Case Studies
MANOR HIGH SCHOOL - Unified Communications solution provides integration and functionality.
Leicestershire based Manor High School is a community school for children aged 10 to 14 years and serves a suburban area to the south of the City of Leicester. The first academy school in Leicester, it has 900 pupils and 100 staff. The school strives for excellence and academic standards are high.
In order to keep teachers and staff across the school informed and up to date, Manor High School worked with Quatrix to incorporate a Unified Communications solution to enable them to communicate effectively through the use of softphones and with voicemail delivered by email.
- Extensive evaluation period, including demonstrations of the solutions to enable a thorough review of suitability
- The UC solution gives Manor High School improved communication across all departments
- Financing options and re-use of existing technology allowed Quatrix to offer the solution at a cost within the school’s budget
Business Challenges
To effectively manage a school, the numerous activities taking place, class schedules, as well as curriculum changes and reporting, it’s essential that the communication tools available to teachers and staff are designed around the complexities of school life.
Manor High School needed to enable its teaching staff to retrieve messages and communicate when they had no access to handsets. With an ageing PBX-based phone system that was reaching the end of manufacturers support, Manor High School contacted Structured Technology Services to discuss the options they had to improve the communication tools they could access across the school.
As a local company with in-depth knowledge of Cisco systems, we were able to offer Manor High School the best solutions to enhance their communication abilities, as well as providing network configuration and advice alongside the Unified Communications solution. We undertook an extensive evaluation process with Manor High School and attended demonstrations of the solutions working to ensure the technology suited the situation.
The Solution
A 3 year support service agreement was approved and Quatrix organised a trade-in of the existing PBX system for financial benefit in the form of a discount and for environmental benefit (WEEE disposal). The school was informed of a number of options for ensuring the solution was cost-effective; including the option to take Cisco Capital Easylease Financing.
By providing a Cisco UC560 solution, we offered the busy high school greater integration for staff communication and increased efficiency benefits through better access to messages. Reception staff are now able to easily manage calls through PC-based call handling software. Manor High School has a more resilient system and has maximised value from reusing already installed network and wireless assets.
“Manor High School is a busy and high-achieving establishment and, as such, had a number of specialist requirements. Quatrix took on board our needs, provided an extensive evaluation procedure and installed an integrated solution that has greatly benefitted the school. Quatrix’s knowledge and their understanding of our requirements and budget mean that they were able to provide the ideal solution and offer us advice about the financing options available to us. We would happily recommend Quatrix’s services”
IT Manager, Manor High School