Wholesale Tape & Supply Company, Inc.

 Success Story and Case Study

Customer Information

Name/Title: Jason Giles

Company: Wholesale Tape & Supply Company
Address: 2841 Hickory Valley Road
City/State/Zip: Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
Phone Number: (423) 894-9427

Email: jgiles@wtsmedia.com
Web: http://www.wtsmedia.com

Customer Profile

Wholesale Tape & Supply (WTS) offers duplication services including graphic design packaging and fulfillment at affordable prices.  Wholesale Tape & Supply has established it’s reputation as “the Source for Sound, Sight, and Service.”  In addition, WTS can also provide blank audio cassettes, video tapes, recordable CDs, DVDs, labels, audio/video equipment, and professional presentation products for customers to effectively complete and promote projects of their own.  Located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, WTS has successfully grown its business through superior customer service, a well-established high-tech image, and a carefully crafted website that allows customers to quickly access information and purchase any product right from their Internet storefront. 

Telephony Challenge

For over 25 years, Wholesale Tape & Supply has been committed to providing high quality recording media and duplication tools to churches, schools, and other organizations. WTS also believes that their further commitment to superior customer service has played an essential role in the success of their organization.  Four years ago, however, WTS had expanded to the point where they growing out of their existing telephone system and believed that the overall customer service of the organization was being compromised.  WTS desperately needed a new telephone system that could provide them with voice mail features, call transfer capabilities, and effective call routing functionality. Additionally, they were looking for the ability to better adapt to their ever changing business environment and the flexibility to make their own Moves, Adds, and Changes.  WTS was challenged to find a telephone system that would not only accommodate these critical telephony requirements but that could also operate as total communication solution to improve customer service.

To assist them in solving this telephony challenge, WTS looked to Monark Voice & Data, a Value Added Reseller specializing in voice, data and Internet solutions, to recommend a solution that would best fit their business.  After evaluating a number of telephone system options with Monark Voice & Data, WTS recognized the benefits of the AltiGen converged IP PBX and chose to install an AltiGen telephone system solution in September 1998.

Installed AltiGen Solution

AltiGen’s converged IP-PBX was ideal in meeting both the telephone system functionality and customer service requirements of Wholesale Tape & Supply.  Four years ago, WTS first implemented the AltiGen System utilizing the AltiWare OE 2.0 software package, AltiGen’s T1/PRI technology and was equipped to support the voice traffic of over 30 extensions.  Integrating AltiGen’s Operator Attendant Console and AltiView desktop client interfaces, the converged communication solution provided WTS the flexibility to set up a very efficient contact center environment, where incoming calls are routed and delivered to the appropriate contact center agent based on the caller ID information.  Additionally, the open standards based system offered the added benefit of allowing WTS to integrate a customized Call Detail Reporting package, a specialized accounting software package, and a robust call recording package.  WTS could also integrate the AltiGen telephone system with their Goldmine customer relationship management software package for efficient voice and data convergence.

Since that initial implementation over 4 years ago, WTS has almost doubled their sales and has expanded their business by continuing to offer superior customer service.  Today WTS is using AltiGen’s OE 4.0 software package and has simply added additional telephony boards to their AltiGen system.  Their AltiGen telephone system has effectively scaled in size and features to accommodate for this growth.  The solution now supports the voice traffic of over 40 extensions.  In addition, by simply software upgrading their system, WTS has continually benefited from the latest features and functionality that the AltiGen solution has to offer including the capability to formalize their contact center environment by utilizing AltiGen’s AltiAgent and AltiSupervisor client interfaces.  These custom interfaces assist with call handling and agent management and allow WTS personnel to increase the effectiveness of each customer contact.  Four years ago, WTS didn’t just buy a telephone system.  WTS invested in a converged communication solution that increased the productivity of the entire organization.  Overall, WTS has positioned their business for success with a telephone system solution that can not only accommodate the existing needs of the organization but prepare WTS for future growth as well.

Long-Term Benefits – Low Cost of Ownership

Like most companies, the purchase of a new phone system was a strategic, corporate decision for Wholesale Tape & Supply.  WTS had a specific budget allocated for the purchase of their new telephone system and like any organization, they were looking for the highest possible initial value and a strong Return on Investment over time.  After working with Monark Voice & Data, WTS recognized the long-term benefits of investing in a converged communication solution.  Utilizing the AltiGen solution, WTS can make their own Moves, Adds, and Changes (MACs) such as the common tasks of adding a new extension, relocating employees to different desks, changing the routing and adjusting the number of agents participating in a contact center.  Having this type of easy system administration and administrative flexibility, allows WTS to effectively manage the system themselves.  Eliminating the need to call a technician every time a MAC needs to be made has driven down the total cost of owning the AltiGen system. 

Another long-term benefit WTS has experienced by using the AltiGen solution is the ability to take advantage of the latest telephony features and technology with simple software upgrades.  By capitalizing on these benefits, WTS is able to maintain an edge over the other competitors in their market.  Overall, the AltiGen solution enables WTS to integrate their voice, data, and Internet networks at a pace that is convenient with their budget and with their business needs.

Unexpected Benefits

Wholesale Tape & Supply’s MIS Director and IT Manager, Jason Giles, pointed out some of the unexpected benefits WTS has experienced as a result of implementing the AltiGen solution.  He indicated, “WTS knew that the AltiGen solution would be flexible with our business needs, but we never expected it to be so easy to scale and so easy to take advantage of the new system features available.”  He continued, “The AltiGen solution is a telephone system that WTS will not outgrow.  It expands as we expand.  To stay up to date with the latest feature set and functionality benefits does not require a total restructuring.  With the AltiGen solution, staying current is just a software upgrade away.”

User Feedback

“We are very pleased with the flexibility and reliability of the AltiGen system” says MIS Director Jason Giles, “our information management has improved significantly since implementing the AltiGen solution.  Additionally, as we continue to expand our business and add different divisions, AltiGen gives us the routing capabilities, administrative functionality, and integration flexibility to streamline our business and reduce our overall business costs.”  He also indicated, “Customer service is at the forefront of what we do and the AltiGen Solution helps us deliver the customer service necessary for Wholesale Tape & Supply to be successful.  We have grown exponentially since we implemented the AltiGen system and it has been a strong contributor to our success.”

Valuable Local Support

Derrick Wainright, Owner and President of Monark Voice & Data, Authorized AltiGen Reseller in the Tennessee market for over three and a half years.  Their dedication to AltiGen and commitment to excellence is the foundation for their tremendous success delivering the AltiGen solution.  Monark Voice & Data has been working with Wholesale Tape & Supply since they first installed their AltiGen system almost four years ago.  Jason Giles with WTS indicated that, “Like WTS, Monark Voice & Data is focused on customer service.  Monark is excellent at following up and implementing the functionality needed at WTS.  They believe in the AltiGen Solution and helped us see the value in implementing a converged communication solution opposed to a traditional proprietary legacy PBX.  Monark has helped us change our business, helped us grow our business, and helped us utilize our AltiGen system to its fullest potential.”

Dealer Contact Information

MonarkVoice & Data, Inc.

Derrick Wainright

6960 Lee Highway

Suite 204

Chattanooga, TN  37377

Phone Number: 423-892-8540

Email:  dwainwright@monarkbiz.com