Executive summary
Bondalti’s Water Treatment Solutions business experienced growth through acquisitions both of companies who originally operated on Google Workspace with the domain enkrott.pt as well as companies which did not operate Google Workspace as productivity solutions. It was decided to consolidate all operations under a unified Google Workspace solution using a new bondaltiwater.com domain. This change highlights Bondalti’s commitment to seamless integration and efficient digital operations, showcasing its evolution and dedication to excellence.
To facilitate this transition, Bondalti partnered with Devoteam G Cloud, a recognized Premier Partner of Google. With a team of experts, Devoteam G Cloud provided the necessary services and support to ensure a smooth and successful project implementation for Bondalti.
The Client and its context
Bondalti, a prominent chemical company based in Portugal, boasts a rich history deeply rooted in the chemical industry. Formerly known as CUF (Companhia União Fabril), the company underwent a rebranding process in 2018, emerging as Bondalti.
With a robust presence in both the domestic and international markets, Bondalti operates three distinct business areas: industrial chemicals, water treatment solutions and green energies. Within the water treatment solutions business, in focus during this project, Bondalti operates under the Bondalti Water brand.
Bondalti Water is an Iberian company with references across all continents, specialized in the design of solutions and execution of projects and services in the Integrated Water Cycle. It offers a set of specific solutions for Industrial Customers, Public Sector and Tertiary Sector Customers and has its own technology and engineering capabilities.
Bondalti Water’s experience and resources allow the company to face any challenge, developing the most viable and sustainable technical and economic solution, offering technological solutions that meet our customers’ challenges in the integral water cycle.
The Challenge
Bondalti’s water treatment business acquired a company in Spain (Grupo Aema), a move that generated the need for a cohesive integration of the two entities. The objective was to combine the strengths of both companies under a single umbrella, thereby giving rise to a new brand – Bondalti Water.
The most prominent challenges were the following: the Spanish company had not been utilising any productivity or collaboration solutions in their operations; the language barrier; cultural aspects; and the natural resistance that exists when any change is on the horizon especially when there is an acquisition.
To address these challenges and ensure seamless integration. Bondalti understood the importance of a comprehensive approach that included change management strategies.
The Solutions
The implementation strategy began with a thorough analysis of the company’s existing workflows and communication patterns. This assessment allowed Devoteam to tailor the deployment of Google Workspace tools to suit the specific needs of its teams.
Change management strategies were employed to facilitate a smooth transition for employees, ensuring they could readily adapt to the new tools and methodologies.
The methodologies adopted were designed to provide support, guidance, and resources to employees, ensuring a successful shift to the new tools and work processes.
Google Workspace Trainings in Spanish: Recognizing the significance of clear communication, specialised training sessions were conducted in Spanish, the language relevant to the acquired company. These training sessions were thoughtfully designed to familiarise employees with Google Workspace’s functionalities, highlighting how to effectively use the tools in their daily tasks.
Strategic Communication Plan: A well-structured communication plan was implemented to guide users through the changes effectively. Regular updates, announcements, and informative content were strategically disseminated to keep employees informed about the transition progress, benefits of Google Workspace, and critical milestones. This communication plan cultivated a sense of clarity and transparency, helping users embrace the changes with confidence.
Support Materials: To empower employees in their initial interactions with Google Workspace, first steps manuals were developed. These materials offered step-by-step guidance, enabling users to navigate through the tools, perform essential functions, and swiftly adapt to the environment.
Responsive Technical Support: A dedicated support system was established, including a support email, to promptly address any technical queries or challenges users encountered while utilising Google Workspace. This approach ensured that users felt assisted and could resolve any issues affecting their workflow, thereby minimising disruptions.
Main results and benefits for the customer
By incorporating these change management methodologies, Devoteam and Bondalti created an environment where employees were empowered, supported, and well-informed throughout the transition to Google Workspace. This holistic approach cultivated a positive mindset toward change, a smooth transition, increased productivity, reduced resistance, managed risk mitigation, optimised resources, and promoted employee development, contributing to the overall success of the initiative.
On another note, the unification of domains in Google Workspace resulted in several tangible benefits for Bondalti Water:
Enhanced Collaboration: Teams could seamlessly collaborate on projects, share information, and jointly edit documents in real-time, fostering a culture of teamwork.
Improved Productivity: The user-friendly interface and intuitive tools streamlined workflows, reducing time spent on manual tasks and enhancing overall productivity.
Efficient Communication: Google Meet and Chat provided effective channels for virtual communication and meetings, regardless of physical location.
Centralised Information: Google Drive served as a centralised repository, ensuring all employees had access to up-to-date documents and resources.
Flexibility and Mobility: Google Workspace’s cloud-based nature allows employees to work from various devices and locations, enhancing flexibility and remote work capabilities
With over 330 people, spread across 3 countries and multiple locations, having strong communication and collaboration tools is a must to ensure we can provide our customers with the level of service and solutions they expect from us. They expect us to be able to design, build, implement, operate and maintain highly customized, technically advanced and cost-effective solutions for all their needs across the water cycle. Implementing an integrated Google Workspace solution with Devoteam has been a key milestone in creating our new Bondalti Water identity and allowing us to work even more as a team. This has been a critical step in our growth path
Pedro Fontes Pais
Board Member