Ahola Transport

The selected solution was Aastra's MX-ONE, which replaces the three systems previously in use in the company. The end result is better and more efficient customer service with lower costs.

Last year, the expanded and internationalised Ahola Transport faced a situation in which its dated telephone and communications system no longer met the company's needs. Through business acquisitions, the company had a mixture of separate phone systems that were increasingly difficult to integrate with one another in both Finland and in foreign offices.

Managing incoming calls with the old switchboard technology was problematic for the PBX operators, who are in a key position in terms of customer service. Personnel presence and reachability details were also often insufficient. A comprehensive system investment was the solution to the problem. After a bid for tenders, Aastra's MX-ONE was selected, supplied by Aastra Finland's expert partner Focus ICT Oy in Pietarsaari.

Reachability improves the effectiveness of customer service

According to Ahola Transport's IT and quality manager Rickard Snellman, Aastra's solution provided clear benefits for the company.

“The price in relation to the features was very competitive. Selecting Aastra was also favoured by a smooth transition from the old phone system to the new and the very strong expertise of the system supplier,” says Snellman.

MX-ONE was implemented gradually, and the PBX of the Kokkola headquarters also integrates the call traffic of the Swedish and Estonian offices. In addition to call management, the new system offers numerous other tools to make customer service more effective and flexible.

PBX operators can see personnel appointment and calendar statuses directly on screen. Colleagues also receive the counterparty's presence information on their own phone. Incoming external calls to direct numbers are automatically directed to the PBX if the person in question is not at their desk.

“This avoids unnecessary calls and queueing, which is a clear competitive advantage in the logistics business,” Snellman points out.

Objectives were met

The users can also manage their own phones online and leave messages there, for example, for the duration of a business trip. Aastra's solution also harmonised the telephone device base.

The Solidus eCare Contact Centre also offers an opportunity to control calls and call queues largely from a computer. PBX operators use two workstations and separate phones, so two persons can work at the PBX simultaneously.

“The clear objectives of the investment were to improve customer service and reduce unnecessary work. These objectives have been met. Unnecessary waiting has been eliminated now that the customer quickly has access to the presence information of the person they tried to reach. Feedback after the implementation has been very positive,” Rickard Snellman sums up.

“The transition was also seamless, which is clear proof of the expertise of Focus ICT and the functionality of Aastra's technology,” he adds.