Ascert, a mission-critical system testing firm, cut costs and complexity with VoIPstudio

Industry

Finance & business services

Company Size

50-200 Employees

Headquarters

Sausalito, California, US

Founded

1992

About

Ascert builds best-in-class automated software testing solutions that help many of the world’s biggest and best companies measure application performance, reliability and scalability. The company’s products and consultancy services are used in the most rigorous testing conditions on the most mission-critical applications to reduce risk of failure, improve time to market and increase quality.

The Challenge

Ascert works as a highly distributed company, with offices and personnel in the US, the UK, South Africa and Australia. Since the company’s foundation in 1992, each of these locations offices had developed its own independent telecommunications solutions, and these were neither integrated nor easy to manage.

If I wanted to speak to one of my colleagues, I would have to make a regular international phone call. There were significant costs associated with that. We also used messaging services, Skype and desktop conferencing products, but this gave no cohesive central view of things. Sometimes it was hard to know how best to contact someone: should I use method A, B or C?

In the US office the company used a hybrid PBX and IP telecoms system, which necessitated maintenance of both the telecoms box and a Windows server, although it did provide many advanced features. These were missing in the UK, however, which depended solely on a BT FeatureLine system.

The Solution

Ascert made a strategic decision to move as many of its business services as possible to the cloud, aiming to eliminate the need for in-house hardware. While the team had become highly skilled in managing traditional phone systems, often achieving setups others considered impossible, they recognized that telecom management was not part of their core business focus.

With plans to relocate its UK office, the company also required a solution that could be easily transferred to a new location without disruption. VoIPstudio was selected for its robust, mature, and fully featured offering.

Unlike other providers evaluated during the selection process, VoIPstudio stood out as enterprise-ready. The availability of a strategically located data centre, positioned between Ascert’s UK and California offices, helped mitigate potential latency issues, while the intuitive user interface made day-to-day management straightforward. VoIPstudio also demonstrated a strong working relationship and responsive support throughout the onboarding process.

Today, Ascert has greater control over its incoming lines, which can be easily assigned to different screens, teams, or office locations. Calls are routed through Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems and can be forwarded to mobile phones using the follow-me feature. This enhanced availability is especially valuable for a company dedicated to supporting clients with testing and maintaining mission-critical systems.

It has simplified my life.

It is absolutely cheaper than what we had before and the whole manageability aspect is a huge improvement. It has simplified my life. Now the telecoms system is something I don’t have to worry about.

The Impact

Ascert now operates with a fully unified communications solution, eliminating the need for in-house servers and multiple PBX systems across its international offices. The entire telecom infrastructure is centrally managed through an intuitive web portal, streamlining system administration and reducing reliance on IT personnel in a specific region. Team members in different time zones can now manage and resolve issues as they arise, improving responsiveness and operational flexibility.

The move to VoIPstudio also simplified billing and vendor management. Instead of juggling multiple contracts and invoices, the company now pays a single, automated monthly bill—reducing administrative overhead and improving cost transparency. Notably, the overall telecom spend has been cut to approximately one-third of previous costs.

Another great advantage of having the phone system behind you which handles things on a worldwide basis, is that it allows you to project the image of a world-class organization by the way you handle support issues so effectively.

Beyond efficiency and savings, the global reach and consistency of the system allow Ascert to deliver a professional, enterprise-grade customer experience. Seamless handling of support calls across regions reinforces the company’s image as a world-class provider of mission-critical system testing and assurance.