DTDC Express used Google Workspace to reimagine how teams work together across its 5,000+ employees and 10,700+ franchisees.

Before the move, teams relied heavily on email attachments and phone-based conferences. A simple presentation often had to be emailed to about 20 stakeholders, with feedback collected and merged manually. This created multiple versions of the same file, slowed decisions, and reduced transparency.

With Google Workspace, DTDC:

• Shifted from attachments to shared files using Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets, so everyone works on a single, live version.
• Adopted Google Meet for anytime, anywhere video and voice meetings, replacing an expensive phone-based conferencing system.
• Used Google Calendar to quickly schedule meetings and check availability, reducing back-and-forth emails.
• Built intranets on Google Sites so teams can access shared documents, FAQs, and knowledge bases in one place.

As a result, DTDC reports a tenfold increase in the speed of collaboration and decision-making. Management activities are now more transparent and cohesive, and decisions that once took days are made in hours or even minutes.

DTDC Express saw a mix of cost savings, productivity gains, and better customer responsiveness after adopting Google Workspace.

Key outcomes include:

• Lower IT and communication costs
  • Reduced IT support costs for email by about 80%.
  • Cut video conferencing spend from around US$5,000 per month to nearly zero by moving to Google Meet.
  • Was able to surrender one of the internet links previously needed for the old email system.
• Improved mobility and access
  • Extended mobile email access from 150 users to more than 4,000 team members in six months, with rollout continuing.
  • Eliminated the need for local file backups by storing files centrally in Google Drive.
• Stronger collaboration across the network
  • Completed migration of more than 10,700 franchisees to Google Workspace.
  • Created a flatter, more collaborative environment where the Chairman, Managing Director, and a small-town franchisee all use the same tools.
  • Franchisees report that easier collaboration and better access to information help them resolve customer queries faster and more effectively.

Overall, DTDC views Google as a key partner in helping the company stay competitive in a fast-changing courier and logistics market and in supporting its growth from a US$2,000 seed-capital startup to a US$175 million business.

DTDC took a structured, hands-on approach to rolling out and embedding Google Workspace across the organization.

The rollout steps included:

• Proof of concept: A three-week pilot with 20 users across the business to validate that Google Workspace met DTDC’s requirements.
• Big bang deployment: After a positive pilot and a detailed cost-effort-benefit analysis, DTDC chose a large-scale implementation for about 5,000 users.
• Fast migration: DTDC switched to Google Workspace on 23 June 2017. Within about six days, all databases and old emails were migrated, and by 1 July 2017 the move was complete. Two weeks later, the project was formally signed off.

To drive adoption, DTDC launched an internal change program called Project Liberty, supported by a 24/7 helpdesk. The team:

• Made hundreds of calls to employees to explain the change and answer questions.
• Created and distributed an FAQ to address common concerns.
• Delivered extensive training at regional and branch office levels.
• Used posters, banners, teaser messages, and daily Google Workspace tips over a three-week period to keep engagement high.

Leadership also played an active role. The Executive Director invited employees to “be digital” and embrace the new platform, and the Chairman later shared in an open forum how much his own performance had improved with Google Workspace and mobility.

This combination of clear sponsorship, structured rollout, and practical training helped DTDC not just deploy Google Workspace, but embed it into everyday work across employees and franchisees.