A major recruitment company in the UK has all but finalized the implementation of a cutting edge IP (internet protocol) telephony system across its 50 branches nationwide.
Meridian Business Support, which deals in recruitment in areas as diverse as construction, education, and health, decided to roll out its new IP telephony system nationally in stages from the end of 2010, following a successful trial carried out in 2009.
The implementation of the new IP telephony network, which links up all of the company’s 340 staff across the UK, is now virtually complete
A major impetus behind the company’s adoption of IP telephony was its desire to help maintain effective communications between employees in the face of modern-day logistical obstacles such as hotdesking and employees needing to work from home.
According to Meridian’s group IT manager, Nigel Dobinson, the business VoIP (voice over internet protocol) capability provided through the company’s new IP telephony system means that employees can always be contracted regardless of location, just as easily as if they were still sat at their normal desk. He commented:
“‘For our mobile people, as long as they are logged on to the system, it will find them wherever they are.” he said.
The new system has also meant that the company now benefits from reduced call costs, when compared with the cost of conventional landline calls.
Furthermore, given that the new service is managed by a remote host company, Meridian has not had to secure the installation of any complex and expensive equipment on-site, or needed to set up new IP business phone systems.
Finally, by going down the hosted route, Meridian also stands to benefit from a built-in contingency service increasingly being promoted by many a host business VoIP provider and intermediate VoIP reseller; that of guaranteed managed off-site disaster recovery facilities.
