Latest News

Bürkert Contromatic Limited

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:08:09 +0000

Bürkert Contromatic Limited in Gloucestershire is part of the Global Company, Bürkert Fluid Control Systems. With offices in 39 countries and over 2000 employees worldwide, Bürkert products and systems can be used wherever fluid media and gases need to be measured, controlled and regulated from individual valves, sensors or controls up to complete automation solutions and fluid systems.

When the time came to review their mobile fleet, Bürkert turned to Total, as their existing landline provider. Bürkert had one particular challenge for Total to overcome by way of their Sales Managers. Andy Reid, IT Manager at Bürkert explains: ‘Following an internal restructure, geographical areas had changed and staff needed help managing appointments whilst finding their way around new and unfamiliar territories.’

Bürkert wanted to move to a device that would allow users to access and synchronise their diaries and contacts at the same time whilst being out and about. Although mobile email access wasn't an immediate priority, another desire was for a future proof device that would allow remote access via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in due course. Alongside this, the geographical issue meant they were also looking at stand alone satellite navigation units in addition to their mobile handsets.

During their initial meeting, when all requirements were thoroughly discussed, Total suggested the use of GPS Xda devices, complete with CoPilot satellite navigation software pre-loaded. Step-by-step address entry, clear map views and navigation based services, such as real-time traffic reports, meant Bürkert's requirements could in fact be fulfilled in just one device.

The solution has been a great success with all users finding the voice and data functionality, and navigation software a real asset. According to Andy: ‘The Xda devices have been extremely well received and are superior in so many ways to our original mobiles. The Sales Managers particularly save time and are able to work much more efficiently by having access not only to their diaries and contacts, but also to the European price list, an essential resource. This is available as an Excel document and the Windows Mobile functionality and large screen allows easy access to this important resource. In addition, our Bluetooth car kits are also far more user friendly than our previous fully fitted ones.’

Another benefit has been improved billing, which facilitates cost control and administration. By using Total's bespoke online billing platform 'YourView', Andy is able to set up and pre-assign costs centres for all users. ‘Previously, our finance department would receive a pile of individual bills which would all need to be opened and then passed on to me for approval. This took a considerable amount of time, which was far from efficient. There are certain aspects of our telecoms which I need to monitor closely and I am able to interrogate our call data in a vast number of ways and run allied reports all from one portal now. I then simply download a PDF of the bill itself for sign off.’

Important notifications are currently disseminated by text message, so at this stage, email access is desirable, but not mission critical. However, looking further ahead, Bürkert can easily implement VPN access with their existing XDA solution, suiting both their current and future needs.

Calthorpe Estates

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:21:59 +0000

Calthorpe Estates is a leading property developer and investor responsible for the development of the Calthorpe Estate in Edgbaston, creating a range of mixed use, office and science park developments. They also provide both freehold and leasehold residential and commercial properties and their focus on sustainable regeneration has won them many awards.

When Calthorpe outgrew their existing premises and needed to extend into a second building, they chose Total to provide a new system along with a value add solution.

Connecting the two sites would not have been possible with Calthorpe’s existing system. Instead IP telephony was the obvious solution to provide easy to use, reliable communication and seamless continuity between the premises. Thus following consultation, Total recommended an Avaya IP Office system. Initial discussions also revealed that Calthorpe proposed installing a wireless data link between the two buildings, providing a 100mg connection, which could be utilised as a cost effective and beneficial network solution.

Richard Johnson, IT Manager at Calthorpe Estates explains: ‘Fortunately, the new building was just within the line of sight of our existing premises, thus this data link could also be used for telephony. It also offered far greater bandwidth than a VPN could provide.’

‘Our switchboard is located in the original premises and standard digital phones were used in this building. In the new premises, IP phones were set up, which work from the data system. The install process couldn’t have been easier, then the ISDNs were switched on and we were ready to go – in fact, services were only down for about ten minutes in all.’

Richard reports that the sound quality of those users with IP phones via networked PCs is superb and that Reception find the Avaya system straightforward to use, despite the differing locations of staff. And, as the company grows in size and further personnel move into the new premises, accommodating them is as simple as ordering and plugging in the additional handsets.

Having opted for a system that is user friendly means the company has also increased their use of services such as teleconferencing. ‘Previously people struggled remembering strings of keys and codes for conferencing or diverts. However, with Avaya Phone Manager, it’s so easy and as a result we have seen an increase in people utilising the full functionality offered.’

Generally, Richard finds the majority of maintenance is un-complicated too but if they need help, it is only a phone call away due to their Total maintenance cover. ‘We have only ever experienced one technical issue and this was swiftly resolved by a skilled engineer from Total.’

Calthorpe Estates originally became a Total customer, following the impersonal service they were receiving from their mobile existing supplier of ten years.

Richard says: ‘Our primary issue at that time was lack of continuity of service, as we were passed between departments. During the tender process, Total proved competitive and I liked their ethos, structure and intuitive online billing facility. Since choosing them, our call charges have decreased further and we have also implemented Windows Mobile devices. Due to the frequency of communication, I have quickly become familiar with many of the team at Total and I know if we need assistance I can always be confident that any issues will be resolved swiftly. In short the service is excellent.’

Richard concludes: ‘Having a partner you can trust and develop a strong working relationship with is invaluable, and as everything is available under one roof, I don’t need to spend time managing other telecoms suppliers. So often, a company will promise visits and regular pro-active contact yet this doesn’t happen. It has been so refreshing to work with Total who have consistently lived up to all their service promises.’

Carter Construction

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:13:50 +0000

Carter Construction is an award winning, family owned business with over 65 years experience within the construction industry. They have multiple offices, offering bespoke building solutions across the Midlands, South England and South Wales. Their reputation for quality, building close working relationships and offering first-class service is second to none.

Whilst Total is at the forefront of identifying and providing new products and services, technology for technology’s sake is not a philosophy we promote; indeed our attitude to genuine solution fit was just what Carter Construction were looking for when they joined us five years ago.

Our commitment to excellent service, ability to offer honest business advice and provide complete telecoms management has led the company to fully realise that using one communications supplier can ultimately produce considerable savings, both financially and time wise.

Previously, Carter Construction experienced significant mobile service issues; from lack of service continuity or regular contact, to coverage problems. Our initial approach wasn’t deemed invasive and instilled confidence, which led to Carter Construction moving their mobiles across to Total.

A decision which Stephen Whittle, Divisional Director at Carter Construction is still happy to have made: ‘At that time we had over sixty mobiles to port across and whilst we were concerned there could be problems, we needn’t have worried as the process went very smoothly’.

‘We now have over 160 mobiles with Total, along with our landline provision across both permanent and temporary sites, as well as undertaking a number of systems installs. Working with just one company saves us considerable time and money. Along with taking advantage of cross-savings, Total competently manage our telecoms, so we are able to concentrate on other aspects of our business. In fact, administration in this area takes up to just half a day per month, due to their efficiency.’

‘Service is also continually outstanding. All staff take ownership of their actions and we never have any doubts our enquiries will be dealt with in a professional yet friendly manner, whether it be with my named customer service contact or Field Account Manager. At Carter Construction we work to these same principles and have found it extremely refreshing to find this in a telecoms company’.

More recently the company has taken on a further product to address a particular business issue they faced. Stephen explains: ‘Clients expect us to react quickly these days whether we are in the office or not, so being able to replicate calendar, contacts and email on a mobile basis has almost become essential. In certain cases we couldn’t meet a client’s criteria without this capability.’

‘We have always trusted the advice provided by our account manager, which has proven itself accurate over and over again. This case was no different and having explained our issues and requirements, the solution provided is ideal.’

HTC handsets were recommended and following a pilot with a small number of users, the devices have proved extremely functional and as a result grown immensely in popularity. Users find them simple to operate and they have larger keys than some devices, due to a slide out keyboard. They also integrate easily via Windows Mobile to the company’s small business server.

Looking ahead, there are plans afoot, following the success of the HTC solution, to extend implementation across the Carter Construction base and in addition the intention to benefit further from their Total partnership by exploring their systems capabilities for VoIP.

Chas A Blatchford & Sons Ltd

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:40:52 +0000

Chas A. Blatchford & Sons Ltd (Blatchford) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced high precision components for artificial lower limbs, and the provision of innovative prosthetic and orthotic care. They are a privately owned UK company, which employs over 450 employees in clinics and offices worldwide.

When Group Purchasing Manager John Hughes joined Blatchford, he identified the geographical diversity of employees; in the UK, Blatchford operate from two manufacturing centres and fourteen service centres whilst additional clinical staff visit client facilities. What was required was a co-ordinated approach to improve communications and deliver enhanced, proactive service and cost efficiency.

Previously, Blatchford's telecoms had been set up as four separate accounts; they were therefore unable to take advantage of any group calling discounts and the level of detail within billing made analysis very difficult, as did the absence of clear spend reports. These contributing factors including John's feeling that there was better customer relationship management available led Blatchford to source Total as their new telecoms supplier.
After moving suppliers and partly as a consequence of the cost savings made by Total, Blatchford were able to introduce a number of BlackBerry devices as a trial across a number of departments. Success has lead to plans for further rollout.

The BlackBerry solution offers users a method of harmonising address books and schedules to their desktop system and exchange emails and view documents via an easy to use interface and qwerty keyboard.

‘Having previously been a BlackBerry user myself I can see the benefits to Blatchfords of mobile data access, as well as the advantage of sharing and synchronising information particularly for non-office based staff. Our service and support staff visit facilities on a constant basis and had previously only been able to check their email via laptops back in the office, when logged into another Blatchford location, or at home. This potentially could cause delays both internally and for our customers. Following BlackBerry implementation instant access to email on the move has lead to improvements in customer service and enhanced response times throughout the business.’

Whilst proactive personal account management and online billing immediately appealed, one aspect of our service surprised John. ‘Initially, I was unsure of the value of the Helpdesk to us, yet it makes managing our account so much easier. As a Purchasing Manager, I greatly value the audit trail produced, because I know where I am at all times with any query or request, from sales to billing, as all actions receive email updates. I am able to allocate handsets and align billing precisely to my users using the Helpdesk to funnel my requirements to real people and am always confident that what I ask will be done quickly, efficiently and courteously.’

Moving on, Blatchford has subsequently placed their fixed line services with Total and are currently investigating the provision of a new telephone system. Whilst this could possibly have been arranged directly with the manufacturers John decided otherwise: ‘My relationship with Total means I have complete confidence and trust that I will get honest help and advice, rather than an up-sell pitch. It also means that I will receive all the necessary support, during installation and with any future issues or queries that may occur.’

Everyclick Ltd

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:33:53 +0000

Everyclick Ltd is an award-winning search engine allowing users to raise money for a charity of their choice whilst searching the web. From their offices in Gloucestershire the company has enjoyed marked success and rapid growth, raising over £434,000 for charity.

Total began working with Everyclick shortly after their inception in 2005. As a start-up business, flexibility, reliability and value were vitally important requirements for a telephone system. With this in mind and following full consultation, a new Avaya system was installed which could grow with the company.

The system has proved popular with Greg Hallett, Head of Finance: 'I greatly value Avaya's functionality and find it reliable and easy to use. It suits our present needs but is fully scalable for future expansion.' ‘I spend an increasing amount of time out of the office and it is essential that I am not the only member of staff who can make changes or carry out simple maintenance procedures. The Avaya system software is easy to use and provides such capability. I am also confident that in my absence if necessary, one call to Total will address any issues or that they'll make the required changes to our set up remotely.’

In the initial stages Everyclick used a third party overflow call management answering service. However, as the business grew they were keen to improve continuity and after discussion with Total subsequently introduced Voicemail Pro Auto Attendant and Phone Manager Pro.

Greg says: ‘As a result of introducing the software in-house, response times have increased, and staff have the direct contact they need when they are out of the office. For instance, I can access my voicemail remotely as the messages are emailed to me as WAV files. In fact, with the savings made from discontinuing the third party services, the add-on solution will soon have paid for itself.’

Competing against the most well-known search engines, Everyclick need to ensure their customers receive a first rate service and they expect a similar approach from their suppliers. With Total, they feel along with other aspects of their telecoms, their systems maintenance is in safe hands.

Greg explains: ‘Naturally, like most people I class systems maintenance as an indispensable insurance policy and know that with Total should a problem occur, that their engineers will respond quickly, are familiar with our set up and as a result any downtime we may experience is minimalised.’

In fact this point was substantiated during the 2007 Summer floods - Everyclick found themselves in this very situation when they opened the door on a Saturday morning to discover their downstairs offices were under 2ft of water.

Although their main server was unaffected, their communications were severely disrupted. With both email and telephones incapacitated the company faced a huge challenge but within just 48 hours all extensions were back up and running following rapid action from Total, who moved and set up the offices on the second floor. Everyclick were able to remain fully operational and uncompromised until the flood subsided and re-decoration had taken place, whereupon Total restored communications in the downstairs offices.

Langley House Trust

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:36:30 +0000

Langley House Trust is a Christian charity, founded in 1958, offering support and accommodation to those at risk of offending and ex-offenders looking to re-settle and play a constructive role in the community. Fifteen residential projects are spread across the country with Central Services based in Witney.

As a charity, the Trust is constantly looking for ways to improve the services they offer whilst demonstrating financial control and the ability to save time and money. With such a disparate spread of projects, ease of communication is vital and needs to be easily controlled and managed.

Bills must also be easy to analyse and administer as before moving to Total, the Trust used to receive a bill for every single mobile phone and landline at each project. Ed Rollinson, IT Manager at the charity explains: ‘The administration of over 100 bills a month was incredibly time consuming and made it extremely difficult for us to identify potential savings or misuse. The YourView online billing platform available through Total has improved that situation immeasurably and provided many additional benefits.’

Although the Trust’s primary usage is for monitoring costs, the platform also provides a good management tool and record of phones and lines. ‘If a mobile isn’t being used, I can quickly identify the user and check whether they need their device or if in fact they can pass it over to a colleague. Previously, I would have just ordered a new phone straight away. Similarly, within a group I can see whether all phones are being used or whether one shared mobile would be just as good.’

The ability to add additional logins with restricted permission means that he can also allow relevant managers to access YourView, facilitating the authorisation of bills. Another important service element is the Helpdesk, Total’s online resource designed to provide end users with information and assistance. ‘I feel confident that requests will be logged and dealt with within specified timescales, with a quality of resolution. New handsets can be deducted from our hardware fund, sent out overnight and couriered directly to the recipient, wherever they are. The audit trail on the Helpdesk is a great aid, as is the anytime access, making all my services so much easier to manage.’

Total’s experience and expertise is something Ed relies on, proving the value add proposition doesn’t necessarily mean increased costs in the long run; in fact the amalgamation of all telecoms, regular review and implementation of the correct solution has enabled distinct and direct cost savings for the charity. ‘As an example, the BlackBerry solution provided has seen communication and internal efficiency improve whilst the extension of the fleet has been subsidised by savings made. T he technical offering from Total is very useful and their close relationships with O2 and RIM mean we also have access to the resources there too.’

Our primary objective is email, some browsing and general facilitation of communication and, as attachment functionality increases, so will transfer of data within the company, meaning these devices will really come into their own. The other great thing about BlackBerry for me is security and over the air management offering excellent control.

The ability to save time and money will always be an important consideration for the charity and in the future they can continue to benefit from a telecommunications partnership which offers proactive and more importantly, honest business advice and cost control. Something Langley House Trust are always keen to find.

Loss Management Group

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:49:13 +0000

Loss Management Group (LMG) is the UK's largest organisation specialising in the professional management of insurance claims for damage, loss or theft of jewellery, collectables, art and antiques. LMG is a group of three companies with multiple sites and remote workers and includes the Art Loss Register and Equipment Register.

When LMG were looking for ways to improve communication both internally and across field staff, they wanted a partner who could offer a full spectrum of telecoms services which suited their needs and simplified processes. As a result Mark Wright, IT Manager, approached Total to discuss BlackBerry and other options.

Until this point, staff on the road would have their diaries managed centrally and then appointment details and supporting claim information would either be phoned through to them, or sent to their home based fax machines. These methods were both inconvenient, potentially leading to delays, as well as being open to misinterpretation. However, with the right mobile data access, this process could be refined and improved, to the benefit of the company and their customers.

Now, when an appointment is made, all details are automatically emailed through from head office to the relevant Claims Manager or Adjustor and their BlackBerry calendar is updated as well.

LMG use a MDaemon server, which does not support BlackBerry synchronisation. However the use of additional software by Nexthaus means that integration is still seamless and the initial introduction of the solution has seen huge benefits and changes to the way field staff work. Streamlining processes through the BlackBerry solution allows representatives to be far more responsive and subsequently, they have also rolled out devices to additional members of staff.

Business discussions and advice rather than straight selling have continued to be a major attraction for Mark. As an FSA regulated supplier, LMG have utilised call recording in their Bath Offices for a number of years now and although the Art Loss Register has no regulatory obligation to record their calls, LMG had already seen the benefits.

Mark adds: ‘On a number of occasions, we have had to use call recording. Our liaison with police, insurance companies, loss adjusters and policy holders and nature of the business was the primary driver to install call recording in Hatton Garden as well.’

Whilst a call recording add-on was available for their existing system, Mark discussed his full requirements with Total, and following thorough consultation, an alternative solution was presented. ‘It transpired that it was cheaper for us to install a brand new Avaya IP Office system than to purchase the add-on for our legacy system. Programming is so much simpler and I am delighted with the results.’

Again Total became a natural choice for LMG’s Non-Geographical number provision. The primary focus here was to provide business continuity and disaster recovery so that lines could be pointed wherever in an emergency situation. A simple solution was to provide access for LMG to control these numbers online.

According to Mark: ‘Working with a true partner is invaluable – Total understand and appreciate all my requirements and whatever the nature of my enquiry I only ever need to make one call. With online billing for all aspects of my services, charges are completely transparent. Yet the intangible savings are also clearly apparent to me – from time saved in administration to business benefits and efficiencies from implementing the correct technology.’

Medicals Direct Group

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:23:41 +0000

Stanmore-based Medicals Direct Group has been trading for over a decade and has established itself as the pre eminent provider of outsourced risk management and medical services solutions for insurers, employers and individuals.

To support the insurance industry, Medicals Direct provides a comprehensive range of outsourced underwriting, medical evidence and rehabilitation services delivered through its nationwide network of experts. Medicals Direct also operates its own wholly owned clinic network providing regulatory medicals, primary care and occupational health services.

The company has a reputation for recognising changes in the marketplace and reacting swiftly - a quality they value in a supplier too. When it came to reviewing their working practices regarding its nurse screening business, the company’s initial driver was to provide better service to their clients, but without this implicating on costs. Their need to speed up a lengthy administration procedure between their clients, themselves and customers, which involved sending forms through the post and manual input of data, led them to explore an innovative yet practical solution.

Steven Watson, Head of IT and Facilities at Medicals Direct explains: ‘Initially we looked at Tablet PCs to expedite data input, but this involved high capital costs, significant training and support challenges. The implementation of the Bluetooth Digital Pen and Paper solution from PaperIQ, which transfers handwriting via bespoke forms, became a natural choice, as our staff were accustomed to completing forms. Having weighed up mobile and BlackBerry options, through Total, we opted for the latter.’

‘The solution replicated our procedures and dispelled the concerns we had with other products. Training proved to be solely around the BlackBerry handheld and the transmission of the form data. All we needed to do then was produce a user guide and have a short training session on the phone with individuals. In fact, following a brief trial, we were able to roll out the solution to up to ten nurses a day.’

Now, nearly three years on Steven feels the difference implementing the solution, along with BlackBerry has been huge. It works exactly as intended and in fact, using smartphones rather than mobiles has enabled Medicals Direct to obtain a number of benefits not initially envisaged.

Steven says: ‘The use of email is hugely advantageous - instructions no longer need to be posted, as everything can be done electronically. As a result timescales have been cut right down. Now when a report arrives back it is automatically uploaded on to our secure website for the insurance client to download – in fact, we have managed to turn one enquiry round in a day, from first instruction to the report being filed! In addition, many of our nurses are able to undertake more appointments due to the reduction in administration time.’

‘Going on from this, data input has also improved as the system is automated and by building validation into the forms further time is saved. Previously, if an incomplete form was returned, it would be picked up by Quality Assurance and the nurse would then have to re-appoint to complete the missing questions with the customer.’

‘Now, when the form is emailed back, the nurse will receive a validation email confirming it is correct or flagging any errors or omissions. These can then be remedied whilst still at the customers’ premises and the form resubmitted, there and then.’

From Steven’s point of view, one of the other advantages of choosing BlackBerry over mobiles involves the company’s need to apply due diligence. Security of data is key with their clients and security through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server as well as data encryption standards negates this issue.

Along with these primary benefits the company has also been able build a WAP site for their nurses to use for reporting, administration and to record KPIs. The site is accessible via BlackBerry, which means much less internal processing is required. Clients also benefit from easier integration too and now by using automated systems the reports can be downloaded via the web or Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).

Medicals Direct feel that there are certainly other related opportunities provided by the solution, such as the ability to extract data from the forms stored on the server, which would allow for permission based marketing of relevant additional services, for example well man and well woman reports.

With respect to general account management the company finds YourView, Total’s online billing facility, very beneficial and have moved their landlines over to Total too. Steven says: ‘We wanted just one telecoms partner and YourView is an excellent tool, as management data is easily obtained. It is especially good for managing the nurses' spend. If anything is abnormally high, I am able to look at a nurse’s instructions that month, to consider if there are any issues. Cost Centering takes this one stage further too, as it facilitates interdepartmental billing.’

Looking to the future, as technology within the medical sector advances, Medicals Direct is looking at more innovative solutions to enhance their procedures through integration of other equipment via Bluetooth and BlackBerry, thus improving the experience for both client and customer alike.

Steven feels their technological foresight gives them an undoubted edge over their competitors and in Total they have found a telecoms supplier that can match their desire to offer the best service and adapt to the needs of their clients.

TLV Euro Engineering UK Ltd

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:57:31 +0000

TLV Euro Engineering UK Ltd, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, is part of TLV - a steam specialist company that produces and sells steam engineering products, as well as providing consulting, site inspections and seminar training services. Along with their Japanese parent company, TLV Euro Engineering also has a Head Office based in Germany, and further offices in France and the UK.

TLV Euro Engineering have been a customer of Total for a number of years and chose us to provide all their telecommunications requirements, from mobiles to fixed line and broadband services, as well as phone system installation and maintenance.

Michael Povey, General Manager explains: ‘Since commencing my current role, I was
anxious to find someone who could manage all our communications requirements.
In the past, I have seen how much time and resource can be absorbed by checking
numerous bills from a wide range of different providers and when any problems
occur, you are often pushed from pillar to post.’

'Finding someone who could fulfill all our requirements and offer one point of contact and one bill, as well as a proactive customer service team was vital. We can then devote more time to our core business of selling and providing technical support for our products, rather than the administration of suppliers.'

When TLV in Japan decided to install video conferencing facilities within all their European offices, it was therefore a natural progression to use Total.

Initially, the main driver behind the installation was to improve regularity of 'face to face' internal communication, between Japan and Europe. Another factor was that this facility could also help decrease the regularity of business trips, to Germany in particular. Something currently being reviewed by many businesses, with an international presence.

Total installed a Polycom Video Conferencing system within the Cheltenham office. Now, working around time differences, offices in Japan, Eupope and also Singapore utilise the systems for regular multi-way conference calls. Michael says of the system: 'The Polycom unit is easy to use and has improved our international communication, not just in terms of frequency but also in quality, as we are now having 'face to face' conversations.'

One subsequent benefit is to training and it is here that video conferencing really has come into its own. All TLV Euro's products are manufactured in Japan and as the training of engineers is very specialised, it previously entailed trips to Japan for completion. However, much of this training can now be undertaken via the newly installed video link, resulting in substantial savings both to cost and time.

'By utilising the benefits of 'face to face' conversations we are now able to effectively train our technical staff remotely, avoiding the need for expensive and time consuming trips to Japan for this purpose.'

With engineers and personnel planning to access more system and specialist software remotely, Michael is now looking at reviewing ADSL access and considering a dedicated connection. He adds: 'I know if I sit down with Total and discuss the varying options, they will provide me with the best solution for my requirements. There is no hard up-sell or push to the priciest products, just genuine advice and the best products and services for our company.'

Tozers LLP

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:04:56 +0000

Tozers LLP (Tozers) is a leading law firm in the South West with four offices spread across the region. With twenty partners and over a hundred staff they offer a quality legal service to businesses, families and individuals both locally and nationally.

It was just this desire to offer quality of service which led the company to explore the implementation of mobile access to email. Staying in contact with both colleagues and clients whilst out of the office had become a strong focus for their partners, as a way to improve responsiveness and ultimately enhance client care.

Whilst email on the move was their main driver into mobile data devices, Tozers had also been using BigHand3 Digital Dictation software for six months or so and were keen to discover whether this application could be mobilised too.

Discovering this indeed was available, Don Wilkinson, IT Manager and Lorraine Foster, Practice Administrator at Tozers approached Total, BigHand’s preferred telecoms partner. Don says: ‘Whilst we saw a number of telecoms suppliers, Total stood out head and shoulders, as they took the time to discuss our requirements, listening and tailoring a proposition to match our needs.’

Having looked at the options available, Tozers chose the BlackBerry solution for mobility: ‘The primary reason was the high levels of security offered - imperative for client confidentiality - as well as the exacting levels of central administration and control offered via the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES)’ says Don ‘For example, should a handset, containing client sensitive emails be lost or stolen, wiping the device can be carried out over the air immediately.’

‘We had experienced coverage issues in the past, but O2 coverage tests proved very positive and we initially trialled BlackBerry devices with our Managing Partner and one other. Full roll out of the BlackBerry Curve with its easy to use QWERTY keyboard followed to partners across the firm.’

Within a month, BigHand Mobile (BlackBerry edition) was also installed and is now used to complement the existing dictation workflow arrangements. The BlackBerry solution provides the practice with the flexibility partners need when they are with clients and negates trips and delays in returning to the office to drop off recordings, expediting the process.

According to Tony Beard, Consultant: ‘The BigHand mobile dictation application is extremely useful and very simple to use. There are always odd occasions when away from the office where there is a need to send in an urgent dictation, such as following a meeting or in response to an email received. The BlackBerry fulfils this role with ease.’

‘I never thought I’d become a BlackBerry addict but I have’ agrees Partner and Chairman, Graham Bond. ‘I’m out of the office a great deal and find it invaluable, particularly in terms of keeping up with my email. I even admit to clearing my emails when abroad, so I don’t come back to a huge list to deal with.’

An additional benefit to Don is service: ‘The support offered by Total has been excellent. On the occasion we’ve experienced hardware issues, when necessary, replacement devices have arrived the next morning. Compared to our previous supplier it makes such a difference to us to be able to get the support we need, when we need it.’

‘Total’s online billing platform ‘YourView’ is a great asset and has cut the time I spend processing billing information by up to three hours each month.’ adds Lorraine. ‘All the reporting functionality I need is available in a few clicks and can then be exported and forwarded directly to the partners. End of period and cumulative totals are also very useful from an accounts perspective.’

‘BlackBerry has been well received throughout the firm, fulfilling all our initial criteria and we are already leveraging a good return on our investment. In fact, we are now trialling satellite navigation software on the devices to augment this further.’

Tyco Electronics UK Ltd

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:56:23 +0000

Tyco Electronics is a highly diversified global company that manufactures products and services vitally important to residential and commercial customers. Tyco Electronics UK Ltd is part of this international company and a global provider of precision-engineered electrical components for thousands of products.

When many companies decide to move their fixed line services, cost is generally the primary driver. However, for Tyco Electronics UK Ltd, the creation of an up to date and accurate inventory was just as important.

Paula Penny, UK Desktop Services Manager and Mike Fieldsend, Network Manager found that over the years, the acquisition of new sites and movement within the company meant a review of their telecoms account was overdue. Billing analysis had also become complicated and hugely time consuming with a distinct lack of detail, and no easy way to identify irregularities.

With over 600 lines across 15 sites, as well as 300 homeworkers, the company also needed complete clarity over number ownership and their respective destinations. Paula explains: ‘A wide variety of services were being billed to different phones each month. We were also paying for some services that were no longer in existence. We found it incredibly difficult, even impossible, trying to trace these with our existing provider and took the decision to move to Total, who already looked after our BlackBerry mobile data provision.’

Quality of service and the robustness of a Tier 1 carrier were important considerations, but for a large company with multiple sites across the country, business continuity whilst moving lines was paramount. After thorough discussion and consultation with Total’s Operations Director, Lorrin White, a carefully staged migration was timetabled over several months. Lorrin comments: ‘We fully appreciated the need for a seamless transition, so began with a trial, and as a result the gradual change-over itself went very smoothly indeed.’

Paula adds: ‘Total explained to me that this would be a paper migration and it certainly turned out be. It was crucial that we didn’t experience any downtime and as a result of the trial stages, the procedure was systematic and we didn’t need to mention to some sites that they were changing at all.’

On moving to Total, it was agreed to strip all additional services from lines whereby usage was unclear. Consequently, only a minority of employees queried their absence and requested specific services be reinstated. Along with the obvious cost savings removing these services has made, Paula feels that she is now able to easily spot all anomalies and that as a consequence both her and Mike save valuable amounts of time and are fully in control of overseeing that nothing is moved or changed without a valid business case and prior notification.

This has been aided by the use of Total’s online billing system, YourView, and the Helpdesk, aspects of which have been customised for Tyco Electronics UK Ltd to integrate with their own systems and complement their own working practices.

Mike concludes: ‘Total make us feel like we matter as a customer. We have specific, often complicated requirements but knowing that we can talk to individuals we know by name, who understand our set up and needs has been vital. Total demonstrate true ownership of our queries and problems and whilst we have achieved substantial cost savings, the clarity we have gained as a result of the audit has been a real added benefit.’

Wiggin LLP

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:31:51 +0000

Specialist law firm Wiggin LLP, who have offices in both Cheltenham and London, have earned an international reputation for their innovative approach, fresh thinking and cutting edge experience in media law; a sector which is constantly evolving. It is just this philosophy that has also meant they have remained focused on the needs of their clients by adopting telecommunications that offer exceptional continuity of client care.

The implementation by Total, in 2005, of a 2Mb leased line between their two sites, which was then replicated with an alternative supplier, was essential to the law firm, who are required to adhere closely to the legal industry’s disaster recovery regulations. Not only did this option offer increased bandwidth, but more importantly resilience. The two offices benefited from live data replication, by sharing the bandwidth between two suppliers via duplexing hardware. This gave a seamless 4Mb inter-office link which in turn offered assurance that if one link failed, the other link could take over.

According to Graham Ferrer, IT Manager at Wiggin: ‘Watertight disaster recovery plans are imperative to us, as we need fee earners and support staff to remain connected to each other and to our clients whatever the circumstances. When a major power outage lasting for several days occurred, our recovery systems were activated and worked flawlessly without interruption to communication.’

Technological advancements are a key concern for all companies and nowhere more so than within the legal sector, where investment in communications technology has proven dividends. Offering the best possible service to their customers has always been an important consideration for Wiggin, and as the firm continues to develop and grow further, so do their requirements.

With this in mind Wiggin continue to work closely with Total to identify new options together. Chief Operating Officer, John Banister explains: ‘Naturally, as we evolve as a company, systems and processes need to be redefined. At these times we work with Total to identify the options available to us.’

This was certainly the case, in 2007, when Wiggin began to outgrow their leased line, installed just two years earlier. The company became aware that as a result of their expansion, their customers were experiencing voice call and video conferencing quality issues. Following thorough consultation with Total, a 10Mb Ethernet circuit was installed with the capacity to work at ten times this speed due to the installation of a 100Mb bearer.

Graham adds: ‘The fast, powerful circuit supports our voice, data and video whilst utilising the Ethernet circuit for data storage and disaster recovery. The new network has been easy to manage and maintain as well as proving a cost effective solution, as there was no need for additional routers.’

Not only was the quality of voice and video conferencing restored at both sites, along with all the previous seamless data replication and failsafe advantages, the company also increased their telecoms scope and flexibility for the future, whilst making cost savings and increasing business productivity.

Scarlet Couriers

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Scarlet, one of the UK's largest independent courier companies has been providing a full service delivery solution to businesses across the Thames Valley for over 20 years. From their control centres in Slough, Bracknell, Reading and Uxbridge they offer their customers rapid response times and dependable service. With many large companies with headquarters in the Thames Valley area and a high demand for quality courier services to meet their requirements, Scarlet are able to list many household names on their client database.

When we first spoke, Scarlet had been undertaking a project to successfully network all four of their offices. As Les Parsons, Commercial Director at Scarlet explains: ‘All four of our offices worked as separate entities. We wanted to improve business efficiency and maximise staff utilisation by linking all of our offices with one phone system. Our control office in Slough already had an Avaya system and we looked at connecting our other sites using a hosted solution.'

Scarlet wanted a solution that would not only address their current set-up, but allow for future expansion and additional functionality as the need arose, so they decided to trial a connectivity solution via hosted telephony. However, as the trial rolled out, Scarlet were left disappointed by the results.

According to Les: ‘Call quality was poor at times, but even more of a problem to us were the outages that we suffered on a number of occasions which could last for several hours. Although a lot of our business is booked online, phone contact is still business-critical to us. Primarily, people tend to book direct couriers by phone and if customers are unable to get through, they will go elsewhere. Going forward, we simply could not afford the potential threat to this area of our business.'

Cost was also another cause for concern as the hosted system incurred a monthly charge per seat. Although Scarlet were paying reduced trial rates, the system would have been considerably more expensive if they had continued.

One absolute requirement for Scarlet was to retain their existing phone numbers. This would immediately tell customers that they were a local business, with couriers nearby. ‘It's important that people have the reassurance of knowing that Scarlet is a local company, and we wanted to keep this apparent through our phone numbers.'

Les discussed the company's full requirements with Total and, following thorough consultation, an alternative solution was presented. Scarlet replaced their existing Avaya system in the Slough office and Total installed a second system into Bracknell, forming two hub sites. Then IP phones were installed in Reading and Uxbridge to create two smaller remote sites.

Les adds: ‘Total were very innovative and even went as far as investigating a wireless connectivity solution. It would have been ideal, but unfortunately the topology of one of our sites just made it impossible. Total instead created an IP VPN based on ADSL technology, which works every bit as well.'

Scarlet's previous set-up carried Voice and Data through two separate networks, and originally they were looking at MPLS options. However, the single VPN installed by Total efficiently provides both Data and Voice across all offices, leaving no need to explore further avenues.

‘We needed to terminate our hosted trial at a commercially viable point which left Total with a very short time to organise and deliver the chosen solution - but they worked tirelessly to ensure that the system was up and running on schedule. They went the extra mile to prioritise business continuity, and I am happy to say that the service we receive from them is very good.'

In terms of the capital expenditure incurred, the solution offered by Total also worked out to be significantly more cost-effective than previous options. This didn't surprise Les as he explains: ‘I knew that this type of solution would be more cost-efficient. All our internal calls and calls across the group network are free, so there are obvious savings right there. And in terms of billing, all sites and services are now converged into one account, making it much easier to manage.'

System reliability was also vital to Scarlet, so to ensure constant business continuity coverage, all calls to one of the hub sites can quickly be diverted to the other if an ISDN fails. Scarlet greatly value Avaya's functionality, having found it reliable and easy to use in the past.

‘We wanted to have a system which would grow alongside the company. Avaya systems are relatively future-proof and simple to manage. They are flexible enough for future expansion - if further offices are required, a new system could simply be put into place through upgrade opportunities.' With network and broadband technologies changing at such a fast pace, Scarlet are confident that their solution will develop and improve.

Les reports that Scarlet's primary objective is to be one step ahead of other courier services and provide superior customer service in order to differentiate themselves within the industry. ‘We are now evaluating Call Centre software in order to maximise efficiency. With the service structure and support that is offered, Total would be the natural choice as our preferred Telecoms partner.'

Cosam Developments Ltd

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Cosam Developments Ltd (Cosam) is an international, multi-discipline consultancy practice serving the Life Science and Fine Chemical industries with comprehensive and practical expertise from strategic drug development through to commercialisation.

The majority of Cosam's business is located in the United States, India and China making overseas travel an integral part of working life. Reliable and robust internationally capable hardware was a pre-requisite as Steve Cracknell, Director at Cosam explains: ‘As a Pharmaceutical consultancy, the nature of our work means that we operate within rural provinces without a sturdy IT infrastructure, making us heavily reliant on our devices. Our previous handsets were unreliable; we sometimes went days without email which dramatically affected business continuity.'

With a new business to contend with and unforeseen issues along the way, the provider they originally chose quickly became more of a hindrance.

According to Steve: ‘We weren't overly concerned about cost, as it is relative, but the service we were receiving was very poor. Downloading documents, especially PDFs and spreadsheets, was time consuming and expensive and we were unable to synchronise our emails. Our handsets also broke a number of times and took a significant amount of time to replace.'

On top of this, the set up was not proving to be cost efficient. Cosam were told that they were receiving reduced rates but on a two year contract, their bills remained very expensive, averaging £800 per device each month.

A desire for quality of service and product eventually led Cosam to approach Total in order to find an alternative solution for their telecommunication requirements. Mark Griffiths, Director at Cosam says: ‘It is clear that Total work hard to differentiate themselves from other organisations and networks. Offering service that is head and shoulders above the competitors in the market, Total became our first port of call when deciding to search elsewhere.'

After thorough consultation, Total suggested Total Mobile Office; a hosted solution, which offers all the benefits of the full corporate BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, without the need for large capital expenditure or a hefty IT infrastructure or technical support.

Lorne Fry, Regional Sales Manager at Total Ltd explains: ‘Cosam was in need of a robust service and reliable hardware to ensure that remote working was consistent. However, like many small businesses, a corporate set up wasn't applicable due to their size. Our Total Mobile Office solution offers reliable, secure and supported, enterprise level email on the move, with full synchronisation; just what was required. As a hosted solution, Cosam can rest assured that they are in safe hands and instead of being preoccupied with technicalities, they now have the freedom to focus on work as their main priority.'

The set up of the new solution was simple and Total transferred all accounts and archived email. Both Steve and Mark were equipped with multiple accounts set up with mail forwarding to ensure seamless email synchronisation for business continuity. The nature of the business brought with it a pre-requisite for due diligence and so the security and encryption offered by BlackBerry made it a natural choice.

Steve adds: ‘Previously, I wasn't really aware of the differences between BlackBerry and other Smartphones and so I had never considered it as an option, but now I understand. BlackBerry devices are reliable, very simple to use and I have been pleasantly surprised by the extensive battery life. And when I happened to drop my BlackBerry into a pot of paint, I had a replacement by return!'

Total Mobile Office also allows for provision of static addresses. Thus, a Personal Assistant based in the UK has been granted access and is now able to organise meetings for the next trip, whilst the Principals are abroad, seamlessly allowing for effective time management.

The need for steadfast service whilst abroad was also actioned as Mark explains: ‘Now, when we are travelling internationally, our BlackBerry devices are consistent, automatically roaming on to the correct network and providing immediate email synchronisation. Document downloads are fast across all programmes and due to the fixed price offering from BlackBerry, I no longer need to worry about extortionate costs.'

Their last bill reduced their previous expenditure by around 70%, primarily due to the way in which BlackBerry utilises and charges for data, ensuring the issue of poor cost efficiency has also been resolved. ‘Total's online billing platform YourView is really helpful, allowing us to interrogate, split down and analyse our usage as much as we desire. We even get a call from a customer service advisor every six to eight weeks to ensure that everything is running smoothly.'

Whilst Cosam are content with their solution at the moment, they are pleased that in the future, Total Mobile Office will allow for expansion as and when they need it. Mark comments: ‘I would wholeheartedly recommend Total Mobile Office to other companies looking for a similar solution. If we grow in the future, we have the flexibility to add in additional accounts. The most important thing is reliability, teamed with service and the peace of mind that as a small organisation, we're not going to be let down. We are heavily reliant on our IT and when you're travelling in today's commercial world, you need a proven and reliable solution. For us, the combination of an exemplary service provider and good products provide exactly that; Total Mobile Office is a perfect fit.'