SunParadise UK Limited
Company Profile
SunParadise manufacturers, supplies and installs high quality glazed aluminium folding doors, sliding doors, roofs and conservatories.
Very rapid expansion meant that their existing analogue telephony system could no longer support their business, which resulted in loss of sales. The addition of new head office staff also meant that their LAN infrastructure was inadequate. At the same, their office in Norfolk, responsible for manufacturing and installation, saw a 400% growth in staff numbers. Because there was no capability to share documentation between Norfolk and Twickenham project management were becoming problematic and customer satisfaction was suffering. There were also several home/mobile workers who had no access to the head office systems when away from the office.
The Requirement
Jason Messervy, SunParadise’s Managing Director, knew that a reliable telephony platform that would support existing needs and future expansion was critical to their continued success. Improved communication between Twickenham and Norfolk was crucial and a Microsoft Business Server was installed in Twickenham to allow document sharing.
As Jason explains “Our business had reached a tipping point, we knew we had to improve the way we communicated internally and with our customers. Our systems were impacting employee productivity and customer satisfaction and our communication costs were spiralling out of control. We were happy to embrace new technologies to improve the way our business operated and thanks to Unifi we have been able to so.”
The basis of the requirement was the provision of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that allowed document sharing between the two offices. This would allow for the introduction of Cisco UC Solution that would operate seamlessly between Norfolk and Twickenham with free inter-office calls. All users required voicemail and they also wanted to take advantage of features, such as Automated Attendant, that would give them the appearance of being a larger organization than they actually are.
The Solution
The solution, designed, installed and managed by Unifi, is based on a Cisco 2800 Series Integrated Services Router with Cisco Communication Manager Express providing call processing functionality and Unity Express providing voicemail and auto attendant. PSTN connectivity is delivered via an SDSL connection to a SIP gateway service hosted by Gamma Telecom who also provides Low Cost Routing for all telephone calls. The Norfolk office connects to the main office via LAN-2-LAN IPSec encrypted VPN connections and has its own telephony system based on Cisco’s Smart Business Communication System.
In addition, two home office workers are now connected to the main office – also by LAN-2-LAN IPSec encrypted VPN connections - and a number of mobile workers connect via Remote Access IPSec VPNs using Cisco VPN Client software. With the use of soft phones, remote workers are now reachable across the Remote Access VPNs and external calls use the SDSL connection to the PSTN to take advantage of the low call rates.
The LAN infrastructure is based on Cisco Catalyst 3560 Power over Ethernet switches. This device provides in-line power over the Ethernet cabling to the desk phones and also connectivity for standard data devices (PC’s and printers etc) via a dedicated data VLAN over the same switch port – reducing cabling requirements.
The whole solution is proactively managed by Unifi who provide network and system monitoring and fault handling.
The Benefits
The new unified communication infrastructure has dramatically improved operations and resulting customer service. As Jason Messervy explains “With Unifi’s solution in place, we are really benefiting from increased collaboration between staff based in Twickenham and Norfolk, which has led to quicker decision making, vastly improved communication and overall efficiency. All staff can now respond immediately to customer’s queries, even when they out of the office, so customer service levels are much better and sales are up.”
Jason goes on “with free site to site calls and lower phone tariffs, our telephony expenses have reduced by over 40%. Before it was very difficult to contact employees who were out of the office, now we can contact them wherever they are via a free VPN connection.”
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