Flexible voice infrastructure for a growing Greenwich brewery.
How an integrated VoIP implementation gave Meantime Brewery a faster, more adaptable and cost-effective communications platform for a new retail location.
A new hospitality location needed communications built for change.
Meantime Brewery was founded in Greenwich by master brewer Alistair Hook in 1999 with a mission to demonstrate the flavour and variety beer could offer. Its Penhall Road brewery was a major investment and the business went on to receive recognition including a World Beer Cup gold medal.
When Meantime planned a new retail establishment in Greenwich, it needed a complete technology foundation for the site. The programme included structured cabling, connectivity, Wi-Fi, printing, workstations, transaction services, voice and fax, with several specialist partners contributing to the overall opening.
Fifosys had already supported Meantime for five years and was involved in coordinating the wider technology project. The remaining requirement was a telephone platform that would integrate cleanly with the data network and remain straightforward to change as the new location developed.
A conventional phone system would have made additions and moves cumbersome. Fifosys instead proposed a software-based VoIP platform that could be administered easily, offer useful built-in features and provide a stronger basis for continuity and recovery.
Deliver voice as part of a coordinated new-site technology programme.
The telephone system had to work with multiple other components, support growth and be ready within the opening schedule.
A complete new-site build
Voice had to be delivered alongside cabling, broadband, Wi-Fi, workstations, printing and transaction systems.
Several delivery partners
The project required coordination across suppliers without gaps between the voice and data responsibilities.
Future moves and additions
The new venue needed the flexibility to add extensions without complex engineering or disruptive work.
Continuity and cost
Meantime wanted valuable communications features and recoverability without the overhead of a traditional system.
An established partner able to connect voice with the wider environment.
Fifosys had worked with Meantime for five years and already understood the brewery's environment, working practices and need to minimise disruption. That context made it possible to look beyond an isolated phone installation and consider how voice should integrate with the site's data services.
The recommendation was based on practical flexibility and value. Fifosys could implement the platform quickly, coordinate with other parties and remain responsible for proactive support after the venue opened.
Five years of existing trust
Meantime had direct experience of Fifosys supporting its technology and delivering work around operational demands.
Integrated voice and data expertise
One team could design the phone system as part of the overall network rather than as a disconnected component.
Support beyond installation
The engagement included ongoing monitoring and assistance so the system would continue operating efficiently after go-live.
Use a software-based platform that could grow with the venue.
Fifosys selected and implemented a 3CX VoIP system, bringing useful communication features and simple administration into the new location.
Design the integrated solution
Map the voice requirement to the new data infrastructure and coordinate dependencies with the other technology partners.
Implement the 3CX platform
Deploy a Windows-managed, software-based phone system appropriate for a smaller but expanding operation.
Provide IP handsets
Supply and configure six Cisco small-business phones for the initial launch requirement.
Enable valuable features
Provide conferencing, recording, usage monitoring, Outlook integration and voicemail-to-email without separate systems.
Protect configuration and recovery
Use a platform whose settings and numbers can be restored quickly from a single configuration file.
Complete and support the rollout
Finish installation within days, then maintain performance through proactive support and monitoring.
Communications that are easier to change, recover and operate.
The platform met the opening requirement while giving Meantime a simpler way to adapt its phone service as the venue evolved.
Expansion in minutes
An additional restaurant handset could be introduced quickly without the work associated with a traditional phone system.
Lower operational cost
Software-based administration and included features reduced the need for separate services and complex changes.
Stronger recoverability
Configuration, settings and numbers could be restored from one file, supporting continuity and disaster recovery.
Very little downtime
Fast implementation, proactive monitoring and continued support kept disruption and inconvenience to a minimum.
“They get the system working very quickly, exactly as you want it, but they don't abandon you.”
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