When keeping your customers happy is a key part of your company’s ethos, you expect to be treated in the same way by your suppliers when you are the customer. Not only does this make good business sense, it helps to move them from being just a supplier to more of a partner, which is important for a good working relationship for your business critical and long-term requirements.

Farla Medical was started back in 2002 to manufacture and supply the best medical products. Today, Farla is recognised as a leading name in UK medical supplies providing 10,000 products and manufacturing almost 500.

Customer service has always been at the heart of their success with a 95% customer satisfaction rating and a focus on listening to what their customers want being key to their growth over the years.

Telecom system to grow with the business

In 2017, Farla Medical was moving to larger premises as OrlaRuth Rocher, Chief operations and marketing officer, explained. “In line with the move we wanted to update our telecoms systems to move away from traditional analogue lines to a more modern digital and hosted system. This had to be able to grow with the business and offer a better quality of service than we had previously.”

After reviewing the market and the systems on offer, Farla eventually chose a hosted telephony (VoIP) solution from Alfonica. “They were recommended to us as a company who gave their customers personal attention, and from the outset we have not been disappointed,” said OrlaRuth.

Supporting remote working

The Alfonica hosted telephony system is a complete communications solution that helps maximise employee productivity with only minimal capital outlay. It provides premium handsets with high standards of phone interoperability through desktop and mobile clients.

Initially, Farla ordered 27 Yealink handsets. “These are really easy to use,” explained OrlaRuth, “with a big screen and easy to navigate menus, they are very simple to customise so you can set up things like personal phone books quickly and easily. This is great for saving you time during a busy working day.”

The system also supports remote working, allowing employees to work from home, or on the road, as if they were in the office with their desk phone next to them. “Remote working is very important to us,” said OrlaRuth, “as we have a number of senior employees who regularly need to work away from the office.”

Looking after all telecoms requirements

Since the initial installation, back in 2017 the number of users of the system has grown to 49. During this time Alfonica have looked after all of Farla’s telephone requirements including dealing with new leased lines as well as taking care of their mobile estate. They have also configured the hosted system so that the handsets can be used to tannoy announcements into the warehouse, without needing to use a separate system.

It is this level of attention to detail that OrlaRuth believes is key to Alfonica’s success. “They sort out problems quickly and keep us up-to-date with what is going on,” she said. “I was working in Costa Rica recently and was having problems with call quality on my mobile. Alfonica took ownership of the problem and liaised with the local network to get things fixed quickly and efficiently. As a result, disruption to my trip was minimised.”

True partner

OrlaRuth concluded, “Working with Alfonica is very easy. They always keep us up to date on new telecom technologies that can benefit our business. When something does go wrong with our fixed line system or mobiles, they are quick to react and effect a fix, ensuring we have minimum disruption.

“They are a true partner for our all our telecoms requirements, both fixed line and mobile and I have no doubt that they will be able to cope with growing demands of our business over the coming years.”