How Sunstate Equipment saves 25% of time with Dialpad Ai

Since 1977, Sunstate Equipment has been providing contractors with top-notch rental equipment, keeping job sites running without the hassle of ownership. With nearly 3,000 employees and branches across the country, keeping everyone connected is essential.

For years, though, Sunstate was using a phone system from the early 2000s—which was so outdated they had to buy replacement desk phones off eBay just to keep it running. 

“We were still using the same desk phones from 2001,” said Jen Bennett, Network Operations Manager. “We needed to get rid of our old system and move to something modern—fast.”

That’s when Jen, along with Stephen Schleeper, Sunstate’s Senior VOIP Engineer, started searching for a better solution. 

Leaving an outdated phone system

After evaluating nine different providers, Dialpad came out on top. Not only did it check all the boxes for Ai-powered automation, real-time analytics, and flexibility, but it also stood out for how customer-focused it was. 

“The moment I knew we made the right choice was when every stakeholder independently picked Dialpad in our internal survey,” Jen said. “That told me they saw what I saw.”

Beyond the hardware struggles, the old system just wasn’t built for a company of Sunstate’s size. There was no automation, no real-time insights, and no way to streamline workflows. 

That’s where Dialpad changed everything. Instead of a basic phone system, Sunstate now has a fully integrated communications platform that works across voice and messaging with Ai-powered automation. Agents no longer waste time hunting for information—Dialpad does the work for them.

Ai-powered time savings and efficiency boost

When Sunstate first rolled out Dialpad, they expected most employees to stick with basic calling features. But as soon as teams saw what the platform could do, they wanted more.

“We thought people would just use Dialpad Connect as a straight-up phone replacement,” Jen Bennett said. “Turns out, once they saw the automation and Ai features, they didn’t want to go back to doing things manually.”

Instead of wasting time manually logging interactions, Dialpad Sell now automates workflows, surfaces key insights, and makes it easier for agents to do their jobs. 

Dialpad's Ai Recap has been central to this transformation. Following each call, the system generates a concise summary, available within seconds. This instant access to call recaps has proven invaluable for Sunstate's busy team. 

“When a customer calls in, a lot of their information auto-populates,” Jen explained. “They’re immediately identified, and we know their past interactions—so there’s no need for repetitive questions. It’s become essential to how we work.”

"Before Dialpad, a four-minute call was the norm. Now, we’re down to about three minutes per call," Stephen explains. This reduction in call duration is a direct result of having crucial information at their fingertips, allowing them to address customer needs more efficiently.

The benefits of Dialpad Ai extend beyond just time savings. It has fundamentally changed how Sunstate interacts with its customers. With detailed call histories and transcriptions readily available, recurring callers no longer need to repeat their issues. 

"Our team can immediately assist with exactly what the customer needs, thanks to the detailed history provided by Dialpad Ai," Stephen notes. This level of personalized and efficient service has not only streamlined operations but also significantly enhanced the customer experience.

Beyond just making things easier, Dialpad’s Ai-powered automation has had a massive impact on efficiency:

• 30-35% boost in overall efficiency since deploying Dialpad.

• 200 company cell phones eliminated, saving costs while keeping teams connected.

• 92,000 business messages are sent per month, showing just how much employees rely on Dialpad’s messaging features.

• 25% less time spent on calls

“This isn’t just about replacing a phone system,” Stephen added. “Dialpad helps us work faster, smarter, and more efficiently across the board.”

Improving team performance with Ai CSAT and Ai-driven coaching

Before Dialpad, coaching was slow and reactive. Agents weren’t always getting the guidance they needed, when they needed it. 

Now, agents have more control over their own improvement. Jen shared, “Our agents can see immediate transcriptions, so they can evaluate for themselves how they think the call went—without having to wait for a manager to pick and choose calls they liked or didn’t like.”

Dialpad's Ai Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) feature has also been instrumental in enhancing the performance of Sunstate’s sales team, both new recruits and seasoned members alike. 

"Ai CSAT has been a game-changer for us," Stephen says. "It's an excellent tool for both identifying areas of improvement and recognizing top performers in our team."

The Ai CSAT feature operates by providing immediate feedback on each call, allowing managers to gauge the quality of customer interactions accurately. This instant insight is invaluable for training purposes, especially for new salespeople who are still learning the ropes. 

"It's about getting real-time feedback, which we use to guide our newer team members," Stephen explains. "They can quickly learn from each call and continually improve their approach."

For tenured team members, Ai CSAT serves a different yet equally crucial purpose. It helps identify those who might need a refresher or extra coaching to get back on track. 

"We're now able to focus our training resources more efficiently," Stephen says. "Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we can tailor our support to those who need it most, based on their CSAT scores."

The impact of Ai CSAT extends beyond internal team performance—it directly influences customer satisfaction. With better-trained staff and a more targeted approach to performance improvement, Sunstate Equipment Company ensures that each customer interaction is as effective and helpful as possible. 

"Our customers notice the difference," Stephen notes. "They're happier with the quicker, more knowledgeable service, which, in turn, makes our business stronger."

Making smarter decisions with real-time analytics

For Sunstate, having access to real-time data has been transformational. Before Dialpad, teams had to rely on other departments or third-party applications just to get basic call analytics. Now, everything is at their fingertips.

“One of the big improvements we’ve enjoyed with Dialpad is analytics,” said Jen. “Now we have real-time analytics with local teams that can access the data as they need without having to go to another department, another team, or another third-party application.”

This shift has helped Sunstate:

• Improve visibility across locations, so teams can track trends and make adjustments on the spot.

• Speed up decision-making, allowing managers to respond to issues in real time instead of waiting on delayed reports.

• Reduce inefficiencies, eliminating the need to gather data from multiple sources.

Looking ahead: Unlocking more Dialpad features

The Sunstate team is eager to expand their use of Ai-powered features like CSAT and Ai Playbooks. “We have a team testing IVR prompts, but with CSAT and Ai Playbooks, we may not even need them,” Jen said. “That will be a huge benefit for training new staff without disrupting customer interactions.”

Beyond the technology, Sunstate values Dialpad’s commitment to listening and evolving. “Most of the time when we’ve made suggestions, it’s already on the roadmap,” Jen said. “We almost get to take the win because someone will say, ‘I wish we could do this,’ and we get to say, ‘As a matter of fact, it’s coming.’”

For Sunstate, Dialpad is a key partner in their ongoing innovation. “Dialpad is a fantastic solution that continues to solve problems right as we find them,” Jen said. “Working with Dialpad is one of my favorite parts of my job.”

Looking ahead: Unlocking more Dialpad features

The Sunstate team is eager to expand their use of Ai-powered features like CSAT and Ai Playbooks. “We have a team testing IVR prompts, but with CSAT and Ai Playbooks, we may not even need them,” Jen said. “That will be a huge benefit for training new staff without disrupting customer interactions.”

Beyond the technology, Sunstate values Dialpad’s commitment to listening and evolving. “Most of the time when we’ve made suggestions, it’s already on the roadmap,” Jen said. “We almost get to take the win because someone will say, ‘I wish we could do this,’ and we get to say, ‘As a matter of fact, it’s coming.’”

For Sunstate, Dialpad is a key partner in their ongoing innovation. “Dialpad is a fantastic solution that continues to solve problems right as we find them,” Jen said. “Working with Dialpad is one of my favorite parts of my job.”