MPD BLOG

Why A Telecom Agent, Just Like An Insurance Broker, Can Make All The Difference

Posted 05/03/12 by Matt DeGennaro
               MPD President  732-236-6161  email

Choosing the right protection for yourself and your family can be daunting. It is an important decision that determines your future and that of your loved ones. Would you entrust your future to any passerby or the first clerk who serves you at the insurance office? Definitely not. You would look for someone who can offer you the best insurance policy that will secure your future at the best deal.

 

Telecom agents and insurance brokers are similarly situated. A telecom agent plays a vital role for your business. Because he is independent from the carriers, he tries to develop a solid relationship with you and become your active representative for your telecom needs. It is, therefore, important to find the right agent if you want to reap the benefits of working with them, such as the following:

 

Telecom agents are authorities in their field. Telecom agents have a vast reservoir of knowledge and experience in telecommunications. Many of them "grew up" working directly with telecom carriers and they know the ins and outs of these businesses. They have a practical understanding of the carriers' core products and services as well as their strengths and weaknesses. They have access to inside information and they can tell, for instance, which carrier is doing well and which ones to avoid.  

 

Your best interest is their priority. They can be relied on to give you expert advice on what is best for your company and they make this as a priority. Since direct sales representatives of telecom carriers are paid to bring in sales, they are only after their carrier's interest. On the other hand, with your best interest in their mind, telecom agents work around building a relationship with you, serving your needs for the long term to make sure you don't switch agents.

 

Telecom agents act as the sole contact points for their clients to simplify negotiations. The multiple processes involved in negotiation can be taxing on your part. You can trust your telecom agent to act as your sole contact person to simplify communication and other tasks so that you can devote more time for the core activities of your business.

Consulting a telecom agent makes good business sense.  Your agent will help you to find the right communications solution for you. 

 

Understanding The Basics of Unified Communications (UC)

Posted 05/03/12 by Matt DeGennaro
              MPD President  732-236-6161  email

 

What is United Communications?  How can it help businesses? In essence, Unified Communications means integrating traditional forms of communication, like meetings and phone calls with new forms of communication, such as emails, internet research, CRM, text messaging, and video conferencing.  Unified Communications benefits a business by making it more efficient, available and marketable.

 

UC and More Efficient Businesses

 Are there ways to cut costs and employee time but provide better service to customers? United Communications makes businesses more efficient by simplifying processes:

 

Through phone applications that integrate with your CRM, employees can use click-to-dial on their computers and save time on phone calls.

By using video conferencing and document sharing, you can introduce a prospective client in New York to a whole team in Los Angeles, saving time and travel costs.  

 

United Communications also allows employers to streamline business practices by analyzing employee tasks.  By implementing phone systems with integrated CRM, an employer can analyse:

 

What works and what doesn't on sales calls.

Time employees spend on calls to clients and the sales cycle.

Common client objections in sales calls.

 

United Communications Makes Employees More Available

Emergencies happen.  Your child gets sick, or your employee's aging parent has fallen and is in the emergency room.  No matter what happens, with United Communications you and your employees can be not only always available, but professional:

 

With call forwarding, or simultaneous ring features, office phone calls can be sent to a cell phone so no one misses important calls.

With remote office feature dialing from computers, calls can be made to clients from anywhere and yet appear in callerID to be from your office phone, making your call appear more professional.

 

United Communications Makes Businesses More Marketable

With United Communications, your employees can maximize their efforts and be in two places at once.  Moreover, a business will improve its marketability through:

 

Sending crisp, clean documents to clients using eFax rather than traditional fax copies.

Making it easier for clients to reach the person they want by replacing a receptionist with call routing.

Are you considering implementing a UC solution in your business?  Do you have a story of how UC has helped you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Angela rating: 3 - I wouldn't use this author again unless absolutely necessary.

 

 

Doctor’s Advice: Prevent Situations Before They Arise with an Annual Telecom Audit “Checkup”

Posted 05/03/12 by Matt DeGennaro
 MPD President  732-236-6161  email

 

How many times have you wished that you could look into a crystal ball and prevent the ailments that plague you or your family and friends from occurring?  Oftentimes, the sound advice given to rectify the situation was prescribed beforehand by our doctor to prevent our health problems from spiraling out of control.  It’s at times like these that we remember the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Ignoring the warning signs taught us valuable life lessons about ourselves.

 

In the telecommunications industry, “an ounce of prevention” is a necessity due to rapid innovations occurring on a daily basis.  How do you keep up with these changes?  A yearly checkup or telecom audit through an independent telecom consultant is the way to go.

Here are a few reasons why:

 

Rates and services are constantly changing.

Today’s economy and telecommunications network are built on efficiency and scalability.  The rates and services provided are frequently being improved and updated.  You need information at your finger tips to ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible. As a savvy customer, a yearly checkup will ensure that you don’t overpay for services you no longer need.

 

New services and applications are born every day.

We’re currently witnessing a major transformation in our technological capabilities due to cloud-based and mobile computing innovations.  The telecommunications revolution that is taking place around the globe calls for a yearly telecom checkup which will allow you to have the applications necessary to adapt to the shift. 

 

You could unknowingly be on the verge of a flat line.

The day-to-day tasks of growing your business can lead to you putting your technology needs aside once the set up is complete.  The fact that your network is at or near capacity cannot be overlooked.  This should be a priority since it’s directly tied to the cost of your network.  Your telecom consultant is equipped with the knowledge necessary to provide you with solutions based on your needs.  The expertise presented will help to avoid latency issues and outages which can have a negative impact on your business. 

 

The benefits of annually checking in with your telecom consultant to reassess your business telecommunications needs are tremendous.  In addition, the savings and efficiency reaped will be instrumental in avoiding unpleasant surprises.

 

David vs. Goliath: How Telecom Consultants Trump the Industry Giants

Posted 5/3/12 by Matt DeGennaro
                MPD President  732-236-6161  email

To the average businessperson who runs a small to midsized firm, the apparent disregard for customer service by the large telecom providers must be perplexing. These giants have come to dominate a significant portion of their industry by providing a cookie cutter product with, at best, average service.

 

It is as if they feel that their huge investment in infrastructure and tremendous resources makes them impervious to the slings and arrows of the little guys, much like the story of David and Goliath. Still, as long as are Goliaths, there will be Davids to show them the errors of their ways.

 

The Truth of the Matter

Just as David needed no more than a small stone to slay his giant, you need only find a modern day David, in the guise of a telecom consultant, to help you find the best, most affordable telecom services. The analogy with David can be extended. Just as he was a specialist with a weapon, telecom agents are masters of the telecom industry and their services are superior to the industry Goliaths for the following reasons:

 

Industry Expertise

Most, if not all, of these telecom agents started out with one of the major players and learned the details of every company and their products in the industry. Their experience gives them a much stronger understanding of the industry. In addition, while the trainees at the larger companies are struggling with the basics, telecom consultants are busy understanding the latest and greatest in telecom technology.

 

Carrier Independence

Since the telecom consultant works for himself or a smaller independent company, he has no mandated allegiance to any of the major carriers. This fact opens up a world of possibilities for your company as your options are significantly greater. You simply get the best solution at the best price to fit your exact needs.

 

A Single, Trusted Contact and Advisor

Having to navigate the ins and outs of customer service at a large telecom provider is frustrating, time consuming at sometimes fruitless. With a telecom consultant, you get a single point of contact who knows you and understands your business. In addition, these agents understand the workings of the major providers and can usually facilitate a fix in a relatively short period of time. In short, with a telecom consultant, you get the right system at the right price with the right customer service.

Price Alert: No More Free Smartphone Upgrades From the Big 3; Is it Time for Wi-Fi First of Wi-Fi Only Cell Phones?

By Matt DeGennaro, 
MPD President
732-236-6161

Verizon Wireless recently reported that they were following the lead of both AT&T and Sprint by charging their New York city metro customers an extra fee to upgrade their mobile phones where in the past many mobile customers got a "free phone upgrade" every two years or so.

Following is the widely distributed Verizon statement: 

“On April 22, Verizon Wireless is implementing a $30 upgrade fee for existing customers purchasing new mobile equipment at a discounted price with a two-year contract.  This fee will help us continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect which includes Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance on devices that are more sophisticated than ever.  While the upgrade fee is not unique to Verizon Wireless, most devices can be traded in with our green friendly trade-in program at www.verizonwireless.com/tradein as a way to save money or potentially offset the fee completely.”

It's reported that Sprint and AT&T both are charging a similar $36 fee.

 

Time for "Wi-Fi First" or "Wi-Fi Only" Employee Cell Phones?

Now I'm no revolutionary. I understand that the CEO, the Chairman of the Board and your top salespeople (and your spouse) can have any damned expensive phone and usage plan they want and, as the company owner, you're (mostly) happy to pay for it.  

But what about all those other W-2 folks hanging around your office who claim they need "smartphone mobility" to remain a critical business asset of yours?  Do they all need an exensive monthly cellular data plan and the newest phones when they spend 90% of their waking hours inside a Wi-Fi network?

Probably not. (Time to get out the savings calculator and sharpen your pencils!)

 

What's a "Wi-Fi First" or "Wi-Fi Only" Cell Phone and Where Can You Get Them?

Well just as the name would imply, "Wi-Fi first" cell phones or smart phones use "free" Wi-Fi connectivity first over "expensive" 3G/4G cellular connectivity when trying to make a phone call or data app connection. "Wi-Fi only" phones only work for cell calls or data connections when connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Where do you get them? Let's just say that phone equipment makers are not exactly falling all over themselves to bring them to market. T-Mobile actually had a solution like this called HotSpot@Home that made smartphone calls over Wi-Fi but they discontinued the service back in 2010.

Gadget Review: Plantronics' CT14 Headset Phone Connects Your Home Based Call Center Employees For Less

By Matt DeGennaro, 
MPD President
732-236-6161

One of the big cost-saving benefits for New York City metro businesses when switching their phone system to a VoIP based solution is they can instantly allow their "desk based" call center employees to work from a home office.

This saves the company the overhead of maintaining an expensive office cubicle and opens up the potential labor pool to a whole lot of qualified U.S. based call center employees who are glad to "do a quality job for less" so long as they can work from a home office.  

This single benefit is one of the biggest reasons many businesses are bringing off-shore call center jobs back to the U.S. that had, in past years, been outsourced to India, the Philippines or some other far away land where they "kind of speak English" but not completely -- and not to the satisfaction of your upset customers calling into your call center.

 

Do Home-Based Call Center Employees Need an Expensive VoIP Phone? No!

The big purchase decision question for businesses trying to properly outfit home office employees so they can tap into the new VoIP enabled office phone system is "How expensive of a phone do home workers need?"

Well if the home-office employee is the CEO of the company, then the most expensive phone that Polycom sells. But what about your call center employees that don't have stock options?

Many VoIP and SIP phone vendors will tell you that you don't need to buy your home-office workers a phone at all, saying "the beauty of our VoIP phone solution is all your home office people need is our 'soft phone' that appears right on the screen of their computer".

Well, in theory, soft phones work just fine -- until the soft phone user has opened up 27 browser windows on their computer or you get confused about using the keyboard and mouse for both their phone call and order fulfillment on their computer at the same time. 

Combining your computer and phone keyboards or trying to get your computer to be a phone is really a recipe for inefficiancy and "angry at the IT guy" home office employees.

 

Split the Different for WAY UNDER $200!

The most important phone feature for your at-home worker is the ability to work hands free. Whether your home-based employee is a call center worker keying an order into their computer or your highest paid sales person just needing to wave his or her hands while giving an empassioned sales pitch, you'll likely not find a "work at home phone" that better splits the cost difference than the Plantronics CT14.

Eliminate Business Phone System Wiring Nightmares with New, Static-Free DECT 6.0 Wireless Technology

By Matt DeGennaro, 
MPD President
732-236-6161

If your New York City metro business empire includes locations that can operate with four total voice phone lines or less (this describes almost every small, customer-facing retail business on the planet) then there are new wireless business phone systems available that you should look at if you're in the market for a new phone system.

The best thing about these new business wireless phone systems is they operate just like regular phone systems with incoming phone lines in hunt or roll-over, have intercom, auto-attendant and voicemail but largely need almost no wiring.  Because labor to install phone wiring can be very expensive, wireless business phone systems can save business owners a great deal of money.

 

Removing Voice From Your Data Network Solves Expensive Problems

A decade ago every business had two separate wired communications networks in their office that they had to pay to maintain; a phone wire network for voice communications and a data wire network for computer communications. Then someone (I can't remember who exactly) had the great idea of eliminating the cost of the phone wire network by connecting their office phone system over the data network.

That was a good idea in theory but it really didn't save small businesses much money and actually created expensive problems. The biggest problem created was poor voice phone call quality for small businesses that could not afford QoS ("quality of service") upgrades to their data networks to ensure that phone calls always got priority of data transmissions.

 

New DECT "Static Free" Wireless Technology Reinvents Cordless Business Phones

Most everyone that still has a landline in their home accesses that landline dial-tone with a cordless phone and understands the shortcomings that older cordless phone technology can bring to a phone call. Static, disconnects, interference with WiFi devices and "dead-zones" are just a few of the problems associated with the older 2.4 gHz, 900mHz and 5.8gHz.

Business phone system manufacturers seem to have selected DECT over other wireless spectrum technologies as evidenced by the AT&T SynJ^® line built for small businesses and PolyCom's KIRK Wireless Solutions build for any sized business.

The DECT technology wins over older technologies due to increased range, call clarity and extended range when using DECT repeaters.

 

How Will Your Business Incorporate DECT Wireless Phones?

The technology is built to be a modularized solution that augments your existing PBX phone system or it can entirely replace it.  If you have an existing business phone system that you'd like to get a couple more years out of contact your equipment provider to see what cordless phone option they have to offer.

New FCC Smartphone Database Cuts Thefts in Six Months But We help You Today

By Matt DeGennaro, 
MPD President
732-236-6161

 The FCC is announcing that they have decided to partner with the likes of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, t-mobile and other wireless carriers to create a national database to help thwart the theft of smartphones in the New York City metro and beyond by making them all but unsellable after a theft.

Uh ... that's good, right?  

Sure it is when the newest smartphones cost upwards of $500 or more. 

But the real cost of smartphone loss is the loss of the data ... and the person stealing your phone may be only after the data ... and the new FCC smartphone database won't do anything to prevent a thief from stealing your phone if all they want is to steal your data.

 

Don't Wait for the Feds!  Here's How to Secure Your Phone Right Now...

1. Put a password on your phone.

Sure it's a hassle to type in the name of your Aunt's dog into your phone several times a day.  But how much more trouble would it be for your friends, relatives, enemies, competitors or the government to be able to access everything on your phone from the moment they "find" it until the moment you realize it's gone?

2. Make sure whatever's on your phone is already in the cloud.

Remember this Google+ commercial from awhile back about the dad who lost all his baby pictures because he lost his cell phone? Your phone (and your desktop computer for that matter) is not meant to be a secure storage device. It's meant to be a simple endpoint to collect data and then get it instantly to a safer place.

3. Use software that "finds your phone or fries your phone"

For as little as three bucks or as much as twenty bucks you can access any number of smartphone applications that can do as little as find a lost phone in vibrate mode, turn a phone into a coldwar-type spy device and/or turn your phone into a useless plastic brick.  GadgetTrak, SeekDroid and Webroot are just three of multiple companies that specialize in giving you control over lost phones.

Is Your AT&T Phone Bill Paying for $107,000 Per Year Call Center Reps?

By Matt DeGennaro, 
MPD President
732-236-6161

When it comes to how New York City metro business customers feel about having AT&T as their phone company -- it seems that they fall into one of two categories.

They either love AT&T or they hate AT&T.

In the news this past week I learned another reason it might be the "hate" category.  It seems that AT&T phone customers are supporting call center representatives that earn a total "wages and benefits" compensation package of over $107,000.

Network technicians, the folks who show up and install services on site at your business earn a compensation package eclipsing $133,000.

Wow! That's a lot of money. I've got friends with college degrees and every Microsoft and Cisco certification you can name who are unemployed and who would be happy to get a job earning half that.

 

Over Paying AT&T or Verizon for Phone, Internet and Data Service?

Now I'm not saying that people shouldn't get paid what they're worth but hey, business customers have choices.

When I fly, I fly economy, even though I know I could pay double (or more) to fly up front in the first class section. But after a five-hour flight coast-to-coast, the good folks flying in first class only get off the plane about four minutes before I do.

Does Your Business Telephone Number Show Up Correctly in a Google Search? Here's How to Check it (and Fix it...)

By Matt DeGennaro, 
MPD President
732-236-6161

The whole point of having a business phone number and a published listing is so people can call you and do business with you.

But until customers and prospects commit your phone number to memory or your business phone number earns a spot on their speed dial list, how do you suppose they're going to find your number?

Pull out the latest 10-pound printed phone book from their desk drawer - no.

They'll Google it, if course.  

But does your business phone number, your address and a little map pop up as the top listing when your business name is Googled by customers and prospects?

If not, you need to fix that. It doesn't cost anything and it's pretty simple to do

 

Google Business  Listings 101

To see an example of what a semi-proper Google listing should look like, Google search "ATEL Communications".  

Below is an example of what this search delivered the day I wrote this blog post. Click on the image to see it bigger.