“Our external IT specialist had recommended peoplefone to us as a VoIP provider.”
Peoplefone is often recommended by an installation partner. At the Therwil ophthalmology practice, however, according to medical practice assistant Ines Fichera, it was exactly the opposite: Peoplefone was recommended by the IT specialist at PCI Solutions. Find out in the interview below how the switch to 3CX went and why Ines Fichera would recommend peoplefone and Supsign AG without hesitation.
How long have you been using peoplefone as your provider at the Therwil Eye Clinic?
We’ve been using peoplefone as our provider since early 2024. The launch was actually planned for December 2023, but was ultimately postponed to January since it wasn’t time-sensitive.
What phone service were you using before?
We used to use a different provider. However, their service hadn’t been satisfactory for us for quite some time. There were recurring issues with the voicemail system, frequent service interruptions, and the support wasn’t always up to par.
Usually, peoplefone is recommended by an installation partner, but in your case it was the other way around. How did you come across peoplefone’s offering?
Our external IT specialist from PCI Systems had recommended peoplefone as a VoIP provider. After we’d definitively decided on their service, PCI Systems suggested Supsign AG as our installation partner. That was the ideal solution for us—on the one hand, because peoplefone and Supsign AG have been working together for some time, and on the other hand, because Supsign AG is based in Münchenstein, allowing us to benefit from local IT support.
What factors were decisive in choosing the 3CX virtual phone system?
3CX was also recommended to us by Alain Bühler of Supsign AG, who is our point of contact for telephony. Thanks to his excellent support from day one, he quickly recognized that the 3CX virtual phone system is the ideal solution for the telephony needs of our ophthalmology practice.
What do you consider to be the most important advantages of this telephony solution?
No matter where I am, I can log in to 3CX and manage the data. As the sole person responsible for our phone system, this is a huge advantage for me and frees me from having to use a landline phone. All our employees have the 3CX app on their phones, which allows us to clearly distinguish between personal and business calls at all times. When we’re not working, we can activate the voicemail feature and stay informed without being directly disturbed.
During the transition, thorough preparation by the installation company is key. How did you find working with your new partner, Supsign AG?
The collaboration with Supsign AG was fantastic from the very beginning and at a significantly higher level than before. At first, we had to experiment a bit to figure out how many phones we needed. In the end, we replaced all the phones in the practice with new models. The training provided by Alain Bühler from Supsign AG was also excellent, which made it much easier for me to train the staff afterward. I’ve had very little to do with peoplefone itself, so we haven’t had to contact support even once so far.
In your practice, fax still plays a certain role in sending documents. Did this influence your choice of telephony solution?
For me, fax is secondary, and I only need it because certain pharmacies and smaller practices still use it. Supsign AG got the fax machine up and running in no time. However, it will likely disappear soon, and no one will miss it.
Do you and your staff have any specific needs regarding the phone system?
No. We mainly need our phones and main line for patient contact. The second line is reserved exclusively for doctors and suppliers, in case the main number is overloaded or not working.
Would you recommend peoplefone and Supsign AG to others?
Absolutely, without hesitation. Supsign’s support is truly excellent—they’re always nearby and very easy to reach. Even when our contact person, Alain Bühler, is busy, his colleagues are familiar with our setup and can step in for him.
Interview with Ines Fichera, medical practice assistant and practice administrator at Therwil AG Ophthalmology Practice
About Augenarztpraxis Therwil AG
Augenarztpraxis Therwil is the regional and local point of contact for eye problems of all kinds. We offer treatments and consultations in the following areas: refractive errors, prescription glasses and contact lenses, consultations for refractive surgery, laser vision correction procedures, implantation of corrective and preventive measures, follow-up care, etc.
April 4, 2024, by Alexia Zufferey