Insurance Provider

BACKGROUND
Established in Austin, MN in 1896 and now located in Minneapolis, MN, this property and casualty insurance provider has built an excellent reputation through competent management and diligent customer service. 

CHALLENGE
In recent years, the insurance provider grew rapidly through company mergers and as a result expanded its insurance product lines and states of operation. Due to this rapid growth, the company required a new corporate headquarters. As a part of the relocation, it required a replacement for the existing PBX analog telephony system. Not only was the system outdated, it no longer met the needs for the company’s new strategic direction; to leverage technology to enhance the customer and employee experience.  

The insurance provider required a system that would unify voice and data, support 110 users, offer mobile networks for remote field personnel, and provide flexibility to enable future growth and agility. The company also required a scalable and affordable solution to meet its disaster recovery needs and a seamless transition with minimal system down-time as not to disrupt business with its customer base and agency force located throughout the Midwest and West Coast.

SCOPE OF WORK
Comm-Works recommended and designed a Cisco Unified Communication Manager solution to provide the insurance provider with a single platform for voice, video, mobility and messaging.

In coordination with the customer, Comm-Works developed a detailed installation schedule, staged, and configured the IP telephone system hardware. Prior to the telephony installation, Comm-Works installed the comprehensive cabling infrastructure which consisted of over 450 Cat6 cables, two fiber runs, three 25-pair Cat3 cables, and forty-two coax cables. Comm-Works then installed all voice and data components, outdoor IP surveillance cameras, a complete paging and sound masking solution as well as digital signage.

Upon completion, Comm-Works conducted training for the company’s staff on the new system’s components including: basic IP telephony features, specific call center features for agents and supervisors, and system administration.

RESULTS AND VALUE
The Unified Communication Manager’s scalability greatly benefits the insurance provider as additional features can be added without having to replace the entire solution. 

The Cisco solution also enables the company’s three call centers to optimize the existing workforce via flexible call-routing options, easier agent administration and integrating “screen-pops” with the existing server. By using digital signage to post real-time call center statistics, its customers enjoy decreased call-wait times and improved customer service.

Remote employees’ increase their productivity through the introduction of Single Number Reach; allowing calls to be routed through the system and to ring on different devices, including home phone, mobile phone and desk phone. By utilizing a mobility solution, the insurance provider is no longer required to maintain multiple long distance calling plans for each of its remote employee’s home offices. Since implementing IP telephony the company has reduced its overall long distance toll charges by 35%.

“When assembling our team to build a new headquarters, we knew we had to find reliable partners who could not only design what we needed, but also deliver quality product and services on a demanding schedule,” said the assistant vice president and general counsel for the insurance provider, “Comm-Works exceeded our expectations and became a partner we could truly rely upon.”