COMPANY PROFILE
www.comms-dealer.com
Solwise fi nds its niche
Martin Stephenson
business broadband to a range of customers including banks, the BBC, recruitment agencies, serviced offices and SMEs, but according to Stephenson, clients can be baffled by the range of products and services, particularly in the telephony world of jargon and abbreviations. “Couple this concern with the current recession and difficult trading conditions and many businesses want less commitment, more flexibility, and a trusting consultative approach,” he said. “Our clients feel confident to look at leading edge telecoms products to give their company a competitive advantage. By adopting our full consultancy approach we can supply solutions in a clear and jargon-free way, talking the language of our customers.”
Solwise Telephony was established in 1999 by its Managing Director Martin Stephenson. The firm started life as a supplier of discounted line rental and calls but is now an integral part of the Pinnacle Group of companies. And according to Stephenson, the purchase of Solwise Telephony by Pinnacle is a ‘match made in heaven’.
he Pinnacle Telecom Group (formerly Glen Group) focuses on the SME market and provides a range of customer services including calls, access and consultancy, IT support, mobile voice and data services. Having expanded to become an ISP, it has also developed a hosted IP telephony platform. The Pinnacle and Solwise story started in 2006 and culminated with the launch of the Sipswitch IP hosted telephony platform in 2009. The success of this product produced new opportunities, and together with the acquisition by Pinnacle has brought new resources, clients and resellers to the party. Stephenson noted: “Shared technologies now benefit all of the Group’s clients.
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The acquisition has also enabled the Group to accelerate its growth, and allows for the cross-selling of multiple technologies to an already growing customer base.”
The Sipswitch IP telephone system is a flagship product which the company developed in-house over the last seven years. “It uses quality of service data lines instead of standard BT lines,” commented Stephenson. “This provides customers with guaranteed call quality, high levels of control and total security. Because it is a hosted system there are no boxes on walls or big switchboards to worry about, and it’s quick and easy to install. The Sipswitch system is controlled through a web portal that is easy to use, and brings
cash savings and improved productivity to businesses.”
Early access to WLR3 has also enabled the firm to develop expertise in the supply and installation of short-term services for events, festivals and exhibitions. “This specialist market often requires complex and extensive installations of a switchboard service, data and calls for as little as one day. From supplying an occasional line to festivals in 2008 the business is now one of the larger suppliers of telecoms services to short term events in the UK,” added Stephenson. “We have been successful in selling systems with no minimum contract terms, allowing us to supply to events and conferences on contracts as short as seven days. Our systems have been used at many high profile events ranging from the Chelsea Flower Show to the Glastonbury Festival. Solwise Telephony’s rapid growth is coming from the sales of the Sipswitch system, and supplying telephone lines and services on short-term contracts.”
Solwise says it uses ‘technological innovation’ to sell the Sipswitch hosted IP telephone system and
Stephenson has noted that fewer customers are demanding lower prices, but they are demanding more. “IP telephony now delivers this, and by offering customers a 30 day contract the company has removed the key objection that many businesses had to committing themselves for long periods,” he commented. “For many customers, hosted IP telephony is an unknown product, with many traditional telecoms suppliers wanting to keep it that way. Our product, with guaranteed call quality and a competitive price structure with new features and benefits is available for just a one month agreement. This is a real alternative for our customers to traditional telephony and gives our clients a competitive edge.”
Solwise Telephony employs 10 people at its Hinckley headquarters, and sales turnover recently went through the million pound level. “We are an ISP in our own right, and coupled with our hosted IP platform and our own in- house developers, we can ensure that our system can precisely meet the customers’ needs,” commented Stephenson.
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38 COMMS DEALER MAY 2010
www.comms-dealer.com
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