GEC NEWS WIREDelma Exchange, a UAE based global currency exchange has partnered with Telephony Communications Technologies to deploy Avaya IP Telephony Solutions across its network of offices and exchanges in the UAE and other branches internationally. The implementation will help Delma Exchange enrich its communications experience for customers and will lay the foundation for future upgrades.
The ability of Avaya IP Telephony to interconnect various business applications has been the key driving factor for choosing the platform. With the call centres now connected and detailed reports being generated, analytics play a major role in helping Delma Exchange take more data-driven business decisions. The availability of new channels of communication has also aided employees to engage voice and video, thereby enhancing end user experiences and improving customer satisfaction.
Delma Exchange operates 6 branches across the UAE and Middle East region and other branches internationally. The key challenge faced by Delma Exchange was ensuring that their customers were able to reach their dedicated account managers without having to go through an operator to conduct time sensitive currency transactions. This was not possible through the existing conventional EPABX system. The exchange also wanted to ensure that their internal offices, call centres and head offices were connected to allow for the same level of efficiency across locations.
With conventional methods of communication no longer being sustainable to ensure business efficiency, Delma Exchange’s aim was to eventually have the IP Telephony systems form the backbone of its communications with the system connecting to the online chat and calling system, website, and call centre. After evaluating several vendors, Delma Exchange chose Avaya as its preferred IP telephony partner for its product superiority, ease of implementation, cost, scalability and after sales support.
The Avaya IP Telephony system currently supports 200 licenses, is centralised and hosted partially on the cloud and devices on premise, and seamlessly integrated with the exchange’s core business solutions. The system currently connects seven branches and two offices in the UAE, and will be extended to cover rest of the branches and other international offices. The solution was deployed through Delma Exchange’s long-term technology partner Telephony Communication Technology. Delma Exchange’s future communications roadmap includes eventually deploying a UC platform to include BYOD, and the project will run in parallel to the exchange’s other ITC projects.
Delma Exchange includes global clientele across the retail, private and corporate sector, providing foreign currency exchange services as well spot and forward contracts, and market orders.
“Improving the happiness index and level of service satisfaction for our customers is the core of our mission. Speed and efficiency of communications is crucial ensure satisfied customers, and to allow them to transact with dedicated dealers and currency experts without delay,” said Zahir Moghal, CEO, Delma Exchange.
“The shift from the conventional EPABX systems to IP Telephony helps create a starting point for personalisation of our communications services and to help connect better with our customers. At the same time, it is important that our employees are immediately available for our customers to keep track of the rapid changes in currency exchange rates. Collaboration between our branches is important for us to ensure smooth transactions. IP Telephony helps us overcome these challenges and provides cost optimised solutions that align with our business objectives.”
“Investing in technology to enhance efficiency, reduce opex, increase productivity as well as end-user experience is critical to business success,” said Abhilash Babu, Head of Finance at Delma Exchange. “We are glad to make a timely decision to invest in the right communication technology which will have long term tangible and intangible financial benefit for the exchange.”
“Shifting to IP Telephony is the first step towards enhancing our communication systems, along with other IT infrastructure projects,” said Anirudh Biswas, Head of IT at Delma Exchange. “Tailoring solutions to align with our goals and objectives set by the stakeholders has been a challenge, particularly when multiple projects need to be executed simultaneously during a short span of time. Avaya has been one such vendor who has simplified this process for us. Their approach to implementation and ease of use has enhanced communication for our end users.”
“Our employees now have the flexibility and freedom to communicate from any-where at any-time and this level of collaboration has increased employee efficiency to 47% compared to the legacy communication equipment that were in use. Implementation of the solution is ongoing, but took around two months to complete. This is a record time for deployment in the UAE, right from planning to implementation,” added Bishwas.
“As a long-term partner for Delma Exchange, we were confident of meeting their expectations to align with their business objectives and IT infrastructure projects,” said Shefiq Abdulla, COO, Telephony Communication Technologies. “We were able to help them identify the products most compatible to their requirements and deployed the solution on time to ensure that their entire operations run smoothly and with minimal impact on business continuity.”
Key takeaways
Strategy
- Ability of Avaya IP Telephony to interconnect various business applications has been driving factor for choosing the platform.
- Aim was to have IP Telephony systems form the backbone of communications connecting to online chat, calling system, website, call centre.
Execution
- Key challenge faced was ensuring customers were able to reach account managers without having to go through an operator to conduct time sensitive currency transactions.
- Exchange wanted to ensure internal offices, call centres, head offices were connected to allow for the same level of efficiency across locations.
Cash
- Analytics play a major role in helping Delma Exchange take more data-driven business decisions.
- After evaluating, Delma Exchange chose Avaya as its preferred IP telephony partner for product, implementation, cost, scalability, support.
People
- Availability of new channels of communication has aided employees to engage voice and video, enhancing end user experiences and improving customer satisfaction.
