VTS has recently implemented a Teams Direct Routing solution for EduCo, who was recently forced to shift solely to remote learning as a result of border closures from COVID-19.
As part of the implementation, Channel UC asked VTS to conduct a case study on how the use of Teams Direct Routing has positively impacted the way they teach and operate.
What pain points was the customer experiencing before deployment of the Teams solution?
Our client, who operates in the education sector, was utilising a complex and outdated self-hosted solution which was complicated to administer. The client was starting to experience ongoing technical issues which were out of the control of both the technical teams and the provider of the solution, who had recently announced the end of support.
What criteria did the solution need to meet to be successful?
The solution had to be robust and stable without the requirement of additional hardware whilst being price-conscious. Ideally, the new solution would complement their existing suite of software therefore giving their staff the ability to work and communicate remotely across the globe.
What effect did COVID-19 have on your customer - if any? Did this affect the solution that you decided to put forward?
With the closure of international borders, the client experienced lower enrollments and was forced to shift solely to remote learning in line with the government requirements in its response to the pandemic. This increased the requirement for reliable communications and contact whilst working remotely. The client also requested a solution that could be implemented remotely with minimal interruption to the organisation.
What possible solutions were considered when looking to provide a new solution?
The client explored several different options including the use of a hosted PBX and the use of softphone clients. Another option that was considered was the ability to self host a solution but host this in their Azure cloud.
Why did you choose Channel UC Teams Direct Routing?
We felt that Teams Direct Routing from Channel UC was the best solution as the client was already using Microsoft’s Office platform whilst enabling the removal of the self-hosted hardware and could be remotely implemented with minimal impact on the organisation. The simple unlimited calling plans associated with the Teams Direct Routing offering from Channel UC made the solution price competitive and easy to understand for the client.
Deployment of the solution and after-sales support? How did our team assist in this regard, or how did our teams work together.
Channel UC understood our clients' requirements and worked on a solution to allow inter-tenant calling on their SBC. Channel UC was able to quickly provision the services to enable us to commence the deployment in the clients’ tenancies. The Channel UC support team were on hand to promptly resolve issues that arose throughout the deployment.
Benefits of the solution and how this has helped your customer? Has the solution increased productivity, reduced costs?
The client has seen an internal shift towards preference for this solution and has successfully driven internal changes to their systems and processes. This has resulted in increased team-oriented productivity whilst seeing a reduction of the traditional fluctuating monthly costs - the significance being a more predictable operational expense.
