one net

your questions and answers

"We expected one net to allow us to present a more professional appearance by giving them one number that would always be answered, and the solution delivered completely. But as weeks passed, we realised there were phenomenal advantages that we hadn’t even anticipated"

Jackie Fisher | Director | Power Office Services

revenues are up 10% and monthly telecom bills have been reduced by over 50%
staff can work more flexibly without comprising customer service and can handle twice as many calls each day
staff aren't distracted by fielding non-critical calls when on a job, leading to a productivity increase of 20%

Power Office Services has built its business through word of mouth generated by delivering a high level of service. But success was creating challenges – how to meet the demands of its growing customer base 24/7. Based in London with four office staff, three supervisors, eight subcontractors and 15 regular tradesmen, Power Office Services provide electrical, plumbing and any other services their customers need. "We were becoming victims of our success and couldn't meet the demands of our growing client base," says Jackie Fisher, Director. "Our phone line was too often engaged so we were missing business opportunities. In our line of work, you need to be able to respond instantly in an emergency so we needed a solution that would allow us to make sure no call went unanswered, regardless of the time of day or night." "We didn't realise how difficult it was for our clients to get through to the office - we estimated that our phone was engaged four out of every five calls. Plus, if our clients called one of our contractors directly it made it difficult to manage the job scheduling, as well as potentially interrupting a contractor at work," says Jackie. "It was also a matter of professionalism. Some of our bigger clients demand certain SLAs, such as one central telephone number 24/7. We couldn't meet those demands so we desperately needed a new solution." A seamless hosted all-in-one fixed and mobile solution, one net appeared to be just what the company needed.

the total communications transformation

"The installation was incredibly straightforward and the system is so intuitive and easy-to-use that the training took barely an hour," says Jackie. "By the end of the day, we had one telephone number that would automatically route itself to the appropriate person regardless of who was in the office or what time it was. There were very few issues with the system but when we did need to speak to someone, we could quickly talk to an advisor who was familiar with our business and our requirements. We expected one net to allow us to present a more professional appearance to clients by giving them one number that would always be answered, and on that level the solution delivered completely," says Jackie. "But as the weeks passed, we realised there were phenomenal advantages to the system that we hadn't even anticipated and we simply hadn't realised how disruptive our previous system had been to workers on site. If clients couldn't get through, they would usually call someone direct on their mobile phone. If you're up a ladder painting a ceiling, the last thing you want to be doing is fielding phone calls from other clients. Plus, it was incredibly difficult to then manage the client relationship as there was no way of centrally controlling communications," says Jackie. "Now, employees at work aren't interrupted on the job and we can handle client communications centrally. This has resulted in a productivity increase of around 20%, we're gaining an hour per day per person. With an average of 12 employees out on any given day, that means we have 60 extra working hours per week. As a result our revenues are up 10% on last year, despite the recession. Not only has one net boosted productivity, it has also significantly reduced costs. Under the previous system, the monthly telecom bill was close to £1,000. Now, because mobile phone calls between employees are included in the flat monthly rate, the company is saving over 50% on its calls costs. "Previously, we had to physically man the phone in the office until 5.30 in the evening, at which point it would switch to the answering service," says Jackie. "The moment I realised I could leave earlier, and effectively take the office with me was a eureka moment. I can get home sooner if I want to, spend more time with my family and still deliver an ultra-responsive service to clients."

Jackie estimates that they are handling double the figure they could manage previously. In turn, clients are happier, employees are more productive and the business is thriving. "We're now looking to recruit extra permanent staff to meet the demand that has been generated," says Jackie. "On a professional level, the increased productivity has been critical to our success. On a personal level, it has given us all more flexibility and security. One net has completely transformed our business."