Monthly Archives: January 2015

If you are thinking about purchasing a new business phone system take some notes here. First and foremost only buy a phone system that can actually help improve your business. What is the sense of buying a new phone system if it can’t help improve your business?

Avaya recently released the IP Office 500 R7 system and it is by far the best release yet to date, This latest platform should prove Avaya’s dominance in the SMB arena. The IP 500 offers scalability for small offices of 4 up to 1000 employees and offers networking for businesses with multiple locations.

A phone system should be able to improve business in several areas including growing sales, enhancing customer service, reducing costs and employee retention.

How can a phone system grow sales? Avaya IP Office when integrated with Tapit Call Accounting can track all of your sales peoples out bound and inbound calls. A sales manager with out reports will have a hard time trying to get sales people to make customer calls. Call reporting can identify how many calls are being made, what numbers are being called, the most frequently dialed numbers, the longest calls, total connect time for the day and much more. Getting reports can help your sales reach their targets and that will bring in the big bucks.

Call accounting can help sales reps bring in new customer but customer service helps you keep them. The Avaya IP Office offers many customer service tools to help track how many calls are going to customer service, how long customers are waiting on hold, how many customers hung up before being helped. Call reporting can help you determine that right amount of agents to have in customer service. Other features like call recording can help you identify what your customer service people are saying to your customers. This is invaluable training tool in unearthing best practices. What, how and the way a customer service agent talks to your customers will often make the difference between success and failure. Most customer relationship management programs such as ACT, Goldmine, and other CRMs are able to integrate with AVAYA IP Office to do screen pops as well as automatically dialing customers. Auto Dialing customers can reduce the amount of time to connect calls and increase total dials for the day, week month, etc. The call recording feature can help you understand how calls are being handled and what is being said to customers. Call recording can be very effective in training sales reps on the phone.

Enhancing Customer Service.

Enhancing customer service is always a good investment. Here are several ways to this. Speeding up call completion can help your customers get to the right person as fast as possible. Look for ways to help speed call completion including adding direct dial numbers to departments and individuals. Adding a message on hold player to keep callers on hold longer and more patiently is a good idea and provides an opportunity for customers to learn more about your business.

If you have a large volume of incoming calls adding Call Center Manager software can help you manage staff on hold times of customers with complete reporting off all calls.

Lowering Phone Bills with IP Office

The converged communications platform benefits users by helping to reduce phones costs. Newer technology such as SIP trunking can help lower phone bills. Unlike other phone systems the Avaya IP Office allows users to use regular analog POTS lines, PRI/T1 and SIP giving customers all options available to connect calls. SIP trunks are about 40% less than analog pots lines and there are some FCC and tax advantages as well.

Multi location businesses can reduce point to point calling costs by networking locations. Point to Point calls made over the network are like intercom calls.

Conference Call bills can be eliminated by using the built in conference bridge on the IP Office. The IP Office conference call system can handle up to 64 conference participants.

Employee Retention

How can your phone system help with employee retention? Offering key employees the ability to work from home on a full or part time basis is a huge low cost benefit. Ask any employee if they would like the ability to work from home and you will get a resounding YES. Working from home makes things easier for employees to spend a little more time with family and lower commuting costs. More and more companies are offering work from home options and if you are not your employee could end up at a competitor that does. All your employee needs is good high speed internet and an IP phone set. The IP Office allows users to connect back to the office with out losing any functionality. Telecommuters usually work longer and better from home.

To learn more about AVAYA IP Office call 800-335-0229 or visit us at http://www.telcom-data.com/avaya-ip-office.aspx

From the desk of Ricardo Trinidad

Outdoor speakers come in an array of choices for many applications. This buyer’s guide is for commercial sound applications of 70V sound systems although most of the information can be used for home audio systems. Outdoor speakers can be broken down into two categories. The first one is Outdoor speakers for voice paging only and outdoor speakers for music reproduction and or paging. Outdoor speakers for voice paging only are metal horn speakers. Metal Horn Speakers use a traditional horn shaped design with, rugged construction and high Db. level to allow using these horn speakers in large and me­dium sized public address and voicing evacuation sys­tems, where high efficiency of sound announcements is required. Because of the high DB levels these horns are perfect for noisy outdoor environments.

Outdoor speakers for music reproduction should be designed to with stand the elements in hot, cold and wet environments. A well designed outdoor speaker provides durability and excellent sound reproduction. Outdoor speakers should have molded speaker cabinets made from UV-inhibited mineral-filled polypropylene, which would make them extremely durable and giving them excellent acoustic properties. All mounting hardware should be rust-proof heavy-gauge aluminum or stainless steel brackets, and powder-coated to resist chipping and scratching.

A check list for a solid out door speaker should include the following:
The speaker cabinet should be made from UV-inhibited mineral-filled polypropylene enclosure. The speaker design includes die-cast aluminum frames with hard anodized aluminum cones instead of paper or plastic, and anodized aluminum voice coil formers, proprietary rubber compound for speaker surround, high-temperature adhesives, a sealed magnet gap and voice coil against moisture, and corrosion powder coated aluminum, perforated PVC plastic grilles, threaded brass inserts, and gold-plated connectors for speaker wire connections.

For more information on outdoor speakers for paging or music call 800-335-0229 or visit www.bogen-paging.com

Commercial paging and sound design will typically call for wall mount speakers to provide full range sound in a host of indoor and outdoor environments. When choosing a wall mount speaker several points should be considered. Restaurants, bars, bistros, department stores, institutional, outdoor venues and schools all require commercial sound and life safety capabilities from their sound systems. Wall mount speakers can be classified into 3 categories of indoor and outdoor sound reproduction including commercial voice, premium wall mount speakers and super premium speakers. Depending on the application and budget there are several types of speakers in these categories to choose from. Another consideration is if the system design will be 70V mono, self-amplified or 8 OHM. By far the most common is 70V mono system. 70V is the most efficient and mono speakers provide the full array of sound so the listener can hear all parts of music reproduction. Commercial sound systems use centralized paging amplifiers with 70V output signals because 70V commercial sound systems can handle extremely long lengths of wire to connect the speakers to the amplifier, and they can power a large number of speakers in each system.

Wall speakers work well with rooms and hallways that are 20' to 60' wide. Layout starts at one end of the hallway or room. The first speaker should be installed 10' from the end of the hallway or room. The next speaker on that wall should be installed 20' from the first speaker, as should any
additional speakers required to cover the length of the hallway or room. The first speaker on the opposing wall should be installed 20' from the end of the hallway or room, thereby staggering the speakers. Each additional speaker should also be installed 20' apart from the previous one.

The number of speakers needed to cover an open area and the layout of those speakers is contingent upon the availability of suitable mounting points in the area to be covered. Layout starts in one corner of the room. The first speaker should be installed 10' from the corner of the room with each additional speaker in the first row installed in increments of 20' from the first.

For more information on Wall Mount Speakers or FREE commercial paging and sound design please call 800-335-0229 or visit www.bogen-paging.com

If you have purchased an AT&T, Lucent or Avaya manufactured phone system or voice mail system you might have also had a maintenance agreement. The maintenance agreement could have been from AT&T, Lucent Expanets or now Avaya. Avaya purchased Expanets in 2003. Chances are if your phone system is passed it’s prime Avaya may have discontinued or limited the scope of Maintenance Services for your phone system. Once Avaya has declared "end of life," "end of service," "end of support," "manufacture discontinue" or similar designation ("End of Support") you were pretty much out of luck in getting your system serviced by Avaya. However you can still receive expert support from Telcom & Data. Telcom & Data offers maintenance services for most AVAYA end of support products. Systems that we still support and maintain include: Definity PBX All Versions Merlin Legend Merlin Magix Merlin 410, 820, 10/30 30/70 Spirit 308/616 and 12/24 System 25 and 75. Merlin Mail Merlin Messaging Audix Intuity Audix If your company still has one of these systems and you require a service maintenance agreement or a certified technician call Telcom & Data at 800-335-0229. Service calls start at only $ 145.00 per hour with only two hour minimum. To receive a fast maintenance quote click here. http://www.telcom-data.com/phone-maintenance.aspx

Why buy a new business phone system from Telcom & Data?

1. MEASURABLY IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS. We ask questions that will help you select systems for your company’s needs, growth, vision and budget. We want to know about your business and what issues you are experiencing. Telecommunications is being used in many ways to help businesses, increase sales, improve customer service, reduce costs and raise productivity. We exist to help measurably improve your business.
2. SERVICE. Telcom & Data sells and services Avaya as well as Allworx phone systems and we maintain a list of over 1600 technicians through the US to help us deliver fast, installation and maintenance services. We answer our phone LIVE so you can speak with a service writer on the first call. We work with local certified technicians in your area to support your local economy.
3. EXPERIENCE: Telcom & Data employs experienced telecommunication professionals to help our customers select the right technology for their business. Since 1996 we helped thousands of customers worldwide.
4. OWNERSHIP: Our people don’t pass customer problems and issues on. They take ownership of your communication issues. The key is constant follow up until resolution. Even if your problem is with your carrier we can help.
5. ONE STOP SHOPING: Telcom & Data carries thousands of products and services from the very best manufacturers. Our portfolio includes, Bogen Paging, Cooper Wheelock Emergency Notification, Polycom Audio and Video conferencing solutions, Call Recording, Call Accounting Software, Plantronics Headsets, Voice Mail Solutions, and much much more. Our services include installation, maintenance, programming, repair, and Voice & Data cabling,
6. PHONE SYTEM LEASING: Leasing a new phone system is a great way to leverage the latest technology without having to pay for everything up front. Leasing offers many credit and tax advantages.
7. SAVINGS on SERVICES. Telcom & Data works with most of the major carriers and can provide you with instant PRI, T1, SIP Trunking, High Speed Internet quotes. Service plans and pricing change often. Let Telcom & Data help you find the best plan that can save your company thousands.
8. 60 Day Money Back Guarantee. Everything we sell has a 60 day money back guarantee. If you are not thrilled with your new phone system we don’t want you to have live with it. We want long term relationships with our customers. (We still have our very first customer)

We consider it a privilege to provide you with a phone system quote in an effort to help you make an informed decision in the shortest amount of time possible. Your business is important to us and we know you'll find a valuable purchasing resource in us. Call us at 800-335-0229

School Paging Systems provide educators with two way communications and safety in the classroom. Bogen school paging solutions are easy to implement and are affordable for smaller schools under 75 classrooms. Bogen offers two systems including the PI35A and the SI35A paging consoles. Both systems offer a many key paging and safety features. Including complete facilities for distributing a variety of program materials from optional equipment such as microphones, CD player-FM/AM tuner, or other source. Selection of program material, as well as its distribution to selected rooms is accomplished with simple push-button program selection. Emergency announcements to all classrooms are accomplished with a single push button. These announcements take precedence over all system functions and are transmitted at a predetermined level. Provisions are included to permit emergency paging from a remote telephone, interphone, or microphone. Teachers converse hands-free with the control center operator over their individual classroom speaker. Calls to staff locations are announced by a supervisory tone signal, which repeats at regular intervals to indicate that the channel is open and the room is being monitored. Classrooms can be equipped with call-in switches to call the control center. Call-in switches can include classroom privacy control to positively prevent monitoring. Provisions are included for voice call-in. For more information on school paging systems please call 800-335-0229 and ask for a school paging specialist or visit www.bogen-paging.com

How much time and money is your company spending on meetings? How often are people traveling across town, across the country or around the world to attend meetings in person that could just as productively be held via tele- or videoconference? What impact does this have on your company’s carbon footprint? In today’s business world, traveling for a meeting costs more than just the hotel and the plane ticket. The cost of the time spent going through security, waiting for a plane, out of touch in the air, this often costs more than the ticket and hotel. Add to that the cost of meals and rental cars and every meeting gets more expensive than you initially may have thought.

Polycom has created a free calculator that will allow you to see just how much these meetings cost your company annually and how quickly a conferencing system can pay for itself. It even shows how Polycom conferencing helps your company go green! Click here for your free analysis and then call Carrie McKenzie at (800) 335-0229 x 833 or email at cmckenzie@telcom-data.com to find out more about how Polycom will start saving your company money from day one.

Law firms can access the whole world from one location using videoconferencing, saving time and money and increasing quality of life for attorneys who previously had to travel to do depositions. By using the latest in videoconferencing from Polycom, video depositions, arraignment hearings, oral arguments, settlement conferences and, in some cases, trials, can be done remotely with great benefit to clients and law firms alike.

Videoconferencing systems enable testifying witnesses to “appear” in court without traveling to the courtroom. Expert witnesses, prisoners, and various other witnesses provide the same testimony from remote locations as they could actually in the courtroom.

For trials involving prison inmates, videoconferencing technology not only saves time and money but increases safety as well. From the prison, prisoners see and hear everything that takes place in the courtroom and are able to answer questions posed to them by the presiding judges and lawyers as though they were physically in the courtroom. Videoconferencing in the court system offers significant cost savings and improved security by reducing the need for high-security prisoner transport.

Polycom’s PVX Desktop Videoconferencing Solution uses a USB port to connect to your computer or laptop and provides professional, business class videoconferencing in a convenient, cost-effective package. It can be used to connect in courtrooms, boardrooms, even remotely, wherever internet is available. It is just one of the many videoconference solutions offered by Polycom and Telcom-Data. Please call Carrie McKenzie at (800) 335-0229 ext. 833 or email cmckenzie@telcom-data.com for more information or to arrange a demo of this great product.

If you are in the hotel business then you are undoubtedly familiar with Teledex Hotel phones. Teledex is the inventor of the first hotel guestroom telephone with programmable guest service keys and custom faceplate design, and the innovator of a host of new hotel telephone technologies. Even if you are not in the hotel business and have stayed at a hotel chances are you have used a Teledex phone. Since 1982 Teledex has manufactured over 15,000,000 hotel phones for every major chain of hotels in the world. Teledex continues it’s domination of the hospitality industry with its new line of IP guestroom phones. The new iPhone Series telephones combines a fresh new look with legendary Teledex quality and reliability. iPhone boasts graceful, sculpted curves that accent a comfortable, familiar user interface and suitable for virtually any type of hotel. Available in analog and VoIP, corded and cordless, iPhone telephones deliver modern, tech-inspired lines surrounding what’s inside: the industry’s most reliable, feature-rich telephone. Teledex iPhone SIP ND series phones are the perfect complement to our iPhone SIP LD series display phones. The sleek industrial design fits well in any guest room. Fully compliant with your SIP voice network, iPhone non-display phones deliver both the performance and style that hotels and their guests want. Teledex has partnered with AVAYA, Nortel, Mitel , Cisco, and Alcaltel, to provide products designed to integrate their hotel phones with these popular manufacturers as well as others. For more information on Teledex phones please visit http://www.telcom-data.com/teledex.aspx or call 800-335-0229

If you are a user of Polycom’s SoundStation2 and need to place a 3 party conference call on your Partner ACS, Merlin Legend or Merlin Magix phone system you probably can’t make a conference call. When you press the conference button nothing happens. This is because the Soundstation conference phone is set to factory default settings and needs to be adjusted. You will need to adjust the conference flash rate or recall flash rate in order for the conference feature to work.
On the Polycom Soundstation you can adjust the timing of the Flash delay to 75, 100, 300, or 600 milliseconds. The 600 Millisecond settings seems to work best and will allow the conference function key to operate.

Directions are as follows:

1.Press the Menu button, choose Admin
Setup and press the Select button,
enter the passcode (if required)
and press the ENTER soft key.
2. Choose Phone System followed by
Flash Timing from the available options
and press the Select button.
3. Use the <- and -> soft keys to step
through the available Flash Timing
options and select 600 milliseconds.
4. Press the SAVE soft key to save
changes. You may press the Exit
button to cancel your selection.
5. After about 15 seconds you should
hear the tone, and you should see
READY appear on the console’s
LCD screen. This indicates that the
console and base station have reconnected.
The new settings will now
be active.

To place a 3 way conference call dial your first number after the party answers press the conference button once and this will place the first call on hold and will also provide a second dial tone. dial the second number and when the second party answers press the conference button to connect both parties.

If you require more than two conference parties on a single conference call check out the affordable Multisuns 8 port conference bridge which allows you to connect up to 8 people in to a single conference call.

For more information about Polycom, Avaya or Conference Calls call 800-335-0229 or visit www.telcom-data.com

From the desk of Ricardo Trinidad