"Since the new system was installed, I feel that the efficiency of our communications has improved, for example, the early morning rush has become less chaotic, with callers being answered automatically by the system and then being able to leave messages - such as notifying pupil absence - on the voicemail".
Jenny McCabe, Bursar

Western House Primary School is based in Cippenham, Berkshire, and provides schooling for 360 pupils. The school's teachers ensure that pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum and they are proud of the high standard of teaching provided.

Issues

• Previous system was not covered by a maintenance agreement and therefore not supported in the event of a fault or system failure
• During busy periods of the day, there were often problems answering a high volume of calls
• Difficulty in notifying parents about school closures and alterations to the timetable
• Taking messages for members of staff was time-consuming for staff in the school office
Solutions


• New telephone system is covered by a maintenance agreement provided by an IS09001 accredited company
• Calls answered automatically by the system, with callers able to dial directly to the school office, departments and members of staff
• Set up of "emergency" notification so callers can quickly find out up to date information.

Results

• Knowledgeable engineers are readily available to provide speedy resolutions to service issues
• Improved service, callers can now quickly connect to staff members or departments without needing to talk to a receptionist.
• Parents are kept informed, regardless of the circumstances
• A "simple-to-use" voicemail facility
• Voicemail reduces the time it takes to so callers and school staff can relay messages and provides in the school office leave detailed messages callers with an enhanced service

Dataphone Communications is an established and highly respected company that has delivered telephony services to more than 4500 customers throughout the United Kingdom. We specialise in supplying the education sector, and one of many schools we support is Western House Primary School.

The school recently invested in a new NEC XN120 telephone system from Dataphone Communications, and this has significantly helped to improve both internal and external communication, whilst providing staff with the peace of mind that their system is supported by a team of experienced customer service personnel.

Dataphone: one telecoms supplier

In addition to supporting the school's telephone system, Dataphone also manages their telephone lines and routing of calls. This means that not only does the school save money on line rental and calls, it only needs to contact one company in the event of a query with any aspect of their telecoms service.

The previous telephone system was limited in its functionality and also wasn't covered by a maintenance agreement. Western House Primary School selected Dataphone to supply their system because they were able to demonstrate that they understood their needs as a small business and were able to provide them with a practical and cost effective telecoms solution.

Improving the efficiency of communications

Installing the Dataphone system meant that the school could quickly take advantage of the features associated with a modern and easy-to-use system. This has helped simplify a number of school procedures, including being able to leave messages for staff members, callers being able to dial directly to staff or departments, the school being able to notify alterations to school hours by simply recording a message that can be heard by callers, as well as reception staff being able to identify incoming calls from parents (via integration with the SIMS database). Additionally, office-based staff have been allocated handsets that provide for 'one touch' dialling to extensions and voicemail which speeds up the transfer of calls.

An NEC XN120 system was selected by the school because it could easily be tailored to meet the needs of the staff and callers. It has now been in place for six months and staff report that it has significantly improved call handling and eased their workload.

"When I first visited Western House School, I discovered an immediate concern over the lack of service and support in place for the school's telephony services. In addition, there were no real facilities in place to assist the school during busy periods or to improve productivity as a whole. Examining the challenges faced by the school, I was able to propose a practical and cost effective telephony solution. It is clear that the new system has helped to improve the day to day working of the school, whilst giving callers an improved service".
Neil Gunn, Dataphone School Consultant