IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 11, 2012 ― Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., Telecommunication Systems Division (Toshiba) — www.telecom.toshiba.com, has helped LifeLong Medical Care connect the employees and patients of its network with Toshiba’s IPedge and Strata® CIX IP and converged business telephone systems. Founded in 1976, California-based LifeLong Medical Care is a dynamic nonprofit community organization with locations in Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties. LifeLong provides approximately 233,720 health care visits annually to more than 41,000 individuals of all ages, many with complex health conditions.
Managed by Betsy Ami, IT director, and Phillip Klatt, IT manager, LifeLong’s Toshiba business telephone system helps meet their communication objectives, including:
- Centralize telephony applications, including voice mail, call center and system administration;
- Network all locations together over IP for easy extension dialing and eliminate long distance between locations;
- Provide an affordable and reliable telephone solution;
- Allow a mix of IP and digital telephones;
- Effectively handle more than 1,000 incoming calls every day;
- Facilitate remote centralized administration for all locations; and
- Support LifeLong’s mission to provide the highest possible quality of service to its patients and their families.
LifeLong’s Authorized Toshiba Dealer, ATS Communications Inc. of Concord, Calif., installed and provides service support for the system. Sanford Gladding, sales manager of ATS Communications, said, “With Toshiba’s migration promise to ‘Leave no customer behind,’ Toshiba’s IPedge and Strata CIX meet LifeLong’s communications needs both today and into the future.” ATS Communications has been an Authorized Toshiba Dealer since 1988.
Solution: Toshiba Provides the Best of Both Worlds — IP and Digital Converged Communications
Installed by ATS Communications, LifeLong’s Toshiba business telephone system consists of both pure IP and IP converged systems for the best of both worlds, including:
- One IPedge EP business telephone system;
- Four Strata CIX670 business telephone systems;
- Four Strata CIX100 business telephone systems;
- Strata Net networking, which connects the locations to each other via IP;
- Nearly 900 ports;
- More than 600 Toshiba IP and digital telephones across the network;
- Toshiba SoftIPT softphones for mobile workers;
- For unified communications, two Strata MAS systems: one with auto attendant, Unified Messaging, and voice mail, and the other for Toshiba’s Strata ACD and TASKE call center solutions for LifeLong’s call center with four groups and 15 agents; and
- Network eManager for centralized remote management of all systems in all locations.
Result #1: Centralized System Reduces Costs, Improves Productivity
Toshiba met LifeLong’s requirement for a centralized system with shared applications across all locations, including voice mail, call center and remote system management. Using Toshiba’s Network eManager remote administration tool, LifeLong’s IT staff can now remotely manage the entire telephone system from their desktop or laptop computers.
Result #2: Seamlessly Networked Systems Deliver Low-Cost Communication
LifeLong’s locations are seamlessly networked via IP using Toshiba’s Strata Net IP networking solution. Networking the systems enables direct extension dialing and call transfers between the locations, helping reduce long distance charges by thousands of dollars every month. And, it’s helped improve communication between both the internal staff and their patients.
Result #3: IP Phones Reduce Cabling Costs by 50 Percent
Utilizing IP telephones has helped LifeLong cut its cabling costs for their new construction in West Berkeley by 50 percent. As well, during construction, IP telephones have enabled staff to move easily and take their IP telephones with them.
Bottom Line: A Centralized Business Telephone System That Saves Costs and Improves Communication
Toshiba’s IPedge and Strata CIX telephone systems have met LifeLong’s communications objectives, including:
- Centralized applications;
- Networking over IP;
- Cost savings of more than $2,500 per month by eliminating toll charges between networked locations;
- Use of IP telephones, which allows LifeLong’s floating staff members to take their telephones with them as they move between locations;
- Improved routing of patient calls to the right call center group and agent;
- Ability to grow the system by adding IP or converged solutions and IP, digital or mobile endpoints;
- Centralized, remote administration of the entire system, which reduces time to make changes while decreasing the need for costly service calls; and
- Standardization on a single vendor platform for all locations.
“Together, Toshiba and ATS Communications delivered on our primary goals of centralized applications, IP networking between all locations, and the ability to do remote system administration. With Toshiba and ATS, we have a winning combination,” said Betsy Ami, IT director, LifeLong Medical Care.
“Our Toshiba business telephone system is extremely reliable and easy to use, allowing us to focus on our patients and staff while providing the best communications solutions possible,” added Phillip Klatt, IT manager, LifeLong Medical Care.
For an Authorized Toshiba Dealer, visit: www.telecom.toshiba.com