In a recent conversation, we had the privilege of speaking with Jared R. Wise and Ian Gibason from Wilmington University’s Information Technology team about their experience using Landis Technologies. Their institution has been utilizing Landis Contact Center for Microsoft Teams to streamline communication across several vital departments, including IT support, financial aid, and public safety. Throughout the conversation, they highlighted the importance of a native Teams integration for seamless, reliable communication, which minimized the frequent disruptions in legacy systems. They also shared how having a flexible, customizable platform allowed them to tailor workflows for each department—empowering IT, financial aid, and public safety staff to respond faster and more efficiently. Importantly, they emphasized the value of ongoing training and periodic evaluations to ensure the solution continues to meet their evolving needs. Wilmington University’s experience shows how other institutions can improve response times, make better use of staff resources, and create a smoother communication experience with the right tools and support.
A Smooth Implementation with Exceptional Support
When Wilmington University decided to transition to a Microsoft contact center solution, they were seeking a system that could effectively handle a high volume of calls and inquiries across multiple departments. According to Jared and Ian, the implementation process exceeded their expectations. “The deployment went super smooth,” Ian noted. “There were no major issues, and the demo was up and running in no time. From the outset, we were impressed by how quickly the system was operational.”
Landis’s responsiveness during the onboarding process was also a key highlight. “David Georgia from the Landis support team was fantastic,” Jared said. “He was consistently helpful throughout the deployment and afterward. Anytime we had a question or encountered an issue, David would step in and make sure we had everything we needed to keep moving forward. His support, along with the entire team’s, really made the implementation smooth.”
Even though the university faced some minor challenges—particularly with setting up and customizing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems—Landis provided the tools and assistance necessary to address these issues. “Creating the IVRs was the hardest part,” Ian said, “but the widget feature Landis provides made it much easier. Having that flexibility allowed us to quickly build and adjust IVRs to meet our needs.”
Beyond the initial implementation, Wilmington University has continued to rely on Landis’s support to fine-tune their system. “We’ve had nothing but great experiences with support from the Landis team,” Ian added. “Whether we’re asking for help with specific features or troubleshooting small issues, they’ve always been responsive and thorough.”
Improved Call Handling and Personal Touch in Service
One of the key advantages of Landis’s platform for Wilmington University has been its ability to handle high volumes of calls across different departments. From IT and engagement services to financial aid and public safety, the system ensures that calls are routed smoothly and efficiently.
“We’ve seen significant improvements in how we manage calls,” Ian explained. “The platform supports multiple queues, which has allowed us to better organize and route calls to the right people. This has been particularly valuable during peak times like the start of the semester when we’re dealing with a surge in student and staff inquiries.”
However, Wilmington University has opted for a unique approach when it comes to the initial call experience—they’ve prioritized a system that avoids traditional IVRs in favor of live representatives. “We wanted to make sure that when students called in, they could speak to a live person right away,” Ian said. “That’s a big part of our philosophy—providing a personal touch in every interaction.”
While this approach has improved the student experience, it has also led to an increase in call transfers between departments. “The downside is that we transfer calls like crazy,” Ian admitted. “We get people to a live person quickly, but then the challenge is making sure they get to the right department without being bounced around too much. Our transfer volume is extremely high, which is something we’re working to address.”
Custom Solutions for Call Tracking: A Work in Progress
One of the most pressing challenges for Wilmington University has been tracking the lifecycle of each call as it moves through different departments. This is an area where the university sees significant potential for improvement and where Landis has been actively working to help.
“For us, it’s really important to understand the entire journey a call takes,” Ian said. “We need to be able to track how many times a student is transferred, what departments they interact with, and how long each step takes. This kind of data is critical for training purposes and helps us identify where we need to improve.”
Currently, the system provides some visibility into the call flow, but Jared and Ian expressed a desire for more granular tracking. “The platform gives us a basic understanding of how calls are routed, but we’re not quite where we want to be yet in terms of tracking every transfer and interaction,” Jared explained. “One of the biggest complaints we hear from students is that they feel like they’re being transferred too much before reaching the right person. If we could have more detailed insights into the transfer process, we’d be better equipped to address those complaints and improve the overall experience.”
Landis has acknowledged this need and is working with the university to explore solutions. “The team at Landis has been very open to discussing how we can enhance call tracking,” Ian said. “We’ve had conversations about working with Microsoft to implement some of these improvements, and they’ve been receptive to our feedback. While we haven’t fully solved this problem yet, we’re confident that Landis is committed to helping us get there.”
CRM Integration: A Key Focus for Future Growth
As Wilmington University looks to the future, one of their primary goals is to integrate Landis’s contact center solution with their existing CRM systems, particularly Ellucian platforms like Recruit and Advise. This integration would allow their contact center to access student data more effectively and route calls based on that information.
“We have a great desire to integrate our CRM platforms with Landis,” Jared emphasized. “Right now, the contact center operates somewhat separately from our CRM, but if we could bring those systems together, we could really streamline our operations. For example, if a student calls in, having immediate access to their profile in Ellucian would help us route their call to the right department faster and with more accuracy.”
A follow-up call is already in the works to explore how Landis can support this integration. Both Jared and Ian are optimistic that these discussions will lead to a more efficient, integrated system. “We’re looking forward to diving into this with the Landis team,” Jared said. “It’s a major priority for us, and we think it has the potential to make a big impact on how we handle calls and inquiries.”
Feature Requests and Opportunities for Improvement
Jared and Ian noted that their agents had faced challenges with the call wrap-up process, in which agents forgot to log the necessary details before ending the call, and the data could be lost entirely. This led to issues with reporting and tracking call outcomes accurately.
During the conversation with the Landis team, Jared and Ian learned about existing solutions within the platform to prevent data loss in these situations. The system includes features they hadn’t been fully using that make it easier for agents to retrieve or update call wrap-up details if they’re missed. Now that they’re more familiar with these tools, Wilmington University expects to improve the accuracy of their call data.
“This solution has been a big help,” Ian noted. “It ensures that even if an agent misses entering the wrap-up data, they can go back and fix it without losing critical information.”
These newly discovered features are already making a difference in their operations, ensuring smoother reporting and more reliable data tracking moving forward.
Continuous Support and Partnership with Landis
One of the most valued aspects of Wilmington University’s relationship with Landis has been the continuous support and proactive communication. The university has agreed to quarterly check-ins with the Landis customer success team, which has proven to be an effective way of addressing any ongoing concerns and identifying opportunities for improvement.
“We’ve scheduled regular check-ins with Austin Gehman and the customer success team at Landis, and that’s been a great process for us,” Jared shared. “These meetings give us the chance to talk through any issues we’re seeing, but more importantly, they allow us to have forward-thinking discussions about how we can continue to optimize the system.”
This level of engagement is something Jared and Ian both appreciate. “Landis doesn’t just sell you a product and walk away,” Ian said. “They’re a true partner. They’re committed to making sure we’re successful, and that’s reflected in how they handle every interaction—whether it’s through troubleshooting an issue or brainstorming new features to meet our needs.”
A Lasting Partnership Built on Trust
As Wilmington University continues to evolve its communication systems, Jared and Ian are confident that their partnership with Landis Technologies will remain a cornerstone of their success. From the seamless implementation to the ongoing support and collaboration, Landis has proven to be a reliable and innovative partner.
“We’re really happy with the product and the support we’ve received,” Ian said. “It’s a great system, and it’s working well for us. But what really stands out is the relationship we’ve built with Landis. They’ve been transparent about what the system can do, where there’s room for improvement, and how they’re planning to address our needs moving forward.”
Jared echoed this sentiment. “We’ve worked with other vendors before, and sometimes you get the feeling that once the sale is made, the support drops off. That hasn’t been the case with Landis. They’ve been with us every step of the way, and we know we can count on them to help us grow and improve our systems.”
Landis got the job done
Reflecting on their experience, Jared and Ian were clear in their endorsement of Landis Technologies. “For any organization looking for a Microsoft Teams contact center solution, we would absolutely recommend Landis,” Jared said. “The solution is intuitive, powerful, and it integrates seamlessly with the tools we’re already using.”
“What really sets Landis apart,” Ian added, “is their dedication to customer support. They don’t just sell you a product—they become your partner. Whether it’s through custom solutions like the IVR widget, regular check-ins, or simply being there when we need help, Landis is always focused on making sure we succeed. That’s the kind of relationship we value.”
As their university continues to evolve and adapt to new technological demands, Jared and Ian are confident that their partnership with Landis will remain a crucial part of their IT strategy. From implementation to ongoing support, Landis has proven to be a reliable and innovative partner—one that helps their team not only meet but exceed their communication and operational goals.
“We’re excited to see where this partnership goes,” Jared concluded. “With Landis by our side, we know we’ll continue to improve and innovate, and we look forward to what the future holds.”
