Overview

In order to be able to provide a high level of service, the demands on the call centre, customer service and the technology they use are correspondingly high. This is where the previously used telecommunications system increasingly reached its limits.

Challenge

SWR needed a solution that offered enhanced functionality compared to the existing PBX. However, the COVID pandemic meant that not only did it need to work remotely, it also required remote provisioning and training.

SolutionA smart migration process ensured business continuity, while jtel’s solution natively supports distributed workstations and home office connections, allowing the team to access advanced customer service features from any location.

jtel Industry Solution for Stadtwerke Ratingen

– As a local supplier, Stadtwerke Ratingen (SWR) sells electricity, gas, water and heating solutions for private and business customers. As a system-relevant company, they also operate the associated supply networks. Excellent customer service and 24/7 availability of the fault centre are essential for them. In order to be able to provide a high level of service, the demands on the call centre, customer service and the technology they use are correspondingly high. The previously used telecommunications system was increasingly reaching its limits. The company was therefore looking for a new solution that offered flexibility, process optimisation and a wide range of evaluation options. The search for a suitable system was undertaken by a project team of telecommunications specialists from the wholly-owned SWR subsidiary KomMITT Ratingen. KomMITT undertook the market research and then contacted the Kapsch Group, a well-known reseller of telecommunications and other IT solutions. Kapsch recommended jtel and the first meeting took place in February 2020. However, shortly after the first meeting in February 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. This brought with it new challenges, as the requirements of the service team, who had previously worked stationary on site, shifted towards an even more flexible solution that could be operated from mobile working. jtel responded promptly, using remote maintenance and screen-sharing software for presentations to exchange and collect the data required for the implementation of the project, supported by communication via classic voice connections. This gave the project new impetus and led to a contract, which was signed in mid-March.

– Having decided in favour of the jtel solution, the task now was to manage all the necessary agreements and tasks remotely and using modern media, while ensuring a smooth migration from the original platform. The project team opted for an ‘intelligent migration process’ in which the jtel platform was operated in parallel with the existing solution and users were migrated to the new platform step by step. At the same time, the new users had to be trained. This also had to be carried out remotely, as the normal on-site training model was not possible during the lockdown. The system was successfully put into operation in May. Everything necessary was done remotely. Within a few months, 90% of the users were migrated, with the rest following soon after. jtel’s solution has always supported distributed workstations and home office connectivity, allowing agents and users to access all functions from different locations – some from the offices, others from home. In terms of effectiveness, there was no difference. In addition, the remote training conducted for the jtel solution was a great success due to the ease of use of the system. Compared to other contact centre solutions, significantly less training is required as it is designed to be intuitive. Today, 40 agents and three administrators use the new system. All of them can work remotely from their home offices via a secure VPN connection. The service team continues to provide the excellent service and support that is essential to SWR’s energy business – but with new enhancements, such as real-time status display, an intuitive graphical user interface for creating call flows and easy access to key performance statistics. The system offers both browser-based access and via a mini-client. Over time, the CRM will be integrated with jtel and the solution will be extended to include other communication channels such as WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams to provide a rich omnichannel experience.

Engage in dialogue with jtel

We show you how to optimise your customer service with jtel.

Simply fill in the form below and our experts will be there for you.