MBAJ

Based in Shelby, NC, with branch offices in Charlotte and Raleigh, MBAJ is an architecture firm that specializes in the educational and public sectors. Tasked with building structures on strong foundations, the architects must also juggle customer requirements and external issues often beyond their control. Efficient communications are of the essence, whether to check permit issues and zoning guidelines, or to obtain approvals for the slightest design change.

“We’ve got multiple architects in the field at any given moment who need immediate communication with our offices and with their clients.”
- Rusty Morgan, Network Administrator, MBAJ.

With offices scattered across the state of North Carolina and lots of highly mobile employees, MBAJ needed the distributed flexibility and powerful features of an IP-based business communication system. Top priorities for any system were ease of use for end-users and administrators alike, advanced mobility features, and the ability to leverage the company’s existing telecommunications investment.

“There is no need to buy expensive IP phones, because any standard phone will work with ShoreTel.”
- Rusty Morgan, Network Administrator, MBAJ.

Beyond a full-featured unified communication system, ShoreTel offered MBAJ the flexibility to transition to IP at its own pace. Keeping its existing wiring and handsets, MBAJ leveraged the system’s tandem trunking and coordinated dialing to migrate in stages. To cover its three offices, MBAJ installed two ShoreTel T1 Voice Switches and six ShoreTel 24s, along with ShoreTel Core Software, ShoreTel Director, and ShoreTel Call Manager. The voice switches handle the underlying call management and ensure that MBAJ has rock-solid voice services across its three locations. Other benefits include:

• A whopping 60 percent reduction in long distance charges, with inter-office calls routed across its private IP network that spans the three locations.
• The costs saved from introducing an IP-based system enabled the upgrade to two full T-1 lines — more than 25 times the bandwidth of the old 56Kbps lines. The T-1 lines also permit extensive sharing of an email server and a single point of access to the Internet.
• Costly outside service calls are no longer needed, as system management tasks and all moves, adds, and changes can be made in-house, freeing IT staff for more important tasks.
• ShoreTel Call Manager’s single interface enables employees to manage communications using their ShoreTel desk phone, computer, mobile phone, or home telephone, increasing productivity and easing collaboration.

“Since deploying the ShoreTel system five years ago, MBAJ voice service has been completely reliable.”
- Rusty Morgan, Network Administrator, MBAJ.