FPS | Hosted telephony project
Project objectives
• Provide a fully hosted platform
• Provide a system that can operate with one extension range across the business, to over 400 end users (including multiple contact centre users across 21 sites)
• Provide a cost-effective solution
• Provide a licensing model that gives different team members access to different features
• Provide the ability to connect existing Mitel IP Handsets to reduce capital expenditure
• Provide an online call logging application to assist in trend analysis and KPIs
• Ensure that the web interface is easy to use and user friendly for the in-house IT team
• Enable hot-desking within the organisation
• Deliver a resilient and stable platform
• Offer Program disaster recovery at the core
• Incorporate DR Mobiles into the solution
• Configure FPS-specific call-handling functions within the business
About FPS
FPS has been in distribution and wholesaling for over 80 years with a product portfolio that now spans the Automotive, Travel & Leisure, Maintenance & Accessories and Retail sectors. Employing over 1,100 people, FPS operate across the UK through a network of 23 sites, including a National Distribution Centre based in Sheffield.
FPS is part of the Alliance Automotive Group which is owned by Genuine Parts Company.
FPS began life distributing parts to the automotive aftermarket. Today automotive parts remain a strong part of their overall offering, however their portfolio has expanded and now consists of over 122,000 product lines.
FPS are the partner of choice for a number of leading automotive brands, handling part or all of their UK distribution. Their national network of branches provides them with the advantage of having overnight stock supply supported by same day service, something no-one else in the market can offer. With over 3,000 trade accounts ranging from independent outlets to large national chains, FPS focuses on fostering strong relationships throughout the supply chain so that its customers can service their clients’ profitably.
More recently FPS has developed as a logistics partner for national retailers, serving a number of blue chip customers from an extra location they have added to serve this market. The company continues to invest in the business through a new bulk warehouse in 2011 and new systems in 2012, providing a state of the art infrastructure to develop business with existing and new channel partners.
FPS currently handles 8,000 inbound telephone calls each day.
“With a reputation built on service excellence, our mission is to develop and maintain long term partnerships with our customers and suppliers and to be a valued & integral part of their supply chain.” – FPS, Our Mission
The requirement
FPS wanted to move away from traditional, single-site telephony or PBX telephone systems to a private Hosted Voice Platform. Systems used in the past did not demonstrate IP telephony well and there was some nervousness surrounding hosted voice services or VoIP.
For FPS, reliability and efficiency were and remain key, both when it comes to their projects and their communications systems. Robust and reliable Disaster Recovery plans for any onsite or network failure were also critical.
FPS needed a provider who could deliver a full or limited feature set to over 400 fixed extensions across 23 locations within the UK. With this there needed to be the capability to contact any internal user via a single fourdigit dial plan.
Quick response and self service
One centralised management portal that would allow the internal IT Team to manage the platform directly was also required. For FPS it was crucial that there was access to industry leading customer support and technicians throughout and after the installation.
“We needed to update our legacy system cost effectively, with minimal disruption to the business, as the telephony channel handles 30% of the company’s inbound sales volume.
The solution needed to be standardised with a suitable DR provision to ensure we are always available to our customers.”
Matt Taylor
FPS Project Manager
Our solution
In a word, HUC (Hosted Unified Communications). HUC takes the class leading features, functionality and resilience of the Mitel platform and combines it with our Tier 1 network partner to deliver a truly complete hosted telephony experience.
HUC delivers a license model per extension that allows you to determine what features your colleagues have access to; this also keeps costs in check.
HUC allows customers to combine sites into one platform and release clever call features to individual users, and removes any maintenance to the end user; the platform, call routing, features, functions and handsets are all covered by us, it’s that simple.
Key benefits
• Much improved DR capabilities for FPS Distribution
• Mobile twinning allows team members to receive calls wherever they are
• Call groups and flows can be amended and added to live on the system, to take effect immediately
• One centralised Web Based Portal for FPS employees to administer their own system
• Customisable billing for a full understanding of costs
• Enhanced reporting tool to provide call data down to an individual level
• Support and technical assistance always available
• No onsite telephone system lines
• Free of charge calling between handsets, wherever they are
• Hot Desking allows key users to log into any phone throughout the network and make it their own
• A stable platform to implement features to enhance the phone system i.e. future proofing the solution
In early 2014 dialogue began between FPS and DuoCall. Initially it was crucial for DuoCall to understand exactly what it was that FPS wanted to achieve with their telephony system.
Following the receipt of the outline plan, DuoCall compiled a bespoke presentation that ran through all aspects of the migration including cost, benefits, project management and support following the installation.
Once a scope of works had been agreed in principle, DuoCall engineers attended every FPS site across the UK and documented all existing services and configurations with photographic illustrations.
A pilot site was delivered very quickly to allow FPS to review the technology being discussed and to make a judgment of their own.
Following the success of the pilot site the project plan was put in place, with each project team working in partnership with each other to ensure each site was delivered by the planned dates and disruption was kept to a minimum.
“Discussing the customer’s requirements is always an interesting experience because each customer is different; it really is key that we listen and respond.
FPS were no different, the list presented to us at the outset was vast; we broke the requirements down into sections and stages to ensure that the end user experience was not one of technology overload.
The key area that needed to be delivered from day one was functioning voice services with competently trained staff.
Once this element was delivered, all the technology available would follow to fill in the gaps to ensure that the entire list was met over a period of time.”
Andrew Ringsell
DuoCall Channel Director
Onsite migration
“Each migration was very smooth and successful. This was down to the two project teams working together extremely well and having the same on-site implementation team. Once on site, we implemented new phones and trained each user to ensure there was a full understanding of the new phone system. DuoCall’s engineers were very knowledgeable and ensured we supported the branch staff through the transition period. If there were any issues following the implementation, DuoCall’s Project team were easy to get hold of and resolved the issues very promptly. Overall we planned and implemented over 400 phones across 20 branches in 10 Months, alongside internally updating our branch infrastructure. So the project was a great success in our minds.”
Matt Taylor,
FPS Project Manager
