When Hotel Hungaria and Bonka Circus merged to form Hotel Bonka, they inherited two separate IT infrastructures: one built on Google Workspace, the other on Microsoft 365. Rather than forcing everyone onto a single platform, they worked with Smartsys and GC innovate to build a hybrid solution that kept the best of both worlds while eliminating the friction of running parallel systems.
The Challenge: Managing Two IT Ecosystems After a Merger
Hotel Bonka, a creative production house born from the merger of Hotel Hungaria and Bonka Circus, faced a critical IT challenge: two separate companies, two different IT ecosystems, and growing friction between them.
Most users were already in Google Workspace, using its collaborative features and flexible storage. A segment of the team relied on Microsoft 365, specifically SharePoint for finance workflows and Teams for client communication. Neither group was wrong. Both platforms were doing real work.
But the split was causing problems:
- Data scattered everywhere. Large volumes of production files spread across both platforms made collaboration messy and version control unreliable.
- Wasted licenses. They were paying for 155 accounts, some of which hadn’t been active in months.
- Security inconsistency. File sharing habits varied wildly across teams, and nobody had a clear picture of who could access what.
- Tool friction. When half your team is in one system and half in another, even routine tasks get complicated.
The newly appointed CFO took one look at the situation and knew two parallel IT environments weren’t sustainable. The company needed a unified setup that worked for everyone, handled serious storage volumes, and didn’t force anyone to abandon tools that were actually doing their job.
The Solution: Multi Cloud with Google Workspace as Primary Platform
Figuring out what they actually needed
Smartsys, who already handled Hotel Bonka’s day-to-day IT support, started with an audit. They’re a pragmatic IT partner focused on Belgian KMOs, and they knew quickly that this migration would need serious Google expertise. So they brought in GC innovate.
The audit made the direction clear: most of the data and workflows were already Google-based. The company’s storage needs matched Google’s pooled storage model much better than Microsoft’s per-user OneDrive allocations. The decision wasn’t about picking a winner. It was about recognizing what was already working and building around it.
The solution: Google Workspace as the primary platform, with Teams retained for client communication and SharePoint kept for the finance team’s specific workflows. Nobody had to give up what was actually useful.
A phased trajectory
The migration ran from April through September. That’s not six months of daily full-time work. It’s a structured trajectory that included a thorough audit, a complex Microsoft Entra ID integration, user training, and a go-live plan built around zero downtime. The goal was to get this right once, not to move fast and clean up afterward.
GC innovate and Smartsys divided responsibilities based on what each does best.
GC innovate handled the Google-side architecture:
- Set up Google Workspace with proper security, domain configuration, and optimized settings
- Worked with a specialist to implement single sign-on via Microsoft Entra ID, so users authenticate through Microsoft but work in Google
- Restructured licenses, adding Cloud Identity free tier for external collaborators
- Implemented sharing controls, audited third-party app connections, disabled legacy email protocols (IMAP/POP), and ensured all data remained in Europe
- Trained both end users and internal admins to manage the environment themselves going forward
Smartsys managed service continuity:
- Sent weekly stakeholder updates on progress, timeline, and budget
- Had people on-site during go-live for immediate support
- Set up ongoing managed services covering daily IT issues, license questions, and continuous improvements
- Became the first point of contact for everything IT-related, from hardware to platform questions
This dual-partner model mattered. GC innovate brought deep Google Workspace expertise: the security architecture, the Entra ID integration, the optimization strategies most IT generalists don’t encounter regularly. Smartsys brought the local presence and KMO know-how to keep things accessible and responsive. Specialist depth when you need it, reliable support always.
Storage that made sense
For a company producing video content, storage architecture isn’t a minor detail. Google Workspace pools everyone’s storage into one shared bucket, which costs significantly less than Microsoft’s approach of giving each user a separate OneDrive allocation. When you’re managing large volumes of production files on an ongoing basis, that difference adds up.
Go-live day
Migration day was quiet. Three people were on-site, but the transition went so smoothly they spent most of the day on administrative tasks. A few users with larger data volumes needed an extra day to complete their migration. One person couldn’t log in — because they hadn’t read the instructions. That was it.
That’s not a lucky outcome. That’s what thorough preparation looks like.
The Results: Cost Savings, Better Security, and Seamless Multi-Cloud Operations
One system that actually works
Hotel Bonka now runs on a unified platform. Users log in once through Microsoft Entra ID, then work primarily in Google Workspace. The finance team still uses SharePoint. Everyone still uses Teams for client calls. Creative teams collaborate on large media files in Google Drive without hitting storage limits or version conflicts.
Money saved
License optimization produced real saving:
- Dropped from 155 to 138 accounts (11% reduction)
- Moved external collaborators to Cloud Identity free tier instead of paying for full accounts
- Eliminated redundant Microsoft tenant costs
- Ongoing storage savings from Google’s more efficient pricing model for their data volumes
Stable enough to be boring
The best sign of success: Hotel Bonka rarely calls for support. The environment is well-configured, users were trained properly, and their internal IT contact handles most questions. When something does come up, Smartsys responds quickly. But those calls are rare.
AI that respects their data
Gemini is now integrated into Google Workspace, which means Hotel Bonka’s team can use AI tools without feeding project data into consumer ChatGPT accounts (something that happens more often than most organizations realize). They can query documents, analyze project data, and generate content inside a secure environment that respects their privacy requirements.
What made it work
Hotel Bonka’s migration worked because it didn’t force an either-or choice. Google handles collaboration and storage. Microsoft handles specific business needs. Both systems work together through proper integration.
It also worked because GC innovate and Smartsys brought genuinely different strengths. GC innovate knew the Google Workspace architecture inside and out — the security layers, the Entra ID integration points, the optimization decisions that most generalist IT partners wouldn’t know to make. Smartsys knew how to support Belgian KMOs in practical, accessible ways and kept communication clear throughout.
For other KMOs facing platform consolidation, the approach is straightforward: audit what you have, choose platforms based on actual workflows, implement with people who know the technical details, and make sure ongoing support is in place before go-live.
Want to talk about Google Workspace for your company? Whether you’re dealing with a merger, cutting costs, or just tired of your current setup, GC innovate can help you figure out what actually makes sense for your situation. Get in touch.
