The Robert Walters Group is a specialist professional recruitment business that operates on a global basis. It helps businesses find the very best professionals and supports professionals and executives develop their careers in a diverse range of markets worldwide. The business has grown rapidly since its establishment in 1985 – in part, by harnessing the best tools and technologies to support its people.
September 13, 2021
Microsoft helps Robert Walters create a modern workplace for a mobile workforce
An emphasis on quality
Kevin Bulmer, Chief Technology Officer at Robert Walters, explains, “Our consultants are obviously spending a lot of time with clients, a lot of time with candidates, but they weren’t necessarily able to do their job on the move. So it was important to us to put the foundations around that kind of modern workplace. This is where Microsoft comes in.”
By 2019, all staff were using Microsoft Surface devices, so that they were supported to work in a flexible and mobile way. “Well ahead of COVID-19, every single person across the group was on a Microsoft Surface,” confirms Alan Banantyne, Chief Financial Officer at Robert Walters.
A strategic enabler for the business
“The Microsoft Surfaces that our employees use are more than a device,” emphasises Kevin Bulmer. “They are a strategic enabler for the business.”
Sinead Hourigan, Managing Director for QLD – Brisbane at Robert Walters agrees. The flexibility offered by the Surface Pen is particularly useful for staff when they are on the move. And the new opportunities to engage clients in a virtual way has also been well received by clients and staff.
“That capacity to be able to use the Microsoft Surfaces both as a tablet and as a laptop has been exceptional,” says Sinead Hourigan. “I love that feature.”
Microsoft end to end
“We are fundamentally a digital company now – all the way through from frontend operations to backend processing,” reports Alan Banantyne. “And we are end-to-end Microsoft users now.”
The business uses Dynamics 365 Customer Service and has recently extended this to cover Dynamics 365 Finance and Dynamics 365 Human Resources. Microsoft 365 apps are used daily by its teams, especially Microsoft Teams video conferencing.
Enhancing the customer experience
“We also use Power BI to provide insights and intelligence products for our clients,” adds Dolly Westlake, Group Financial Controller at Robert Walters. “We’ve had great feedback from some of our clients in terms of the amount of detail they can get from Power BI reporting and the dashboard.”
This integrated approach has streamlined IT and back-office functions for Robert Walters as well as providing staff with a seamless experience on their Microsoft Surface devices. As Kevin Bulmer stresses, “When you choose to power your business with Microsoft Surface, you’re getting a device designed to optimise the software experiences people rely on every day.”
“Surface devices have been an eye-opener,” Kevin Bulmer continues, “Our consultants really value the extra freedom – they can work wherever they are. And through COVID-19 it just meant that we could move seamlessly across from office environments to a home working environment without any disruption.”
“When you choose to power your business with Microsoft Surface, you’re getting a device designed to optimise the software experiences people rely on every day.”
Alan Banantyne, Chief Financial Officer, Robert Walters
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