Entara is a collection of camps, lodges, and curated safari experiences rooted in the principles of sustainable tourism in the Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks. It was founded by a group of like-minded souls—artists and safari guides, hoteliers, chefs, and entrepreneurs—an eclectic tribe united by a deep passion for Africa’s wilderness and its people. The entire team endeavours to convey a sense of wonder, passion, and a deep connection to wilderness and wildlife.
Working in the hospitality industry, you try your best to eliminate any possible snags to maintain a relaxed experience for your guests from start to finish. To ensure this, Entara was looking for a business tool that would enable them to eliminate errors, increase internal and external communication, and streamline their day-to-day administrative tasks, and preferably a software package that could do it all.
How did Radical Cloud Solutions help Entara?
Being an experienced cloud solutions provider, focused on developing platforms and systems that promote efficiency and productivity while aligning with digital marketing strategies, Radical Cloud Solutions decided to implement Google Workspace.
Google Workspace is a collection of cloud-based productivity apps, which includes Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Google Meet, and more. All the tools a business needs to collaborate with team members near and far and boost the day-to-day productivity of the organisation.
Radical Cloud Solutions implemented Google Workspace for Entara. We assisted them in migrating their email to Google Workspace from a legacy email system with minimal disruption to their workflow. Entara was initially worried about the transition, fearing loss of data or functionality, but the transition went smoothly, and with Google’s Admin Console, they were able to maintain their desired level of control.
The solutions:
– Google Calendar:
Shared calendars helped tremendously with time-management and scheduling. Prior to the implementation, the Entara staff had no way of tracking a person’s daily activities or leave schedule. A problem exacerbated by the fact that different staff members are in different countries. The use of shared calendars made it easier to see where departments spent the majority of their time and on what items. The calendars also increased transparency within departments. The calendar made a significant difference in the head office, making it easier to communicate and plan their days, especially with staff from various countries.
– Google Drive:
The flexibility of Google Drive helped Entara to organise their documentation. Everything is now easy to find, safe, secure, and can be shared with the correct people internally and externally.
– Google Chat and Spaces:
Google Chat helped to enhance communication. It allowed for collaboration, and its ease of use meant everyone was on the same page, from their offices to the lodges. Google Spaces also provided huge benefits in terms of project management and transparency for ongoing projects within a department or for the company as a whole.
– Google Meet:
Miscommunication due to people being in different locations was overcome through the use of Google Meet. Teams were able to meet with each other regardless of where they were. This has also helped Entara in dealing with external companies.
– Google Docs, Slides and Sheets:
Access to Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets from anywhere in the world means the lodge is able to accurately keep documents up-to-date and accessible. The live access means you can receive instant updates, while the audit trail and tasks allow for more accurate reporting from the lodges.
How were the changes received?
From the small to the big, the changes were well received by everyone at Entara. Benefiting everyone in the company, from the guides, lodge managers, and personnel at the head office to the members around the world, in a positive way.
They benefited from the functionality of Google Workspace, which strengthened the company and allowed for transparency and security.
Because they can access their documents and files from their phones, computers, and tablets around the world, they have benefited from its flexibility. They have been able to adapt the way they work, allowing them to work when and where they need to.
“The transition to Google Workspace was flawless; the planning and execution were professionally done by Radical Solutions,” said Ulrich Kuerzinger, Director of Entara – Lodges & Camps. He adds that “Google Workspace has transformed our way of working, how we communicate with each other, how we store and access files, and how we collaborate on projects. The cloud-based approach ensures that we have access to all our emails, files and company documents from anywhere in the world.”
