Multitone, a manufacturer of communication systems for critical communications, has supplied Priory Farm Nursery in Redhill, Surrey, with a new voice communications network, based around DECT handsets, that rapidly and reliably routes phone calls to the right department and person. As well as offering more efficient call handling it also provides the business with a cost-effective alternative to the previous method of using personal mobile phones.
Mike Perkins, Manager at Priory Farm Nursery, explained, “We run a large and expanding garden centre and previously we had been using a phone system that used domestic mobile products. However, using mobile phones had proven to be a challenge especially in relation to transferring calls and issues with signal coverage as well as the considerable cost associated with it. As we rely on portable devices that allow us move around the garden centre when we speak to customers or suppliers, it was essential we had a system that would do this and grow with our needs. We turned to Multitone as a provider of excellent critical communications solutions to cater for all these essential needs. The new system is easily expanded, both in terms of the number of handsets and the coverage area of the DECT phones.”
The previous phone system had forwarded calls to mobile phones around the nursery site, but the functionality was limited to simple forwarding of calls. Account Manager at Multitone, Will Coffield explains, “Whilst the old system did the basic job it had limitations and lacked the functionality needed to support the growing business. One problem was that the mobile phones sometimes lacked a good signal, which made important conversations more difficult. There was also a complicated billing structure for the six mobile devices being used and an increasing cost implication on relying on mobile phones. All these factors persuaded Priory Farm Nursery that it needed a more suitable solution.”
The new solution uses a central PBX controller and feeds out to four digital desk phones, four DECT handsets and uses two IP DECT base stations to effectively relay signals around the whole site. Instead of needing to run a switchboard, Priory Farm Nursery now has its calls routed automatically to the correct direct dial numbers, which it also specifies on its website. The best routing of calls can then be specified for the date and time to ensure the caller is routed through to the correct team member, wherever they are on site. This significantly reduces the likelihood of frustration from misdirected and unanswered calls.
Mike Perkins concluded, “This intelligent system is incredibly useful for us. For example, if a customer calls with an enquiry about a specific product we can actually check stock on the shop floor whilst we talk to them or transfer them to another department if they have a further enquiry for a different part of the business. We now have much better signal coverage using the new system and we can easily transfer calls amongst the team’s phones, which saves a lot of time and frustration and is a fundamental advantage for us. As well as the convenience and obvious cost saving of using our own wireless network instead of the public mobile systems for calls, we also feel we can rely on Multitone for full technical support, be it a specific issue or something simply needs tweaking – the team is available to help us.“
