Freshet Systems Inc. is a technology startup out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The company builds mobile infrastructure solutions for the energy sector in Western Canada. Guillermo Guglietti, the president, leads a lean team of three. When regulatory agencies required round-the-clock phone availability, Guillermo needed a solution that could keep up without adding headcount.
Challenge
In the early days, Freshet Systems had no dedicated business line. Guillermo and his two co-founders used their personal cell phones for everything.
"We didn't have any reception, number, or line really," Guillermo says. "Three individuals who we are, we're pushing this. Our cell phones were pretty much everywhere."
That approach created problems fast. As the business registered with industry databases and regulatory bodies, their numbers ended up on lists they never intended.
"Your line starts going in different databases and stuff like that where you get a wonderful mix of spam and important calls all at once."
The bigger issue was compliance. Freshet Systems had to register with regulatory agencies in the energy sector, and those agencies require 24/7 phone availability. Three people running a startup can't answer every call around the clock. But missing the wrong one wasn't an option.
Solution
Guillermo's team evaluated four different answering systems before choosing Upfirst.
"We tested four different systems. Obviously, we end up choosing Upfirst. It was the one that implemented all the pieces," he says. "Some systems are really good at one thing over the other. And when we came to Upfirst, we saw that it was really well put together."
What mattered most to the Freshet team was flexibility. They needed a system that could grow with them.
"The important things that to us was the permeability on training the system and being able to adapt as we change our needs."
Upfirst now serves as the team's first point of contact. It screens incoming calls, filters spam, and sends summaries and text notifications so nothing slips through. Guillermo configured it to keep every team member in the loop.
"Make sure that our team is aware of the calls so that doesn't get lost somewhere."
Results
Freshet Systems now has the 24/7 phone coverage their regulatory agencies require, without hiring a receptionist or managing a traditional answering service.
"It had everything we needed. It was easy to configure and it was ready to go, and the value proposition was fantastic too."
Spam filtering has been a standout benefit. "It's really good at filtering spam, which is wonderful."
And the system keeps improving. "It's been great to see how it is getting better."
For a three-person startup competing in the energy sector, Upfirst handles the phones so the team can focus on building the business.
