Incubator Case Study

Many venture capital and incubator firms are unique in their telephony needs. This is predicated by the fact that they often are responsible for the telephone needs of various "baby companies." Orchestrating the requirements of multiple companies becomes more difficult when coupled with the fact that these companies are in a constant state of flux and growth. What's more, these companies will eventually leave to occupy their own space, requiring a system that is portable, expandable, and highly functional.

This was the dilemma facing DigitalVentures. DigitalVentures is a leading builder of business-to-business companies. DigitalVentures builds internally generated ideas and externally developed ones into successful companies-companies that transform industries and, in turn, help build new companies. As DigitalVentures builds its family of companies and expands globally, it brings these companies to new geographies and imports the best new company ideas from national markets to international markets.

"We wanted a system that was expandable," says Alex Marr, DigitalVenture's IT Manager. "Because we're a business incubator, we wanted something that could expand rapidly." To meet the requirements of DigitalVentures, Ketchum Integration implemented the Shoretel Communication system. Unlike traditional, legacy phone systems, expansion isn't limited to line-card space. With the Shoretel system, adding additional ports is as simple as adding a network switch. In fact, the Shoretel switch can be analogous to a "voice switch" that can be distributed over a company's data network. The Shoretel System's 99 layer auto-attendant is ideal for allowing multiple companies to utilize a single system. In addition, it's lego-like architecture allows for exceptional expandability, up to 5,000 users, and unprecedented portability.

DigitalVentures also needed exceptional support for its system. "What solidified our vendor relationship is the service that Ketchum gave," Alex explains. In fact, Alex even credits Ketchum Integration with resolving potentially crippling problems with its service provider at the time. "Ketchum Integration went way beyond the call of duty."

"That service relationship was very impressive. I feel comfortable growing with Ketchum supporting me."