October 21, 2006

ShoreTel Used For Scherer Bros. Call Center

By David Sims, TMCnet Contributing Editor

Transcend Communications, Inc. announced that it has signed an agreement with Scherer Brothers Lumber Company, Maple Grove, Minnesota, to provide an IP Telephony product enterprise-wide using IP PBX (News - Alert) company ShoreTel (News - Alert), Inc.'s technology

"This convergence project will allow us to improve customer satisfaction by providing an excellent telephone experience, realize workgroup productivity increases and provide meaningful reporting that helps us manage our communication KPI's," said Marjorie Arnold, I/T Director for Scherer Brothers Lumber Company.

"You see," Arnold added, "I'm not replacing a half dozen different phone systems, I'm putting in an application that will provide a competitive advantage to us. Customers call us constantly and we need to break down the communication barriers between our customers and employees. ShoreTel's product enables us to do this."

Arnold says the company is going to "dislodge our people from their desks" and use ShoreTel's virtual architecture, presence management and Office Anywhere to "improve customer response while increasing our mobility."

The transaction began with a pilot site of 20 users in Hopkins and now includes replacing all PBXs by the end of the year, providing one virtual phone and contact center system for all 550 employees and 11 sites.

And was it just a year ago that Network Computing Architects Inc. and ShoreTel announced ShoreTel 6, the sixth generation of its distributed IP PBX voice product? 'Twas.

For the release last September ShoreTel pushed the "Office Anywhere" feature, which supports mobile users irrespective of their location and the device they are using at the moment. It also delivered two new telephone devices, a low-end IP phone and a 24-button programmable button box for operators and assistants.

Basically, the marketing pitch went, with Office Anywhere, you'll only need one phone number to reach someone, no matter where he is. Plus, according to a company-furnished testimonial, "ShoreTel 6 also solves a big problem we have in distributing software upgrades because end users don't have administrative privileges."

David Sims is a contributing editor for TMCnet. For more articles please visit David Sims' columnist page.

(source: http://news.tmcnet.com/news/-shoretel-call-center-ip-telephony-/2006/10/21/2003314.htm)