In 2016, VirtualPBX created the new Dash Business Phone System, which was made to replace its legacy vConsole.
Dash offered new VirtualPBX customers advanced web-based dashboards and VoIP features. Existing customers, however, needed to move from vConsole to gain those same benefits – a process VirtualPBX would facilitate in the following months.
The migration process was standardized to help keep customers’ phone system preferences similar, even though the back-end code was drastically changing.
What happened with The Machine Tech and its migration shows that even standardized procedures can weaken in the face of complex changes. It also demonstrates why a knowledgeable Support team is essential for such large-scale operations.
Gina Barnowsky – office manager at The Machine Tech who does “everything necessary to keep the company running” – spoke to VirtualPBX in an interview after her company switched from vConsole.
She works remotely and transfers inbound calls to three technicians that fly throughout the U.S. and Canada to repair computer-controlled bridge saws. And she noticed quickly that not everything was working in Dash the way she expected.
Gina noticed that incoming calls were ringing her home office phone and her techs’ VirtualPBX Softphones all at once. Previously, vConsole primarily sent calls to Gina, who could then route them to the appropriate technicians.
“All four phones would ring at the same time,” she said. “There was confusion about who was answering calls.”
While this change in behavior had a noticeable effect, its cause was easy to trace: All The Machine Tech employees were placed in a single Ring Group in Dash.
This meant that they were all grouped together to receive incoming calls. And more importantly, their individual phone extensions were also told to ring simultaneously.
For an experienced Dash user, a few clicks can remove or add users from groups and change their ringing distributions.
For anyone new like Gina, however, the change was jarring and the fix unobvious. Her situation moved the process from “a few clicks” to potentially hours of research if she was left without help.
“I’m extremely busy,” she said. “I home-school several children, and don’t have time for tutorials.” Something needed to be done, so she called VirtualPBX Support.
Gina was soon on the phone with VirtualPBX Support staff. She explained her situation, and Support fixed the problem immediately.
But Gina wasn’t finished. She wanted Dash to work exactly as she envisioned it, so she scheduled a call for further instruction to tweak Dash into perfection.
Within an hour, Gina said, her system performed as the needed and she gained the knowledge of how to make future changes manually.
“I really appreciate the fact that they got me situated,” she continued.
“There’s a learning curve, but the system now works like it should. We set up [Dash] to help me do my job.”
Transitions from one piece of software to another aren’t always perfect – especially in systems as complex as VoIP telephony.
VirtualPBX Support recognized Gina’s situation right away. Staff acted with speed to assure she could make it through the week. Then they sat down and patiently moved through additional configuration together.
Gina’s uncompromising attitude and Support’s attention to detail turned this unsatisfactory situation into a functional, custom phone system setup that works for the client to exacting standards.
Despite the rocky transition, Gina noted, “The customer support was great. I would still recommend your phone system.”
At VirtualPBX, that’s definitely what we want to hear. We’re excited to have worked through a difficult time with a valued client.
Founded in a San Francisco, California basement in 1997, VirtualPBX delivers premium Business Phone, Messaging, POTS replacement, and Contact Center solutions for our customers, who work in the office, remotely, and everywhere in between. We offer more than just products and services; we make your business better with quality customer care and 24/7 support.
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