The Customer
Name: DWP Digital (the digital directorate of the Department for Work and Pensions)
Locations: c.900 across the UK
Business: Central Government Department
Service: Microsoft Teams Strategy, Program Management and Business Analysis
The Challenge
- Highly successful tactical solution for Microsoft Teams Telephony deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic required a more cost-effective strategic solution.
- Legacy office-based Cisco IP telephony solution comprising c.90k handsets in c.900 locations required fully decommissioning and all functionality moving to Microsoft Teams ahead of the fast-approaching contract end-date.
- The tactical deployment of Microsoft Teams Telephony met immediate and urgent needs at the time, but a more complete set of solutions was required in order to fully replace the legacy IP telephony solution.
- Wide variety of localised business requirements for telephony in a many different types of locations – from public-facing Job Centres, to back-of-house contact centres and processing centres, and corporate hubs, along with allied agencies to whom DWP Digital provided telephony services.
The Solution
- Provided overall program management for the program to retire the legacy Cisco IP telephony system and replace all functionality with Microsoft Teams.
- Provided technical input for the production of a tender for a managed Microsoft Teams Direct Routing solution.
- Project-managed the successful implementation of Direct Routing along with the migration of over 98k users in 3 weeks, completing a week ahead of a tight deadline.
- Facilitated the extensive internal approval process and service on-boarding to allow deployment of standard Microsoft Teams solutions such as voicemail, Call Queues and Microsoft Teams phones, along with developing easy-to-follow product-specific user guidance.
- Worked with DWP Digital to design the engagement approach and supplemented DWP Digital’s Business Analysis resources for the site-by-site engagement with over 850 locations to determine and agree their Microsoft Telephony solutions, along with developing the logistics and approach required to efficiently deploy these solutions at pace.
The Results
Successful removal and decommissioning of the legacy IP telephony solution and replacement with more flexible Microsoft Teams solutions – ahead of the contract end-date for the legacy solution.