Background

Located in Sumner County, TN, the Sumner County Emergency Services Center (ESC) is home to four emergency services groups, all with different staff members and different phone system needs:

• Emergency Medical
• Emergency Communications
• Emergency Management
• E-911 In 2013, Sumner County

Emergency Services began the planning process for moving all departments into a 25,000- square-foot Emergency Services Center housing four departments. A six-year-old Avaya Partner system was in place, but as the departments grew and technologies advanced, management decided that the move would be the ideal time to update their communication systems.

Since Hiscall installed the original system, and Sumner County ESC was very pleased with the working relationship, it was a no-brainer to get them involved in the planning process. The key need was a system that addressed the mobility needs of all the emergency services employees, many of whom do not have desk jobs.

Problem

The biggest challenge was combining old and new equipment from the four different departments, into one fully integrated communication system. While three of the departments were in one building, sharing a newer IP system, emergency management was in a different facility with an outdated PBX system. With or without the move, both phone systems needed to be updated, but the move and consolidation greatly complicated things.

Hiscall Solution

Thanks to the adaptability of the basic Avaya system, Hiscall was able to save Sumner County ESC money by combining new and old handsets in an upgrade to Avaya IP Office. According to Sumner County ESC Director of IT, Michael Cook, “It was nice that the Avaya product allowed us that flexibility.”

Hiscall was able to set up a single Avaya solution with four different automated attendants, representing the four different groups located in the office space. As an Avaya system, it permits smooth transfers from one group to the next.

Avaya

The solution involved IP Office with mobile twinning, a mobile license and one-X portal. Now, when calls are directed out of the single automated attendant, a staff member’s desk and mobile phone ring at the same time – and can go back and forth seamlessly.

Mobility functions are enabled either by the IP Office Power User or the IP Office Mobile Worker license. The functions, enabled by these user licenses, enhance mobile twinning by adding mobile call control through the use of the one-X application. Using a web browser, Sumner County ESC can access the one-X Portal and use it to:

• Control telephone and telephone calls
• View details of calls and directories of contacts
• Configure settings that affect how calls are treated by the telephone system
• Conduct conference calls

Results

Return on Investment (ROI) is very important to the Sumner County ESC, since much of their funding comes from state and local government departments that demand an ROI analysis. So far, all funding sources are delighted with the ROI stats they have seen.

“Because we get government funding, it is important to show calculated ROI. We have been able to document significant increases in productivity and efficiency,” according to Michael.

While not measurable for ROI, the feedback on the system is that it’s extremely easy to use and configure. The feedback on Hiscall is that they are responsive and exceed all expectation. “Their grade is a five star,” stated Michael.