Success Stories


Solution Spotlight: Network Assessment and VoIP Solution

Customer: International Food Manufacturer
Location: Buffalo, New York
 

Highlights 

To ensure ongoing Cisco support of the customer’s phone system, reduce phone costs and centralize management, MCPc rolled out 556 Cisco IP phone handsets to seven locations nationwide. The unified communications solution integrates voice, video and data, and provides the manufacturer with enhanced functionality such as mobility, presence and multiple-language support.

Benefits

  • Centralized control of phone system from company’s headquarters.
  • Simplified communications and improved business processes, resulting from enhanced functionality.
  • Better communication with international employees.
  • Improved network foundation stabilized manufacturer's production line.

Business Need 

This customer had aging phone systems at each of its locations that were no longer supported by the manufacturer. To cut down on phone costs and enable centralized management, it was seeking to replace the outdated phones with IP-based phone systems.

As the company’s trusted technology advisor for the past 16 years, MCPc suggested that the manufacturer implement a Cisco Unified Communications solution, which could integrate voice, video and data.

Solution

MCPc first performed a risk assessment to determine whether the manufacturer’s current network infrastructure was ready to support a voice overlay. An appliance developed by RISC Networks was used to create and process reports detailing items such as: network bandwidth use, QoS (quality of service) and traffic. MCPc then analyzed the results and used this data to suggest network infrastructure improvements— for instance, new switches and an updated WAN configuration — prior to voice implementation.

Following the updates, approximately 550 Cisco IP-phone handsets were rolled out across seven locations nationwide. Aside from the corporate headquarters, phones at all locations were installed remotely.

The customer’s IT staff deployed the phones, and racked and stacked the routing equipment, while MCPc configured and installed the handsets.

One challenge faced during the install was that the customer had a small IT staff with a large workload. They were not prepared to handle the amount of labor this process required. To alleviate some of this burden, and to ensure the project stayed on track, MCPc dedicated additional project management and solution architecture resources at no additional cost and offered on site support as needed.

Results

With the Cisco IP handsets, the customer’s IT staff can now control all calls and configuration from its headquarters. Previously, technicians would have to travel to individual office locations to fix any issues and make all necessary updates.

Cisco phones provide enhanced functionality, such as mobility, presence and multiple-language support. Using the mobility features, executives can log into their phones from any location on the network, granting them access to their individual phone lines when out of the office. Employees can also utilize single-number reach, which enables multiple phones — such as one’s office and mobile lines — to ring at the same time.

The presence feature allows employees to see the work status of anybody on the network from their PCs and communicate via instant messenger. By knowing when colleagues are on the phone or in a meeting, employees can shift their communications based on availability.

With the customer’s parent company based overseas, the new phone systems simplify communications with international employees, as conference call features include translated prompts. The phone systems also lay the groundwork for a telepresence solution, which the customer is looking to implement as a second iteration of this project in an effort to reduce travel expenses between offices.

As an added, though unexpected benefit to the network infrastructure updates, the customer stabilized its production line, which had been experiencing synchronization issues. Now, thanks to proper data package priority settings and an improved network foundation, manufacturing lines have increased productivity and are running in sync.

If you are interested in an IP-based phone system, MCPc is available to speak with you about your options, and help you plan for the future.

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