Village Roadshow upgrades to Microsoft Teams telephony

Village Roadshow Group has enhanced its internal communications by adopting a Microsoft Teams Phone solution developed with assistance from Microsoft and implemented by Rapid Circle.

Recognising inefficiencies within its communication infrastructure, Village Roadshow has upgraded from its outdated system, which was proving inefficient due to its age and complexity. Ben Parker, IT Operations Manager at Village Roadshow, commented on the challenges of the previous system, stating, "not only was it requiring cumbersome daily restarts, but our handsets operated on six different PABX systems. This complex, legacy environment was costly to maintain, and it wasn't conducive to providing a reliable service. Our strategic partnership with Rapid Circle came together to improve and streamline the everyday working experience of our staff, introducing Microsoft Teams telephony and a better way to communicate."

The deployment of the Microsoft Teams Phone System forms part of a broader initiative to centralise the company's communications across all its sites. Village Roadshow operates 32 cinema sites and is a significant player in the entertainment and hospitality sector in Australia. The Microsoft-powered platform now provides integrated voice, video, and messaging services.

Rapid Circle's implementation included replacing legacy platforms and ensuring seamless integration in scenarios where direct replacement was not possible. An example of this is at Sea World Resort, where telephony integration supports over 400 apartments. Parker remarked on the benefits of this new system, saying, "We've secured ourselves a safety net with Rapid Circle. Its competency in Microsoft communications technologies helped us turn an out-of-the-box product into a tailored, trustworthy solution. An integral part of our Microsoft Teams environment, the modern telephony capabilities grant our field, customer service, operations and administrative staff a single phone system, and the ability to make, receive, and transfer calls from anywhere."

Improvements in customer and staff interactions are evident according to Parker, who stated, "Previously, our main reception phone was so plagued by issues that around half of external callers trying to connect with us were successful. Transfer issues within head office were also a common issue being reported. We've managed to resolve these key issues and more with Rapid Circle, resulting in a better experience for our customers and staff alike."

George Stavrakakis, Managing Director for Australia at Rapid Circle, highlighted the impact of the telephony project, noting, "Iconic Australian powerhouses – with long histories and a broad range of output – typically build their empire so organically, it's easy for a simple cog such as communication to get lost in their greater machinery. Village Roadshow has certainly exemplified the power of prioritising strategic communications to finetune its well-oiled capabilities. From a reduction in costs associated with IT management, to improved user experience for staff and customers alike, the transformation of its telephony infrastructure is supporting its greater efforts to prioritise productivity and safety at every touchpoint."

Both the deployment and accompanying change management have positioned Village Roadshow to leverage best practice operations while minimising the learning curve for its employees.