Desk phones that are stuck on someone’s desk in an office can’t keep up with the daily communication needs of an exterior remodeling/roofing company. Calls get missed, crews stay out of the loop, and customers have to wait around for callbacks.
Chris Kelly, the owner of Warner Exteriors & Solar, needed a business phone system that could work for his crews on the road as well as his staff in the office. We spoke with him about how OnSIP’s hosted VoIP service gives his crews and office staff one interconnected phone system without tying anyone to a desk.
Warner Exteriors & Solar opened in 2016 and is based in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. “We serve Southern New Jersey, specializing in roofing, siding, windows, gutters, and solar,” Chris explains. Ten years in, the company has completed over 1,000 remodels for homeowners and businesses across New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania. It holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and is both an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor and an Andersen-Certified Contractor.
Chris is a business owner who stays in close step with his staff: “I'm involved in our day-to-day operations, supporting our team and making sure we deliver quality work and strong customer service.”
His team is divided into two groups: office staff handling calls and scheduling, and crew members who spend their days at job sites or traveling between appointments. “Reliable communication is essential to keeping everyone connected and our projects moving,” he states.
“Before OnSIP, we relied on cell phones. As a business with people working in different places throughout the day, we wanted a more organized way to handle business calls while maintaining that mobility.”
Chris then began a search for his company’s first VoIP phone system. He tells us that a business colleague referred OnSIP to him.
“We chose it because we wanted a business phone system that made communication easier and gave our team the flexibility to stay connected wherever they were working. Moving from individual cell phones to OnSIP helped us bring our business communications together while maintaining the mobility we needed.”
Two OnSIP features get the most use by the staff members of Warner Exteriors & Solar: our web app and desktop app. Both softphones turn their computers and laptops into full-featured business phones. Staff answer and make calls on screen, and listen to voicemail messages, while the rest of their work applications and software stay accessible and in front of them.
Chris points out that our apps “make it convenient to handle calls from our computers while managing other work, helping us stay responsive and keeping communication part of our daily workflow.”
And that convenience matters for a company where timing is critical. A homeowner who calls about an estimate or a project update will reach someone who can answer and provide help, rather than a voicemail box or a cellphone left in someone’s truck.
“The biggest benefits have been mobility and better communication,” he shares. “Our work takes us between the office, customer appointments, and job sites. OnSIP helps us stay connected throughout the day and gives our staff more flexibility in how and where they work.”
When COVID-19 closed offices throughout the country, the entire Warner Exteriors team worked from home. Using OnSIP, staff kept handling business calls right from their home desks and offices. “Having that flexibility was especially valuable when our team couldn't work together in the office,” Chris recalls. Clients kept getting answers, and home and workplace improvement projects kept moving along.
For a team that’s always on the move, a quick answer from the OnSIP support team keeps tasks and projects on schedule. “Our experience with support has been very positive. The team responds quickly and is knowledgeable. When we need help, it's reassuring to get a timely response from someone who understands the system.”
Chris’ closing thoughts explain why the setup fits a business like his so well:
“For a construction company, communication needs to work wherever the day takes us. OnSIP has given us the flexibility to stay connected, whether we're in the office or working remotely. That mobility, along with responsive support, has been valuable to our business.”