Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries is installing voice over IP-based (VoIP) systems to improve services and reduce costs.

The independent brewing and pub company, whose brands include Marston’s Pedigree and the 2,300-strong chain of Pathfinder and Union Pubs, plans to use the technology initially for telephony in its contact centres, but will later extend it to cover data services.

‘It is only in the past 12 to 18 months that VoIP technology has become of sufficient quality for our environment,’ said the company’s IT director Mike McMinn.

‘It has also given us a step into using VoIP for far better contact with remote sites.’

The brewery is also hoping to use the VoIP capability to link directly into its managed pubs. All have broadband and between four to 10 lines each, linked to the point of sale.

‘We could continue to make more merchant services available through this, and ultimately push through audio, video, and jukebox-on-demand-like services as well,’ said McMinn.

The company was forced to update its systems because they were becoming old and inefficient. It is aiming to complete the IP migration in February, using software from Affiniti and hardware from Cisco.

McMinn says the upgrade is part of an overhaul of the brewery’s operational systems, including enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software from SAP.

The brewery will use the technology to improve customer service, and increase call throughput by recognising and matching incoming numbers with customers’ records.

This will allow operators to answer queries at the first call, without switching between business applications.

The company believes it can save £240,000 in call costs over the next five years.