Case Studies

Making Every Dollar Count

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Every dollar matters to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a collective of passionate individuals united together to move toward a world free of MS. Through its 50-state chapter network, the Society funds more MS research than any other MS organization in the world, investing more than $42 million internationally last year. The Society serves more than one million people annually, supporting a range of services and programs for healthcare professionals, families and individuals affected by MS, caregivers, and the entire MS community.

The Society interacts with groups and individuals via phone, website (www.nationalmssociety.org), interactive technology and local on-site facilities. Keeping those lines of communication open is vital to enabling everyone to do something about MS NOW. Equally important to the organization is maximizing its funding while strictly controlling all administrative costs. A cost-savings plan that consolidated some of the organization’s New York operations provided an opportunity to simultaneously upgrade its telephony system.

Cutting Costs in Two Steps
Consultedge was called in to provide services that ensured optimal communications and cost-efficient operations. A two-phase program was developed to coordinate with the relocation and expansion of the Society’s national headquarters and New York Chapter offices. The relocation moved operations from the 6th and 7th floors of the Society’s location at 733 Third Avenue in New York to the building’s 2nd and 3rd floors. A major part of the move was the relocation of the Society’s data center, which required replacement of an Avaya legacy communications system.

Consultedge worked with the Society and its vendors to ensure a seamless implementation of system components, including Avaya’s IP Office, which is a converged voice/data system that enables single-source access to messages from devices including telephones and PCs. The advanced telephony application links all phone lines serving the NY Chapter offices in a cohesive network that virtually eliminates per-call charges while improving reliability and access.

Meeting Client Needs
Consultedge’s communications solution met the organization’s parallel needs for uninterrupted communication, upgraded service, and cost-efficiency. Implementation of the system was coordinated with multiple vendors and construction activities to ensure uninterrupted operations, on-time completion and efficient startup. The converged voice/data system expands communication access while reducing costs. At the same time, it provides the scalability and versatility to accommodate future expansion. Maintenance costs were significantly reduced, enabling the Society to expand even further its financial support for critical MS research, programs and services.