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October 02, 2024

Design for Leisure improves efficiency 30% with iGlobe solutions and Microsoft Planner

Design for Leisure sought a solution to enhance project management efficiency, streamline planning processes, and ensure alignment with deadlines.

Design for Leisure used iGlobe CRM and the iPlanner Pro app in combination with Microsoft Planner, with a focus on synchronization and streamlining.

These solutions simplified task allocation and enabled designers to consistently beat their deadlines, allowing a 30% increase in workloads.

Design for Leisure

Expanding company seeks modern planning

Design for Leisure is at the forefront of the booming $5.6 trillion wellness industry. Founded in 1991, the company specializes in the design and creation of luxury commercial- and hospitality-based wellness experiences with teams located in London (UK) and Austin, Texas (USA).

Today’s burgeoning emphasis on wellness led to a surge in Design for Leisure's business, necessitating both the recruitment of more designers and the search for a digital planning framework. Design for Leisure used Microsoft Excel workbooks in its legacy planning process. It sought a solution to enhance project management efficiency and to meet deadlines seamlessly.

"At the heart of our operations lies meticulous planning,” said Rony Genders, Director of Design for Leisure. “Each project, from conceptualization to execution, spans months to years, involving numerous stakeholders and intricate processes, all aligned to meet strict deadlines. Ensuring alignment with deadlines and surpassing customer expectations is paramount across our organization. Hence, we sought a tool to synchronize efforts and streamline our planning processes. Enter Microsoft Planner and the iPlanner Pro app.”

Easily implementing an integrated solution

By bringing iGlobe CRM for Microsoft 365 and iPlanner Pro app alongside Microsoft Planner, Design for Leisure facilitated comprehensive access to customer information and optimized collaboration. Planner is a Microsoft product that brings together to-do lists, tasks, plans, and projects into one familiar experience.

This seamless integration empowered Design for Leisure to visualize project statuses comprehensively, resulting in enhanced workflow efficiency and improved customer satisfaction.

"We implemented iGlobe CRM to comprehensively integrate with Microsoft 365 and SharePoint,” Genders said. “This facilitates the organization and retrieval of documents, emails, and plans directly from customer profiles within the CRM. This integration ensures the continued effortless access to our comprehensive customer information."

Lisa Greenwood, office manager at Design for Leisure, handled the adoption of Microsoft Planner across the organization. "With the influx of new designers, each juggling up to eight projects simultaneously, a digital planning solution became imperative to foster collaboration and visualize project statuses comprehensively,” Greenwood said. “The integration of Microsoft Planner was met with remarkable ease, facilitating widespread adoption throughout the company."

Beating deadlines and boosting efficiency

Greenwood underscores the adaptable synergy achieved through the integration of Planner, iGlobe CRM, and the iPlanner Pro app: "The cohesive integration of iGlobe CRM, Microsoft Planner, and the iPlanner Pro app has strengthened our collaborative endeavors. The iPlanner Pro app simplifies the task allocation process, enabling seamless transfer of incoming tasks from Microsoft Outlook to designated plans in Planner with a single click. Our designers now hit deadline ahead of schedule 40% of the time—a remarkable result that has allowed us to increase designer workloads by 30%.”

iGlobe also developed a Microsoft Teams app dedicated to enhancing task management within Planner. “This app will utilize Planner tasks to streamline project management processes across teams, with the goal of achieving improved project oversight and efficiency,” Greenwood said.

Design for Leisure designers create stunning spaces catering to the individual needs of each customer. Behind the scenes of building these amazing spaces is a team of talented project managers needing to keep track of every detail and deadline with the help of iGlobe CRM, the iPlanner Pro app, and Microsoft Planner.

“Our digital setup minimizes administrative overhead, ensuring adherence to deadlines, and upholding the highest standards of professionalism in our interactions with clients,” Greenwood said. “Given the pivotal role of effective planning and project management in our operations, this integrated setup significantly enhances our workflow efficiency and overall outcomes."

The cohesive integration of iGlobe CRM, Microsoft Planner, and the iPlanner Pro app has strengthened our collaborative endeavors.

Lisa Greenwood, Office Manager, Design for Leisure

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