Leading UK supermarket chain unifies communications across business operations

The Challenge: Disparate legacy telephony systems

Prior to 8x8, the business was using a range of solutions. The headquarters and distribution centers used a legacy phone system, the stores had basic PSTN lines, and the offices in Ireland used an even older system.

The company needed to pull everything together into one unified system that would work for everyone. So, the IT team decided that a cloud-based system was the way forward, due to the easy access and scalability by cloud technology versus on-premises systems.

After evaluating a range of solutions on the market, the company chose 8x8. “Not only did 8x8 meet all of the requirements of our various locations,” says a Network IT Analyst responsible for the 8x8 rollout, “but the actual offering was far and beyond better than the other solutions we evaluated.”

The Solution: Centralized system that is easy for everyone to use

With the help of 8x8’s account team, the company rolled out 8x8 Work - powered by the 8x8 XCaaS Platform - across the headquarters and regional offices, as well as the distribution centers and warehouses. 8x8’s flexibility even allowed the IT team to make a special build for a particular ruggedized smartphone. “When it connects to the WiFi, all the user sees is 8x8. There are some internal apps installed as well, but for the user, it’s just like using the 8x8 Work app on any other smartphone,” says the IT Analyst.

Getting employees up and running on the new system went smoothly, and feedback has been positive. One of the biggest improvements was 8x8’s modern softphone interface. Previously, the company’s old softphone client didn’t have the ability to deliver sound from incoming calls on the user’s laptop as well as through the headset. “People were missing calls all the time,” recalls the IT Analyst, “because they only had a silent indicator at the top of the screen. With 8x8, people have more control over the interface.”

Another positive change was the centralization of the company directory and contacts. With everyone now on one system, employees can search one directory to find the right person and see their presence status across various locations to route a call to or communicate with.

For the reception staff, 8x8 Frontdesk has been particularly helpful. The previous solution was installed only on desktop PCs and there was no way to move it to a laptop or mobile phone. In addition, creating and backing up new contacts was a huge task. The IT Analyst says, “With 8x8 Frontdesk, our receptionists can easily manage and transfer calls, as well as customize their contact directory view options and various settings. It also automatically filters the contact list for faster call connections during busy times.”

The Benefits: Unified and cost-effective communications

The supermarket chain realized a number of material benefits soon after implementation. 8x8’s ease of use meant that the company didn’t have to spend extra time and costs on ramping up its workforce. “A lot of our users were used to having a physical desk phone that they click buttons to dial, so, the positive feedback we got on how easy it is to use 8x8 really speaks volumes,” says the IT Analyst.

The new system delivered on cost reduction as well. With 8x8, the supermarket chain is saving a significant amount of money just for the customer service operations alone. “Cost savings was one of our biggest drivers for the project,” says the IT Analyst, “and 8x8 allowed us to save on both monthly fees as well as maintenance costs because of our centralized, cloud-based system.” Over time, the cost savings will make a huge difference to the enterprise. The company projects substantial savings over five years—funds that could go into any number of operations improvements in future.