Company Background
The client is a Chicago-based research firm.
Business Challenge
The client had an on-premises PBX and was considering moving their phone system to the cloud for additional features.
Stratosphere Networks Solution
Our trusted advisors carried out an initial cost analysis and determined that migrating to the cloud would cost the client less than upgrading their on-prem phone system. To help them identify the best Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solution for their organization, we took everyone involved in the project to our demo center in downtown Chicago, where they had the chance to try out various cloud phone systems.
Because the company already utilized the Microsoft 365 suite, they decided to voice enable their Skype for Business environment. Note: This migration took place before Microsoft replaced Skype for Business with Teams, and the client has since transitioned to Teams.
Our advisors analyzed potential Microsoft Teams UC partners that could deliver additional benefits compared to going straight to Microsoft, including SLAs, uptime guarantees, enhanced functionality, and direct routing (which allows end users to make calls directly from Teams). Ultimately, we determined that CallTower met the client's requirements, such as integration with their video infrastructure.
Working with our advisors had considerable advantages for the client, including the following:
- Access to the latest market research data
- Objective and consultative analysis from our advisors considering a wide range of options, as opposed to biased direct sales pitches from reps focused on one brand
Insights from the Pathfinder tool, which is built on Salesforce and leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to drive informed IT decision-making with the following features:
Interactive quick assessments to evaluate solutions based on the client's needs
Dynamic comparison matrices including vital factors such as security, compliance and market share
Supplier battlecards that include not only strengths but also weaknesses/case studies/video briefings/white papers
Data center locator with virtual tours/real-time fiber locator
- Access to our home-grown ROI tools, which quickly determine the total cost of ownership and (in most instances) potential savings from the client's current total spend
- Connections to channel-only solutions from suppliers that the client couldn't have engaged with on their own due to the lack of direct sales teams
- Countless hours saved, as it would have taken the client weeks to assemble all of the data that our advisors produced in mere minutes with our advanced tools
- Access to our state-of-the-art demo lab in downtown Chicago.
- ZERO fees for all of the above. We don't charge for any of these advisory services, and supplier pricing is guaranteed to match or beat pricing from the supplier's direct sales rep.
For more information about our trusted advisor services, watch this brief video.
Benefits
Migrating from an on-prem phone system to a Teams UC solution proved advantageous for the client in various ways, including the following:
- Cost containment (no need to pay for maintenance, phone lines, upgrades and other on-prem PBX expenses)
- Expanded remote work capabilities (which simplified the adjustment to working from home during the pandemic)
- Integration with other vital business apps in the Microsoft 365 suite, streamlining processes for end users
On top of that, the client saved time and money by working with our trusted advisors instead of shopping around themselves, and they gained valuable insights into their options at the demo center. Overall, they're extremely happy with their new highly accessible UCaaS solution.