SharePoint Implementation and Optimization for Liftow

Liftow is Canada’s leading partner for end-to-end Toyota forklift and material handling solutions since 1960 and the largest Toyota forklift dealer group in North America. Liftow needed a secure and effective system to manage documents, reports, and policies across its various sites and departments. To address this need, Liftow implemented Microsoft SharePoint as a basic document repository. As staff added more information, the system grew organically without any defined structure, and the information became hard to find.

They started researching SharePoint, and realized it has many capabilities beyond document storage that were not being utilized. SharePoint is a full document management software, which meant employees could use the document management capabilities to ease how the team stores documents and finds them whenever needed.

Liftow asked their Microsoft Cloud Partner – 360 Visibility – to rebuild their SharePoint, a central place to share information with all employees, including documents, reports, policies and procedures conveniently and organized.

Designing Liftow’s SharePoint Intranet

360 Visibility, along with the Liftow team, created a SharePoint intranet site with the following key components:

• An easy-to-navigate cloud-based intranet SharePoint site branded with their corporate style and colours that enables them to find key information
• An interactive phone directory to find the right contact across all Liftow sites and departments
• Departmental sites with relevant news, documents, events, projects and documents for each area, so people can be in the know and self-serve if they need information from key business areas.
• A Document Center to quickly find documents, templates, procedures, and presentations using a powerful search engine.
• A report center that allows everyone to have access to reports and dashboards depending on their role.

Cost Benefits of an Optimized SharePoint Implementation

Liftow’s team was able to realize significant cost savings and benefits by rebuilding their SharePoint implementation to utilize the full capabilities of this document management suite.

Reduced paper usage

SharePoint’s document management system enables organizations to move away from paper-based processes and storage. This can save money on printing, storage, and distribution costs.

Improved efficiency

SharePoint’s collaboration and automation features can help to reduce the time and effort required to complete tasks and projects. This can save money by reducing the amount of manual labor required and improving overall efficiency.

Streamlined IT infrastructure

SharePoint provides a single platform for managing collaboration, document management, and communication. This can reduce the need for multiple software solutions and simplify IT infrastructure, saving money on software licenses, maintenance, and support costs.

Reduced travel costs

SharePoint’s mobile accessibility allows team members to collaborate and access information from anywhere, reducing the need for travel. This can save money on transportation, accommodation, and other travel-related expenses.

Lower training costs

SharePoint’s intuitive interface and familiar Microsoft Office integration can reduce the amount of training required for users. This can save money on training costs and reduce the time it takes for new employees to become productive.

Increased reuse of existing resources

SharePoint’s document management system can enable organizations to reuse existing documents and content, reducing the need to create new resources from scratch. This can save money on content creation and distribution costs.

Improved compliance

SharePoint’s security and compliance features can help organizations to avoid costly penalties and legal fees associated with non-compliance. This can also reduce the risk of data breaches, which can be costly to remediate.

How Your Business Can Benefit from SharePoint

• Streamlined collaboration: SharePoint facilitates collaboration between team members by providing a centralized location for documents, tasks, and communication. This can improve productivity by reducing the time spent searching for information and communicating with colleagues.
• Improved document management: SharePoint provides a robust document management system that enables users to store, organize, and share documents within a secure environment. This can save time and reduce costs by minimizing the need for paper-based processes and physical storage.
• Automated workflows: SharePoint provides a platform for creating custom workflows that automate repetitive tasks and processes. This can save time and increase productivity by reducing manual labor and errors.
• Enhanced communication: SharePoint provides a platform for team members to communicate with each other, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects. This can improve productivity by facilitating real-time communication and reducing the need for email.
• Mobile accessibility: SharePoint is accessible from a range of devices, including smartphones and tablets. This allows team members to access information and collaborate on projects while on the go, which can improve productivity and reduce costs associated with travel.
• Customizable solutions: SharePoint can be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization, allowing teams to create tailored solutions that meet their unique requirements. This can save time and reduce costs associated with implementing off-the-shelf solutions.
• Centralized platform: SharePoint provides a single platform for managing all aspects of collaboration, document management, and communication. This can save time and reduce costs by eliminating the need for multiple software solutions and reducing the complexity of IT systems.

Summary

Working with 360 Visibility’s SharePoint team, Liftow was able to overcome many complex but common challenges that occur when first implementing and using SharePoint for business. The initial intent of using SharePoint as a document management software is well thought, however, without proper planning of real-world usage, growth, scaling, and document organization structure, an implementation can become difficult to manage, and ultimately something that causes more issues than it solves.

By rebuilding Liftow’s SharePoint site and implementing an Intranet, SharePoint is used to its full capabilities as a document management software.

If your organization is struggling to realize the ROI of SharePoint or is looking to explore what SharePoint is capable of, visit our SharePoint FastStart Implementation page to learn more.