Biffa streamlines communication processes, eliminating unnecessary elements
Biffa, the UK's second-largest waste management provider, has made a significant move in unifying its communications infrastructure onto a single platform provided by Azzurri. This decision aims to simplify management, reduce costs, increase reliability, and improve integration across communication channels.
The company's communications infrastructure, which reflects past technology strategies and company acquisitions, is heterogeneous. However, the unification process will be crucial, with workshops, alignment of plans, and coordination to ensure a smooth implementation of various projects.
Azzurri was chosen as the single provider after a competitive tendering process, as they had the most compelling commercial proposition that met all functionality requirements. The company's expertise in delivering integrated communications solutions, strong customer service, scalability, competitive pricing, and ability to tailor solutions to business needs likely played a significant role in their selection.
Under a three-year contract, Azzurri will manage Biffa's mobile telephony, wide-area network, IP telephony, and call center systems. The contract includes the management of mobile telephony, allowing the use of standard SIP programmes on Cisco IP phones and the removal of Cisco equipment.
One of the organisational benefits of this partnership is improved health and safety training, better CCTV streaming across the network, simplified conference calls, and the ability to use mobile devices for waste service sign-ups and in-cab equipment upgrades. Additionally, a mobile tariff partnership between Azzurri and O2 offers free calls within Biffa, regardless of whether they are fixed-to-mobile, fixed-to-fixed, or mobile-to-mobile.
Biffa's decision to unify its communications infrastructure also supports new initiatives including mobile working, video-conferencing, and the upcoming data center outsourcing move. An upgrade to 4G-enabled Windows 8 devices for in-cab equipment is planned towards the end of the year.
Moreover, the unification will enable Biffa to address the legacy telephony of businesses it has acquired, such as Greenstar, acquired in 2010, potentially leading to further savings. The expected savings from the communications refresh are a reduction of £2 million over three years, with a potential total cost of ownership of £5 million instead of £7 million.
Since 2008, Biffa has transformed customer support so that customers now call into a central contact center instead of individual depots. A new web portal for collection customers is being developed, and the core infrastructure will be moved to a colocated data center with Phoenix Datacom.
Biffa, which turns over £860 million annually and employs more than 6,000 people, is set to reap the benefits of this communications refresh while maintaining a high-quality user experience. The unification of communications infrastructure onto a single platform from a single provider, Azzurri, marks a significant step forward in Biffa's digital transformation journey.
Biffa's move to unify its communications infrastructure onto a single platform provided by Azzurri is anticipated to increase efficiency in business operations, particularly through improved health and safety training, CCTV streaming, conference calls, and mobile device usage for waste service sign-ups and equipment upgrades.
This technological upgrade, supported by the partnership with Azzurri, is also expected to play a crucial role in addressing the legacy telephony of acquired businesses, potentially leading to substantial financial savings in the realm of finance.
