Item: 8x8 Work
Rating: 10
Author: Stephen Gulsvig

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We have multiple locations (4) throughout the country, including
Hawaii. One of the most used features is the ability to dial anyone at any of
these locations via a single extension. That cut long-distance phone bills to
almost zero. The desktop and mobile app provide a seamless way for salespeople
and at home workers to stay connected with colleagues and customers.

Pros and Cons

Quality of phone calls/service is outstanding. Few dropped calls, crystal clear conversations
Desktop app interacts seamlessly with physical desktop phones
Mobile app is seamless as well, syncing with the desktop rapidly and accurately
The service provides many, many options and controls for users and admins

I'd like the ability to delete old chat/SMS messages
When I delete a voicemail, I'd like to see a popup that gives me the option to delete the incoming phone number simultaneously instead of having to hop between "Calls" and "Voicemail".
When setting up new users and inviting them to download and install the desktop app, it would be nice if the invite could come from my company email rather than having to warn the new user to be on the lookout for an email from 8x8. I always have to send an email reminder to the new user who may have deleted the email from 8x8 because they didn't recognize it. This adds extra steps as an admin to the process.

Most Important Features

Solid, reliable quality of phone service
Desktop and mobile apps
Easy on-boarding of new employees

Return on Investment

The direct extension dialing to other locations in different states eliminated long distance phone fees
The video capabilities eliminates the need for pro subscriptions to other video conferencing services (i.e. Zoom)
Having one consistent bill with no surprise monthly add-on charges makes it easy to predict and budget communications costs

Alternatives Considered

Unfortunately, the company we tried before is not listed here. It was TPx (formerly TelePacific) and it was a costly nightmare. Everything from on-boarding to final deployment had problems. They had one very nice customer service person that I worked with and he was outstanding, but everyone else in the company had communication problems, which is ironic since they billed themselves as a unified communications company. They were everything that 8x8 isn't. They'd nickel and dime (more like dollars upon dollars) for every add-on feature. As an example, they'd charge hundreds of dollars for monthly analytics reports. Monthly! With 8x8, reports are at your finger tips daily if you wish. I could go on and on about how poorly we were treated and mislead, but no need. Suffice to say, 8x8 was a refreshing breath of air and we were so happy we found them.

Key Insights

Do you think 8x8 Work delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with 8x8 Work's feature set?

Yes

Did 8x8 Work live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of 8x8 Work go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy 8x8 Work again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Microsoft 365 Business Premium, QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets)

Likelihood to Recommend

The 8x8 X Series offers a full suite of options completely bundled and available to a company. Whether a very small company or large corporation, the tools are there, and scalable to suite your needs as you grow. The greatest thing about this is that 8x8 doesn't nickel and dime for every feature. You might not use more than a few (i.e. video, chat, phones, conference calls, private chat rooms) or you might need more details about the organization with analytics, reports, or if you're a larger organization which has a receptionist who needs the dashboard to route and park calls, it's all available. The pricing is predictable, no surprises. Their knowledge base is extensive and straightforward and their customer service is outstanding.

Reliable Workhorse, Great Suite of Features, and Affordable

Overall Satisfaction with 8x8 X Series