Anderson Nickolich Design Initiative - Small Hosted IP

Objective:
Design a very cost effective voice and data solution for a small but growing architectural firm that wants it clients to have the same amenities as they would receive at a larger firm.

Situation:
Kris and Marshall started their firm working from cell phones and laptops in their homes. After their business took off, they needed office space to help with their collaboration efforts and bring on new employees. They wanted clients to have a good customer experience from the minute they contacted the firm. At the same time, budget concerns were a major issue. They needed simple solutions like an auto attendant (because they had no receptionist), voice mail, voice mail to email, recording, wireless and wired network with firewall and antivirus, and as much internet speed as they could afford.

Resolution:
After receiving prices from a number of vendors and not completely understanding those recommendations, Kris turned to Blue Ocean. Blue Ocean created a simple but effective solution. Install an AT&T DSL line in their new offices on Morris Ave. and connected the DSL to a small firewall, a Power over Ethernet Data Switch, a Wireless Access Point, and added some virus protection software on their laptops. This along with some simple Cat6 cabling brought the firm a fully state of the art data network. Wanting to preserve capital and not wanting to be bound to proprietary equipment Blue Ocean suggested going with a hosted voice solution. This gave the firm a complete voice and unified messaging solution for thousands less. Kris and Marshall opted to install Polycom IP phones because of their sound quality and the ability to migrate these phones to an in house system as the organization grows. Kris and Marshall now focus their time on serving clients and designing green initiatives for the community.