Offering more than 125,000 different office supplies and furniture products to customers nationwide, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Louisiana Office Supply Company delivers personalized service that differentiates them from the competition. Helping companies run their businesses more efficiently is a promise LOSCO has delivered on since 1936.

“Meeting customer wishes, not just their demands, is our promise,” said Laurie Chapple, customer service representative manager at LOSCO. “So when it was time for a new telecommunication system, we wanted to stay with Toshiba for the most reliable system available, coupled with personalized attention from our Authorized Toshiba Dealer, Preferred Telephone Systems Inc.” Preferred Telephone, also based in Baton Rouge, helped LOSCO migrate to its new Toshiba Strata CIX IP business communication system.

Mission: Maximize Customer Service With Toshiba Strata ACD
Richard Peak, sales manager of Preferred Telephone Systems Inc., recommended Toshiba’s Strata CIX IP business communication system with Toshiba’s Strata ACD solution. He said, “LOSCO relies on its communication system to deliver exceptional personal service and handle hundreds of calls every day. With Toshiba’s Strata CIX and Strata ACD, LOSCO can manage its customer calls for placing or checking on orders, pickups and deliveries. Its telephones are essential to its business, so having a reliable solution was paramount. With more than 20 years of providing dependable products to LOSCO, Toshiba was the best choice.”

Solution: Toshiba Delivers a Call Center With Three ACD Groups
Installed by Preferred Telephone Systems Inc., LOSCO’s Toshiba Strata CIX670 is a 96-port IP business communication system with Stratagy iES32 voice processing, Strata ACD call center application, and a mix of Toshiba DKT digital telephones, Plantronic headsets and Net Phone softphones.

Toshiba’s Strata ACD call center solution is set up for three separate ACD groups: office supplies, furniture and bookkeeping. Chapple said, “Calls are queued for the three ACD groups and routed to the appropriate agents. When the call comes in, agents get a screen pop with the Caller ID and telephone number, so they can see exactly who’s calling and have immediate access to the customer’s account history.”

Result #1: Efficiencies Increased, Improved Customer Service
Using Toshiba’s Net Phone IP-based soft telephones on their computers, agents can make calls — directly or via speed-dial — receive calls, transfer calls, and handle all calls right from their desktops. Using InView software, they can see a real-time view of the ACD calls, such as how many are in queue, which enables them to better manage customer hold times. Calls are answered live via seven receptionists and then are routed into the hunt group depending on agent availability and established routing rules. “This creates agent responsibility for the calls and has virtually eliminated issues with customers hanging up,” Chapple explained.

“The Strata ACD system has saved all of us a lot of time and enabled us to provide even better customer service. In fact, we believe that about 80 percent of incoming calls are now handled immediately, rather than requiring return calls, which makes our customers very happy. The other 20 percent require additional research, such as on furniture purchases, and would require return calls in any case,” she added. When a message does need to be left, the caller’s telephone number appears on the screen, making it easy to return calls even if someone forgets to leave a number.

Result #2: Improved Staffing Capabilities Handle Peak Calling Periods
In addition to improved customer service, LOSCO appreciates the ability to better manage call center staffing via the reporting feature that helps measure and forecast calling periods. Chapple said, “I can see exactly what’s going on within the ACD groups, both live and via reports, which allows me to predict and appropriately staff the call center for peak calling periods.”

Result #3: Toshiba’s Smooth Migration Path Saves Thousands
A customer of Preferred Telephone and Toshiba for more than 20 years, LOSCO has migrated through five Toshiba systems, always keeping its system current with the latest technologies. Chapple said, “When it was time to migrate to an IP solution, Toshiba was our first choice.”

Peak added, “Staying with the Toshiba communication family enabled LOSCO to migrate its existing digital telephones, headsets, PRI cards and other equipment, providing a $20,000 cost savings over having to buy an entirely new system.” LOSCO originally purchased Toshiba’s Strata XX in 1985 and has migrated along with Toshiba as it released new platforms. It moved to the Strata CIX IP business communications platform in 2005.

Result #4: System Stays Live With Battery Backup, Even in Bad Weather
Because it’s based in Baton Route, LOSCO is susceptible to hurricanes and other extreme weather, so Chapple opted for a battery backup. She said, “We’ve had power surges, outages and no problems. It’s very easy to re-set the system once it’s gone to battery power. We never really go down.”

Bottom Line: Toshiba Strata CIX Improves Customer Service, Saves $20,000
Exceptional service from Preferred Telephone together with a dependable, feature-rich Toshiba Strata CIX IP business communication system delivered a dramatic improvement in customer service. Customer calls are answered more quickly and knowledgeably.

With the Toshiba Strata CIX and Strata ACD solution, LOSCO has saved $20,000 over buying a new system by being able to migrate existing telephones, headsets and PRI cards to the new system.

Chapple gave Preferred Telephone and Toshiba the highest compliment possible, saying, “Preferred Telephone and Toshiba gave us the same kind of service we give our customers — and that’s exceptional!”