Regional managed IT services provider Cicom has transformed its telephony offerings, by partnering with Melbourne Communications as a Service (UCaaS) wholesaler Access4.
Cicom is based in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, and recently overhauled its unified communications technology stack.
Clinton Carey, Cicom's founder, decided to DIY a solution, being frustrated at the price the company was being charged for business telephony services.
Carey built a phone system on the Google Cloud Platform using 3CX, and sourcing some VoIP trunks from another supplier.
In doing so, Cicom saw its telephony costs drop by two-thirds, and Carey decided a business opportunity had revealed itself.
"We thought, 'We can do this for other people as well'," he said.
The provider sought to streamline operations and improve service delivery for its growing customer base.
However, as Cicom's client list grew to around 30 managed telephony environments, the complexity of managing multiple platforms became increasingly challenging.
Carey recognised the need for a "single pane of glass" solution to enhance serviceability and create a sustainable growth platform.
The wholesaler demonstrated an understanding of regional Australian business needs, and Cicom decided to partner with the Melbourne company.
The transition to Access4's cloud-hosted telephony solution involved moving existing customers and sales processes to the SASBOSS platform which provided the "single pane of glass" for Cicom.
Access4 took charge of behind-the-scenes deployment, freeing Cicom to focus on customer-facing aspects.
"We knew we weren't alone - and that there was a genuine willingness to engage our business and customers on the cutover experience," Carey said.
The company plans to extend its reach into new areas of northern NSW and explore opportunities to cross-sell other managed IT services to existing customers.
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