2 page Case Study - Posted 10/15/2008
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Construction Services Firm Benefits from Innovative Software-Based Phone System
True North Drafting specializes in creating the detailed drawings that guide the fabrication and on-site installation of commercial-grade glass and aluminum structures. For years, the company relied on an off-the-shelf phone system that used a shared voice mailbox, which was inefficient and occasionally led to delayed message retrieval and missed opportunities with customers. In search of an alternative system, True North Drafting chose to install Microsoft® Response Point™, an easy-to-use, software-based system that offers rich functionality. The phone system was simple to set up and immediately helped the company save time by eliminating manual processes. With Response Point, the company benefits from a flexible, scalable phone system that is easy to administer and manage and easy to use.
Business Needs
True North Drafting supplies glaziers with detailed shop drawings that guide the design and installation of glass and aluminum structures that construction companies use to encase commercial buildings. Founded in 1995 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the company has eight employees and serves clients throughout North America.
As a growing business in the highly competitive commercial construction industry, True North Drafting looks for a performance edge wherever possible. “For us, in this industry, good communication is paramount to securing new business and bolstering our image as a reliable, hard-working company that provides outstanding service,” says Kelly Wayne, President of True North Drafting.
True North Drafting experienced several challenges with its previous phone system, which consisted of two phone lines that supported four cordless Uniden PowerMax handsets. For example, when the company attempted to use multiple phone lines simultaneously, one of the lines often became unstable, resulting in diminished call clarity.
But, for Wayne and his staff, the primary problems associated with the phone system were the lack of support for individual extensions and personalized voice mail. Typically, the first employee to arrive at the office in the morning would listen to all messages. Then, he or she would send an e-mail message to each co-worker who had a voice mail on the system, prompting that person to retrieve his or her messages.
“The practice of sifting through voice mails and sending out notification e-mail messages was inefficient, and there were a few times when important messages from customers never got delivered to the right person for follow-up,” says Wayne.
True North Drafting was looking for a phone system that was straightforward to install and manage, easy to use, and able to scale as the company grew.
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After a short demonstration, I knew that Response Point fit our current business needs and that it could offer increased value over time through its wide range of features and flexibility. |
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Kelly Wayne, President, True North Drafting |
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Solution
After researching several phone systems, True North Drafting selected Microsoft® Response Point™, an innovative, feature-rich phone system software that offers small businesses a radically simplified administration experience. “After a short demonstration, I knew that Response Point fit our current business needs and that it could offer increased value over time through its wide range of features and flexibility,” says Wayne.
Lypp, a licensed distributor of Microsoft Response Point based in Vancouver, British Columbia, helped True North Drafting install four handsets distributed across five lines. Within two hours, Wayne and his team were using their new phones to connect with customers.
Remote Access to Personalized Voice Mail
True North Drafting employees use the remote voice mail–retrieval feature to access voice mail while they are away from the office. This helps them prioritize tasks and respond to urgent requests at the start of each morning. With remote access to his personalized voice mail through Response Point, Wayne can efficiently prioritize tasks each day, regardless of his location. “Wherever I am, I can easily access my messages, instead of having to listen to all of the messages that have accumulated in a general mailbox,” he says.
Integration with E-Mail
In addition to retrieving messages by phone, employees access messages through their individual Microsoft Office Outlook® e-mail accounts. By activating a setting on the company’s Response Point system, voice mail messages are routed from Microsoft Office Exchange Server 2003 to the intended recipient’s e-mail inbox. “Because everyone in the office is set up to automatically receive voice mail messages as attachments in e-mail, I don’t have to track people down to deliver a message,” says Wayne. Employees take advantage of the voice-recognition technology offered in Response Point to retrieve important messages. By eliminating the need to search for contact information, this lets employees follow-up on important business matters more quickly.
Benefits
True North Drafting saves a significant amount of time, and delivers more responsive and reliable customer service using Response Point. Further, the highly flexible and scalable, software-based phone system has become an integral part of the company’s growth strategy.
Simplified Management
Wayne estimates that by providing personalized extensions and voice mail with remote message retrieval and automated message notification, Response Point has saved True North Drafting a substantial amount of time each day. “Response Point has made managing the phone system much easier for me,” says Wayne. “Instead of sifting through the general voice mailbox, I can concentrate on more important things, like responding to customer requests.”
Ease of Use
True North Drafting employees use the voice-enabled dialing offered through Response Point to connect with customer contacts easier and faster. “The voice-activated technology built into Response Point is so simple to use. And, it makes getting in touch with our customers easier, so we’re able to respond quicker,” says Wayne. The company also benefitted from the rapid, hassle-free installation and limited training required to get up and running with Response Point.
Flexibility and Scalability
True North Drafting enjoys the ability to choose from a wide range of features on its Response Point phone system. The company added personalized lines and made administrative changes to the system quickly. “With Response Point, we can decide which features add the most value to our business and focus on using them,” says Wayne. “Having this kind of flexibility and scalability built into our phone system means our business is better equipped to handle growth.”
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
