What started out as a necessary upgrade to our business-critical telephony systems soon became an opportunity to achieve much more. In the past two years we have achieved 50% organic growth and, with similar ambitions for the future, our key business goals are improving customer experience and productivity while managing costs.

Initially, the purpose of the telephony upgrade plan was to ensure we had the infrastructure to be able to provide our clients with the quality of service expected of us. When we looked at the options available, however, what wowed us most were the benefits that could be provided by adopting a scaleable unified information and communications platform across all of our offices, over and above the new telephone system. This was not an opportunity simply to tick boxes and meet client needs, but a chance to get one step ahead, innovate on our business processes and exceed expectations.

What also became apparent was the need to find an infrastructure that was modern, used open technology standards and was scaleable for future growth. We wanted to innovate in the way technology could support the business, but balance this with security and low risk using trusted providers with a strong track record and long life-span.

Based on previous experiences we contracted Xantus Consulting, who are business experts in this field, to help us scope our requirements and shortlist suitable technology partners. Independent advice was very important; the telephony and communications market is awash with vendors and providers and we needed to reduce the time and effort spent in plucking out the serious players.

A big realisation that came out of this was that we needed to be thinking what the business would look like and how it would operate in eight to 10 years' time. Xantus steered us in visualising our requirements for the future, rather than just today. A vision of unified communication, bringing together both our IT and telecoms infrastructure, was the result. Possible providers were shortlisted, followed by a rigorous tender process which narrowed six providers down to three. Our final choice was UK ICT solutions provider and unified communications expert, Redstone Converged Solutions.

It was when we started to look at the solutions presented by our shortlist that key applications that could be achieved through unified communications started to jump out. Considering time is money and that law is a people-based industry, improving productivity and profitability and integrating information about people and clients easily were particularly resonant with our needs.

Through unified communications, we started to see many possibilities. Automated identification of incoming client calls could trigger direct call routing to the right people, saving time for our staff and avoiding client frustration. This could also trigger relevant client information to the computer screen of the relevant lawyer as the call comes through. Equally, use of presence technology could integrate voicemail and email systems and information from online calendars about the availability of our people could be automatically communicated via voicemail messages. We are focusing on the realms of simple, but effective communication.

What we liked about the Redstone solution was that it met our requirements for low risk and innovation, and it also had the clearest vision for integration with Microsoft technology. As a user of Microsoft Office across the firm, it was essential that we could meld our existing investments into the new network to minimise cost of IT ownership. Redstone's solution included the provision of Cisco Local Area Networks and IP telephony equipment and an intelligent business communications software system from specialist software provider IPFX.

One of the biggest challenges we faced in choosing the right solution was the state of flux in the market. The most trusted and viable solutions from major vendors were based on proprietary technology. These vendors made up our initial shortlist. However, it was clear that Microsoft was having an increasing influence on the market through its OCS/LCS solution, offering more open standards. While we wanted the security of a trusted system, we also felt the need for a leap of faith with Microsoft. We did not feel that Microsoft's own systems were well established enough in the market, and very few of the 'traditional' vendor solutions provided a strong Microsoft proposition. Finding one that could combine low-risk and Microsoft integration really narrowed it down.

Redstone's combination of Cisco and IPFX was one that remained on the shortlist. IPFX is designed specifically to provide unified communications around the Microsoft platform. We could have the best of both worlds and were not tied to a single vendor solution for the sake of ease of use.

The next challenge was user acceptance, which came at the point of final selection. We had narrowed the choice down to two solutions and, as is our regular policy, we got a range of employees and potential users to listen to the final presentations and demonstrations. This is essential because employees have to believe in the systems we are asking them to use. In a perfect world every user should be involved in selection but as the system will touch all 770 employees eventually this was not possible. We ensured that a range of people, including partners, secretaries and administration staff, had a say in the final selection.

It is too early to measure benefits yet but, so far, feedback is positive. We are focusing on using the system to improve collaborative working across the firm that in turn improves productivity and profitability, for example by reducing required travel time or making it easier to share information. In a knowledge-based business there is a direct link between improved productivity and the bottom line.

We are also working on enhancing customer experience. For example, linking client databases to the call management system means that information does not have to be searched for and employees can address clients intelligently from the word go. One thing that is key to success is to take it step by step. We know that the new system is capable but to take a 'big bang' approach could mean too much change too quickly. We are treating every new function introduced individually so that our people do not see it as yet another IT system to get in the way of their work, and see unified communications for what it really is – an opportunity to be more productive and work smarter.

Graeme Low is head of information systems at Mills & Reeve.