The Challenge: An outdated and disconnected system
Prior to the transition to 8x8, Kubota operated with a legacy Mitel/Shoretel system that was over 15 years old. With locations spread across Texas, Georgia, Kansas, California, and Ohio, Kubota sought a unified platform to consolidate its communications and eliminate the silos that hindered operations.
Kubota explored several alternative options in search of a more efficient and integrated communications solution. The company’s leaders’ objective was clear: to achieve their goal of “One Kubota,” a company-wide initiative to boost collaboration and connection across locations.
The primary challenge Kubota faced was the need for a reliable, scalable, and feature-rich communication system that could effectively replace its outdated Mitel/Shoretel infrastructure. Company leaders recognized the importance of modernizing their communication technology to improve connectivity, streamline workflows, and provide a consistent and unified experience for their employees and customers.
After careful consideration, Kubota selected 8x8 as its communications provider due to 8x8’s affordable, future-proof cloud solution that offered a comprehensive suite of features and functionality. By transitioning to 8x8, Kubota aimed to overcome its communication challenges, embrace a unified platform, and eliminate the limitations of the previous system, ultimately empowering its workforce and enhancing overall operational efficiency.
The Solution: Staying connected, from everywhere
Kubota began the migration to 8x8 in 2022 and reached a significant milestone during the summer when the majority of its workforce successfully transitioned to the 8x8 platform for internal communications. Within just a few months, 95% of the company was fully transitioned to the new system.
"With the old premises-based system, there were so many devices and pieces of equipment that I had to take care of if something went wrong,” said Roland Gelindon, Senior Unified Communications Engineer at Kubota. “And now with 8x8, I don’t have to do anything—everything is taken care of at the cloud level.”
With 8x8, all maintenance and management tasks are expertly handled at the cloud level, significantly reducing the burden on the IT team. And with the 8x8 Work app, employees can stay connected to their teammates with ease, whether they’re down the hall, at another location, or working remotely. "I have the 8x8 app on my phone and I use it all the time,” says Gelindon.
In terms of the contact center, Kubota started the move to 8x8 Contact Center last year, and at this time nearly all of its agents are setup with the new system. And with 8x8’s Salesforce integration, Kubota’s contact center agents can implement even more detail to their customer support system, increasing agent efficiency and personalizing the customer experience.
The Result: One system, one Kubota
The transition of Kubota's communications to 8x8 has yielded significant results, positively impacting various aspects of the company’s operations. 8x8’s comprehensive suite of tools and features has empowered Kubota to optimize its customer service and support operations.
“From an administrative standpoint, I'm really impressed with how 8x8 gives me a quick view of things—I can see where things are, how many phone calls we’ve received, how many folks are online and so forth—it’s really advantageous,” says Gelindon.
The streamlined management process allows for efficient oversight and control of the company’s communication infrastructure, eliminating the complexities associated with multiple siloed systems. "It's been a whole lot easier to manage all of the facilities on 8x8 instead of managing all these small disparate systems,” adds Gelindon.
Furthermore, the transition to 8x8 has resulted in significant cost savings for Kubota. By having everything and everyone on one cloud system, the company has achieved operational efficiency while reducing expenses. 8x8’s centralized solution enables Kubota to enjoy the benefits of a unified platform, eliminating the need for separate systems and reducing maintenance and management costs.
