Desjardins is the largest financial group credit union in North America, serving a customer base of over 7.5 million. Located in Levis, Canada, Desjardins is the main financial establishment in 121 towns and villages in Quebec, and the institution is a well-known pioneer and leader in online and mobile banking services. Desjardins is proudly ranked fourth globally and first in Canada on Forbes’ list of The World's Top Female-Friendly Companies.

the challenge

Desjardins realized that their current office space could no longer accommodate the growing number of employees and customers. They decided to renovate their offices, aiming to create additional areas and opportunities for both their employees and their clients. During the renovation, Desjardins recognized the need for a technology revamp that would grow with them and increase employee productivity. 

the solution

They fostered a relationship with systems integrator Solotech for years leading up to the Desjardins office renovation. Solotech approached employees to understand what technology would be useful to work efficiently. With that knowledge in hand, Solotech helped Desjardins identify new meeting solutions with a simple user experience and one-touch join capabilities.

the technology

Desjardins nearly quadrupled their collaboration spaces, going from about six meeting rooms on each floor to 20 areas. It is important that Desjardins employees have the ability to choose their own experience, whether at their desk, collaboration area, or from any choice of small, medium, or large conference rooms. The technology implemented is consistent throughout the entire company and all branches. This extends to the training and multi-purpose rooms where Crestron touch screens, control, and AV capabilities enable larger groups to get together.  

Crestron Flex was implemented in over 1,200 rooms across Desjardins’ multiple locations. This solution gives them the ability to connect with clients with the touch of a button. Desjardins was familiar with the product as they had used Crestron in other areas prior to this deployment. Crestron Flex for Microsoft Teams® Rooms improved Desjardins’ user and security experience. Everything is private while using Microsoft Teams software, whether in the conference rooms or using a personal device. The ability to contact clients through video calls even before large numbers of companies had shifted to hybrid work gave Desjardins an advantage to maintain those relationships and continue working as if nothing had changed.

Desjardins previously had Microsoft Teams Rooms with BYOD capabilities but ultimately decided to switch to a native Microsoft Teams solution in this most recent project. It is easier to connect with clients using a stable solution the company is familiar with. Desjardins has notched three million meetings on Microsoft Teams software, and telephone calls have surpassed 800,000 per month.

Desjardins uses Crestron Fusion® monitoring and scheduling software to remotely monitor the technology utilized throughout the offices. The Unified Communication team benefited from Crestron’s solutions by managing and troubleshooting the rooms when needed.

the results

Building on the success of this deployment, Desjardins has continued expanding their technology capabilities and has brought Crestron solutions to even more spaces on campus. Employee satisfaction has increased since the installation, and Desjardins has welcomed other companies into their offices, serving as a strong example of a hybrid work environment done right.