On Tuesday November 26^th, we were thrilled to host another iPECS Insights session. Led by members of our global partner family, these presentations are designed to be informative, inspirational, and interactive.

This latest webinar was led by Brent Smith, Account Manager at Wesco Anixter NZ, our partner in New Zealand. Brent was sharing two case studies showing the power of iPECS Cloud to transform businesses for the better.

About Wesco Anixter NZ

Brent began with an introduction to Wesco Anixter NZ. The company was previously Atlas Gentech, before being acquired by Wesco Anixter, a world leader in electrical, communications, and utility distribution and supply chain services.

Atlas Gentech has been our partner since 1992, giving the team there an exceptional understanding of iPECS solutions. Wesco Anixter is a Fortune 200 business in the United States. That combination of iPECS knowledge and organizational strength is powerful, and was visible in both of the case studies Brent shared.

Pioneers of iPECS Cloud 

Before moving to the case studies, Brent shared the company’s history with iPECS Cloud. The business launched iPECS Cloud in New Zealand as early as 2014, housed in data centers owned by Kordia, a state-owned enterprise.

Their greatest successes since that launch have been via full-stack IT service providers rather than traditional PBX resellers, in part due to their knowledge of cloud computing and networking. Although there is great variation in different markets, this was a useful insight for any partners looking to increase cloud adoption.

Case study one: Redpaths Ltd

About the company

Redpaths is one of New Zealand’s leading suppliers of consumer electrical products. Founded in 1945, Redpaths has been family-run for its entire history. It is also a highly successful business, with 16 stores and 100 staff across New Zealand’s South Island.

Communication challenges

Their existing telephony setup was dated and inflexible, with no ability to handle voice calls via a softphone or Microsoft Teams. All sites had their own specific call flow designs, and their old system made it challenging to manage any of this remotely.

When people left the business, their numbers remained in the system with no easy way to redirect. This led to communication issues as well as lost sale opportunities. Working in collaboration with their reseller partner, Tribe, the Wesco Anixter NZ team devised a solution with iPECS Cloud at the heart.

Overcoming challenges with iPECS Cloud

iPECS Cloud eliminated all those challenges and set the business on a course to seamless growth. The system’s deep integration into Microsoft Teams gave users of the platform true unified communications. Other users work via iPECS ONE, giving them choice over which softphone client they use.

Now, the team can choose between Teams or iPECS ONE for mobile or desktop, as well as cordless handsets. All of these are seamlessly linked to the iPECS Cloud system, giving them more flexibility as well as centralized control over their communications.

Call flows can be easily created and amended remotely, saving the time and cost of onsite visits for routine reconfiguration. Similarly, when users join or leave the company, the system can be rapidly updated without any interruptions to business.

Redpaths has since added new locations, which has proven much simpler than before, demonstrating the scalability of the iPECS Cloud solution.

Case study two: Liquid Brands

About the company

Liquid Brands is a fashion, footwear, and lifestyle brands distributor supplying prestigious brands to retailers throughout New Zealand. Brands include Barbour and Crocs as well as other globally recognized names. In addition to the distribution business, they operate three retail stores.

Challenges

Liquid Brands’ distribution business is highly dependent on phones. Their network of retailers uses calls to place orders, so telephony is critical both to revenue and maintaining relationships.

Their previous setup was outdated and gave them limited flexibility. Their desk phones limited their ability to move around the site on calls, which made it difficult to check warehouse stock during calls. Wesco Anixter collaborated with the Computer Clinic, their reseller partner, to devise a solution.

Transforming communication with iPECS Cloud

iPECS Cloud made call routing significantly more straightforward, ensuring that calls reached the right person first time. This was a far greater challenge on their old PBX, which was no longer supported.

iPECS hardware was also able to improve communication across sites. IP DECT handsets seamlessly connected to the iPECS Cloud system for roaming conversations, while DECT bases were placed throughout the warehouse to ensure strong signal throughout.

The previous system generated complaints from staff who faced obstacles in fulfilling their roles. Since the adoption of iPECS Cloud, these complaints have stopped. The solution is also better for their retail customers, who are more likely to get through to the right person.

This solution has therefore improved morale, customer relations, and flexibility for the Liquid Brands team.

The power of iPECS

These were outstanding case studies that show the power of iPECS Cloud to modernize communication and improve business performance. Working as partners, Wesco Anixter and their resellers were able to transform two successful businesses and set them for seamless growth.

Brent concluded his excellent presentation by sharing highlights of the recent partner event in New Zealand. It was a reminder to all attendees of the importance of partnership to our business and our global family. We would like to thank Brent for his insights and for reminding us of what iPECS can do.