and some will require more support.

“We invested a lot of time talking to our employees to uncover what would work best for them,” says Bodnar. “And that investment paid off. More than 40 percent of our users have switched completely to TELUS Business Connect rather than using a mix of cell phones and desk phones.”