Baum Realty
The Challenge
Baum Realty Group is one of Chicago’s premier retail real estate firms, having served Chicago’s retail community since 1991. The firm provides comprehensive tenant representation, third-party landlord leasing and investment services. Clientele range from top property owners in the Chicagoland market to national, regional and local tenants.
Baum needed a solution that provided their highly mobile staff with the ability to stay connected regardless of time or location. With over 50 employees in one office, it was very important to find a telecommunications solution that was scalable to fit the needs of a growing workforce. The firm did not want to worry about having enough “phone lines” for all current or future agents.
A phone system that provided built-in collaboration tools was also a concern for the real estate firm. Baum’s agents work together to provide their clients with an in-house realty team, so conferencing capabilities were crucial.
The Solution
Baum Realty turned to Geckotech to provide a scalable voice and data infrastructure that would allow employees to be as productive as possible, whether they are in or out of the office. Geckotech’s Voice over IP network allows Baum employees to enjoy many advantages over traditional PBX phone systems. Having one converged voice and data network allows all agents to utilize Unified Communications, like voicemail to email, virtual fax to PDF, call routing options, and on-demand web portal capabilities.
When agents are not in the office, they only have to give out their office numbers. Agents control which calls automatically roll over to their cell phone. During non-business hours, high profile clients’ calls get routed to personal cell phones while unscreened callers go to voicemail.
Baum Realty Group continues to expand and will be able to do so without ever investing in a new phone system. All the firm has to do is add more phones. Because Geckotech’s VoIP system is based on bandwidth, not phone lines, capacity is endless.
The Results
Geckotech has consolidated the firm’s telecom spending, with one easy to read invoice per month. An itemized bill shows calls per phone number, with management charts and graphs to show actual usage per agent. When agents are in the office they are instantly connected. Plug and play IP phones can be plugged in anywhere agents have an Internet connection and Geckotech’s web portal lets them check voicemail and fax via their desktop or laptops.
By using SimpleVoIP™, Geckotech’s outsourced IP phone solution, Baum Realty employees are completely mobile and free to communicate at will with their customers. Agents have access to voicemail, intercoms, conference bridges and 4-digit company-wide dialing which become immediately available no matter where they are with their laptop or IP phone. Geckotech’s service has given the firm’s employees greater flexibility while enhancing productivity and reducing costs.