EC Harris practice what they preach with a Mitel IP Solution in Dubai

The solution has been implemented by Mitel's Gold Solution Partner, Seven Seas L.L.C.

EC Harris is a leading international professional services consultancy which operates from 43 wholly-owned offices worldwide, employs more than 3,000 people and has an annual Group turnover of £200m. The firm works in the real estate, infrastructure and construction sectors and provides solutions in the management of the construction and operation of built assets.

With many of its staff spending long periods of time out of the office either at customer sites or its other offices, EC Harris's employees wanted to be able to stay in touch with the office and access systems from wherever they were working.

In line with the firm's business development plans, COO for EC Harris, Alan Brookes, wanted to explore how IP telecommunications could help the organisation maximise its flexible working practices.

"UK Solution has acted as a blueprint for EC Harris's global offices. The solution is now implemented in the UK, China, Hong Kong, Paris and is currently being deployed in Dubai in the prestigious Burj Dubai Square," said Alan Brookes, COO for EC Harris.

Luke Mutter, Head of Business Systems consulting, at EC Harris says,

"Functionality was a key issue for us. We wanted a system which would offer us the most sophisticated benefits of IP, which the Mitel IP solution does and allow employees working off-site to have full access to the network. Mitel's solution allows us to have a centrally located communications system that is easy to use and highly beneficial to the whole organisation and our overall business development goals."

One of the key benefits of the new site is that it allows the business to show best practice concepts to clients for who EC Harris undertakes similar projects. The new Mitel IP solution is an integral part of achieving these best practices and enabling employees to work how they want and when they want which in turn provides the customer with a better service. All of this underpins the success of the business improvement process programme.

"Investing in IP communications is a means of differentiating ourselves from the competition - by allowing flexible methods of working we can help to continually improve staff morale which will help us to develop members of staff we have invested in. It also allows us to make significant cost savings and streamline business processes to improve efficiencies," explains Brookes.

"We are a forward thinking business, which spends a lot of time recruiting and training our staff so we want to make work as simple as possible for them. All the measures that we have taken will aid our staff well-being along with being cost effective because it allows them to work in the way that is most suitable for them at any given time. And with our investment in IP and the desktop collaboration tool along with the possibilities Mitel Mobile extension can bring, to providing one number dialling and sophisticated communications systems, also benefits our business," added Mutter.

"The close collaboration between Mitel, EC Harris and Seven Seas during the implementation phase proved to be a key factor in getting the new office up and running", said Kevan Draper, Chief Executive Officer, Seven Seas Computers LLC.

"'Mitel is very pleased that EC Harris has selected Mitel's IP Telephony solution for its new UAE offices as this further endorses the leadership position Mitel has built in IP services. This development should enhance the Mitel and EC Harris partnership and lead to further collaboration opportunities for additional applications and services, particularly in the Hospitality sector", said Hisham El-Amili, Mitel GM, GCC.