Serta International Improves Business Communications at Multiple Locations with NEC Sphericall Software-Based Solution

Worldwide Mattress Manufacturer Lowers Costs While Connecting Nationwide Facilities

IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NEC Unified Solutions, Inc. (NEC), a leader in enterprise business communications, today announced that Serta International is leveraging the NEC Sphericall^® software-based communications solution to connect employees at Serta's Hoffman Estates, Ill., headquarters and 21 nationwide manufacturing plants while dramatically lowering total cost of ownership.

“The Sphericall solution is scalable and able to match Serta's growing business, giving the solution the ability to be viable for years to come”

Challenge and Solution

Large call volume and an old, traditional telephone system previously made handling communications at Serta's multiple locations expensive and inefficient. To update the technology for more efficient working conditions, Serta instituted NEC's Sphericall solution to help reduce system-management overhead and facilitate mobility using softphones.

Results

By using NEC’s Sphericall system and services, Serta is tying together its facilities with a wide area network via a BranchHub Media Gateway at each plant location. Sphericall's MeetingHub conferencing solution has resulted in improved collaboration at Serta. The NEC technology has allowed Serta to save airfare costs and makes it easy to conference up to 60 people at once. Additionally, salespeople operating remotely can easily stay in touch with customers, dealers and co-workers via softphones downloaded to their laptops.

Since installation, Serta saves on long-distance calls between locations and has documented marked cost savings; one plant recorded a 40 percent reduction in costs since deployment.

“In the past, everyday moves, adds and changes took a lot of staff time. We selected NEC's Sphericall technology to tie in all the locations, save on long-distance calls and allow us to reduce system management overhead,” said Lynn Dillard, vice president of information systems, Serta. “Sphericall takes an open-system, software-based approach to unified communications. As a result, we no longer have to purchase proprietary equipment, which saves us money. The system also integrates features that we found companies usually have to pay extra for such as centralized management, integrated voice mail and tremendous call-handling features."

Developing solutions that enable companies to improve organizational efficiency is part of NEC’s UNIVERGE^®360 vision to unify business communications. NEC's approach was developed and unveiled earlier this year and has enabled Serta IT management to identify employees by their respective roles within the company, and then merge the technology and business processes needed to help make their jobs more effective.

"The Sphericall solution is scalable and able to match Serta's growing business, giving the solution the ability to be viable for years to come," said Don Fiorentino, vice president and general manager, western regional sales for NEC Unified Solutions. "Now, Serta's employees are able stay in touch with each other, allowing Serta to improve customer service. Plant managers can stay on top of just-in-time shipments from vendors; in addition, they access the shipping, inventory and accounting departments at will."

For a case study detailing Serta’s use of and benefits from NEC's Sphericall solution, visit www.necunified.com/casestudies.

For information about NEC Unified Solutions, visit www.necunified.com.

For information about Serta International, visit www.serta.com.

NEC, Sphericall and UNIVERGE are registered trademarks of NEC Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.