About the Client
Best Western Plus Fernie Mountain Lodge, located in the heart of Elk Valley in the Rocky Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, is the hotel of choice for travelers seeking comfort and convenience. With 95 rooms and plans to expand to 125, the hotel is committed to delivering outstanding guest experiences.
The Challenge
For years, Best Western Plus Fernie relied on two distinct phone systems: one for staff and one for guests. But as the hotel prepared to expand, its leaders recognized the need to change its dual-system communications technology. Hotel staff members had been struggling to manage both systems, and dealt everyday with communications inefficiencies, such as having to transfer calls through an auto-attendant. The dual-system setup also drove up costs, with the hotel maintaining more phone lines than necessary.
Additionally, Best Western Plus Fernie had multiple vendors for its communications and IT needs, which often created coordination problems with service provision and support. The support model for communications and IT also relied on time-and-materials-based service, which often led to delays and disruptions.
The Solution
Best Western Plus Fernie determined that it needed a unified and scalable communications and IT solution to support future growth. It turned to Sunco, a Mitel Platinum Partner and Best Western Hotels-endorsed vendor. Based on an in-depth analysis of the hotel’s needs, Sunco executed the following:
- A single, seamless communications system. A modern Mitel MiVoice Business platform replaced the old system, consolidating staff and guest communications into one unified system designed to handle more volume as the hotel expanded. This solution eliminated the need for an auto-attendant, allowing staff to transfer calls directly to guest rooms. A single system would also translate later on into simplified – and potentially – faster procurement of replacement parts, without the need to source from two equipment vendors.
- Optimized phone lines: Sunco reduced the total number from 10 to eight, resulting in cost savings of approximately $80 per month. In addition, three Mitel 6940 phones were deployed, enabling staff to efficiently manage wake-up calls and activate Do Not Disturb functions – tasks previously limited to a single console.
- A robust support model for communications and IT: To ensure uninterrupted operations, Sunco transitioned the hotel to a Managed Services Provider support model. This proactive approach includes remote monitoring and troubleshooting as well as priority service, providing the hotel with reliable communications and IT support and minimizing downtime.
The Service
Sunco delivered personalized, hands-on service throughout the project. The team conducted a detailed needs assessment, pre-programmed the new system, and ensured a smooth implementation with minimal disruption to the hotel’s daily operations. Training sessions were provided to empower staff with the knowledge to use the new system confidently. This high level of support exemplifies Sunco’s commitment to client success.
“With Sunco’s help, we’ve streamlined our operations and set ourselves up for future success. Their support has been invaluable in helping us deliver the high-quality guest experience we strive for every day.”
The Outcome
With the new Mitel MiVoice Business platform and MSP support, Best Western Plus Fernie has seen significant improvements. The unified phone system has led to greater efficiencies and improved communication functionality, enhancing experiences for both staff and guests. At the same time, Best Western Plus Fernie has realized cost-savings from fewer phone lines while enjoying greater peace of mind from more reliable, one-stop-shop support for communications and IT. The hotel can look also forward to reduced downtimes, thanks to constant system monitoring provided remotely by Sunco and streamlined procurement of replacement parts. Best Western Plus Fernie’s collaboration with Sunco underlines the importance of working with a trusted provider who delivers modern, scalable solutions backed by exceptional local support.
“In the past, when our Internet has gone down – which always seems to happen just before guest check-in – it often took over an hour to get it fixed by our provider. With Sunco as our Managed Services Provider we’re up and running in 20 minutes or less.”
