Thomas Foods International
RingCentral bringing multiple sites together for rapidly growing international food supplier
How Iron Workers International scales a foundation with automated call resolution
Region
Americas
Company size
1–19
Industry
Agriculture
Products used
Key Metrics
60%
of member calls resolved entirely by RingCentral AI Receptionist
38%
decrease in call handle time with RingCentral AI Receptionist SMS integration
Overview
Iron Workers International modernized its member experience by transitioning from a fragile, on-premise PBX system to an AI-first cloud platform. This move solved chronic communication outages caused by shared infrastructure and physical lockdowns. Using RingCentral AI Receptionist, Video and Webinar, Iron Workers International automated 60% of routine inquiries and enabled a flexible remote-work model.
With our own aging IT infrastructure, we weren’t giving our members the service they deserved. Thanks to tools like RingCentral AI Receptionist, Video, and Webinar, we’re delivering outstanding member experiences every day.
Tim Strecker
,
Director of IT
About our customer
Iron Workers International, based in Washington, D.C., has shaped the skyline of North America since the 1890s. From the Golden Gate Bridge to modern skyscrapers, their 130,000 members represent the backbone of the continent's infrastructure.
The challenge: Fragmented systems and physical barriers
Iron Workers International faced a fragmented communication environment that created daily friction for both staff and members.
Their on-premise PBX system was housed in a shared building where third-party technicians frequently—and accidentally—knocked the union’s entire network offline. Situated within the White House security perimeter, the headquarters faced significant geographical challenges; frequent 'fenced-off' days during major events barred 100 employees from the office and left member calls unanswered.
- System Fragility: Frequent outages caused by shared infrastructure led to missed member inquiries and operational downtime.
- Physical Constraints: High-security lockdowns prevented staff from accessing legacy hardware.
- Resource Strain: A small bilingual staff struggled to support a large Spanish-speaking membership.
The solution and ROI: An AI-first cloud strategy
To overcome hardware unreliability, Iron Workers International collaborated with SoftChoice to adopt a unified cloud platform. By replacing manual friction with predictive automation, they modernize the member experience and recapture lost productivity.
The implementation of the RingCentral product suite delivers the following results:
- RingCentral AI Receptionist (AIR) resolves 60% of member calls without human intervention by handling routine inquiries regarding training and drug testing. AIR also features Spanish-language support, allowing the union to serve its diverse membership without hiring additional bilingual staff.
- RingEX enables 100% remote functionality, allowing staff to access full office capabilities from anywhere and helping the union recapture revenue by renting vacated office floors.
- SMS integrated with AIR decreases average call time by 38% by instantly delivering links and forms to members while they remain on the line.
- RingCentral AI Meetings scales virtual engagement for 200 field employees by hosting over 700 monthly meetings and virtual events.
What’s next for Iron Workers International
Tim Strecker and his team plan to further expand the AI Receptionist’s knowledge hub, using call transcripts and AI-driven insights to anticipate member needs before they even ask.
As Iron Workers International builds the data centers that power the AI era, their own organization is embracing the future of work—moving from fragmented systems to integrated and proactive AI-powered collaboration and support tools that honor their 130-year legacy.
To learn more about our customer, visit Iron Workers International.
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