Chorus Modernizes Business Phone System

Chorus Modernizes Business Phone System with 8×8 – Case Study

Business Phone Systems can make or break a company. That’s why when Chorus, who has been in the healthcare industry since 2017, had a merger of three organizations, the company needed a phone system that can deliver a smooth call flow.   

About the Company, Chorus:

Chorus delivers a portfolio of home aged care, disability, and mental health services. The company has more than 1000 staff and volunteers who provide support to more than 10,000 customers across Western Australia. 

The Challenging Call Flow: 

When the three companies that make up Chorus were first brought together, the move created sizable technological challenges. Three different computing infrastructures had to be streamlined, and standard processes and workflows were put in place. 

One of the problems was the business phone system. Each of the companies had been using outdated and different platforms. According to Chorus Head of Customer Relations Jamin Hirte, the most modern system was three years out of warranty, and the oldest was approaching a decade. 

“We found that one of the platforms relied on a special type of hard disk that was increasingly difficult to source,” says Hirte. “We’d purchased the last three disks in Australia and, if they had failed, we would have had no backup.” 

The telephone platforms were also not linked, making communication difficult. The staff could not route calls between different locations, and staying in touch with field workers was an ongoing challenge. The struggling call flow affected the effectiveness and efficiency of the staff.   

“It was clear that we needed to find a replacement unified communications system that could support our ongoing activity and growth,” he says. “Retaining what was already in place was never going to be a viable option.”

Office Phone Systems Solution 

A fruitful meeting ensued between our technology partner, Scope Logic, and Chorus IT team in early 2019 about selecting a replacement telephony platform.  

The company, Chorus’s internal understanding of what was available in the telephony and unified communications space was relatively low. Thus, Scope Logic discussed and evaluated Telstra and Optus’s solution offerings until a decision was taken to adopt the 8×8 platform. 

“It had quickly become clear that 8×8 would be the best fit for our requirements. We could see that it could provide the level of functionality we needed and scale to match our ongoing growth in the future,”  says Hirte. 

The rollout began with an initial pilot project involving a group of 50 staff. Each was equipped with either a desk phone or a smartphone loaded with the 8×8 app. 8×8 can replace three disparate telephone platforms into a unified communications system that supported Chorus’s ongoing activity and growth. 

Moreover, with a unified and modern phone system, the initial feedback was very positive, and staff found the technology reliable and intuitive to use.  Its efficiency and worth were proven during the Covid-19 pandemic break-out by supporting remote workers.  

The Benefits of 8×8 Office Phone System 

Here are the reasons why the 8×8 Business phone is the best office phone system:

The new 8×8 office phone system is accessible to all the staff working remotely. 

One of the most significant benefits offered by the new 8×8 platform became evident even before it had been rolled out company-wide. During the pilot, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, which meant staff had to move to work from home quickly.

Rather than taking the planned phased approach to rollout, access to 8×8 was provided to all staff in just a week. “There is no way we could have achieved this in such a short period without the support of Scope Logic and the flexibility of the 8×8 platform,” says Hirte. 

With the new phone system, the staff works more efficiently. 

“Those staff involved in the pilot were able to share their experience with their colleagues, which helped to get everyone up and running as quickly as possible. The only feedback we received was that it was working well, and everyone was very pleased.” 

For field workers, making use of the 8×8 app also streamlines the way they interact with clients. Rather than sharing their mobile numbers, all call flows are routed via the 8×8 platform, which provides a consistent experience for the client and calls flexibility for the staff member. 

“The fact that 8×8 is a cloud-based platform is an additional benefit for us, as well as being easy to scale, and we can have the same platform for both our operational staff and our call center staff. Hirte continues, “Call queues can be easily managed with burst capacity being made available when required.”  

Additionally, through the use of 8×8 Meetings, employees can collaborate visually with each other, share content and provide face-to-face consultations with their clients. Hirte adds, “The ability to launch a meeting amongst staff or with customers instantly from the 8×8 app expands our collaborative capabilities.” 

The smooth call flow reduces costs for the company. 

While the 8×8 deployment has reduced communication costs by at least 20%, Hirte says a much bigger return has come from the improved functioning of the company. “Our ability to adapt and control our own destiny has increased dramatically,” he says. 

The 8×8 business phone system improves customer experience. 

After using 8×8, Hirte also claims that their customers noticed that the company has become even more responsive to their needs.  

Looking to the future, Hirte says 8×8 will underpin a planned structural change in which staff will work in localized, autonomous teams that provide support to clients in specific geographic areas. This is something that would not have been possible without a flexible communications platform such as 8×8. 

The organization also plans to use 8×8’s comprehensive reporting and analytics functions and further integrate with Microsoft Teams to further enhance communications capabilities. 

“With 8×8 now fully deployed, I am confident that we have a powerful and adaptable platform that will support our operations in the years ahead,” he says. “We consider 8×8 and Scope Logic valued and trusted business partners.”

Key Takeaways

One of the most significant benefits offered by the new 8×8 office phone system include: 

• Ease of use for people working remotely. 
• The mobile application streamlines the way they communicate with staff and prospects. All calls are routed directly to the 8×8 platform which offers call routing flexibility and consistent call quality.
• Reduces communications cost by at least 20%
• Office phone systems improve customer experience. 

Call Flow Solutions is helping businesses find the most fitting business phone system.  Check out the list of  vendors we worked with and learn how we can improve your office phone system in 3 easy phases. Schedule a meeting with us to find out more.