AIFS – Robust Disaster Recovery & Call Center Functionality
The Client: The Stamford office of the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) is one of a half-dozen US-based branches providing services in cultural and educational exchange.
The Challenge: With 10+ call groups spread across seven or eight different business programs, it is critical for AIFS to have sophisticated inbound and outbound call direction, transparent call center oversight, and seamless operations even during inclement weather.
The Solution: A new ShoreTel VoIP system offered “the best combination of value and price,” enabling rich call center functionality, custom reporting for supervisors and call groups, and straightforward system administration. In addition, a robust disaster recovery (DR) plan created in conjunction with Select Telecom enables complete remote operation during severe weather.
The Results: Says CIO Gene Maillet, “It was a rough winter last year, and we didn’t miss a beat when there was a snow day. We just turn on the out of office functionality and our phone and business systems work remotely from home. We don’t have to close down the office for the day anymore because of snow – our customers don’t even know that we’re not at our desks.” Full story
St. Luke’s School – Complex Server Room Move & Makeover
The Client: The well-regarded Independent St. Luke’s School (located in NYC’s West Village) is currently home to 230 students and 60 staff/faculty, and is quickly growing.
The Challenge: In the beginning stages of an expansion adding a third and fourth floor onto the building, the architects and engineers revealed that they planned to implement an elevator shaft directly through the existing server room, necessitating a move of 260 data cables and all of the server room equipment.
The Solution: Working closely with the architects and engineers, Select Telecom and St. Luke’s deduced an optimal location for the new room, and implement the move over two weeks in the summer, with minimal interruptions to daily operations.
The Results: By the end of the first day, the main office was up and running, and the rest of the move went off without a hitch. In addition, IT Coordinator Alfonso Espinal was pleased to reap some additional benefits, “Select Telecom helped organize everything so it’s neat… They consolidated our infrastructure to allow us to better use the space, and in the end, even though we had all the same equipment, they helped deliver a better product than we started with.” Full story
Apple-Metro, Inc. – System & Service Provider Reliability
The Client: Apple-Metro, Inc. manages a portfolio of 35 busy NY-Metro area Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar locations, including several of the largest, highest trafficked and strongest performing Applebee’s locations world-wide.
The Challenge: Apple-Metro was in the market for a new vendor to support their existing phone systems, a mix of old Nortel and Panasonic systems that’d been having reliability issues. They couldn’t seem to find a vendor who could support everything effectively and enable Apple-Metro’s staff to work efficiently.
The Solution: Select Telecom effectively serviced the existing systems until Apple-Metro was ready to upgrade to an advanced IP phone system from ShoreTel which facilitated cost-effective networking between all of Apple-Metro’s restaurants.
The Results: “The ShoreTel phone system was just what we needed. Coupled with Select Telecom’s support, it’s very easy to use and has a great upgrade path,” says Manager of Systems Administration Eric Jackson. He especially appreciates the reliable service he can count on from Select Telecom. “I’m really big on first-call resolution. Having a problem resolved is not a hassle for me, which is why I really like Select Telecom. [Their] technicians have all the expertise needed to solve any issue we come across, and they are on-site when they say they will be.” Full story
Howard-Sloan Professional Search – A Proactive Business Partner
The Client: Howard-Sloan Professional Search is a Manhattan-based executive search firm.
The Challenge: Howard-Sloan wanted a partner to help them keep on top of technological advances and potential system issues. In addition, some third party software that they’d grown accustomed to using no longer functioned when their new system was first installed.
The Solution: Select Telecom delivered a new extension, ShoreTel Application Dialer, to work with Howard-Sloan’s existing software, and committed to keeping Howard-Sloan up-to-date on the latest news and releases.
The Results: Managing Director of Operations Desi Greene reports that she has counted Select Telecom as a key business partner for almost 10 years. “I told them I want them to be proactive – ‘I need you to tell me what I don’t know.’ Now they update me about new releases that I might want to take advantage of and I’m always on top of the latest benefits.” Full story
Durante Rentals, LLC – World-Class Customer Service
The Client: Durante Rentals, LLC is a construction equipment rental company three locations in the Bronx, Mount Vernon, and Queens.
The Challenge: Durante Rentals was struggling with an outdated phone system that couldn’t even handle transferring calls. Forcing customers to hang up and dial a different number to reach the other offices was not in line with the kind of experience they provide for their customers.
The Solution: Select Telecom implemented a state-of-the-art ShoreTel IP Unified Communications system, enabling quick calls transfers no matter what location the customer dials.
The Results: Durante Rentals was so thrilled with the new system that they honored their ShoreTel with the company’s Technology of the Year award. As CFO Chris Jones explains, “It helped us boost our professionalism and deliver a seamless experience for the customer – now we can tell them to just call wherever and we will help you.” Full story
Infotrieve – Administrative & Customer Service Control
The Client: Infotrieve is a leader in the electronic document delivery field.
The Challenge: Infotrieve had outgrown their old system with its lack of reporting capabilities and difficult administration. They had no way to track call center resolutions, had to reboot their system to make administrative changes, and needed better scalability.
The Solution: After gathering Infotrieve’s requirements and considering the unique demands of the Infotrieve customer base and company structure, Select Telecom recommended a new IP phone system from ShoreTel.
The Results: Director of IT Arun Daniel knew that Select Telecom, “wasn’t in the business of BS’ing. Most sales groups come in and promise you the world. Select Telecom came in with detailed requests to understand what we need, create a template, and come up with an appropriate recommendation.” Now, he reports, “Administration is cleaner and more robust and can even be done on the fly, and our customer service department plans to use the reporting tools.” Full story
Crown Products – Superior Service with ShoreTel
The Client: Crown Products is a Westchester-based supplier of janitorial and packaging supplies.
The Challenge: Crown Products was in the market for a new phone system that had better call routing capabilities that would allow their customer service team to more efficiently delegate customer calls amongst reps.
The Solution: Select Telecom recommended a new unified communications (UC) system from ShoreTel which featured user-friendly software for end-users and administrators alike in addition to sophisticated call routing capabilities.
The Results: Director of Operations Robert Whetsell reports that the ShoreTel system delivered exactly the results they’dd been hoping for. “The ShoreTel system has been tremendous. It’s definitely addressed the issues we had in making customer service more of a team, and since it’s so easy to use and setup, the team immediately bought in.” Full story
Executive Auto Group – Ease of Administration
The Client: Executive Auto Group is a CT-based multi-site dealer of new and certified pre-owned vehicles serving the Hartford, New Haven, and Meriden areas.
The Challenge: Executive Auto Group’s 20-year-old phone system was failing piece by piece, and with almost a dozen separate locations, was a nightmare to maintain.
The Solution: Select Telecom installed a state-of-the-art Unified Communications system from ShoreTel with a custom paging solution. With unparalleled ease of administration, Executive Auto Group is now able to self-service the majority of their system changes.
The Results: Accounting Office Manager Michael Bartolomeo is already seeing the benefits only weeks after installing the new system. “We’re able to make changes to the system on the fly and there’s a lot that we can even do on our own now. We can immediately troubleshoot and in most cases don’t have to rely on a vendor to service the system. We absolutely could never have done that with our old system.” Full story
Insight Express – A 10 Year Partnership
The Client: Insight Express, LLC is a provider of digital marketing research solutions, specializing in the measurement of advertising and brand communications.
The Challenge: Insight Express was notified by their leasing company in early 2011 that the company would be required to move to a different space in a neighboring office tower. The company needed to complete the move as quickly and seamlessly as possible to minimize disruption to daily operations.
The Solution: Ever since Insight Express founded its first office after being spun off from a parent company in 2001, the company had contracted Select Telecom to facilitate every office move the company made. After averaging a move every two to three years and working Select Telecom on each one, Insight Express knew who to call to ensure a reliable, no-hassle move.
The Results: VP of Information Technology Jim Carbone reports that the most recent move was a success. “Your guys did another spectacular job! I had zero issues today. Thanks for your continued diligence with these moves!” According to Jim, “The reliability, the availability, and the attentiveness of the service I get are unmatched. And they get all the details – I never have to triple check anything when Select Telecom is on the job.” Full story
Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley – Confidence in Reliability
The Client: The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Hudson Valley provides reliable, high quality care for home health and hospice patients.
The Challenge: With equipment nearing the decade-old mark and manufactured by a company which was no longer in business, VNA of Hudson Valley was having trouble keeping day-to-day communications operational. In addition, VNA was also experiencing major service issues. When service was needed, VNA was at the mercy of both their reseller and the local telephone company, creating a frustrating situation with unclear accountability which bred a consistent lack of responsiveness.
The Solution: Within one week of contacting Select Telecom, VNA was fully operational with an advanced new telecom system. The Select Telecom technicians worked through the weekend to get VNA’s system up and running as quickly as possible, and thanks to the technicians’ attention to detail, the transition to the new system was very smooth.
The Results: Since the installation, VNA is no longer apprehensive about system failure. As Director of Information Systems Ed Fricke explains, “With my old provider, I had a lot of anxiety because they didn’t respond in a way that made me feel like a valued customer and like they grasped the demands of our industry. With Select Telecom, if we had a catastrophic failure, I have complete 100% confidence that we could emulate the system in another location immediately. I’m at a place where I can sit back and relax because I know that I’m in capable hands.” Full story
Pawling Corporation – Powerful Upgraded Technology
The Client: Pawling Corporation is a Hudson Valley-based specialty manufacturer of rubber and plastic products with over 250 employees at two plants totaling over 400,000 square feet. Since 1945, Pawling Corporation has been producing quality manufactured products which today range from entrance mats and athletic flooring to plastic protective systems, inflatable rubber seals and actuators.
The Challenge: Pawling Corporation was years overdue for new telecommunications upgrade and was looking for a system which was powerful but easy to use and administer.
The Solution: Select Telecom suggested an IP system by ShoreTel that provided all of the advanced end-user functionality which Pawling Corporation had come to expect from a modern phone system but also was simple to manage from an IT standpoint and provided some cost savings over competitive systems.
The Results: After completing installation and user training at both of Pawling Corporation’s locations, IT Director Bill Schrull commented that the staff was extremely pleased with the upgraded system. “Overall, the system has had a very good impression on the users. They’ve found it easy to adapt to… and everyone really loves the phones and thinks they are very sleek and professional, a no-brainer.” Full story
Eastchester School District – Working with the System
The Client: Eastchester Union Free School District is comprised of 5 schools, located in lower Westchester County, NY.
The Challenge: The district was in need of an upgraded telecommunications system, but with restricted working hours, tight security, and a very busy staff who can’t have their communications disrupted, a school can be a difficult place to install a telecommunication system without the experience necessary to guide the project to a successful conclusion.
The Solution: After installing a district-wide system of security cameras and expanding or installing phone systems in various Eastchester schools in years past, Select Telecom already knew the ins and outs of the Eastchester School District and the district was confident that Select Telecom would be able to do the job with minimal interruption to normal operations. Select Telecom replaced the existing system, which had reached the end of its lifespan, with a state-of-the-art Voice over IP (VoIP) system by ShoreTel, secured at state pricing through BOCES.
The Results: As one staff member explains, “There’s continuity in being able to use Select for this project. Their technicians know our buildings, know our wiring closets, know the people, so they know what the issues will be in the various offices.” After the installation was complete, Select Telecom’s training helped the school staff and faculty quickly transition to using the new system productively. Full story
New Rochelle School District – Improved Security for Students
The Client: The New Rochelle School District includes eleven schools in the city. It has recently been named a “High Performing/Gap Closing District” by the New York State Department of Education.
The Challenge: New Rochelle High School was in need of video surveillance cameras to add to the security of the school environment.
The Solution: Select Telecom designed and installed surveillance system in the high school to meet their individual needs and bring about the most effective results. The IP cameras can be viewed by the security staff on 4- 40 inch monitors, and 8- 20 inch monitors in the security room. The system also allows users access via the internet or over a private network. This enables security personnel to monitor school activity 24 hours a day/ seven days per week, lessening the occurrences of violence, theft or vandalism.
The Results: The New Rochelle School District was so pleased with our service at the high school, that they are working with us to install ten more cameras in the middle and alternative schools in the district!
Houlihan Lawrence – 10+ Years of Enabling Cost-Effective Growth
The Client: Houlihan Lawrence is a family-owned and operated independent residential real estate brokerage firm. Established in 1888, they are currently the market leader in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties.
The Challenge: Houlihan Lawrence was in the process of expanding into several branches and needed to connect all of their offices. In the meantime, due to such rapid growth, there were several agents who shared phones and desks, making voicemail systems difficult to organize.
The Solution: We set up a multi-branch WAN and a phone system with a specialized voicemail system that allowed for multiple mailboxes on one phone. That way, all agents assigned to a certain desk and phone could easily sort through their own messages.
The Results: We have had a 10+ year relationship with Houlihan Lawrence as a result of our initial work with them.
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