In March of 2020, COVID-19 exposed the vulnerabilities of many company’s legacy technologies, including a nationwide vision and eyeglass center with over 1,300 stores and five different brands BAZ has been working with since 2007. BAZ guided them through a rapid 6 week technological transformation to centralize their communication systems so they could continue to deliver high quality services amidst the 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 were not connected to the central communication system and database. Thus, the company often relied on two disconnected systems to communicate with customers, the individual store phone number and the central call system. The company needed a more responsive system to deliver on its reputation.

The Solution

The solution was generated to address the 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 and 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, conducting the highly-detailed technical work of working store-by-store on transitioning their voicemail systems, while presenting their client on 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 to get answered, it would be unwieldy as a long-term system.  

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) Integrate 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.

The Outcome

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, to optimize every element of their network environment – voice, Internet, mobile or data – and enhance their ROI.