From hybrid workplace to hybrid workforce: Chin Hin Group goes digital with Microsoft Teams Rooms and Microsoft Copilot

Chin Hin Group Berhad is a Malaysia-based organization operating across primary sectors including building materials, construction engineering, property development, home living, and appliances. Established in 1974, it has grown into six public-listed entities with various subsidiaries. Today, Chin Hin handles the full supply chain of property development, from supplying building materials and construction to furniture and appliances.

Fragmented systems slowing collaboration

With more than 80 sites across Malaysia—from factories to warehouses to offices—smooth communication is critical. Previously, each entity used separate collaboration tools, making cross-company connections and collaboration difficult. “Many of our meetings require multi-stakeholders to attend. We need to involve our internal project managers, engineers, and external vendors in one meeting where they can easily communicate, share documents, and collaborate in real-time. A typical video call just didn’t cut it,” shares Abel Saw, Group Chief Transformation Officer of Chin Hin Group Berhad.

The company made a strategic decision to bring all teams onto a shared platform. Beyond fixing pain points, it was also a chance to evolve and create a future-ready environment. “We started by asking fundamental questions—what does meaningful work look like, what kind of space should support it, and how do we want our people to operate?” recalls Abel.

“We decided to invest in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem as a whole as a gateway to smarter, more connected setup,” shares Saw. The team also deployed Microsoft Teams Rooms and Microsoft Entra ID for seamless collaboration. “It wasn’t just about picking a tool; it was about embracing a trusted, integrated ecosystem built for sustainable employee productivity.”

Building a seamless Hybrid Workplace

To further support hybrid collaboration across multiple offices, Chin Hin focused on three key capabilities: professionally equipped meeting rooms, high-quality hardware for reliable virtual connectivity, and hands-on training to ensure every employee could confidently adopt and use the new tools.

For the physical room setups, Chin Hin wanted a system where employees could walk into any room, whether a huddle space or a large boardroom, and instantly start a meeting with no technical hassle. “We visited several vendors, but after seeing Crestron Electronics' setup in Singapore (used by some of the leading companies in the world) we knew they could deliver at a global standard,” shares Saw. Chin Hin chose Crestron to supply the Microsoft Teams-certified systems that power each room: one-touch meeting launches, smart cameras with speaker tracking, and integrated controls for lighting and even motorized curtains. “One of our C-level leaders told me, ‘We’ve managed to integrate technology so naturally into the workplace that people barely notice it and it just works.’ And I think that’s the best result you can ask for,” adds Saw.

To make those rooms fully functional, Chin Hin needed reliable hardware: screens, microphones, cameras, and speakers, all tailored to different room sizes and layouts. That’s where Hitecindo Kharisma (HIKA) came in. As systems integrator, HIKA designed and installed the entire setup across the new HQ, ensuring everything worked together seamlessly. “What stood out was their flexibility,” says Saw. “Even when timelines shifted, they adapted without missing a beat.”

Finally, with new technology in place, Chin Hin recognized that successful adoption, not just deployment, would determine the true impact of the transformation. They brought in InfiniteX to drive employee onboarding and training—an area that often gets overlooked but can make or break transformation efforts. InfiniteX co-developed the user guides and training materials, conducted over 10 live demo walkthrough and trained more than 50% of employees across all room types, making sure one in two employees, from executives to management, could confidently navigate the new system. Additionally, a self-service learning module was created, with guidance materials uploaded to the company’s internal SharePoint and in-house app for easy, anytime access, empowering employees to learn and adapt independently.

Empowered employees, frictionless meetings

Within a short time, Microsoft Teams Rooms usage spread across all group companies. Instead of hoping a room would be free, employees can now check availability and book instantly through the company’s in-house app. “Now, everything is integrated. You can see room availability and book instantly through our in-house employee app, which ties into other services in our building like the cafeteria, gym and even the wellness facilities,” adds Saw.

Setting up physical meeting rooms used to be time-consuming and unpredictable, especially for hybrid meetings involving participants in different locations. “Preparing a room could take a long time as you have to check the cables, connect the video equipment, troubleshoot audio, and make sure remote teams can join without issues.” explains Saw.

Today, Microsoft Teams Rooms streamlines the entire experience. The setup is automated and consistent across all locations. “With Microsoft Teams Rooms, we can set rooms up 50% faster—if not more,” says Saw. “For larger meetings, we can even combine two physical rooms by sliding a panel, and the system automatically reconfigures—adjusting audio, video, and cameras so everything works as one.”

Employees noticed the change almost immediately. In the past, operational meetings were often stressful, either due to travel demands or technical issues during virtual calls. Now, with reduced travel and more reliable technology, productivity has improved across the board. “Our people report major improvements in stream quality, audio clarity, and ease of use. One of the most common comments was that tech stress has dropped significantly. Post-implementation, employee satisfaction stands at 93%.”

With a more flexible setup, employees are making full use of the system. “Before moving into our new office, we only had a few basic meeting rooms. Now, we have over 20 meeting rooms in the building. Yet, we still saw a 91% average room utilization in the last three months,” shares Saw. The strong take-up rate for collaborative spaces confirms a growing demand for dynamic, tech-enabled meeting environments.

Turning insights into action

Today, Chin Hin analyzes meeting room data to fine-tune workflows—identifying overused and underused physical spaces, spotting booking patterns, and optimizing usage. For example, usage data revealed that most meetings cluster between 10 AM and 12 PM, and again from 2 PM to 4 PM. In response, the company introduced flexible scheduling policies and increased options of meeting pods, to ease congestion and make better use of available space.

Looking back at the successful implementation of a hybrid workplace, Saw gives due credit to the partners—HIKA, Crestron, and InfiniteX. “It was a true high-performance alliance,” he notes. “If you don’t have that kind of partnership, you can’t drive adoption. Without adoption, there is no meaningful usage. And when usage drops, so does satisfaction. It all connects. We have a clear vision and roadmap of the hybrid workplace transformation, and with strong partners and committed teams, we’re getting closer every day.”

Hybrid workforce in the GenAI era

Unveiling the next chapter of Chin Hin Digital, focus is now on unlocking the potential of hybrid workforce: the human-AI collaboration. Chin Hin is making full use of the entire Microsoft ecosystem—including Copilot Studio and Azure AI Foundry—to nurture its AI-first culture. The company has already rolled out Microsoft 365 Copilot, achieving a 95% user adoption rate, with over 1,500 Copilot AI Badges earned to-date as of 2025. “We’re creating safe zones for learning and experimentation, shaping an environment where teams can test, iterate, and co-create with AI,” Saw adds.

Looking ahead, at the heart of Chin Hin Digital’s ongoing transformation, Microsoft solutions serve as a strong foundation for continuous innovation and long-term growth. “When you’re committing to an ecosystem for the upcoming generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) era, you want to see consistent leadership. Microsoft delivers that with clarity and pace via empowering enterprises with cloud solutions, business applications, and artificial intelligence.”