Natural Market Phone System Case Study
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KME Systems, Inc. - Lake Forest, CA

DuraFon SIP - Long-Range, Multi-Line, Expandable, Cordless Phone System
KME Systems, Inc. (KME), a managed services firm, specializes in working with companies in the manufacturing, construction, and medical device industries. KME has been helping their clients in the greater Orange County, San Diego, and Los Angeles areas thrive since 1993. They go the extra mile with every customer, and it is no surprise, given one of the company’s mottos: We give a damn.

The Need: SIP Integration – and MUCH More!

One of KME’s longtime clients is Mother’s Market – a natural foods market that originated in Costa Mesa, CA nearly 40 years ago. Mother’s has expanded to seven locations across Orange County and offers a wide selection of products for specialized diets, top quality produce, supplements, and a selection of goods that are not readily available elsewhere.

Rather than simply provide the phone system that the customer requested and thought they wanted, KME sat down with Mother’s to understand their in-store communication needs. The retailer required many features from a single device:

  • SIP integration
  • Long-range coverage
  • Mobility
  • Durability
  • Robust (optional) warranty

KME sought out a SIP-based solution that would provide reliable coverage throughout the store. From the cave-like cold storage and back loading dock to the front desk, the phones had to provide dependable and instantaneous coverage – anywhere and everywhere – at each Mother’s location.

The handsets must also be durable enough to withstand the harsh market environment where temperatures quickly rise and fall, and where floors are hard and unforgiving when a phone is dropped. KME also required a strong warranty in case a device needed replacing – a warranty that was quick and easy to navigate to save administrative time.


“We’re putting your product in place, and we like that it’s SIP because then we can connect it to anything that you’re going to dream up in the future,”

Mark Essayian

Owner of KME Systems

The Solution: DuraFon-SIP – A Rugged Device That Delivers Long-Range Coverage

Mark Essayian, Owner of KME Systems, decided to recommend a SIP-based system and his research led him to EnGenius’ DuraFon-SIP System. “We sold Mother’s their original phone systems years ago, and we’re slowly replacing them because they’re no longer supported by the original manufacturer. We’re putting your product in place, and we like that it’s SIP because then we can connect it to anything that they’re going to dream up in the future,” he explained.

Using DuraFon’s long-range SIP means KME does not rely on Mother’s Wi-Fi coverage. SIP systems function despite Wi-Fi dead spots that might otherwise be an issue when using voice over Wi-Fi. Managers and key personnel can answer questions by phone and can communicate with in-store staff via the Independent 2-Way Intercom or the Broadcast feature. The DuraFon installed quickly, and its base stations tucked easily out of sight.

Another challenge the DuraFon-SIP met was Mother’s need for durability. The sturdy devices are built to withstand repeated drops onto concrete from heights of up to six feet – which are inevitable in a market and warehouse setting. DuraFon also holds up to the cold, which is essential when staff members visit refrigerated areas of the store.

DuraFon’s optional 3-Year Accidental Damage Warranty allows for quick replacement of the handsets the Mother’s Market teams rely on. With a market focus on health and wellness, a DuraFon-SIP handset may someday be “done in” by fruits and veggies. Essayian joked, “I wouldn’t be surprised if one of your phones ended up inside a juice blender, going around with some raspberries and kale!”

The Result: End-User Satisfaction and an Additional Revenue Stream for KME Systems

The DuraFon-SIP was a healthy investment for both KME Systems and its client, Mother’s Market. The market chain is very pleased with the communications solution KME presented.

The DuraFon-SIP covers up to 250,000 square feet, including all the nooks and crannies in the sizable markets. The store managers like the reliable, durable, multi-function handsets and the reliable devices support the excellent customer service that is the Mother’s Market hallmark.

Mark Essayian attributes his confidence in recommending the DuraFon-SIP to a valued client to many factors:

  • Responsiveness of EnGenius customer service, sales, and engineering staff
  • DuraFon’s durability and long-range coverage
  • Product warranty and RMA process

Essayian also liked that it was “easy to transact business” with EnGenius. “Customer service matters to us. If I’m recommending this to a customer, and if it’s not right, I need to know that I can fall back to your team. We feel we’ll get that from you. You guys treated us well.”

Shane Adams, an engineer at KME, agrees. “I was glad to work with the engineering team at EnGenius to make sure the product was a good fit.”

Not only has the DuraFon-SIP improved business operations for KME Systems’ customer, but it also improved business for KME by providing a new revenue stream. They now offer the DuraFon-SIP as an improvement to existing customers and an option to new ones.

“It’s always easier to sell to an existing customer than to a new one,” said Essayian. “If the customer really thinks that you ‘give a damn’ about them it’s not about (the) budget, it’s about what the product is going to do for them, and that’s the perfect spot to be in.”

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