When Panaz needed to upgrade its communications to the cloud, it chose Red Rose to help with expert advice and project management.
Background
Panaz is a global supplier of high quality decorative fabrics for the hospitality industry.
Since its inception in 1985, it has focused on excellence and innovation, providing a diverse range of exclusive fire retardant furnishing fabrics for the hotel, leisure and cruise industries.
From developing the first 100% recycled base cloth and its unique ShieldPlus technology, it has grown into one of Europe’s largest suppliers of fully contract flame retardant fabrics.
Sector: Textile Manufacturing
Services: Consultancy & Procurement
Technology: UCaaS
Total Users: 120
Challenge
As a busy distribution business, Panaz deals with heavy call traffic from its clients who range from smaller local businesses to large international hoteliers.
It relied on an outdated Mitel on-premises system that was becoming increasingly difficult to manage and maintain. The age of their system meant that parts were no longer available, leading to hunting around for second-hand parts and handsets online.
The system was managed in-house and there was no internal expertise to even access simple admin tools to change out of hours messages or manage voicemails.
This led to frustration internally due to the limited number of calls that could be taken at one time and the impact this was having on sales, customer experience and staff morale.
It was vital that they could find a cost-effective solution, and fast to meet the growth plans and demands from their high profile global client base.
Process
Following a needs assessment Red Rose was able to build out a mini-RFP. Then we coordinated all the demonstrations and acted as their subject matter expert in telecoms.
This saved the company’s leadership lots of time having multiple discovery calls, market research in an overwhelming maze of suppliers.
As with all SMEs, cost was a key consideration making the challenge harder to find a new system with a global leader that could give them all the features and support they deserve within budget.
How we identified the best solution
- Cost/ Supplier & Technology Analysis: We conducted a comprehensive cost and technology analysis, identifying areas for cost savings and improvements in client and staff experiences.
- User Interviews & Workshops: Engaging with staff to understand their needs and preferences, ensuring the new system would be well-received and effective.
- Vendor Selection & procurement Campaign: Red Rose managed the procurement process, bringing leading vendors to the table and ensuring the best solution was chosen.
Our findings and supplier recommendations were compiled into a detailed report.
Following this, we managed a full tender and procurement campaign, bringing leading vendors to the table, ensuring the academy received the best solutions to meet their needs on budget.
Solution
Most SME’s believe that the best telecom systems are out of their reach due to their size and cost.
However, we found three market leading suppliers that both met Panaz’s needs and fell within their budget range. We conducted workshops and demos with each of these vendors.
A platform ranked as a global market leader by Gartner was chosen. Even though it was not the cheapest quote, the cultural fit shone through, best capturing Panaz’s unique requirements and meeting its business goals.
We also supported the project management and went live alongside the vendor and client.
Outcomes
Red Rose successfully managed Panaz’s transition from an outdated on-premises phone system to a modern, integrated cloud platform.
Key Improvements
- Ease of task management: Staff now benefit from secure file sharing, remote access, automated call handling and management tools making it easy to create, assign, and manage any task.
- Comprehensive analytics: Staff can now monitor everything from tailored dashboards to track peak times and missed calls.
- Improved flexibility: Staff are able to work collaboratively from any location, allowing staff greater flexibility.
- Better collaboration: Staff now see communications systems as an enabler, rather than a barrier to working between teams.
The new platform significantly improved answer rates and alleviated concerns about call routing, ensuring clients were not left waiting in queues for extended periods.
Feedback
“I highly recommend Andrew. He is very knowledgeable and recommended the best products to future proof our business. His project management was excellent and he was always available to ensure our project ran smoothly.”
CFO, Panaz
Looking to Optimise your UC?
Red Rose Technologies harnesses 20+ years of expertise in the unified communications market, we believe a strategic approach is needed when considering a new technology for your business – not a transactional approach.
We have successfully guided many clients through the full cycle of design, research, procurement, supplier selection and delivery when it comes to unified communications and contact centre modernisation.
If you partner with us, we promise a seamless, jargon free and stress-free experience to any change to a unified communications platform. Contact us today.