Introduction
HFL Education is a leading national provider of school improvement and business support services, offering training and resources to schools and trusts across the UK. As a not-for-profit social enterprise, HFL Education is dedicated to delivering long-term success for educational institutions. With over 10 years of experience and more than 2,500 annual events, they have been at the forefront of digital transformation and the development of online learning platforms.
The Challenge
HFL Education’s previous telephony solution presented several limitations. The system lacked robust Management Information (MI) capabilities and had a cumbersome interface, making it difficult for staff to generate and utilise reports. Additionally, it did not integrate seamlessly with their Freshdesk CRM, which impeded customer service operations and added friction to the customer journey. As HFL looked to expand their technology stack, it became crucial to find a solution that was scalable, offered better usability, and could integrate easily with their existing systems.
The Solution
Onecom delivered a tailored solution for HFL Education by integrating Five9’s Intelligent Cloud CX Platform for their contact centre operations, alongside Onecom’s Connect4Teams solution for their back-office telephony. Both solutions were seamlessly integrated with their existing customer relationship management (CRM) system, Freshdesk, ensuring smooth workflows across the organisation.
Five9’s platform addressed HFL’s need for improved reporting, offering both real-time and historical data through its Supervisor Reporting feature, giving HFL the insights needed to enhance performance and service.
Additionally, Tollring’s iCall Suite was deployed to boost data visibility for the back-office teams, allowing HFL to monitor and manage interactions more efficiently across both the contact centre and internal operations. Meanwhile, the Connect4Teams integration with Microsoft Teams enabled HFL to streamline internal communication, offering full PBX (Private Branch Exchange) capabilities. The new system now supports advanced telephony features like call routing and voicemail, all while simplifying collaboration across front and back-office teams.
Outcome
HFL Education have seen a significant boost in both reporting capabilities and overall efficiency. With Five9’s integration into Freshdesk, incoming calls were automatically linked to customer profiles, making it easier for agents to manage and track interactions. This provided greater transparency and accountability, while also streamlining the process of handling queries.
The enhanced reporting tools also proved invaluable, eliminating the need for manual report creation – an ongoing frustration with HFL’s prior system and capabilities. This has not only allowed their team to save time, but it has also enabled them to focus on more critical customer tasks.
Furthermore, this solution has positioned HFL for long-term growth, as both Five9 and Connect4Teams are scalable platforms, meaning they can easily adapt and expand as HFL Education grows. The smooth transition, backed by Onecom’s managed services, ensured minimal disruption.
User adoption was made seamless, supported by thorough remote training offered to HFL employees by Onecom, covering key system functionalities. Pre-prepared templates and PowerShell scripts, specifically designed to automate the setup of Microsoft Teams telephony and user configurations, were also provided by Onecom to HFL’s technical team. This eliminated the need for manual configuration, significantly reducing the time and effort required for the transition. According to Gary Hounslow, HFL’s Technical Lead, these tools "saved hours and hours of time," making the process more efficient and less prone to errors. This proactive approach reduced complexity and ensured a stress-free transition.
Overall, the solution has positioned HFL Education for long-term growth, with both Five9 and Connect4Teams offering the scalability to easily flex and adapt as the organisation evolves. The transition was smooth and efficient, ensuring minimal disruption so that HFL’s teams could continue their work without missing a beat.
The Freshdesk integration has made it easier for our agents to manage customer interactions by matching calls to our customer database. It has significantly improved our efficiency and overall experience.
Jenny Mackie
Service Manager, HFL Education
What’s Next?
As HFL Education looks ahead, they are exploring additional capabilities within the Five9 and Connect4Teams platforms, such as SMS management and callback functionalities. These features will further enhance their customer service and improve efficiency across their teams.
The strong partnership between Onecom and HFL Education has built a solid foundation for continuous innovation, ensuring they are well-equipped to deliver exceptional support to educational institutions across the UK.
We’re really glad to have a solid solution that works well for us now, and it's flexible enough to grow with us as the business expands. The seamless transition and the potential for future scalability mean we’re well-positioned for continuous improvement and growth.
Gary Hounslow
Corporate IT Manager, HFL Education