CHALLENGES
As an industry, accountants spend a lot of time of the phone. Stone Osmond were already looking to replace their existing phone system to avoid the ISDN switch off scheduled in 2025. When the pandemic hit further challenges arose. Company Owner Chris Osmond explains, “During lockdown the team were split between the office and working from home. More flexibility and mobility were required from our communications. We were also looking to streamline operating costs.”
SOLUTIONS
UNIVERGE BLUE CONNECT was deployed ‘quickly and remarkably painlessly’ for the team. Chris continues, “Getting started was very easy, just a couple of You Tube videos later we were up and running. The mobile client has proved to be invaluable. We’re able to transfer our calls from any location and I no longer need to give out my personal mobile number. Also, the Caller ID feature has proved to be a favourite with our receptionist – seeing who’s calling before the call is taken improves our customer service.”
THE CHALLENGE
- Surge in demand for home improvements during and after pandemic lockdowns
- Customer service levels increasingly difficult to maintain during busier times
- Employees in multiple locations/customer visits – current system didn’t support multiple locations
Solution
- UNIVERGE BLUE CONNECT (UCaaS)
Results
- Better Team Communications – improved call flow, access to mobile staff, visibility of presence status
- Improved Customer Experience – enquiries went to the right person first time with less callbacks
- More Robust Feature Capabilities – Group Chat enabled easier visibility of inquiries and customer requests
This extra flexibility has transformed our team efficiency and customer experience. We’re able to transfer our calls from any location and I no longer need to give out my personal mobile number.
Chris Osmond,
Company Owner,
RESULTS
Since using UNIVERGE BLUE, Stone Osmond have enjoyed lower running costs. “Being accountants, financials are always important - we’ve saved over 25% on communication costs compared to our previous system” says Chris, “We’re also taking a ‘hybrid’ approach - we can now make and take client calls from home, in the office, on the road. I can take a call, jump in the car and continue the conversation. When working abroad I could literally be speaking to clients on the beach! This extra flexibility has transformed our team efficiency and customer experience.”
Going forwards, Chris is considering upgrading to UNIVERGE BLUE MEET for the video collaboration capabilities. “We have active subscriptions with a number of providers but getting them all under one umbrella will make a lot of sense.”
ABOUT
Stone Osmond are a Hampshire based Accountants and Registered Auditors. They have been providing tax, accounting and bookkeeping services to individuals and businesses for over 24 years. www.stoneosmond.co.uk/
