About IG Design Group UK
IG Design Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and designers of gift packaging, stationery and creative play products.
With major sites in Wales and Milton Keynes, the company supplies leading retailers, ranging from small independents to supermarkets and wholesalers. Around 70–75% of its business centres on Christmas products, making year-round coordination between teams, suppliers, and customers vital to ensure a successful festive period.
The challenge
When UK IT Manager Damien Morgan reviewed IG Design Group’s legacy phone system, he knew it was time to modernise.
IG Design Group were still using a 20-year-old ISDN system that was rapidly approaching end-of-life. Handsets were unavailable, support was minimal, and there was no way to transfer calls between sites.
“We couldn’t even buy replacement handsets anymore. We were scouring eBay to find compatible models.”
— Damien Morgan, UK IT Manager, IG Design Group
The outdated setup caused:
- Frustrated customers and lost opportunities due to missed or dropped calls
- Disconnected departments
- No support for remote or hybrid working
With the 2027 ISDN switch-off on the horizon, the team also needed a future-proof, flexible VoIP solution that could unify all sites, and remove the use of legacy infrastructure.
The solution – 3CX
After evaluating several options, Damien discovered Gradwell while researching 3CX partners in the UK.
“We wanted flexibility and personal support, not a huge provider that takes 18 months to install a line. Gradwell just fit perfectly.”
After careful consideration of several possibilities, Gradwell implemented a cloud-based 3CX phone system, tailored to IG Design Group’s multi-site requirement.
Key features included:
Gradwell deployed a scalable 3CX VoIP system across IG Design Group’s two UK sites, creating a single, reliable communications platform that connects the entire business. The new solution replaced outdated legacy technology with a flexible, cloud-based setup that can easily grow with future demand.
Gradwell delivered the project in phases, running old and new systems in parallel to ensure a smooth handover. This approach allowed staff to get comfortable with the new phones ahead of the final switch-over, keeping disruption to an absolute minimum.
“The experience has been positive. The support has been excellent, the system works perfectly, and we’re saving money every year. Gradwell gave us exactly what we needed — flexibility, reliability and personal support.”
— Damien Morgan, UK IT Manager
The Results
Significant cost savings
By moving from an outdated ISDN system to Gradwell’s modern 3CX VoIP solution, IG Design Group has achieved substantial annual savings. With Gradwell, the first-year cost, including setup and new hardware, was reduced by 48%, followed by an additional 20% the year after. This represents an annual saving of around 68%. Gradwell’s flexible pricing model and scalable infrastructure have helped the company cut costs without compromising quality or reliability.
Improved communication and collaboration
One of the most significant improvements has been in everyday communication. With Gradwell’s 3CX solution in place, teams across different sites can now transfer and hold conference calls instantly, eliminating the previous disconnect and delay between locations. The integration with Microsoft Teams provides live presence detection, helping staff see who is available and collaborate more effectively. This has led to fewer missed calls, quicker customer response times, and a more connected working environment across the business.
Future-ready flexibility
Gradwell’s solution has also given IG Design Group the tools to adapt to modern, hybrid working practices. Staff can now take and manage business calls from their laptops or mobile devices, regardless of their location. This has been especially valuable for cross-site roles and those working remotely. The platform’s scalability means the business can easily expand capacity as it grows, ensuring the system continues to meet future demands.
“The implementation was as smooth as it could be. We rolled out the new phones, let users get comfortable, and switched over effortlessly no downtime at all.”
— Damien Morgan, UK IT Manager, IG Design Group
IG Design Group now operates on a modern, reliable communications platform that connects its teams, reduces costs and enhances day-to-day productivity.
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