Sonoma Media Investments is an independent multimedia company that owns seven different publications that distribute their content all over the United States. SMI has been a trusted publisher in the journalism community for nearly 40 years, and continues to scale with advertising and vendor opportunities.
Challenges
Limited Software Capabilities
Sonoma Media Investment’s legacy software solutions were proving limited in functionality. To scale and streamline process management, they would need to migrate their terabytes of data to the cloud. This would also enhance the user experience, as users could then access data from various mobile devices rather than needing to be on-site.
Clunky and Disparate Vendor Processes
Because Sonoma Media Investments is a parent company to several publications, effective communication with vendors and other businesses is essential. Files are shared, signed, and approved daily, and Sonoma’s interactions weren’t as seamless as they wanted. Sonoma was in search of more agile workflows to increase client satisfaction.
Lack of Support and Task Management
When Sonoma Media ran into any issues with vendor/ client tasks, it took far longer to get problems resolved than they wanted. There wasn’t a process in place for tackling errors quickly which led to expensive IT overhead, and timeconsuming, manual task completion.
Solution
Sonoma Media Investments worked with JourneyTeam Power Platform specialists to implement Power Automate flows that simplified and connected their vendor systems and processes. Information could now be passed back and forth smoothly, and when errors arose, technical personnel were notified. This ensured timely resolutions, elevating the user and vendor experience.
Outcomes
Seamless Cloud Migration and Process Enhancement
Sonoma Media Investments successfully migrated its legacy automation and processes to the cloud. Leveraging Power Automate, they developed 60-80 distinct flows to manage diverse business processes, encompassing tasks such as file movements, reporting, and integrations. They could now access flows and troubleshoot on the go if needed. Having their flows in the cloud also increased security and made Sonoma a zero-trust organization, ensuring data protection.
Efficient Error Resolution
Sonoma gained an efficient error management system with an automated process that alerted their internal IT manager as well as JourneyTeam specialists. Sonoma’s IT manager, Anthony Woodall, can resolve most errors, but when he needs additional help, JourneyTeam Power Automate specialists are already alerted and on the job. This proactive and collaborative approach significantly reduced error resolution time, leading to expedited customer case resolutions.
Improved Vendor and User Communication
With Sonoma Media Investments’ connections to their partnering vendors in the cloud, the flow of information was transmitted correctly. Sonoma’s users also had a consolidated view of vendor data in one location, making their day-to-day task navigation easier.