When prestigious Norwegian law firm SANDS built their new offices in Oslo, by involving Kinly in the planning process, the videoconferencing and AV solutions here are not only optimal for SANDS’ workflow – they also fit with the law firm’s elegant interior.
In April 2017, SANDS (previously Steenstrup Stordrange) moved into their new premises in Vika, Oslo. Inside, the law-firm had the original school-building from 1898 completely renovated – and outside, they added two new buildings. Gisle Edvard Årnes, attorney and partner in SANDS, explains the value of adding Kinly into their planning and development process.
"We grew out of our old place and decided that, instead of renovating, it was time for a change. We had a lot of demands for the new building, and among them was high quality, user-friendly AV and videoconferencing solutions. We quickly realized that we had to involve our AV provider in the early stages.”
“Now we have top-quality solutions fused seamlessly with the interior – which would have been impossible if these solutions were installed afterwards," says Årnes.
Today, the offices exude professionalism and friendliness. With the extensive use of glass, soft colors and natural materials – particularly the wooden slats that dress the roofs – the technology blends seamlessly into the interior style, giving off a profoundly professional vibe.
"There were two reasons for choosing Kinly: One, the people were nice and professionally strong in planning. Two, the reference-check we did put Kinly ahead on high-quality, user-friendly solutions and follow-through," says Årnes.
SANDS are already seeing the results.
"We are delighted. We have already begun reaping the results of the investment," Årnes says, explaining that travel time has been greatly reduced, and the use of videoconferencing has skyrocketed.
"We have many international customers, so reliable videoconferencing and virtual meeting rooms are essential for good communication and collaboration."
Cooperation: The Key to Success
The high-tech building spans out at 68,000 square feet, housing no less than eleven rooms adapted for Skype for Business meetings, four with Cisco video solutions, a smart auditorium, as well as a fireplace lounge, a cafeteria, communal areas, boardrooms and a gym. In addition to meeting rooms, Kinly has installed audio in every ceiling.
"I'm certain that we cut cost and time with our holistic approach to the construction project. Had we failed to involve Kinly from the start, the technological integration would have been problematic. Kinly’s professionalism and flexibility was vital when the stress level hit a peak," Årnes explains.
One of the peaks came when the construction process was delayed – pushing Kinly’s installment deadline forward.
"They still solved it. Everything was installed when we moved,” says Årnes. “It showed great flexibility and project management."
"Kinly also seemed to collaborate well with our interior architects, which was crucial. Despite the difference of their craft, they managed to combine an elegant expression with interaction-technology that works."
SANDS’ previous videoconferencing solutions were characterized by instability, and few of them were adapted for videoconferencing. With stable, virtual meeting solutions, the flow of information is faster – and much more user-friendly.
"We’ve marketed our new solutions internally, training our employees to ensure that they master the opportunities we now have for interaction. The feedback is solely positive from both employees and customers – and it’s been such a relief to use solutions that work, regardless of what platform we’re on," says Årnes.
Årnes recently participated in a cloud meeting from the car, connected by phone, while colleagues sat in the meeting room and the customer connected via PC from abroad.
"The solutions we have today are not even comparable to what we had before. The interaction technology has come a long way, and now we have professional solutions on all our platforms. It’s letting us share and collaborate while also cutting down on inefficient travel – which gives us more time to create value for our customers" Årnes concludes.
