EV Connect adopted 8x8 in 2011, and Jarus has witnessed the platform, along with its underlying VoIP technology, improve and expand over time. “Over the years, 8x8 has done a very good job of solving issues that arose in the early days of internet-based voice calling,” he says. “They continue to develop new technologies that successfully deliver a higher quality of service.”
8x8’s focus on quality improvement is one reason why EV Connect has stayed with 8x8 for so long. Another factor is a consistently high level of customer service. Jarus says, “Our 8x8 account manager, Godfred, has taken very good care of us when we need new services. And on the technical side, I’ve had opportunities to work with tech support to help me understand things or solve problems. They’ve been very helpful.”
Prior to the pandemic, nearly all EV Connect employees worked in the office and had a VoIP phone at their desk connected to 8x8 Work. When the pandemic hit, the company moved to an entirely remote workforce. “8x8’s flexibility allowed us to easily accommodate that shift,” said Jarus.
The company eventually settled on a hybrid model where employees work from the home part of the time, with some relocating away from the office altogether. As the workforce changes, Jarus can easily make updates to the system on the fly through the 8x8 admin portal. “I appreciate the ability to make instant changes throughout the network. It allows me to react to the demands of the organization very quickly and efficiently, unlike with a traditional on-premises PBX system.”
Onboarding new employees is equally straightforward. Jarus can easily set up a new user and provision a phone number and extension. Self-service training material from 8x8 University helps users configure their settings and learn the system. “New employees are up and running on 8x8 almost immediately,” says Jarus.
When it comes to fellow business leaders who may be hesitant to switch to the cloud, Jarus would advise them to take a serious look at three considerations: cost savings, features, and service quality. He says, “Internet-based telephony has a tremendous cost advantage as you avoid the capital costs of PBX technology. Feature-wise, you can do things in the cloud that are difficult to do with on-premises systems that require extensive programming and wiring. The gating factor, however, is performance at the last mile. Decision-makers need to ask: How well does the service perform at the tail end of the connection, such as an employee’s home or in the office? Poor Internet service in the last mile will severely impact even the best cloud-based service.”
For Jarus and EV Connect, 8x8 has delivered on all three, and more. “8x8’s service is economical, flexible and efficient,” says Jarus. “It provides the quality of service that our business requires, and it’s the most cost efficient way of providing traditional telecommunications services to employees and customers. 8x8 also allows companies to utilize their telecommunications infrastructure to augment their business.”
As Jarus looks toward the future, he believes that telecommunications infrastructure will focus even more on wireless and mobility. Solutions like 8x8 that seamlessly connect people to businesses through any Internet connection and on any device, will help companies thrive in a sustainability-focused world.
