Cloud-based communications can give you the inside track

A bicycle company knows a thing or two about agility. So when Shimano American Corp., the U.S. division of the legendary Japanese bicycle manufacturer, assessed its operations, management realized it had to improve the speed and dexterity of its communications to remain competitive.

“We needed to consolidate,” explains Mike Davis, Shimano’s Senior Manager of IT. “We had five companies in North America: two on the same [phone] system, all the others on independent systems. We also wanted scalability, and we needed features that helped us internally: extension dialing to reduce interoffice calls, internal videoconferencing and messaging, federated email servers, and the ability to bring all of those systems together.”

For flexibility, functionality and ease of administration, the company sought a cloud-based communications solution. And to customize that solution, Shimano American selected Insight, a global provider of information technology (IT) hardware, software and service solutions to business and public sector organizations.

Rolling in the Cloud

“Shimano has a dynamic American office,” notes Insight Cloud Specialist Matt Schnurr. “They wanted a system that could grow with them.”

For Shimano, growth also meant shedding management headaches. “Shimano spent too much time managing their outdated phone equipment,” Schnurr says. “They wanted a state-of-the-art system, with minimum hardware and technical support included. And they asked us to recommend an approach.”

Insight conducted a thorough assessment. “Insight’s true value is in the consulting we do. We assess what each client currently has and what they want, and give them a front-end assessment,” says Schnurr.

Insight recommended a cloud-based, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP)-hosted, collaborative solution through 8x8 Inc., which offers remarkable flexibility. “8x8 gives you a ‘softphone,” Schnurr points out. “You can plug a headset into the side of your laptop and have a virtual office that allows you to click and dial. Then the mobile app allows you to route office calls to all common devices: the iPad®, tablets or smartphones. You also have a videoconferencing solution.”

8x8’s flexibility even extends to the number of lines in use. “It’s 100% scalable,” Schnurr adds. “You can go to an administrative console and create new users. Or if you downsize a bit and no longer need those lines, you can decommission them and turn them back, as needed.”

The cloud-based system is inexpensive to operate. “8x8 bills you at a flat rate per month, which includes all the top-notch features,” Schnurr explains. “You don’t receive a staggered invoice for how much time or how much long distance used. And 8x8 systems are designed within built-in redundancy. If there’s a quake in California, for instance, your service and data will fail over to the next data center, so your business doesn’t miss a beat.”

8x8 enables Shimano to enjoy these features without having to manage them. “Technical support is included,” Schnurr says. “This allowed Shimano to get rid of the on-premises equipment, get on the latest-and-greatest features and give devices the mobile app, while alleviating all the day-to-day hardware management.”