Deploying a new cost-saving WAN and voice network

Working to tight timescales and in the face of animosity from the outgoing supplier.

A social housing charity needed to set up a new WAN with a larger capacity together with a new voice network and contact centre. The challenge was to do it without any downtime and before the current supplier’s contract ended.

By pulling all stakeholders – multiple suppliers and the internal team – together, I made sure that everyone understood what was needed of them. As a result, we collectively delivered in full and within budget.

Industry

Social housing charity

The Project

To replace an incumbent WAN with one with a larger capacity within existing budgets. Serious service issues and poor relationship with the incumbent were a concern and factored into the deployment. A new unified comms voice service and contact centre were to be deployed simultaneously with the new WAN to meet the deadline of contract end-date for the incumbent.

Activity

  • Draw multiple suppliers and the internal team together with a clear understanding of what needed to be achieved and the rationale behind the project.
  • Identify project risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate the risk.
  • Deliver the project to meet tight deadlines and end contractual obligations to existing WAN supplier.
  • Keep all project participants – internal and external – up to date in ways that would give stakeholders certainty that deadlines would be met.
  • Ensure that all project workarounds were tested and proven before deployment.

Outcome

Project delivered in full and within budget.