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Insomnia Cookies Develops Custom Retail Relationship with VirtualPBX

Insomnia Cookies, a well-known chain of late-night bakeries, has rapidly expanded across the U.S. in recent years.

Founded in a University of Pennsylvania dorm room in 2003, Insomnia Cookies now has 156 stores, and counting, operating across the U.S.

It specializes in delivering fresh cookies and staying open late — until 3. a.m.

The chain’s expansion continues with the help of its communications partner, VirtualPBX. Together they have developed a custom arrangement that allows for rapid deployment of IP phones to new Insomnia locations, connecting to a nation-wide company phone network through the VirtualPBX Dash Phone Platform.

Rapid Deployment to New Retail Locations

Managers and associates at all Insomnia locations need a reliable method of contacting other stores and corporate offices.

On average, Insomnia locations receive a volume of 350 calls per month. Therefore the phone system must be robust and the phones durable.

VirtualPBX fulfills this demand by connecting every existing bakery and office through a single phone network. A store in Minnesota can reach a separate branch as easily as it can reach a regional office.

For VirtualPBX, setting up a static phone network is nothing new. The ongoing challenge with Insomnia is in helping the company open new retail locations with a simple method of phone deployment.

New Phones For New Bakeries

With Insomnia’s expansion continuing at a rapid pace, it is essential that its new retail locations can be outfitted with phones when they need them.

In many cases, VirtualPBX’s relationships with businesses include discussions about which phones are best for their situations. Small businesses may only need the Web Phone (shown here); larger businesses could utilize desk and conference phones.

Insomnia Cookies benefited from similar discussion. Where it differs from other clients is within its expansion. Insomnia needed phones for all its existing locations, and it needs immediate access to more phones every time it opens a new retail location.

A Package Deal

VirtualPBX and Insomnia created a custom agreement that made it possible for new phones to be shipped quickly.

Insomnia agreed to use the Yealink W60 in all its new locations. This wireless phone can handle up to 30 hours of talk time on a single charge and can roam as far as 50 meters from its base station.

VirtualPBX Support simply waits for a message from Insomnia — in short, “We need a new phone for Store X” — and ships a new device immediately to the desired retail shop.

The W60 reaches the store ready to work. Once it’s charged and plugged into an internet connection, it automatically configures itself to reach VirtualPBX servers and link to the Insomnia phone network.

Soapy Keo, IT Support Manager at Insomnia Cookies, commented on this process and the technical interaction between his and VirtualPBX’s staff:

“With stores open to 3 a.m., it’s sometimes challenging to find vendors that are responsive at all hours of the night,” he said. “This is not the case with VirtualPBX.

The support team I interact with is knowledgeable and responsive. I have found they are consistent in ‘closing the loop’ on technical issues. They not only solve the issues but follow up to make sure the solution is working for us.”

Future Development

At the time of writing this case study, Insomnia has opened 156 retail locations across the U.S.

While that number is impressive, it will be dwarfed by the number of locations patrons can visit by the end of 2020. Insomnia is on pace to open more than 200 stores in the coming years.

All those locations will have W60s delivered to their doors. VirtualPBX will handle those deployments at a moment’s notice. And all those locations will exist within an all-encompassing VirtualPBX phone network.

Dave Lasus, Chief Operating Officer at Insomnia Cookies, spoke positively about the situation:

“The new system delivers exactly what we need,” he said in an interview with VirtualPBX. “We’re pleased with what we’re doing now and are confident we’ll be supported by a true partner as we grow.”

For VirtualPBX as a company, this concept of handling retail store openings is a test of how well it can keep pace with other companies’ development plans. It must adapt to the pace at which others move and meet the demands of their operations without question.

The custom package of W60 delivery allows for an exact matching of pace and demand. Meanwhile, the VirtualPBX Business Phone System holds the current retail shops together and is flexible enough to accept new arrivals as they happen.

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