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Channel: Case Studies – Arrow Business Communications
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QHotels

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The Challenge

With the help of Arrow Business Communications, QHotels decided to embark on a group-wide upgrade of their existing Mitel telephony system to a new IP based Mitel solution. As part of this initiative QHotels decided to review all aspects of its communications infrastructure.

One of major problems that they had been dealing with was an old DECT system. The old DECT system had poor coverage and was expensive to maintain due to the constant churn in broken handsets. QHotels turned to Arrow, its long standing telecoms partner, to see what new and innovative alternatives there might be.

Solution

After some initial discussions around Wi-Fi and IP-DECT, Arrow brought QHotels to the attention of a new solution, a Private Mobile Network. The Private Mobile Network uses picocells instead of Wi-Fi Access Points or DECT base stations and uses standard unlocked GSM mobile handsets, as extensions off the PBX instead of dedicated DECT or Wi-Fi handsets. Private Mobile promised better coverage and the use of standard, low cost GSM handsets vastly reduced the cost of future handset repairs or replacements.

By employing a Private Mobile solution QHotels could take advantage of all the benefits of a dedicated, on-site GSM network. In addition they could also utilise the flexibility of GSM technology but with no mobile contracts and with no voice, text or data charges.

Amir Malik, Arrow’s Telephone System Product Manager comments, ”The implementation of picocells in this architecture was the first of its kind in the UK. We worked closely with Dan Kelly’s team and the Mitel experts to ensure the implementation went smoothly with minimal disruption to the running of the hotel.”

Benefits

The first site to upgrade to Mitel IP and Private Mobile was Ashford International in Kent. This hotel was able to replace 18 DECT base stations with just six picocells, which improved coverage.

Staff now benefit from full coverage wherever they are in the hotel using mobile devices of their choice. The more robust mobile handsets have a far longer battery life than the old DECT devices and provide staff with the added benefit of the standard handset features such as CLI, text messaging, cameras and even a torch at no extra cost. Dual SIM handsets have also been deployed so that staff can call over the Private or Public Mobile Networks.  QHotels plans to roll out Private Mobile across another six sites across the UK, including the Midland Hotel in Manchester.

“I think one of the keys benefits for us is the simplicity of using a mobile phone as an extension of our PBX,” says Daniel Kelly. “Everyone knows how to use one, they are easily available and cost effective”.  He adds “it makes maintaining and using our mobile communications much more cost effective, efficient and user friendly.”

Seamless transfer of services

“Installation was delivered with the highest level of professionalism“, says Daniel Kelly, IT Group Manager of QHotels. “Working with Arrow has allowed QHotels, to focus on their primary activity of providing an efficient service to its valuable guests. The staff at each hotel now have easier use of the IP phones with all its enriching features, helping them to work more efficiently”.


Travis Perkins

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Delivering a seamless national service support for telecoms over 750 sites

Travis Perkins is a leading company in the Builders’ Merchant and Home Improvement markets. As large PLC, it is a major supplier to one of the largest UK industries, building and construction, and continues to follow its successful growth strategy of acquisition and organic investment.

Business Challenge

Travis Perkins wanted to partner with a telecoms supplier who could offer a cost effective, efficient and flexible support service to maintain all their sites across the UK.

We initially won the contract to deliver the maintenance of all Travis Perkins sites across the UK, based on initial cost savings supported by our national infrastructure of engineers, 24/7 support and our tailored management approach.

The Solution

Travis Perkins decided to invest in their site infrastructure to enable them to benefit from the communication flexibility and lower operational costs of an IP based telephony system. The telephony equipment which best suited their user numbers per site was the Nortel BCM50. This system is fully supported by our in-house experienced accredited engineers, project managers and training specialists.

A detailed and structured transition of sites to the new VoIP technology on the Nortel platform was developed in line with Travis Perkins’ VoIP capital investment programme which enabled the project manager to negotiate specific deals based on an extended timeline. A tailored “quick install” package was agreed for use at each site, thus ensuring installation was both efficient, uniform and of a high quality, supported by onsite training in each case.

All sites are supported by a dedicated service line to manage all telephony based enquiries, purchases and engineering support which are logged, co-ordinated and delivered by Arrow.

The Outcome

Improved account management and fulfilment of all Travis Perkins telephony services including maintenance, engineering support and customer service to all sites across the UK.

Immediate cost savings were delivered over incumbents and a project managed CAPEX rollout programme of BCM50 was introduced at a rate of 100 per year.

Finally, various internal processes and resources were tailored to meet Travis Perkins’ specific needs including:

  • Corporate Account Manager
  • Specialist technical advice/forums for IP telephony and data
  • Dedicated contact at our 24/7 support call centre
  • Managed CAPEX rollout programme of BCM50

Gladstone Health and Leisure

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Gladstone Health and Leisure is the leading supplier of Leisure Management Systems to the UK Leisure Industry. Gladstone provides software solutions for membership, bookings, point of sale, energy management, contact management and access control.

The Challenge

Gladstone required a new telephone system for their growing organisation which consists of 75 users based in their Head Office in Oxford, Glasgow, Pakistan and Australia.

The Solution

The Mitel 5000 telephone system allows Gladstone to link all their sites and homeworkers together. The system was installed in Gladstone’s head office in Oxford and supports 15 homeworkers using soft phones, the international offices which use IP handsets and a 10 seat call centre.

The system also includes embedded voicemail and an Auto Attendant which is time-based, automatically playing messages to suit the time of day.

Seamless Transfer

Implementation took just one week and was completed with only 1 hour of downtime as the ISDN lines were switched over. Arrow installed the telephone system outside of business hours to minimise disruption and included training for all users.

The IP phones were pre-configured so the remote offices could simply ‘plug-and-play’ and the software for the homeworkers was rolled out via Gladstone’s internal IT network.

One Stop Hire

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One Stop Hire is the largest independent hirer of Power Tools, Access Systems & Small Plant in the North West of England. Arrow have enjoyed a strong working relationship with the Ainscough Group for over 5 years and have been the preferred and trusted IT advisor for the Ainscough Group of firms from their investments through to start-up businesses.

Strategy

Arrow formulated a strategy to start the process of change as the lease agreements reached their term end date.  All IT services would be centralised to their HQ and a Terminal server would be configured to provide a desktop and apps for their other smaller depots.  Exchange 2010 and SQL 2008 provide the email and database platform for the business.  Arrow provided a managed offsite backup solution to secure the business critical data in their UK data centre.

IT Services

Arrow provided a cost effective and scalable solution that One Stop could build upon as growth improved throughout the business.

Services that Arrow currently provide to One Stop Hire:

  • Call and Lines Management
  • ISDN2 circuits
  • Mitel Telephone systems and VOIP across all depots
  • Broadband services and a new MPLS platform being rolled out in April 2014
  • Fibre Connectivity
  • Hosted Mail Security
  • Managed firewall Security

Associated British Ports Case Study

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Associated British Port’s investment portfolio extends to over 12,000 acres of land and water. The UK’s leading ports group operates in 21 ports in England, Scotland and Wales, and handles approximately a quarter of the country’s seaborne trade. Each port is spread over acres of land, with multiple post codes within a single port.

Multiple systems combined with old technology

Arrow was awarded the maintenance contract for ABP’s telephone estate in 2010 which consisted of 1000+ extensions across 33 individual systems.  Arrow completed a full audit of the estate to  establish the current challenges faced by ABP and to facilitate a starting point from which to build a long term telephony strategy.

Challenges

With the majority of ports operating on a standalone basis utilising several different telephone systems and models, ABP faced a number of challenges in their current environment:

  • Legacy systems beyond vendor support with limited availability of critical parts
  • Lack of key functionality e.g. voicemail, call logging, hunt groups, which heavily impacted both end users and business efficiency
  • Systems connected by old, unreliable and costly technology e.g. DPNSS , AC 15
  • Limited Disaster Recovery capability
  • No flexibility for remote workers or routing calls between sites

Requirements

To provide a future proof telephony solution that simply integrates and enhances communications between all the ports with a phased migration plan allowing ABP to implement a solution in accordance with their timescales and budget.

Solution

With 3 existing systems in place, Mitel was a natural choice. ABP, Arrow and Mitel worked to tailor a solution that met the individual requirements of the ports whilst remaining aligned with the wider ABP requirements of an integrated communications system.   A phased upgrade plan was agreed to allow ABP to address the most critical sites and manage budgetary forecasts.  The Humber region was completed in 2013 with 3 Mitel 3300 telephone systems for 218 users controlling 6 separate locations. The upgrade in Ipswich is about to commence which utilises Streamline, a new product from Mitel that will allow ABP to reuse their existing legacy telephony cabling thus further reducing costs and resourcing.

 

Wickes Case Study

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Wickes is one of the UK’s favourite home improvement retailers. Having opened its first store in 1972 it now operates from over 200 across the UK.

There are currently 10,000+ products in the Wickes range from kitchens and bathrooms to paint and timber, all of which are available to buy in-store, online or by telephone.

The Challenge

The project was to install a wireless headset system into 189 stores located nationally from Inverness to Dover. A typical installation consisted of base stations to provide coverage throughout the store and yard areas and a number of headsets creating an all informed network with two way communications for all headset users.

Additionally wireless keypads were supplied to the stores which can broadcast up to 12 pre-recorded messages to each headset. This is used to replace the traditional Public Address systems at many sites, increasing productivity and putting an end to multiple staff responding to an announcement.

Installation

Upon arrival at each site the Arrow engineers carried out a site survey to ascertain the most appropriate location for the base units. The engineers installed the unit, all associated cabling and provided training to Wickes’ staff.

Every single one of the 189 installations was completed either before or on the scheduled date. In some instances the Arrow engineers worked in teams of two and managed to install up to nine stores a day.

Newmarket Holidays Case Study

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Newmarket Holidays (part of the Newmarket Group) is one of the UK’s largest independent tour operators.

Newmarket Holidays was founded in 1983 and is one of the UK’s largest independently owned specialist tour operators, looking after the arrangements of tens of thousands of clients each year, to a wide range of destinations throughout the UK, Europe and beyond. All Newmarket’s departures originate in the UK.

Limitations and Requirements

Newmarket was utilising two Inter-Tel Axxess telephone systems with Repartee, Callview and Skillset Manager, plus 3 ISDN30 connections, equating to a mixture of approximately 280 digital and IP handsets.  They needed Callview for their ACD, Navigation Skillset to control agent call flow and call recording was required subject to PCI compliance. Their existing Intertel Axxess telephone system was discontinued and no longer supported by the manufacturer, therefore an upgrade was required to enable them to have full maintenance support and peace of mind.  Skillset Manager was essential and provided a huge benefit to control agent call flow but it was not reliable and upgraded technology was needed to keep this functionality.

Solution

The Mitel 5000 was chosen as the most suitable replacement for the Inter-Tel Axxess systems and this also meant that the existing handsets could be retained.

The programming and set up of the Mitel 5000 was almost a mirror image of the Axxess therefore enabling an upgrade to take place whilst giving the assurance to the end user that the control of the system would not change but providing more features and functions to help improve the way the system supports their business needs. The upgrade of Maxxcom, provided a seamless integration to the Mitel 5000 HX.  As an existing Callview customer Newmarket had an easy and cost effective upgrade path to Customer Service Manager that maintained their existing data, also provided historical, historical plus real-time, or full ACD reporting functionality.

Benefits

Newmarket managers can now monitor and report on calls in a customised and automated manner, enabling more efficient customer service, also benefiting the new features from the Mitel 5000 HX.

Birkett Long Case Study

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Birkett Long is the leading firm of solicitors in Essex and employs 180 staff, spread over three offices in Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon.

The Challenge

Telephone operators, based in Chelmsford, take calls for the whole group and then transfer these calls to each of the three offices. The operators sometimes need to check the status of the staff before they put the call through to the individual staff members.  Birkett Long had a very old digital system, which was at the end of its life and a more modern solution was required, which would help ensure business continuity and reduce costs.  They wanted to move part of their incoming ISDN to SIP to reduce costs and provide better resiliency. Some staff also needed to hot desk between sites.

Proposed Solution and Benefits

After a number of meetings and consultations with Arrow, it was jointly decided to provide a Mitel 3300 IP telephony solution.  This platform provided a solution which enabled all of the users to be connected within the same system and for the operators to view the status of individuals via Microsoft Outlook integration with Mitel.  Some of the users who wanted to hot desk between sites could also do this seamlessly and new users could be added to the system very quickly and easily.  All the sites needed to have the calls logged centrally for billing purposes and a virtualised voicemail solution was also provided.

The business continuity requirement was fulfilled, in that, if Chelmsford or Colchester had a failure of equipment, the other site would immediately take over.  Arrow provided SIP telephone lines in addition to the existing ISDN telephone lines, which not only reduced the cost for Birkett Long, but also enabled the company to be connected to the outside world if there was a network failure on either SIP or ISDN.  The ISDN2 lines at Basildon were replaced with SIP telephone lines and the numbers were routed through the Colchester office. The call charges were also reduced as part of the exercise. This provided Birkett Long with a modern, future proofed solution with reduced operating costs.

Seamless Transfer

The solution was project managed by Arrow from the start right through to completion.  The initial part of the work involved the transfer of the ISDN2 lines to Arrow to enable a seamless transfer of these numbers to the SIP network.  The on-site installation involved a team staying on site during the evenings, to ensure that minimal disruption occurred and the changeover was seamless.  The integration of the Mitel operator consoles with Microsoft Outlook was achieved through Arrow acting as liaison between the manufacturer and Birkett Long’s IT staff to provide a fully integrated solution which involved minimal disruption to Birkett Long.


Gravesend Grammar School

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Gravesend Grammar School is a thriving secondary school with a sixth form in Kent with a well deserved reputation for academic success.

Requirements

Gravesend Grammar School needed to replace their end-of-life telephone system which was full to capacity.  They were looking for a simplistic IP based telephone system that could carry out all the existing functionalities they used and more. They also needed voicemail for all users and due to school holidays their timescales were tight.

 Solution

Arrow supplied Gravesend Grammar with a Mitel 5000 system, 49 IP handsets, voicemail and maintenance cover. The flexibility of an IP based system (any existing data point could, in theory, become a phone location), and the voicemail to email service were also two contributing factors to their choice of system.

The Mitel 5000 is the ideal platform for organisations interested in the latest technology and application capability and allows Gravesend Grammar to blend their voice system with the data network, creating an efficient, cost-effective communications platform that they can easily adapt and grow over time at their own pace.

 Timescales

It was important that the installation had to take place during the summer break and not during school time. A decision was made by late July and implementation was complete by the end August.

 Arrow’s Technology Fund

By taking out Arrow’s maintenance cover Gravesend Grammar will also benefit from their own Technology Fund.

Customers choosing to take Arrow’s Technology Fund are allocated up to 75% of the first year’s maintenance cost which can be used to purchase any hardware across Arrow’s portfolio including mobiles, smartphones, tablets, PBX equipment, accessories as well as any up front charges for new services such as new line installation and routers.

Mayflower High School Case Study

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Mayflower High School is a large secondary school and sixth form college with Academy status in Essex.

Requirement

Mayflower High School needed to upgrade their existing outdated telephone system and wanted to improve how they handled communications.  Flexibility, control and a single supplier that could look after all their  telecommunication needs were also important.

Solution

Arrow supplied Mayflower High School with a Mitel 5000 system and maintenance cover.  The Mitel system is easy to use, reliable and offers a capacity of 150 digital extensions to allow for future growth.  The online admin tool gives much greater flexibility in managing the system and the provision of Wi-Fi handsets means staff can make free calls wherever they are on the campus. Historical reporting is now available across the campus via the Call Management module and the Auto Attendant provides centralised voicemail and a multi-option Night Service.

Arrow’s Technology Fund

Customers choosing to take Arrow’s Technology Fund are allocated up to 75% of the first year’s maintenance cost which can be used to purchase any hardware across Arrow’s portfolio including mobiles, smartphones, tablets, PBX equipment, accessories as well as any up front charges for new services such as new line installation and routers.  Mayflower High School used their Technology Fund to purchase 14 Samsung mobile phones and an Apple iPhone which are used by maintenance staff and staff who are off the premises on school trips.

One supplier, one invoice

Mayflower High School now has the advantage of liaising with only one supplier for all their communication needs. The school has a dedicated Arrow Account Manager and support contact to manage their communications strategy and their day to day needs. Arrow provides Mayflower High School with a single monthly invoice for all their services as well as visibility to usage and historical cost reporting via an online portal.

Key Benefits:

  • Supplier consolidation and simplified administration
  • Greater control and resource efficiency
  • Improved accessibility to applications
  • One point of contact for all services
  • Maintenance cover
  • Remote and off site workers are able to stay in touch

Roadchef Case Study

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Roadchef, owned by Antin Infrastructure Partners Limited, operates 30 motorway service areas (MSA) and is the third largest motorway service area operator within the UK and is the  only MSA operator to achieve Gold Status as Investors of People.

The Challenge

By the nature of the business some of the key personnel working within the motorway service areas spend much of their time mobile in and around the various premises. Using the existing communications platforms it was difficult for customers, suppliers and colleagues to reach the right people within an acceptable time frame.   Roadchef was relying on BT to support many of its older systems and in some instances equipment had broken and not been replaced leaving sites with less than satisfactory communications.

Some of the systems no longer suited current requirements leading to poor and inefficient communication within the sites and frustration amongst the staff. Furthermore, some of the sites simply did not have enough handsets left for the systems to work effectively.  Roadchef had a mix of telephone systems across its estate meaning different skill sets and equipment were required to support each site and due to the diverse nature and age of the equipment installed it was impossible to network the systems.

Solution

Arrow used the integrated DECT facilities within the Panasonic platform to provide the relevant personnel in the business with mobile DECT handsets allowing users to make and receive calls from wherever they need to work. The handsets are fully integrated, which means they have access to the same system features that a desk user may have, with the added benefit of mobility.

Motorway service areas do not employ dedicated receptionists and the staff tasked with taking calls have other  responsibilities within the business. As a result calls were not always answered in an appropriate amount of time. Equally taking calls and tracking down the required people disrupted workflow.

Arrow configured the auto attendant, integral to the Panasonic platform, to route calls directly to the required staff, whether they were desk or DECT phone users. This dramatically cut down answer times and reduced workload on admin staff.  The voice mail facilities allowed external callers and colleagues to reliably leave messages for staff. The Unified Messaging capabilities enabled Roadchef to link the voice mail system with its email platform allowing users to access messages in their preferred manner and in a way that suited their working practices.

Multi-site functionality

The incumbent platforms had no multi-site capability and Roadchef was in the process of upgrading its WAN technologies and was looking for a platform that could make use of the inter-site connectivity when required.  The Panasonic platforms are fully networkable, enabling Roadchef to route calls between sites free of charge, while taking advantage of the many centralised telephony features the platform offers.

The majority of sites had entirely new structured cabling, however in some instances sites had legacy wiring still in place. In terms of ongoing management it was important a single platform was employed across all sites and as such the solution needed to interface with both infrastructures.

The Panasonic system sits comfortably across both the latest and legacy infrastructures making it the ideal solution for companies with complex network environments. In the case of Roadchef, it facilitated the adoption of the latest telephony technologies while allowing for the phased role out of new structured cabling systems.   Roadchef had in excess of 300 analogue lines, over 40 ISDN2 lines and 64 ISDN30 lines over its 30 sites. When taking over from BT, Arrow was engaged by Roadchef to undertake a full, multi-site audit of the line estate. The audit and the improved tariff that Arrow was able to provide resulted in substantial cost savings for Roadchef as well as improved productivity.

Roadchef could see the benefit of moving to SIP trunks over time, but in the short to medium term wanted to retain the existing analogue and ISDN lines. The Panasonic systems Arrow proposed and delivered support both traditional and IP trunks, allowing Roadchef to migrate at its own pace.

Solution Summary

The Panasonic platforms support a vast array of features and services. The multisite solution that Arrow provided met the immediate requirement to upgrade the aging legacy estate, improved service levels to both internal and external parties and provided a stable and flexible solution that allowed Roadchef to adopt new features at a pace that suited their business.

Arrow’s implementation team liaised between BT Openreach and Roadchef to ensure a smooth transition of lines. Nathan Sharkey, Head of IT for Roadchef comments, “We had a number of key projects running simultaneously and it was therefore vitally important that the telecoms solution went in smoothly and with minimum demand on our internal IT team. Arrow delivered the solution both on time and with little disruption to the business”.

Panasonic NCP platforms provided Roadchef with the following key technologies:

  • VOIP to link buildings and sites together seamlessly
  • Traditional ISDN and analogue interfaces allowing Roadchef to migrate to SIP at a pace that suited their business
  • Auto Attendant services improved service levels by routing callers to the correct staff efficiently and within seconds of the call being received
  • VM solution enabled staff to leave voice messages for their colleagues and the UM features allowed key staff to access messages in their preferred manner and in a way that suited their working practice
  • Integrated DECT provides telephony services to staff who are mobile within the business

Olswang Case Study

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Olswang is a leading business law firm with a distinctive approach.  Their pioneering and problem-solving ethos has established a commanding reputation in the technology, media and real estate sectors, as well as a wide range of other industries.

The challenge of mobile working

Olswang’s solicitors are frequently away from the office and in meetings making it hard to stay on top of their workload, keep up to date with case developments and abreast of schedule changes.  With over 100 partners, Olswang needed an affordable solution that works for the whole organisation, providing the mobility and flexibility for Olswang’s partners to continue to provide a professional and swift legal service to their clients.

Providing mobility and flexibility

The BlackBerry® solution from Arrow more than meets these requirements, enhancing productivity and efficiency for Olswang partners and support staff:

  • With instant access to business-critical information, decisions can be made more quickly and with confidence
  • Time spent travelling between appointments is no longer downtime, increasing billable hours
  • Partners now spend less time on administration and more time with clients, understanding their needs and building stronger relationship
  • Olswang leveraged existing IT investments with BlackBerry’s seamless, secure integration with Microsoft® Exchange and its own IT network
  • Staff satisfaction has improved thanks to being able to achieve more during working hours and therefore having to work less during the evening and at weekends

In touch with all aspects of your business

The BlackBerry solution supports leading enterprise email platforms and can be customised to meet the needs of one person or an entire enterprise. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server provides push-based access to email, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes, instant messaging, web-based applications, services and enterprise applications.  “Due to the nature of our work, security was one of our top requirements”, said Clive Knott, IT Director at Olswang. The encryption protocols used by BlackBerry help ensure the confidentiality and integrity of wirelessly-transmitted information from behind the firewall to wireless devices in the field. With support for more than 450 over-the-air wireless IT policies and commands that enable IT administrators to wirelessly enforce security settings, BlackBerry Enterprise Server meets even the most stringent IT requirements.

As Olswang approached the end of its mobile contract in early 2009, Clive Knott, IT Director, chose Arrow as its new mobile service provider. “Arrow’s extensive experience in the mobile industry and, in particular, in supporting BlackBerry solutions were the main reasons for awarding our mobile phone contract to them”, says Knott. “They also demonstrated real savings in comparison to our incumbent supplier and their billing reports are accurate and easy to understand”.
“Since implementation, the excellent customer service has provided further evidence of a decision well made”.

Arrow adopts a consultative sales approach building a comprehensive picture of a customer’s current and future mobile phone and landline requirements. Following a thorough analysis of Olswang’s usage and billing patterns, Arrow proposed a deal that gave Olswang savings of around 20 per cent in comparison to its previous mobile phone contract.  Arrow’s direct, no-nonsense approach to doing business meant that the sales and implementation processes ran extremely smoothly.   “We have complete visibility of our spend for the whole organisation and across each cost centre with the itemised billing reports produced by Arrow each month”, comments Knott.

Improved customer satisfaction

Olswang has also reported a big improvement in client responsiveness since implementing BlackBerrys. Workflow was often delayed when partners were out of the office but now, with easy access to emails, the internet and the company’s IT network, partners have the information they need to hand allowing them to make decisions more quickly.

Knott concludes, “BlackBerry as a solution for a professional services company is unrivalled in terms of its reliability, security and flexibility. And the same can be said for Arrow with its consistent excellent personal service and expertise”.

The Children’s Society Case Study

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A smart call-routing solution from Arrow helps The Children’s Society make the most of its precious resources.

Cost savings that really do make a difference

For many businesses, managing costs is a central factor in ensuring sustainable profitability. For The Children’s Society, cost control is mission critical in achieving maximum efficiency.  The UK charity concentrates every possible resource on tackling the root causes of the problems children and young people face such as bullying, homelessness and crime, particularly in deprived communities.  Building on previous mobile and web-billing initiatives with Arrow, the Society wanted to identify any further cost savings that could be made through its fixed-line system.  Arrow carried out a full audit of the Society’s existing phone lines and services which resulted in a phased transfer of service for 400 lines across 100 sites.

The implementation took just two months and was achieved without any change to phone numbers, lines, equipment or hardware.  Phone usages policies provided by Arrow identify the most cost effective way of using additional services such as directory enquiries and the web-based billing reduces the flow of paper and provides instant access to invoice information.  “It is essential that we stretch every penny as far as it will go. We rely on Arrow to guide us and keep us informed on new cost cutting approaches”, says Terry Leahy, Assistant Director, Facilities and Procurement.  “Arrow’s solution was painless, efficient, and effective, with savings totalling £10,000 per annum for the charity. You just can’t underestimate the benefits of good advice and project management.”

The Challenge

The transfer of lines needed to be completed without causing any disruption to existing phone lines and essential services, and the solution had to deliver timely, accurate and fully-costed, project-coded invoices.

Call routing efficiencies achieved at every site

A comprehensive audit of the charity’s 400 lines, spread around 100 sites across the UK, gave Arrow the information it needed to assess the existing assets and processes, and identify areas that could benefit from a new approach. Subsequently, a mix of Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS) and Indirect Access (IDA) solutions were recommended and implemented by Arrow across the majority of the Society’s fixed lines to increase call-routing efficiency in the most effective way for each individual site.  Behind the scenes, Arrow consultants managed the roll out, liaising with existing fixed-line suppliers and providing facilities/office managers across all sites with regular status reports and advice as the implementation progressed.

“Our Calls and Lines solution gave the Society the cost savings they anticipated in the long term, without the headaches often associated with significant change,” says Arrow Product Manager, Rebecca Sethi.

Tried and tested disaster recovery

The flexibility of Arrow’s customer services and experience in disaster recovery planning was put to the test when the main BT cable for the Society’s head office was cut disconnecting the main switchboard number. This occurred at 4pm and by 9am the next day all calls had been  re-routed to our call centre with all calls being answered as ‘The Children’s Society’. In total over 175 calls were taken across a 2 hour period until the fault was repaired, the average call wait time was 3 seconds and messages were relayed by email to the Society’s employees.

Refugee Action Case Study

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Refugee Action is an independent charity that supports refugees and asylum seekers to resettle and build new lives in the UK.  Refugee Action has been a customer for four years and Arrow provides the charity with hosted telephony and mobile services for their 220 employees across eight offices.  Following a strategy change, Arrow proposed the migration of Refugee Action’s hosted telephony solution to the Gamma Horizon system.

New features and lower costs

Arrow undertook a full GAP evaluation between the old and new platforms to ensure that all existing functionality could be mirrored. The migration to Gamma Horizon also meant that Refugee Action would benefit from additional functionality not previously available to them such as call reporting, self-management via the web portal, and enhanced platform reliability and stability.  A further advantage of moving to the Gamma Horizon was that Arrow was able to demonstrate savings of 30% thanks to considerable call savings on the new platform.

Consultative Approach

Arrow liaised with Gamma to ensure that Refugee Action could retain their existing hardware including handsets and switches as part of the transition so the need for additional capital expenditure was prevented.  There was a very tight deadline to migrate all eight offices so that cost savings could be implemented as quickly as possible and to ensure that the amount of time that sites were operating on different platforms was minimised.  The migration project took place over eight weeks with the change of location for the Birmingham office adding to the complexity of the project.

Arrow’s Project Manager worked closely with all sites and the various Arrow internal teams to ensure these deadlines were met and communications were clear and frequent.  Installations were carried out during evenings and weekends where required so that there was no interruption of service to Refugee Action’s customers or the daily running of their offices.  Arrow’s dedicated Horizon trainer also ensured all sites were up to speed on both the portal and the handsets with on-site visits for the larger sites and training sessions conducted via webinars for the smaller ones.

Bakkavor Case Study

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Founded in 1986, Bakkavör now supplies over 5,000 products to the world’s largest retailers and are unique in supplying the widest variety of fresh prepared foods on an international scale.

Business Challenge

Bakkavör wanted a one stop shop solution from a telecoms provider for maintenance across the Bakkavör Estate. One of their main grievances was chargeable works, they wanted a solution which was tailored to their exact requirements and incorporated as part of the maintenance contract to avoid orders and invoices being raised on an individual basis.

The Solution

Our flexible approach enabled a package to be designed to meet with this requirement not only improving service levels but reducing costs. As part of the project Bakkavör received a road map for technology upgrades to the latest software release. This not only protects their initial investment but enables them to benefit from VoIP when they are ready to adopt the latest technology.

The Outcome

The new telephone system has provided Bakkavör with cost savings, an incorporated chargeable works contract, a technology road map for the future, a dedicated account manager and access to our faults department on a 24/7/365 basis.

 


The Children’s Society Case Study

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A smart call-routing solution from Arrow helps The Children’s Society make the most of its precious resources.

Cost savings that really do make a difference

For many businesses, managing costs is a central factor in ensuring sustainable profitability. For The Children’s Society, cost control is mission critical in achieving maximum efficiency.  The UK charity concentrates every possible resource on tackling the root causes of the problems children and young people face such as bullying, homelessness and crime, particularly in deprived communities.  Building on previous mobile and web-billing initiatives with Arrow, the Society wanted to identify any further cost savings that could be made through its fixed-line system.  Arrow carried out a full audit of the Society’s existing phone lines and services which resulted in a phased transfer of service for 400 lines across 100 sites.

The implementation took just two months and was achieved without any change to phone numbers, lines, equipment or hardware.  Phone usages policies provided by Arrow identify the most cost effective way of using additional services such as directory enquiries and the web-based billing reduces the flow of paper and provides instant access to invoice information.  “It is essential that we stretch every penny as far as it will go. We rely on Arrow to guide us and keep us informed on new cost cutting approaches”, says Terry Leahy, Assistant Director, Facilities and Procurement.  “Arrow’s solution was painless, efficient, and effective, with savings totalling £10,000 per annum for the charity. You just can’t underestimate the benefits of good advice and project management.”

The Challenge

The transfer of lines needed to be completed without causing any disruption to existing phone lines and essential services, and the solution had to deliver timely, accurate and fully-costed, project-coded invoices.

Call routing efficiencies achieved at every site

A comprehensive audit of the charity’s 400 lines, spread around 100 sites across the UK, gave Arrow the information it needed to assess the existing assets and processes, and identify areas that could benefit from a new approach. Subsequently, a mix of Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS) and Indirect Access (IDA) solutions were recommended and implemented by Arrow across the majority of the Society’s fixed lines to increase call-routing efficiency in the most effective way for each individual site.  Behind the scenes, Arrow consultants managed the roll out, liaising with existing fixed-line suppliers and providing facilities/office managers across all sites with regular status reports and advice as the implementation progressed.

“Our Calls and Lines solution gave the Society the cost savings they anticipated in the long term, without the headaches often associated with significant change,” says Arrow Product Manager, Rebecca Sethi.

Tried and tested disaster recovery

The flexibility of Arrow’s customer services and experience in disaster recovery planning was put to the test when the main BT cable for the Society’s head office was cut disconnecting the main switchboard number. This occurred at 4pm and by 9am the next day all calls had been  re-routed to our call centre with all calls being answered as ‘The Children’s Society’. In total over 175 calls were taken across a 2 hour period until the fault was repaired, the average call wait time was 3 seconds and messages were relayed by email to the Society’s employees.

Gravesend Grammar School

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Gravesend Grammar School is a thriving secondary school with a sixth form in Kent with a well deserved reputation for academic success.

Requirements

Gravesend Grammar School needed to replace their end-of-life telephone system which was full to capacity.  They were looking for a simplistic IP based telephone system that could carry out all the existing functionalities they used and more. They also needed voicemail for all users and due to school holidays their timescales were tight.

 Solution

Arrow supplied Gravesend Grammar with a MiVoice Office 250 system, 49 IP handsets, voicemail and maintenance cover. The flexibility of an IP based system (any existing data point could, in theory, become a phone location), and the voicemail to email service were also two contributing factors to their choice of system.

The MiVoice Office 250 is the ideal platform for organisations interested in the latest technology and application capability and allows Gravesend Grammar to blend their voice system with the data network, creating an efficient, cost-effective communications platform that they can easily adapt and grow over time at their own pace.

 Timescales

It was important that the installation had to take place during the summer break and not during school time. A decision was made by late July and implementation was complete by the end August.

Birkett Long Case Study

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Birkett Long is the leading firm of solicitors in Essex and employs 180 staff, spread over three offices in Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon.

The Challenge

Telephone operators, based in Chelmsford, take calls for the whole group and then transfer these calls to each of the three offices. The operators sometimes need to check the status of the staff before they put the call through to the individual staff members.  Birkett Long had a very old digital system, which was at the end of its life and a more modern solution was required, which would help ensure business continuity and reduce costs.  They wanted to move part of their incoming ISDN to SIP to reduce costs and provide better resiliency. Some staff also needed to hot desk between sites.

Proposed Solution and Benefits

After a number of meetings and consultations with Arrow, it was jointly decided to provide a Mitel 3300 IP telephony solution.  This platform provided a solution which enabled all of the users to be connected within the same system and for the operators to view the status of individuals via Microsoft Outlook integration with Mitel.  Some of the users who wanted to hot desk between sites could also do this seamlessly and new users could be added to the system very quickly and easily.  All the sites needed to have the calls logged centrally for billing purposes and a virtualised voicemail solution was also provided.

The business continuity requirement was fulfilled, in that, if Chelmsford or Colchester had a failure of equipment, the other site would immediately take over.  Arrow provided SIP telephone lines in addition to the existing ISDN telephone lines, which not only reduced the cost for Birkett Long, but also enabled the company to be connected to the outside world if there was a network failure on either SIP or ISDN.  The ISDN2 lines at Basildon were replaced with SIP telephone lines and the numbers were routed through the Colchester office. The call charges were also reduced as part of the exercise. This provided Birkett Long with a modern, future proofed solution with reduced operating costs.

Gladstone Health and Leisure

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Gladstone Health and Leisure is the leading supplier of Leisure Management Systems to the UK Leisure Industry. Gladstone provides software solutions for membership, bookings, point of sale, energy management, contact management and access control.

The Challenge

Gladstone required a new telephone system for their growing organisation which consists of 75 users based in their Head Office in Oxford, Glasgow, Pakistan and Australia.

The Solution

The Mitel 5000 telephone system allows Gladstone to link all their sites and homeworkers together. The system was installed in Gladstone’s head office in Oxford and supports 15 homeworkers using soft phones, the international offices which use IP handsets and a 10 seat call centre.

The system also includes embedded voicemail and an Auto Attendant which is time-based, automatically playing messages to suit the time of day.

Seamless Transfer

Implementation took just one week and was completed with only 1 hour of downtime as the ISDN lines were switched over. Arrow installed the telephone system outside of business hours to minimise disruption and included training for all users.

The IP phones were pre-configured so the remote offices could simply ‘plug-and-play’ and the software for the homeworkers was rolled out via Gladstone’s internal IT network.

Travis Perkins

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Delivering a seamless national service support for telecoms over 750 sites

Travis Perkins is a leading company in the Builders’ Merchant and Home Improvement markets. As large PLC, it is a major supplier to one of the largest UK industries, building and construction, and continues to follow its successful growth strategy of acquisition and organic investment.

Business Challenge

Travis Perkins wanted to partner with a telecoms supplier who could offer a cost effective, efficient and flexible support service to maintain all their sites across the UK.

We initially won the contract to deliver the maintenance of all Travis Perkins sites across the UK, based on initial cost savings supported by our national infrastructure of engineers, 24/7 support and our tailored management approach.

The Solution

Travis Perkins decided to invest in their site infrastructure to enable them to benefit from the communication flexibility and lower operational costs of an IP based telephony system. The telephony equipment which best suited their user numbers per site was the Nortel BCM50. This system is fully supported by our in-house experienced accredited engineers, project managers and training specialists.

A detailed and structured transition of sites to the new VoIP technology on the Nortel platform was developed in line with Travis Perkins’ VoIP capital investment programme which enabled the project manager to negotiate specific deals based on an extended timeline. A tailored “quick install” package was agreed for use at each site, thus ensuring installation was both efficient, uniform and of a high quality, supported by onsite training in each case.

All sites are supported by a dedicated service line to manage all telephony based enquiries, purchases and engineering support which are logged, co-ordinated and delivered by Arrow.

The Outcome

Improved account management and fulfilment of all Travis Perkins telephony services including maintenance, engineering support and customer service to all sites across the UK.

Immediate cost savings were delivered over incumbents and a project managed CAPEX rollout programme of BCM50 was introduced at a rate of 100 per year.

Finally, various internal processes and resources were tailored to meet Travis Perkins’ specific needs including:

  • Corporate Account Manager
  • Specialist technical advice/forums for IP telephony and data
  • Dedicated contact at our 24/7 support call centre
  • Managed CAPEX rollout programme of BCM50
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