SUSHISAMBA Upgrades their Phone System When Relocating their Corporate Office

After a well-coordinated implementation, SUSHISAMBA transitioned their existing phone numbers to the new location and received an outsourced M5 phone system that meets all of their needs today and will accommodate future growth tomorrow. In each of its four restaurants, in NYC, Chicago, and Miami Beach, SUSHISAMBA fuses the delectable cuisines and vibrant cultures of Japan, Brazil, and Peru. New Yorkers experienced this inventive food concept with the debuts of SUSHISAMBA park in 1999 and SUSHISAMBA 7 in 2000.

When SUSHISAMBA decided to relocate its corporate Manhattan office in November 2003, they decided to revisit their in-house phone system. Experts in managed moves, M5 rose to the challenge and provided SUSHISAMBA with a state-of-the-art outsourced phone system solution.

As the IT manager for SUSHISAMBA, Julia Heyer had high expectations in choosing the right IP phone system. SUSHISAMBA needed a system that would not only meet daily performance requirements but also grow with the business, providing a long-term cost-effective solution. “This company’s not just here for one year, we’re in it for the long run,” Heyer notes. Heyer sought a phone system provider with proven expertise and reliability in handling multiple locations and a successful track record in managing clients moving from one location to another.

SUSHISAMBA researched two options: either expand and upgrade the company’s existing Avaya system or purchase an entirely new system. They approached three different vendors for proposals for both the upgrade and the new system. During that process, CyberCity, an IT consultant to SUSHISAMBA and an M5 partner, recommended M5’s outsourced phone system. Heyer soon discovered that Corsair, SUSHISAMBA’s outside design firm, was also an M5 client. CyberCity and Corsair’s positive reviews prompted Heyer to contact M5.

Ultimately, SUSHISAMBA concluded M5 was the most long-term cost effective solution with estimated payback for M5’s outsourced phone system in only 12 months, much less than upgrading the existing in-house Avaya phone system. The M5 system also promises to be long lasting and easily scalable to additional locations. “Outsourced IP phone systems are where the future is going,” Heyer notes, “SUSHISAMBA is on the forefront of design and innovative ideas, and we take the same pro-active approach in our technology management as we do in our restaurants. We strive to be on the cutting edge of development and new technologies, thinking long-term, not just for right now, which is one of the reasons why we chose M5.”

SUSHISAMBA scheduled their move for a weekend. Actual deployment of the new phone system began that Friday when M5 technicians provided pre-programmed Cisco 7960 IP phones. Over the weekend, SUSHISAMBA connected their network to the M5 router and established connectivity with M5’s data center. That Monday morning, a specialized M5 trainer arrived on-site to walk all SUSHISAMBA employees through the basics of how to use their new phone system. Following the meeting, employees began using the service and noticed advantages of the new phone system: Each employee was assigned a personal DID, or Direct Inward Dial Extension, allowing outside callers to reach them directly. The new auto-attendant allows differentiated daytime, nighttime and weekend configurations. The transition to M5 was efficient and painless, with no interruption in service or work continuity.

M5’s diligent preparation and set-up in the weeks leading up to SUSHISAMBA’s move ensured its success. “M5 was very responsive and proactive; there was no need to hunt anyone down. They presented themselves professionally and did a great job in guiding us through the process. The little things were done right.” And those little things are just what makes M5 the leader in providing successful managed moves for its clients.