Brinks, a global logistics leader, navigated a significant milestone in its communications strategy by migrating over 220 branches to the cloud using Webex Calling. Historically grounded with a robust physical infrastructure, Brinks faced challenges with their legacy communications, prompting an upgrade without disrupting their critical daily operations. This migration, completed in under 60 days, marked a successful transition to a modern communication solution.
Previously, Brinks relied on Cisco’s Unified Communications Manager (UCM), a system that demanded intensive management. With over 4,000 users and handling approximately 190,000 calls monthly, updating was necessary for maintaining efficiency and reliability. The migration was aimed at simplifying operations, reducing resource consumption, and aligning more closely with modern, scalable solutions.
One key hurdle was transitioning from an on-premises setup to a cloud-based system. Implementing Webex Calling allowed Brinks to overcome deployment complexities associated with hardware. This cloud-based system alleviated the necessity of extensive manual configurations and offered centralized management, thereby easing the operational burden.
Paul Brookshire, Sr. VoIP Engineer at Brinks, emphasized the challenge, “Moving from on-prem call manager into the Webex environment was a huge challenge…without affecting the customer and our end users.” To counter potential disruptions, the team established a strategic SIP trunk connection. This provided a controlled and phased migration path, allowing Brinks to maintain service continuity with minimal disruption.
The benefits of this migration extend to efficiency gains in the IT department. Brinks now manages its network using a single pane through Cisco’s Control Hub, simplifying administration. Brookshire noted the significant impact: “The tangible result was Brinks being able to manage all of our branches from a single pane of glass.”
Moreover, the adoption of cloud-based telephony has enabled Brinks to reduce its hardware footprint by using the Webex softphone application, thus reserving desk phones for essential environments only.
In embracing a multi-UC environment to cater to its diverse workforce, Brinks integrated Cisco Boards with licenses for seamless interoperability. This move ensures effective collaboration across platforms, notably between Microsoft Teams and Cisco hardware, as Brookshire highlighted the benefits, “The integration Cisco and Microsoft Teams has partnered with has allowed for a much smoother experience during conferences.”
Looking forward, Brinks plans to enhance customer interactions by employing AI-powered receptionists. This move aims to refine user experience and leverage the scalable nature of Webex Calling, proving beneficial as Brinks continues to expand.
In summary, Brinks’s transition to cloud communications with Webex Calling highlights the synergy of security and agility in handling modern communications challenges. The technological shift, as Brookshire concluded, is a “game changer” and sets a precedent for reliable and flexible business operations.
