Case study originally published by Panasonic.
Known as Campbellton’s choice Buick, Chevrolet and GMC dealer, the team at Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC works together to provide their customers with the ultimate shopping experience. No matter what sort of car, truck or SUV their customers may be looking for, the dealership has set a precedent to exceed customer expectations, deliver the best service possible and make car shopping fun again.
CHALLENGES
Operating a large dealership requires excellent communications throughout every stage of the sales process. Communication from the top down, including executive staff, administration, sales and parts and services all play an important role in delivering quality service. Faced with communication challenges throughout the dealership, Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC was looking for a communication system that would help their employees streamline operations and increase efficiency while on the job. After 25 years of using the same analog phone system for which they could no longer get service, Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC needed a change; it was time for an upgrade.
SOLUTIONS
Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC worked with Office Interiors, an authorized Panasonic reseller, to select their new unified communications solution. After evaluating Panasonic against other vendors in the market, the dealership chose the Panasonic KX-NS700 Smart Hybrid PBX system and cloud service offering along with the Panasonic KX-NT553 IP and KX-DT543 digital phones, and wireless DECT handsets as the best solution for the upgrade due to their advanced capabilities.
RESULTS
With a brand new phone and communications system in place, Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC has seen a reduction in operational costs, increase in staff and customer satisfaction and improved efficiency throughout the dealership. Since the installation, the new system has been up and working flawlessly.
Improving Mobility at Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC
When it was clear that their current analog phone system was no longer meeting their needs and could no longer be serviced, Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC wanted to be certain that the next communications system they invested in would offer them the flexibility and mobility they needed and would be a valuable asset to the dealership now and in the future.
“The analog system that we had in place was no longer adequate for us in terms of our ability to respond to customers and members of our team quickly, so we knew that we needed to update our system,” said Alain Normand, general manager at Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC. “We considered several other solutions before making our decision, but ultimately felt the most comfortable working with Office Interiors to find a flexible, reliable and wireless unified communications solution to meet our needs.”
Making the Investment with Panasonic Solutions
With guidance from Office Interiors, Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC selected the KX-NS700 Smart Hybrid PBX system as their unified communications platform, along with digital and IP phones, and cordless DECT handsets. The system’s advanced, rich features, including mobile phone integration, wireless connectivity and IP networking laid the perfect foundation for the dealership’s new communication structure.
To complement their new on-premise PBX system, Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC also took their communications to the cloud using Panasonic SIP Trunks. With on-demand scalability, reduced call costs and reliability in the event of a system failure, SIP Trunks allowed the dealership to save money and become more flexible at the same time. Together, the new solution provided the dealership with the technology they needed to uphold their excellent level of customer service, and allowed staff to stay productive no matter where they were in the dealership.
“Once we identified which solutions we were going to implement, we quickly set up the system, ensuring that Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC were still accessible to customers and their teams during the deployment process,” said John Furlong, regional sales manager, Office Interiors.
Cutting the Cord
Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC staff no longer have to worry about missing a customer’s call. Thanks to the unified communications solution’s multizone wireless connectivity, sales agents and administrative staff can receive calls wherever they are on the dealership property. They also have the ability to switch easily between desk phones and portable devices during conversations, reducing customer waiting time and enabling the customer to speak to the right person in a timely manner. Additionally, the dealership was able to take advantage of the system’s mobile phone integration, allowing the staff to use their smartphones just like office extensions.
“The mobile integration, DECT page system and cordless handsets have been a game changer for us,” said Alain. “Those additions may seem simple for some businesses, but for us they provide the added mobility, flexibility and clear communication our dealership desperately needed. Our sales team and parts and services department are no longer bound to their desks by a phone cord. They can move around the dealership freely without the added worry of missing a customer call.”
Savings Add Up
The dealership has seen significant results since deploying Panasonic’s unified communications solution. In addition to the top of the line features and benefits including reliability and failover, the dealership saw substantial cost savings associated with the hybrid PBX system and SIP trunking solutions. Unlike traditional analog and PRI lines that require planning for peak at all times, SIP trunking offers on-demand scalability, allowing the dealership to only pay for what they need. And since SIP trunking does not require a significant capital expenditure to deploy and can reduce costs by using the internet to make calls, Plaza Chevrolet Buick GMC saw a quick return on investment, allowing the dealership to save more than $4,200 per year in operational costs.