BISA Seguros saved $23,000 annually and improved teamwork with Microsoft Teams Phone

Evolving the communication

BISA Seguros & Reaseguros S.A. is a Bolivian company, with over 30 years of experience in the insurance sector. It is part of Grupo Financiero BISA. Due to infrastructure limitations in Bolivia, the company faced challenges in migrating from traditional telephony stations to digital solutions, and the company took the bold decision to expand the functionality of its cloud services suite. When BISA purchased the Microsoft 365 licenses, it decided to implement one platform that would allow calls with clients, instant chat, and internal and external meetings. To do this, the insurance company successfully adopted Microsoft Teams Phone, and this became an outstanding case in the country. “When implementing Teams Phone, through the cloud switchboard from CallMyWay, we wanted to take a leap in collaboration and teamwork at scale,” says Eberth Mazuelos, Assistant Manager, Department of Technology Infrastructure at BISA Seguros.

To implement the new telephony system, the insurance company contacted CIBERIT, an information technology firm. Together with CallMyWay, they developed a disruptive solution to meet all the communication and collaboration needs of BISA Seguros. The three companies collaborated to enhance the network and firewall architecture, ensuring optimal communication speed. This decision to work together was crucial from the outset.

An exemplary implementation

The architecture evolution proposed by CIBERIT marked a significant milestone in the transformation of BISA Seguros. Previously, the telephone exchange was limited, making it impossible to transfer client calls to remote workers. With the new cloud-based exchange provided by the ISV from Microsoft CallMyWay, all the insurance company branches are now globally interconnected in a robust and effective manner to Microsoft Teams platforms. This advancement enabled the migration of legacy telephone links, such as H.323 or E1, to more stable and efficient SIP Trunk links. Today, BISA Seguros operates its platform fully on this modernized and adaptable infrastructure.

The cloud switchboard from CallMyWay offers the Teams Phone services under strict quality standards, improving reliability. The platform provides historical reports in real-time, allowing BISA management to immediately know the productivity metrics, making it easier to take assertive decisions to comply with its internal standards for customer service.

At first, BISA pictured the implementation of Teams telephone exchanges in each city where it operated: La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Sucre, Tarija, Oruro, and Potosí. The progress was gradual, starting with the smallest cities and then expanding to the central offices in the backbone.

The first phase of this change involved employee training. “We are providing courses to develop new skills and enrich the use of Microsoft Teams among the employees,” highlights Ignacio Bustillos, Manager, Agile Project Management at BISA Seguros.

According to Claudia Moreno, Commercial Director at CIBERIT, “The implementation signals an advance in technology innovation at BISA Seguros, as it enhances the productivity and improves internal and external communications by integrating local and international providers and solutions, such as Teams. This optimizes collaboration, operational efficiency, and reduces communication costs.”

The strategic value of Microsoft Teams

At the start of this initiative, BISA Seguros had already planned to create modern workplaces. Since the pandemic, the company has maintained a hybrid model that has restructured its communication culture. In this context, it was crucial to rely on a solution like Teams, which provides access to all tools and telephony, regardless of location. “The flexibility of the platform perfectly met our needs. Whether due to its horizontality or its constant connection, Teams allows us to efficiently plan meetings and follow up on tasks,” Bustillos emphasizes. Before this implementation, people had to be vigilant for calls and emails, but now the direct connection facilitates the management of agile teams, nurturing continuous communication.

The workplace has also evolved. Previously, each person had their own workspace with their computer and desk. “Now, thanks to Teams, people connect as in a coworking space,” adds the Manager of Agile Project Management, referring to the fact that the employees are not always going to the office, only for a few days a week, allowing more space and convenience. All of this is based on the possibility of being connected and working with the current tools.

“Microsoft Teams Phone allows users to use the most cost-effective telephone links to manage calls. For instance, if someone is physically in La Paz and needs to place a call to Cochabamba, they can use a link from the latter to enjoy local fees,” says José González, Sales Director at CallMyWay.

Additionally, an important benefit to BISA Seguros employees is to be able to count on a telephony service via Microsoft Teams from anywhere. To achieve this, they use the application IsMyConnect, developed by CallMyWay, in their mobile devices. This application activates the Teams Phone service in each employee’s Microsoft Teams license, allowing them to make and receive calls in their internal or telephone extension from anywhere via internet connection. With this, it is possible to nurture the remote work and expand availability, including during trips in and outside the country, to comply with the functions required by BISA Seguros.

75% of employees are using Teams, resulting in savings of $23,000

Between 2020 and 2022, user satisfaction with technological tools increased from 45% to 61%. In 2021, the company gained an additional 150,000 hours for strategic tasks, and by 2022, these improvements led to savings of US$23,000.

With 75% of its 500 employees using Teams, 380 individuals benefited from this integration. Microsoft Teams Rooms Premium was also implemented across all administrative and critical business units, enhancing collaboration and operational efficiency.

The adoption of Microsoft Teams allowed BISA Seguros to unify all necessary elements within a single collaborative tool, including telephone services, streamlining communications and fostering a more connected and efficient work environment.