Services Provided: Master Design, Implementation, & Ongoing Support of On-Premise PBX System

CHALLENGE

Family Strong Wellness (FSW), formerly known as Nutritional Designs, is a small, family-owned business taking an integrative approach to wellness to deliver real-world health strategies to their clients. The owners, Jody and Sunday Muniz, are both board certified pharmacists and nutritionists and have built a solid reputation within the community and are known for helping clients heal and stay healthy through nutrition.

QPC Security has been FSW’s information technology engineering and architecture partner since 2009. In that time, QPC Security has helped FSW with four location moves and they have never had a security incident during this time. The relationship is collaborative in nature and the focus has been to make FSW be more profitable, save money, and for QPC Security to be an integral participant in their budget planning process.

With respect to the phone system, until recently, FSW was using a Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) through their ISP and paying $260/month for three DID lines and one fax number. POTS systems have become a communication tool of the past and finding appropriate support for them is becoming virtually non-existent. Modernization and cost savings became the focus when looking at a new PBX system.

SOLUTION AND IMPACT

The initial stage of the project was getting the new system installed, modernization of communication methods, and an immediate cost savings realized. QPC Security was able to deliver the new system, including all new phones, and the labor that would pay for itself in 18-months when compared to the previous monthly fees they were paying the ISP. It is important to note that since QPC Security was already managing their network, it made it a seamless transition and labor costs were lower because QPC Security already had intimate knowledge and access to their network. This is also key when looking at the totality of security as it relates to their network because all aspects are integrated and managed by one entity.

One significant change which was implemented with the new system was an updated menu which allowed for not only the FAQ type questions to be addressed – such as location, business hours, etc. – but the team also added seasonal health tips like allergy season. The new phone system allowed them to provide ongoing dynamic and relevant content. A caller is still able to access a live person with ease should they so prefer, but the additional content allowed for more self-service if desired as well. The feedback on the new menu has been phenomenal. According to Jody, “Customers have called in and listened to every single phone system menu option just because they were so excited about it!”

Occasionally, a unique event occurs where a phone system needs to be utilized to proactively manage communications to customers. An example of this was when FSW’s parking lot was going to be resurfaced on a Saturday. Several days prior to the construction, the PBX was modified with a custom intro message to inform callers that the store would be closed on Saturday. QPC Security configured the system so that callers on Saturday would hear a special message announcing the store’s closure, the reason for the closure, and when it would reopen. Additionally, the system was setup so that the regular scheduled menu system would be back in effect on Sunday. This ability to rapidly flex to provide new and timely messaging to callers improved customer service and reduced the need for store staff to be the main point of communication for this closure.

Overall, the updated menu has not only improved customer satisfaction, but it also increased the retail store productivity and sales. Not only did the phone system handle inquiries that traditionally had required manual response, but now FSW was able to interact with customers via SMS.

Like many of the big box type retail establishments, FSW had to pivot during COVID. The SMS texting system that is integrated into the PBX provided them with the functionality to confirm a customer’s order, notify them when it was ready for pickup, be notified when the customer had arrived curbside and deliver the order to the customer’s vehicle. It also allowed them to be able to manage calls from any location, including their homes, which was necessary during the lockdown times of COVID. QPC Security’s President & CEO, Felicia King, notes that “we are taking a small family‑owned business, and thru technology, causing them to punch 1,000 lbs. above their weight by giving them the same functionality as large retail provider.”

Chat functionality was also enabled allowing for any staff member to communicate and interact with a client. Via a simple app installed on PCs, tablets, mobile devices etc., staff are able to receive and respond to chat messages in real-time. They can also acknowledge they received messages and are managing that particular chat so all staff members know that it is being managed and if there are any unmanaged chat sessions which need attention.

From a support perspective, they are able to get the support they need when they need it with ease since they have one provider they work with. They don’t have one provider that handles one aspect of their network and another they submit phone support inquiries to. Instead, all inquiries go to one location which means they are handled quickly and with much more efficiency than having multiple providers for different pieces of their network. Jody says that “As a business owner, I don’t need to manage vendors to get to a solution. I don’t need to understand the technology. QPC Security consistently offers us recommendations about ways to use the technology we already have in order to improve our own customer service or generate more revenue.” FSW still owns the phone numbers and the physical phone system itself, so they always have complete control and access and are not at risk of being ‘held hostage’ by a provider.

While ‘cloud’ PBX systems have gained some attention in recent years, the cost structure for that type of system is significantly higher than an on-premise system like the one provided by QPC Security. Because cloud systems are per user based (example $20-$30/user for services provided by RingCentral or Microsoft), they are cost prohibitive when it comes to changes and scaling. With an on-premise system, there are no costs for additional users etc. since they are not per user/licensing based. This system also provides automated fail-over capabilities which cloud-based systems cannot. For example, when FSW moved locations earlier this year, all calls were ingested, captured in a voicemail, and that voicemail emailed to the staff. There is a false perception that high availability and failover is exclusively a feature of a cloud hosted PBX.

Another key element of the QPC Security approach is that it is not a ‘one and done’ install. Typically, the system is setup, users trained and begin to utilize, feedback is obtained, changes are made, and the process is continually repeated. It’s a collaborative success-based approach that allows FSW to continually provide feedback and for QPC Security to make recommendations based upon that feedback.

FSW’s phone system has turned into an intense sales and marketing tool that has increased sales, generated leads, and improved customer satisfaction. It has also provided them with a competitive advantage over others in their area as no one else is leveraging their phone system to provide this type of content and communication options to their clients.

To learn more about PBX Solutions offered by QPC Security, contact us today.