The African American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) has seven employees who work in the office and one who works out of the office 90% of the time, visiting with members and potential members.  There was often a disconnect with the President, who was the one mobile employee because his time was spent in meetings, which meant less time to check his many voice mail boxes and emails, much less to respond to everything in a timely matter.  He also had limited access to necessary files while away from the office.

The interior re-design of the office building was also made to provide temporary work space for members, with internet, phone, fax, and access to certain business documents located on a server.

Last but not least, AACC wanted to provide an easier and innovative method of holding member information meetings, since there were several members who wanted to attend meetings, but between drive time and conflicting schedules they were not able to attend or get the information from the meeting that they wanted.

CBTS recommended the robust Cisco UC 500 solution with multiple capabilities to solve AACC’s business issues.  The mobile employee is now more connected with VPN capabilities and has the ability to have his cell phone ring at the same time as his desk phone.  He can also receive voice mails in his email inbox, which makes managing voice mails much easier since he can save, put them in a folder or forward them to the appropriate person, just as he would an email.

The UC 500 also provides wireless Internet access for the members and employees, as well as IP phones.  Security was a concern since members would have access to the same network as employees and potentially make long distance calls; but with the security features of the UC 500, all member Internet access will go on a Virtual LAN that doesn’t allow access to the ‘employee-only’ files and will designate which phones can dial long distance.  A conference phone was also installed in the conference room for meetings that require outside calls.  CBTS is also proactively monitoring the UC 500 to ensure that it is functioning properly, and managing the network for any moves, adds, and changes to the LAN.  Moving to a VoIP phone network converged AACC’s LAN and phone system along with security and wireless,  making it easier to manage and less expensive to maintain.

In order for AACC to provide the member meetings in a more effective manner, Cisco Webex is used as a method to deliver the information.  Webex is a video conferencing solution that can be used from any computer with access to the Internet.  AACC will be able to send invitations to all members, who can join the meeting from their own computers.  Document; video and desktop sharing; questions and answers; polling; and several other collaboration features will allow quicker delivery of information. With less driving and printing of materials, the overall time, expense, and energy required for successful meetings will now be cut significantly.  For the members who are not able to attend the meeting, a recording of the meeting can be sent out and viewed at any time.

A group of African American business owners and citizens formed the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) in 1996. Their vision and commitment to African American-owned businesses has resulted in significant regional contributions and a consistent voice for minority business inclusion for all sectors of the regional economy. AACC’s mission is to establish, cultivate, and strengthen consumer and business relationships; provide access to major corporate markets for their members to help increase business opportunities; and assist in developing strategic partnerships and alliances for the purpose of strengthening and growing the business community.