OPPORTUNITY

Professional telecom project management helps streamline communications for major retailer. When customer communications were threatened, National Vision, Inc., a nationwide eyeglass retailer, modernized their legacy systems in just six weeks with professional telecom project management from The BAZ Group. BAZ quickly helped to streamline communications in a time of crisis.

Previously, the company relied on in-store associates to fill orders, answer questions, and fit eyeglasses. While they have a nationwide footprint, the organization acquired locations over time, resulting in 300 stores that it had not connected to the central communication system and database. Thus, the company often relied on two unconnected systems to communicate with customers, the individual store phone number and the central call center. The company needed a more responsive system to deliver on its reputation.

COVID-19 exposed the vulnerabilities of many company’s legacy technologies. National Vision, Inc., a retailer with over 1,300 stores, needed to centralize their communication systems to deliver high quality services amidst the crisis.

BAZ generated the solution to address urgent business needs while holistically ensuring it would address broader communication goals. To accomplish this so quickly, BAZ tripled the size of the team that supports this client. They worked 24/7 to take ownership of the issue and implement enhanced technologies.

Throughout the intensive project, BAZ operated as a true partner to the company. They conducted the highly detailed technical effort of working store-by-store on transitioning their voicemail systems, while presenting their client a long-term telecommunications vision.

In one month, BAZ:

1) Quickly activated voicemail boxes from the local exchange carrier so that associates could get into the store’s voicemail. This allowed associates to handle customer calls during the closure. While it was the quickest way to get calls answered, using it as a long-term solution would be unwieldy.

2) Expanded the centralized system so that every store voicemail was connected to it.  After four rings, a call would go to the central system.

3) Integrated a Centralized System to the Company Database so that store hours, afterhours greetings and customer messages could update seamlessly – even as store hours were changing across the country.

Within six weeks BAZ took this national retailer from a mix of individual user-based voicemail and centralized message systems to a fully integrated and controlled communications platform. The retailer was able to serve their customers while keeping staff safe.

This is an example of how BAZ works as an extension of its clients’ teams. They always strive to optimize every element of the network environment – voice, Internet, mobile or data – and enhance the ROI.