In the fast-paced world of technology, businesses often grapple with managing costs while maintaining the quality of services. In a recent success story, we helped a client save a staggering $40,000 annually (or over 50%!!!!) on their phone and internet bills. This case demonstrates the power of smart technology choices and how they can substantially impact the financial health of a company.

The Client:

Our client is a thriving retail and manufacturing business, operating out of four locations across Australia. For the past four years, they had been tethered to a single telecommunications provider for their phone and internet services. Their monthly payments for internet services alone was a steep $4,000, $990 of which catered to a managed firewall - and that was on top of the onsite firewalls at each office.

Their internet speeds for that price were not great, they had a managed Wide Area Network (WAN) which meant head office in Brisbane had a 100/100 Fibre connection and the remaining 3 offices across the country were struggling on a measly 10/10 Ethernet over Copper connection.

Add to that their phone system costs of $1,800 per month for 16 unlimited lines, a 1300 number, a 100 number range, among other services. All in all, their annual expenditure stood at a whopping $69,600. But with their contract on the verge of ending, they sought a change.

Check out the breakdown of their existing costs below:

The Requirements:

The client sought our expertise to audit their existing telecommunications services. Their prime objective: saving money. Yet, they didn't want to sacrifice functionality in the pursuit of cost-effectiveness, especially with their phone system where they had particular settings such as ring groups and call recording already in place.

The Audit:

We were brought on board to perform an audit of their existing services, identify cost-saving opportunities, and implement a more economical and efficient solution.

We conducted an in-depth analysis of their data needs at each of the 4 offices, noting that they mainly used cloud based line of business software such as Microsoft 365, Pronto and Xero, so would need a business grade NBN service with reliable speeds to ensure that they could access the software and undertake general tasks.

With their phone call usage it was important to note that they operate a small call centre from their Brisbane office and often take upwards of 200 inbound calls a day from clients and suppliers and just as many outbound.

The Solution:

After reviewing the clients usage and requirements we proposed a FortiTech Hosted 3CX VoIP Phone system and internet connections via a third party ISP to suit their needs and staff numbers at each office.

The Cost:

The monthly internet costs were significantly reduced, and the services were tailored to their team sizes as follows:

1. Brisbane - NBN Enterprise Ethernet 100/100 ($490/month, with a $6,000 build cost which we managed to get waived on a 36-month agreement) for a team of 20 staff.
2. Perth - NBN 100/40 FTTC ($135/month-to-month) for a group of 5 staff.
3. Southport - NBN 50/20 HFC ($99/month-to-month) for 2 staff.
4. Wooloomooloo - NBN 50/20 FTTB ($99/month-to-month) for 3 staff.

The internet services also required a one-time activation fee of $297, but this was a drop in the bucket compared to the overall cost savings.

Our internet solution involved not just selecting the most cost-effective and substantially faster connections, but also taking care of all the technical details, including arranging for a professional cabler to finish the internet connection setup at the Perth office as the NBN (in typical fashion) did not terminate the connection at the data rack.

As for their phone system, we helped them migrate to a 3CX VoIP hosted phone system. By opting for VoIP, they eliminated the need for traditional phone lines, leading to significant cost savings. The perks didn't stop at reduced costs, though. The client could now enjoy unlimited calls to 17 countries (including Australia), further enhancing their business communication and growth opportunities as well as allowing them peace of mind to budget for their large volume of calls.

The included countries are:

New Zealand                         Ireland                                                               Denmark Singapore Malaysia Brazil USA India Italy - Landlines only Canada Spain - Landlines only Norway Germany Switzerland - Landlines only Sweden - Landlines only UK Greece - Landlines only Australia

They were also able to leverage the 3CX desktop app and mobile app, which meant there was no need to purchase new phone handsets. This brought about another wave of cost-saving, and also introduced the staff to a more flexible and user-friendly communication interface.

We understand how important phone numbers can be to a business's identity, so we facilitated a smooth transition for that too. We provided the porting service of all of their existing numbers, which generally takes 5-20 business days, subject to acceptance by the Porting Authority.

The Outcome:

The client now pays significantly less for their phone and internet services without compromising quality. This change is saving them over $3,500 every month, or over $40,000 annually.

Their experience exemplifies the potential savings and benefits of informed decisions about telecom services.

If your business is looking to trim expenses without losing quality, consider switching to a VoIP system and revisiting your internet plans.

Whether your needs revolve around cost optimization, performance improvement, or both, our team of experts can provide personalized solutions that make a difference. So why wait? Begin your journey towards significant savings and give us a call on 1300 778 078 today.