Webex Calling keeps UK small business running smoothly

Building and maintaining a thriving business can be both rewarding and challenging. Whether it’s a global enterprise company or a one-person startup, businesses must adapt to ever-evolving technology, competition on a global landscape, and unforeseen circumstances. It has been said that savvy leaders either learn to disrupt or be disrupted.  cloud calling

IT Consultancy Development Limited (ITCD) was recently faced with this choice between innovating or sticking with a status quo that was rapidly becoming outdated. The small, UK-based company helps other small businesses across Europe with their server, networking, and IT needs. Most of its business communication took place over legacy phone lines. Until that process got disrupted.  

Saying goodbye to analog phone systems and hello to flexible cloud calling

The UK is planning to move away from analog phone systems by 2025. As a result, ITCD would have to rely on a complex, potentially multi-vendor approach.  

“We were told that our legacy phone system would be switching off,” recalls James Hersheson, IT Director at ITCD. “If we wanted to stay with our provider, we would only be able to use one particular handset. And if we wanted additional handsets, we would have to purchase them through our current provider, and it could only be of that type. It was very limited. We could only have one number, and the cost was prohibitive. We had to look for alternative solutions.”  

What could have been a frustrating series of events turned out instead to be a moment of revelation, discovery, and change for the better. ITCD decided to ditch their previous phone system entirely and transition to cloud calling. 

Hersheson began vetting the various cloud-calling platforms and tried to find a perfect match. “I knew it was going to be quite a challenge. Each solution works slightly differently,” he says. ITCD wanted a high-quality calling solution that would work great on any device—whether a laptop, mobile phone, or the 8800 series and 6800 series Cisco IP phones they had in the office. 

Among others, Hersheson reached out to Webex. It began with a simple online chat. “I wrote a message, and I was immediately given a name. That same day I had an initial conversation and explained my needs. The following day Webex had already come back to me with options,” he says.  

As his search progressed, Webex continued to impress and emerged as the clear winner. 

Streamlining communication and delivering great customer experiences with a cloud calling leader

Webex Calling offers a proven, enterprise-grade cloud solution in over 85 countries around the world, delivered by a trusted, market-leading brand. With Webex, ITCD’s entire calling process was simplified, expanded, and improved—from call messaging, to call waiting, to multiple person calls, the entire Webex Calling solution was perfect for the company, and provided a much better experience for ITCD’s clients. 

Webex is an open and intelligent platform that has rich integrations with leading cloud apps. “We’ve been able to integrate Webex with our Microsoft Exchange email as well as link the Outlook calendar in with Webex,” says Hersheson. 

Webex also makes moving calls from one device to another seamless. “Answering calls from my mobile is so easy and the sound quality is brilliant. I can easily switch the call over to my desk phone, laptop, or another device, mid-call,” Hersheson explains. 

In addition to offering a great user experience, Webex is also cost-effective. “The other solutions were simply too expensive. They were charging for about 500 minutes of calling. I go over 500 minutes a month and it would mean that I would be paying almost double what I pay currently with Webex,” Hersheson says. 

Thriving with a calling provider that has your back

Hersheson was also impressed by the incredible customer service he experienced while working with the Webex team. He was treated like a major enterprise corporation every step of the way.  

“I’m just a small business. I didn’t think there would be an affordable solution that offered quality support, but there was. I was having frequent conversations with my representative,” he says. “If she wasn’t sure on something she found the answers quickly. She put in a lot of work for just a small business. That was really nice.” 

And now, Hersheson is looking at what’s next, and how he can stay ahead of the curve. He’s looking for the next cutting-edge tech solutions that’ll help him execute business more effectively while providing a better experience for his clients.  

“I would definitely recommend Webex from a price, quality, and service functionality perspective. But my main message would be that it doesn’t matter what your business size is, just initiate that contact, because Cisco will find a solution for your business.” 

Get in touch with us and explore how Webex Calling can help your business thrive in the cloud.