Mid-Continent Instruments Flies High With Toshiba Strata CIX IP Business Telephone System

MISSION: Total Connectivity Between Two Locations
Tara Crain, IT manager for Mid-Continent Instruments, issued specifications for a system that would:

• Provide total connectivity between the company’s two locations in Wichita, Kansas, and Van Nuys, California;
• Handle the more than 2,000 incoming calls received each month;
• Enable remote employees to connect to the system and call center;
• Allow mobility of on-site employees;
• Provide high-quality video conferencing between facilities;
• Expand the call center management capabilities;
• Enable remote monitoring and management;
• Provide a reliable system with virtually no downtime; and
• Deliver it all at an affordable cost.

Crain turned to Great Plains Communications, also of Wichita, Kansas, an Authorized Toshiba Dealer.

The Great Plains Communications team recommended the Toshiba Strata® CIX® IP business communication system.

Solution: Toshiba Strata CIX Delivers Connectivity, Enhanced Call Center Capabilities, Mobility and More
Installed by Great Plains Communications, the telecommunication system at Mid-Continent Instruments includes two Strata CIX670 IP business telephone systems in Kansas and California, which are networked over IP using Toshiba’s Strata Net.

The system includes:

• Connectivity of two Strata CIX670 IP business telephone systems in Kansas and California;
• More than 170 ports across the two locations;
• Stratagy® iES32 Voice Messaging system, shared across both locations;
• Strata Call Center with ACD and Unifier to push ACD across the network to both locations;
• Call Manager for call management and handling;
• Unified Messaging with Fax-to-Email to improve overall communication;
• Network eManager® for daily remote monitoring and management of the two systems;
• Polycom® Spectralink® wireless telephone system with wireless handsets;
• SoftIPT® softphones for use on laptops; and
• Digital telephones for local employees at the two locations.

Result #1: Total Connectivity Between Kansas and California
The Toshiba Strata CIX670 IP business telephone systems at the Wichita and Van Nuys locations are networked over IP using Toshiba’s Strata Net. With Strata Net, there is complete networking between the two sites, including application sharing such as centralized voice mail, plus visual indicators for individual status (DSS keys) and more. The systems can also operate completely independently of each other, providing the security of system redundancy. Using Toshiba’s Video Communication Solution (VCS®), Mid-Continent Instruments can facilitate video conferences, either scheduled or on the fly, between the locations, which has reduced the need and related costs for in-person meetings.

Result #2: Expand Mobility and Remote Capabilities
Mid-Continent Instruments has a variety of mobile and remote employees at both the Wichita and Van Nuys facilities. Wherever they are in the building, these mobile employees have access to their calls using SpectraLink wireless telephones. Integrated with the Toshiba Strata CIX system, the SpectraLink wireless phones are an extension of their desk phones. Traveling sales representatives use Toshiba’s SoftIPT softphones, which work on laptop (or desktop) computers and let the users take their office phones anywhere they travel. Calls are handled just as if they were using their office desk telephones. As well, other employees can dial the four-digit extensions, and from there, they can be routed to the users’ cell phones. Unified Messaging also helps managers receive their office voice mail while they are away from the office. Since Unified Messaging integrates their voice mail with their email, they can now get their messages on their iPhone® smartphones.

Result #3: Extensive Call Center Capabilities Helps Enhance Customer Service
With call centers in Kansas and California, Mid-Continent Instruments ensures that its customers get the highest possible customer service every hour of every business day. By routing after-hours calls in Kansas to the west coast facility in California, the company provides its customers with an additional four hours of call center access daily. Focused on answering virtually every call live, the system is set up so overflow calls can be rolled over to the other locations to ensure callers always reach a live person. As well, agents at either location can log in and take calls at the other location.

Bottom Line: Toshiba System Met Connectivity Goals While Reducing Long Distance Costs
The Toshiba Strata CIX IP business telephone system has helped Mid-Continent Instruments meet its goals of connecting its two locations to improve user experience and customer service, plus it has also helped reduce communication costs while delivering exceptional reliability.

Mid-Continent Instruments’ cost savings includes:

• Long distance savings between locations, including least call routing;
• SoftIPT softphones for traveling sales representatives, reducing long distance costs; and
• Ability to use lower-cost digital telephones for static employees, while still on an IP system.