Making Unified Communications Count
Menzies LLP is a forward-thinking top 20 firm of accountants that delivers traditional accounting services combined with strategic consultancy. When a Menzies office move coincided with the expiration of its telecom supplier contracts, the accountancy seized the opportunity to redesign its business communications firm-wide for efficient internal teamwork and better client service.
Growing need for a central UC platform
Over recent years, the accountancy firm has grown significantly by acquisition. This growth resulted in a mixed estate with legacy phone systems and outdated infrastructure across 8 independent offices with over 400 users, emphasising the need to introduce a central and scalable UC platform that could support Menzies’ acquisition strategy as well as new flexible and mobile working initiatives.
Flexibility was in fact the cornerstone of Menzies’ new solution. Diverse employee preferences for tablet, smartphone, laptop and desktop use had to be reconciled through the UC platform whilst allowing secure access to the company network regardless of device and location.
Following a Britannic Discovery Session and due diligence, we presented a variety of solutions and deployment models for consideration. Menzies chose a hosted solution and managed service option over an on-premise system, entrusting Britannic with the smooth operation of its UC platform.
Central platform to provide UC services across 8 offices
UC service availability
Moving to Skype for Business
Menzies settled on the Skype for Business platform, which is now hosted in Britannic’s resilient private cloud. Although the deployment of the edge was straightforward, Britannic’s network audit identified issues on Menzies’ MPLS network. Exploration of the network setup identified areas which were impacting the quality of service over the existing system. Accurate pinpointing and identification helped Menzies to improve its network configurations in anticipation of the new deployment.
The implementation was phased in office by office. Britannic ported the numbers, migrated them into Britannic’s own SIP Exchange Platform, netX, then set up Skype for Business and assisted in enabling appropriate roles to access certifications, voicemail, phone setup templates, IVR recordings, hunt group setups and more.
A recommendation is often a great way to start a business relationship. The accountancy world is a close-knit community and Britannic came highly commended as a knowledgeable partner, who has proven to share its vision, offer independent advice and successfully implement and maintain our solution.
The Technology
Skype for Business
S4B bundles VoIP, voicemail, IM, presence, document sharing, audio video conferencing as well as online meeting functionality for productivity.
netX
Britannic’s scalable, resilient SIP exchange platform natively supports S4B and enhances QoS. Enables intelligent call routing. Comes with flexible illing options.
Choice of Console
Users can choose from a range of headsets or SIP phones and endpoints can be tailored to suit individuals.
Key to project success
Key to this successful deployment was the painstaking detail of the project management plan combined with the close collaboration between the Menzies team and Britannic’s Project Manager, Technical Architect and Account Manager – an approach that has held true beyond the design and deployment phases as Britannic goes on to technically manage, maintain and develop the UC environment.
The Results
400 users now productively work from anywhere. Instant messaging and free on-net calls provide real-time communication in addition to traditional emails whilst video conferencing and desktop application sharing simplify client service through closer collaboration and faster issue resolution.
Additionally, the hosted and managed Skype for Business solution has created an easy-to-adapt environment that supports Menzies’ acquisition strategy, reducing demand on resources to incorporate newly acquired organisations into the business.
Users that have upped productivity
Central platform to provide UC services across 8 offices
UC service availability
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