How we met varied communication needs across a complex and diverse business organisation.
How we met varied communication needs across a complex and diverse business organisation.
This business is a family-run freight and distribution specialist based in Portsmouth.
The company’s premises involve a mixture of employees from logistical coordinators, operational managers, warehouse attendants, drivers, and night staff.
They cater for an extensive portfolio of European and international freight delivered by a variety of modes, including road, sea and air. They were founded in 2001, when it first began it was only two men and one van (as the name suggests).
Over the years the company has grown rapidly, which required an increase in experienced office staff and drivers. From just one van, they now run a modern, emissions-friendly diverse fleet of over 30 vehicles which range from 3.5-tonne rigids to double deck artic trailers.
Of course, with growth comes the requirement for more intelligent technology, such as a flexible but reliable phone system which can handle the continuous increase in internal and external calls.
Operations Manager Fabienne Tyler.
“When I joined the family business, six years ago the company was operating with a standard analogue telephone system,”
“The desk phones were bulky, taking up much needed room on the desktops. Every office employee received every incoming call and it was a race for who could answer it first; from there, calls had to be redirected.
“Extension numbers were typed, printed and stuck next to the phone for a quick reference and there was no way of knowing who was on a call until that engaged tone was heard through the receiver”
“Our large and busy onsite warehouse complex was fitted with a phone so that our office staff could contact warehouse workers with queries. However, the faint sound of the ringing often went unheard over the sound of palletising goods and loading trucks. When the phone was heard an employee would have to stop what they were doing to answer the call which lost precious time.”
“If the matter was urgent and the call went unanswered, a member of staff would have to go down to the potentially hazardous warehouse to source seek an employee directly, which was highly disruptive, inefficient, and potentially dangerous.”
As technology evolved, Fabienne the operations manager had heard about the benefits of moving to a VoIP system and Syn-Star stood out as a well-established and trusted company.
The first thing we did during the onboarding process, was find out more about the individual needs of their staff and their various roles within each department. We explored how the different parts of the business could benefit from specific kinds of telecoms.
The implementation of the recommended system increased efficiency and simplicity, which allowed the company to process calls much quicker and to the correct employee unlike previously.
“Our office number now connects the caller with a menu and we can choose the correct department to handle their query,” explained Fabienne.
“The menu rings all users within a department, so the query can be answered quickly and efficiently, reducing hold time and the requirement for transfers.
“It also allows us to set an out of hours menu so that urgent calls can be directed to a nominated person when the office is closed.”
Syn-Star’s technicians enabled Busylamp™ on all phone systems (pc, mobile and physical) which showed the status of all phone users within the company, this now saves valuable time because it’s clear if someone is available to take a call or not. Transferring the calls is quicker too because users just need to select the right name.
The behind-the-scenes portal enables the staff to generate a variety of different reports, including an automatically raised weekly report of external and internal calls made and received per user. This allows managers to check how quickly calls are being answered, which department is the busiest and to ensure that calls are being handled fairly between staff.
Syn-star installed a softphone on office PCs, which displays as a window, enabling calls to be made, answered, and transferred through the keyboard/mouse, keeping desks clear and tidy.
Headsets were also provided, so a call recipient can talk and still have both hands free to continue their work, boosting the 10m range so they can now move around the building whilst active on calls, which is great for reaching the printer or moving to another room for privacy.
Another feature of the new telephony system is that users have access to a mobile app so that they are contactable whether working from home or travelling to meetings. This facilitates hybrid working and allows for more working flexibility.
For example, should an employee have to work from home unexpectedly, they can use the app to actively take calls as though they were still in the office; they no longer need to use their personal number either. This app is also used for the warehouse so that they can hear and answer calls wherever they are.
“Our phones are answered, directed more smoothly and efficiently now, giving a better service for our customers, who get a first impression of a slick and efficient operation.”
“We can use the generated reports to see how we handle calls and how we can improve moving further.”
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We proactively seek opportunities to support good causes for our community.
From sponsoring local community football teams, to engaging with charity fundraiser days, we believe it’s important to continually strive to do good for the better of others.
We have members who volunteer with youth organisations, are engaged with the Round Table, run marathons and volunteer at events where we may be needed. Every charity receives a discounted IT and Telecoms service too.
Protecting your digital data is crucial for every business and this can start with the industry-leading security we offer. The Syn-Star specialists can help with identifying any vulnerabilities within your IT systems and act accordingly to ensure cyber-attacks and data breaches are mitigated.
Your business will never fall behind with its technology when you work with Syn-Star.
We understand IT and Telecoms for your business is an investment, but it’s important to use the best resources available to enable the growth of your business. Our IT Consultancy and Virtual IT Director Services are available to support you with how you use your business technology for years to come.
Syn-Star can conduct quick and easy phishing exercises to identify people within your team who need to improve on their knowledge around fraudulent emails and how they can be alerted to these threats.
At Syn-Star, our experts can proactively work to understand exactly what software you need to support with the business operations. Whether you need a listening ear on what software to choose, or would like to seek some specialist knowledge, we’re here to help where we can.
At Syn-Star, we keep Telecoms simple. There’s so much available to help UK companies with their communications. VoIP systems, fixed landline, cloud phone systems, SIP trunking and more. Contact us for further details.
Desk phones, cordless phones or conference phones, Syn-Star can provide you with whatever you need.
From conference calling facilities to the headsets which work best for your team, we’re able to provide all the equipment you need and complete any telecoms job from start to finish.
There is no need to be in the office to make and receive phone calls from your company’s number. Our market-leading Telecoms platform gives you the flexibility of desk phones, soft phones and mobile apps as standard.
Whether your team works remotely, or perhaps staff are on a business trip anywhere in the world, calls can still be made, and people are reachable via phone wherever they go.
With a range of products, our team can support you by installing exactly what you need for internet connectivity. We work with the very best products to provide speedy bandwidths which play a part in the increased productivity of your team.
