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  • VoIP Technology Keeps Business Going During Snow Storm

    VoIP Technology Keeps Business Going During Snow Storm
    Another record snow storm freezes over upstate New York and New England .. Businesses, schools, Airports and government offices have closed because of icy impassable roads.

    The economic effects for businesses can be tremendous. A disaster recovery plan can keep businesses operating even in the event of widespread power outages, transportation strikes, or natural disasters.

    VoIP and Failsafe routing are two technologies that help your business avoid costly closings. Fail safe routing is having a plan to which in the event of a catastrophe phone calls can be re-routed. It could be as sophisticated as having a full disaster recovery plan in which you might have a back up VOIP phone system in waiting to allow your office to become virtual or as simple as having calls re-routed to a cell phone. Fail safe routing can protect your business when a cable has been cut or phones lines have been frozen over and broken and your phone service with it. To talk to someone about how failsafe routing can protect your business click here.

    Having a VOIP phone system could enable a company to work virtually. Workers could work from home or other locations with VoIP enabled phones or PCs with softphones. Avaya IP Office is a VOIP phone system that can be set up and installed as a virtual PBX. It offers both VoIP phone sets and softphones. As long as phone service is still working, workers don't have to leave home to answer phones.

    How to protect your business

    Having a fail safe routing plan is a must for all businesses. You don't have to operate on a fault line or on the coast to have a plan in place.

    A fail safe plan should contain a few things:

    Escalation phone number list. This list should contain the phone numbers of both your phone company and PBX vendor. It should have the names and numbers of everyone up the ladder. The higher you can get it the better. You are probably going to receive faster resolution to your problem if you have the VP of Services’ number then just the customer service number.

    Have a designated number to which you can receive calls in case of phone service interruption. You should talk with your carrier ahead of time so they have the number as well. Some carriers like Globalcom in Chicago offer this as part of their service. When they detect an outage they automatically send calls to another number. Do not assume a carrier will offer this to you in the event of an outage. On recent service call we received from a new customer who had been completely with out phone service for the day we asked the carrier why they had not offered fail safe routing to the customer , who had two other locations, they said ” they never asked us to”.
    Make sure the plan is in the hands of a few key people. When problems occur it’s always at an inconvenient time. Make sure everyone knows the drill.
    Other things to consider is having a full disaster recovery plan. PD Management recently added a disaster recovery plan which included a fully loaded phone system that could be dropped shipped and set up in days notice. When asking Joani Baskins the PBX manager about it she said ” it is essential to our business operations to keep phone service up in the event of a hurricane”. PD Management has locations in Texas and Louisiana.

    Telcom & Data is a nationwide business telecommunications equipment and service provider based in Chicago. In addition to phone system service, Telcom & Data sells Plantronics Bluetooth Headsets and Avaya Telephone Systems for small, medium, and large businesses. If you would like more information on fail safe routing call 800-335-0229 or visit us on line at www.telcom-data.com

  • Implementing Telecommuting At the Work Place

    Implementing a telecommuting policy is easier then most businesses realize.

    As soon as an owner hears VoIP they are ready to say it's too expensive but the fact is the cost of VoIP technology is going down. Typically the cost of a VoIP enabled phone system is only 30% higher then traditional phone systems. The per station cost of a VoIP phone system ca range from $ 750.00 per station to $ 1,500.00 per station. To implement a totally IP based phone system there can be additional costs including a network assessment where the integrity of LAN needs to be checked for quality of service (QOS). LANs , routers, switches and even data cabling need to be checked to see if it can handle VoIP.

    Other ways to skin a cat. Besides implementing a totally IP solution where every phone has a static IP address there are also Hybrid IP phone systems. Hybrid phone systems can take advantage of both digital and IP technologies. Phones systems like Avaya IP Office and the Toshiba CTX systems can be configured for IP and digital telephones. Using both digital and IP technology can save your company thousands and you won't need a complete LAN over haul. Another advantage is hybrid systems can use existing CAT 3 or better phone cabling. The front end of the systems are IP enabled and connectivity to remote offices or branch offices can be done VoIP. So you don't have to have an IP phone on everyone's desk. At home workers use IP phones to connect back to the office. You end up with a remote worker with the same phone set features as any one with in the office. The hybrid system is redundant. You still have two networks both phone and data that work independent of each other. IP tech types might not dig this but who wants to reboot their phone system?

    If you are on a shoe string budget and need VoIP this might interest you. You can add VoIP extension to any phone system! Multitech a manufacturer of modems also provides VoIP gateways that can connect voip extensions to your existing phone system through either spare analog or spare trunk ports. Of course with any VoIP solution, telecommuters will still need high speed internet access from home. But connectivity is easy and cheap. The cost for a single telecommuter or remote office is only a few hundred dollars. To find out more about implementing telecommuting call Ricardo Trinidad at 800-335-0229.

  • Telecommuting, the Ideal Employee Benefit

    VOIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol works. We are well beyond the wait and see of the technology and if your company is not embracing it, another company will be stealing your best employees with it. Offering VoIP to employees makes sense now more then ever. With commute times ever increasing, the sky rocketing cost of gas, and the environment, implementing a telecommuting company policy makes good business sense. The best reason to offer telecommuting is to attract and retain talent. Ask any employee what's important to them and the answer will be family. Telecommuting allows employees to spend more time with the family. Spending more family time provides employees with a better and less stressed life style. A happy employee is going to stay longer and be more productive. Offering telecommuting even on a part time basis can have a huge impact.

    Who is using telecommuting now?
    Check out www.workingmother.com for a list of the best companies to work for. All of the companies on the list offer telecommuting. The corporate consulting giant Accenture scored big with a recent ABC documentary about it's telecommuting policy. The ABC report focused on three companies including IBM, Accenture and a smaller company called Crayon. According to the report 42% of IBM employees telecommute saving the company over 100 million dollars annually on real estate. 92% of Accenture employees, with a work force of over 24,000, utilize telecommuting. Implementing telecommuting is easy and inexpensive. You don't have to fork over an arm and a leg to offer it. The price of VoIP phone systems have really come down and, with other features such as built in conference bridges, new IP based phone systems can pay for themselves with a short ROI. Other devices enable you to add VoIP to any existing phone system for an investment only a few hundred dollars. For more information on how your company can implement telecommuting check out http://www.telcom-data.com/voip-systems.aspx

    From the desk of Ricardo Trinidad
    1-800-335-0229

  • How To WOW Your Customers

    It is a banner time to reach out to telcommunications technology to help improve your business. The technology currently available used to be only available to Fortune 500 companies. Technology has improved and is affordable to any size company and able to help you create better customer relationships, improve productivity, lower costs and increase sales. In Jeffery Gitomer's excellent book "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless" (Bard Press), Mr. Gitomer explains in a powerful and fun approach how to make customers love you, keep them coming back and tell everyone they know about you. He calls it the WOW factor. In other words does your customer say WOW when thinking about or describing your company? As in so many businesses, everything starts with the first impression and in most cases that first impression is in the form of a phone call. There is much to be said about that first call and how it was answered. We have defined several areas to help improve upon that ever so important first impression. Everything begins with the first impression:

    How was the customer’s initial call handled?
    How many rings did it take for the call to be answered?
    Was the caller greeted in a friendly and enthusiastic manner?
    Are you able to listen to calls to ensure proper handling?
    How many calls are you receiving?
    How long are customers sitting on hold?
    How many callers hang up after holding too long?
    What are people listening to while hold?
    When holding, did your customer receive information to help them make informed decisions about your company’s products and services or a radio commercial about your competitors company?
    When the call came in, did you know it was your best customer or just another call?
    When the call was transferred, did the customer end up in voice mail or did they speak to a live person?
    Are you able to hold meetings for monitoring and reviewing customer calls?
    Knowing the answers to these questions can make the difference between being memorable and being forgettable. It all begins with the first impression. If you don't know the answer to these questions, it’s time to talk to Telcom & Data about stepping up your game. Enhancing the complete customer service experience is paramount to staying in business. There are 3 types of customers - customers that are merely satisfied, customers who are dissatisfied, and customers who are WOWED. To learn more about giving your customers the WOW experience, contact Telcom & Data today at 800-335-0229 to receive a free consultation with an ROI analysis. Ask for our WOW solution!

    From the desk of Ricardo Trinidad
    President
    Telcom & Data Inc.

  • The Problem with Headsets for VoIP Phones in Call Center Environments

    Years ago all phones needed an amplifier to make a headset work because phones were not wired for headsets. So everyone who needed a headset got an amplifier and the audio quality was excellent. Newer phones, most notably VoIP phones, were then designed with a jack for a headset that was wired to allow users to plug one in with a cable instead of an amp and save money! These phones have the amp built in so why buy one, right? The reality is that although those phones do have rudimentary amplifiers built in, they just provide the rewiring necessary to make a headset work and add little value beyond that. If you are using a direct connect cable with your headset on a VoIP phone you know what I mean. If you are running a Contact Center using direct connect cables you really know what I’m talking about. In the Contact Center the deficits of the built in amp are magnified over all the agents and the cost of this money-saving solution becomes very apparent.

    Issue number one is volume levels; the “amplification” provided by the amp. You don’t have very much control over that with a cable. You can turn up the volume on the phone but sometimes that’s not enough. Turning up the phone volume also turns up any hiss that is on the line along with the call volume. What if the person on the other end says you sound too low to them? No solution for that with a cable. What about a 3 way call where one caller’s volume is low and the other high? What can you do about that if you only have a volume button on the phone? What about acoustic shock? That’s a very loud noise that comes unexpectedly. It can happen over the phone. Fax machines, white noise, audio feedback etc. can all create sound spikes that hurt your ears. What does a phone amp and a direct connect cable do to protect people from this painful risk? Nothing. What about echo? That can happen on a VoIP system where the voice traffic is running over the data lines. VoIP phone HAND-sets are designed to reduce echo. No help here if you use a headset with a cable.

    The fact is that these are very real issues and they can all be solved with an Audio Processor. Solving problems is great and in itself justification for the added expense of an Audio Processor but can we add other benefits as well? What if the Audio Processor automatically reduced the transmit volume (agent’s voice level) when the agent was not speaking thus complementing the noise canceling mike making it even more effective. The M22 does that. Can we do anything to actually increase call clarity and make it even better than the best handset conversation? We can! The Audio Processor moves the tonal range of the conversation up an octave. That’s like turning up the treble a little. Why? Because the human ear perceives sound in this range more clearly than it does in the mid or lower tonal range and that improves intelligibility. The person using an Audio Processor will understand the caller better and that can save time and reduce errors! Does it sound tinny? At first maybe. After 5 minutes, no.

    What is the big problem with the Audio Processor? It costs more than a cable. “Holy Acoustic Shock, Batman! You mean these benefits come at a price? What about the budget??!!” What about the budget? This is a very real problem too. All businesses encounter it whenever they want to spend more than a few dollars. Luckily most businesses are in the business of making money so anything that either makes them more or saves them some has a pretty good chance of being approved if the business case is strong. In fact the stronger the business case the faster the project will be funded because the organization will recognize that every minute of delay will result in lost revenue or unnecessary cost. (Businesses are so logical.) So the problem becomes making the business case for the Audio Processor so that those in charge of the purse strings clearly understand the cost of not having them. Below are some ideas for making a strong case. Due to the benefits described above Audio Processors save money by: Improving productivity by reducing the length of the call. If the agent or the customer don’t have to ask each other to repeat what they said, the call will be shorter. How many seconds shorter? 5, 10, 20 seconds shorter? Multiply that by the number of calls per day then by the number of agents = hours saved per day/week/month/year = surprisingly high $$$. Shorter average call lengths mean each agent can handle one or two more calls per day multiplied by the number of agents and maybe you don’t need that additional headcount… Reducing data input errors due to poor call clarity.

    What is the cost of an error? That depends on the business and on the error of course. If you track error rates and have an average cost this one is easy. If not, a little effort should result in a justifiable average like $25 per error. Just one error saved per agent per month can justify the investment in Audio Processors. Eliminating any potential medical costs associated with hearing damage caused by acoustic shock. It can’t happen with an Audio Processor which reduces loud noises to safe levels in 6 milliseconds. Reducing turnover. Let’s face it, if you were on the phone all day and the audio experience was less than completely comfortable and there was nothing you could do to improve it and you were shocked by loud noises occasionally and your boss was complaining about your error rate, you might look for a new job too. Audio Processors make money by: Saving it! See above. Improving the customer experience because they can hear and be heard with no effort. If the audio experience is unpleasant due to low volume or loud background noise, customers will be dissatisfied with the experience and the company. Reducing turnover, thus providing an experienced agent who is more able to maximize the revenue potential and/or improve customer satisfaction than a new employee.

    For more information on Audio Processors click here.

  • Bluetooth Headsets at a Glance

    Because of its ease of use and compatibility with a number of systems, Bluetooth technology is quickly becoming one of the more common forms of wireless peripheral that is used by consumers today. By choosing to use Bluetooth headsets, it is possible to have a fully-functional headset that will easily transfer from cell phones, computers, and a variety of other systems to any other system that has Bluetooth capabilities. The information below should be of some use to you in deciding whether Bluetooth headsets are right for your personal and business headset needs, while also helping you to choose the headset that will serve you best if you decide that Bluetooth is the way to go.

    How Bluetooth Works

    Bluetooth is the next generation of wireless peripherals, and is designed to allow users to transfer their peripherals from one Bluetooth-compatible device to another without the need for additional drivers or any other software installation. This cross-device functionality creates somewhat of a universal standard for wireless peripherals, allowing those who use Bluetooth to own a single set of peripheral devices which they can then transfer to whichever Bluetooth-enabled hardware they happen to be using at the time. Since Bluetooth is a wireless product as well, this can enable Bluetooth users to remain mobile while using their peripherals… combine this with the hardware-swapping capabilities of Bluetooth, and you have a peripheral that can be used on the move and which will adapt to different pieces of hardware as you use each one.

    Advantages of Bluetooth Headsets

    There are a number of advantages to choosing a Bluetooth headset to meet your needs. In addition to the fact that Bluetooth devices are wireless, you will only need to purchase a single headset in order to use it with your Bluetooth-enabled telephone, cell phone, laptop computer, or any other hardware device which you own that features a Bluetooth connection. This can allow for a more dynamic home or office, letting you cycle through different pieces of hardware depending upon which room you are in or what you are doing at the time. These devices are also on the cutting edge of technology, so even as the technology begins to age you are likely to be able to get several years of use out of the headset that you choose before the current technology begins to be replaced.

    Bluetooth Headset Compatibility

    Of course, if you are considering buying a Bluetooth headset it’s important that you make sure that your hardware is compatible with Bluetooth technology. Cell phones and other telephone equipment should have it labeled on the package whether they are Bluetooth-ready, and many other portable devices and computers will bear a sticker or symbol on the device or computer itself. If you find that some of your equipment isn’t Bluetooth compatible, you might want to see if there are Bluetooth adaptors available which will allow you to use a Bluetooth headset with a device that would be otherwise unable to utilize it.

    Choosing the Right Headset for Your Needs

    Of course, not all Bluetooth headsets are created equal. In order to make sure that you buy the headset that best meets your needs, take into account what you plan on using the headset for, whether you will be using it with a single device or multiple devices, and exactly how much mobility and overall hearing you hope to have with your Bluetooth headset in place. For work that will be done inside or if you only plan on using the headset in conjunction with a landline phone or computer, you might want to consider single or dual-earpiece headsets which can be worn comfortably for longer periods of time. If you are going to be mobile or using your headset with a cell phone, however, you might want to consider a single-earpiece or even an earbud headset as they will allow you a bit more freedom and will leave one of your ears uncovered so that you can better hear everything that is around you.

  • Deciding Among VOIP Phone Headset Options

    Voice Over Internet Protocol telephone service, better known as VOIP, is rapidly growing as an alternative to traditional land-line telephone service. Depending upon the VOIP service that is used, individuals can place telephone calls via their computer, through a mobile device similar to a cell phone in any location with wireless internet access, or even through a standard telephone that is hooked into a broadband internet connection. To make using VOIP telephone services even easier, you might consider using a phone headset that will allow you to make and receive calls in a hands-free manner once the call has connected.

    Differences Between VOIP and Landline Phones

    Though the calls that they make seem remarkably similar, there are actually several differences between a VOIP phone and a standard local landline telephone. The main difference between the two types of phone service, however, is the fact that they use different types of connections in order to allow phone calls to be placed and received. Traditional phones use a process known as “circuit switching”, which means that during the duration of the call a connection is maintained between the callers and the conversation is carried back-and-forth as an electrical charge along a circuit. While very stable, this process is also very inefficient because it requires an electrical charge or digital transmission to travel along the same stretch of cable countless times during the conversation. VOIP, on the other hand, uses a process which is known as “packet switching”; this process does not maintain a constant connection, but instead opens a brief connection and sends a small data “packet” containing a part of the conversation to the recipient on the other end. While the opening and closing of the connection occurs too quickly to be noticed, the savings in energy during even brief calls can be significant.

    Using a Headset with VOIP

    Though the connection used with VOIP service is significantly different from that used with a landline telephone, many VOIP systems are compatible with the majority of telephones and telephone peripherals that are on the market today. Modern headsets, especially those which utilize digital audio and microphones, are usually compatible with most VOIP systems. Through the use of VOIP codecs, the audio from your headset can be converted into a digital signal if it is not in a digital form already; this digital signal can then be broken into packets and sent along the VOIP connection in the same manner that your call would be if you were using your standard telephone instead of the headset. Should you have any question as to whether a particular headset is VOIP-compatible, then take the time to research VOIP-specific headsets in order to make sure that the headset you choose can be used with your VOIP service.

    Choosing the Headset that Suits Your Needs

    Of course, there are a number of different options which are available to you when looking for a VOIP compatible headset. In order to make sure that you ultimately choose the headset that will best fill your specific needs, take the time to consider exactly how and where you plan on using the headset that you purchase. Consider whether you would best be served with a wireless headset, one that is attached to a portable receiver, or perhaps even a headset that can be used with a variety of different devices in addition to your VOIP line. Don’t forget to take into consideration personal preferences on whether you want full earpieces or earbuds, and the length and style of boom mike that you would like with the headset that you choose. By taking the time to weigh your options, you will end up choosing the VOIP headset that will allow you both freedom and comfort.

  • Work From Home Using VoIP Phone Systems

    Working from home is becoming a great way to cut down on travel time, stress, fuel costs and is becoming a major employee benefit. Implementing work from home technology is easier then ever. Microsoft's Windows XP already includes a program for remote access to your office PC. The other key component is the office phone. Being able to work transparently is essential to your working from home. But adding this component is easy. First you need high speed internet access in the form of DSL or cable.

    The next thing you will want to explore is adding either a VOIP enabled phone system or adding VOIP to your existing phone system. VOIP technology allows you to harness the features and benefits of your company's phone system remotely. Dialing from your office's phone lines, having calls transferred, checking voice mail, intercom and conference calling are all typical system features needed to work successfully from home.

    VOIP enabled phone systems offer the most flexibility. Pure IP based phone sets can be taken from office to home office providing the same functionality whether you're providing customer service, sales support or happen to be the operator. A Softphone is essentially software that can be loaded on to laptops to provide a mobile IP phone solution. Add a wireless card and connect to your office from any Starbucks or other wireless hot spot. From a USB headset you can connect to the office and intercom , page dial out, transfer and receive calls all while sipping your Grande Latte. Do you have a road warrior in your office? Check out Avaya's affordable IP Office System that delivers powerful phone system features from two phones to 360 phones.

    If you have an existing phone system you can also easily and affordably add VOIP. There are two solutions that are very unique. One solution (MCK) allows connectivity of proprietary digital sets, the other solution (Multitech) allows you to use any analog phone or allows you to connect two or more office phone systems to allow transparency to outside callers.

    MCK provides a great solution for Avaya and Nortel phone system users. MCK provides a device that enables a company to use proprietary phone sets such as the Avaya Magix or Definity 8400 series phones. The MCK solutions are great for both the home office or branch office. One phone to twenty-four phones can be connected to digital phone ports off the main company system to the remote location for seamless VOIP connectivity. It's like having a really long phone cord from one office to another except the phone cord is the public internet.

    If you are looking for VOIP on the cheap, check out Multitech's VOIP Voice and Fax Gateways. If you have an Avaya Definity, Merlin Magix, Partner, Merlin Legend or any other phone system, you can add VOIP functionality to your existing phone system while protecting the investments you’ve already made. Connect remote offices and home offices to your phone system. Our Voice over IP gateways integrate voice and fax communications to allow remote offices connectivity to your phone system. Allow remote offices to bypass toll expenses by using the internet to transfer calls and intercom each other. Work from home with Multitech and use the features of your office system. Dial 9 to make a call, have calls transferred to you seamlessly, intercom and page just like you were in the office.

    There are hundreds of reasons to enable workers to work from home including, working mothers, executives needing more perks, transit strikes, or the threat of the Avian Flu pandemic.

    If you're thinking about VOIP you are not alone. VOIP is one of the hottest technologies available. We can show you how your company can take advantage of voice over internet protocol.
    Call us at 1-800-335-0229 ext 152 to get a FREE Working From Home Telephone System Quote.

  • Daylight Saving Time Change - Update your Phone System for Daylight Saving Time

    2007 Daylight Saving Time Changes

    The United States and Canada recognize a new US Government policy regarding Daylight Saving Time. Starting in March 2007, Daylight Saving Time will begin on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday of November. Below are instructions for updating your computer and phone systems.

    Year DST Begins at 2 a.m. DST Ends at 2 a.m.
    2006 April 2 October 29
    2007 March 11 November 4
    2008 March 9 November 2
    2009 March 8 November 1
    Update Your Computer System (Windows XP)

    Your computer will need to be updated for the new DST (Daylight Saving Time) changes. You can find out exactly on how to do that by visiting Update Daylight Saving Time.

    Update Your Date and Time On a Merlin Legend System

    To change either the Date or the Time on the Legend system, you must program it from the main System Programming console (MLX-20L). This will change the Time or Date on all the display phones throughout the system, except the ATL (Analog) display sets. These phones must be programmed on each individual set.

    How to change the Date in the Legend system:

    Press Menu.
    Press System Program.
    Press Exit.
    Press System.
    Press Date.
    Enter date in following format: mmddyy (where MM is the month, DD is the day, and YY is the year).
    Press Enter.
    Press Exit.
    Press Home to exit programming mode.
    How to change the Time in the Legend system:

    Press Menu.
    Press System Program.
    Press Exit
    Press System.
    Press Time.
    Enter the time in military/24 hour format: HH:MM (where HH is the hour, 01-24, and MM is minutes, 00-60).
    Press Enter.
    Press Exit
    Press Home to exit programming mode.
    To change the date, day or time on an ATL set:

    All ATL display telephones have the ability to show the time, day, and date on the display.

    Note: When you touch the Set button the first time, you will see the word ALARM in the display screen. If the Alarm is not to be set, press the Set button two more times until just the Hours and the A or P (A - AM, P - PM) are flashing in the display window. If you do not need to set a particular item, press Set to bypass it.

    Press Set until the item you want to change flashes.
    Press Fwd or Rev to advance or reverse the Time, Day or Date.
    When you have the correct Time, Day or Date, press Set.
    If you only want to set a particular item, such as Time, Day, or Date, press Exit after programming it.
    If you have programmed them all (Time, Day and Date) just press Set not Exit. (If you press Exit, you will see four zeroes in the place of the Date. This is for the Timer. Press Exit again to display the corrected Time, Day and Date.)
    Update Your Date and Time On a Merlin Magix System

    The time and date is a system feature rather than an individual telephone feature.

    To change the date in the Magix system, from the System Programming console:

    Press Menu.
    Press System Program.
    Press Exit or Start.
    Press System.
    Press Date.
    Enter date in following format: mmddyy (where MM is the month, DD is the day, and YY is the year).
    Press Enter.
    Press Exit or Back.
    Press Home or Exit to exit programming mode.
    To change the time in the Magix system, from the System Programming console:

    Press Menu.
    Press System Program.
    Press Exit or Start.
    Press System.
    Press Time.
    Enter the time in military/24 hour format: HH:MM (where HH is the hour, 01-24, and MM is minutes, 00-60).
    Press Enter.
    Press Exit or Back.
    Press Home or Exit to exit programming mode.
    Update Your Date and Time On a Partner ACS System

    To program the System Time on Basic Partner Release 4.1:

    This System Programming procedure sets the time that appears on system display phones.

    Enter the time in 24-hour notation. In this scheme, the hours of the day are 0000 (12 midnight) to 2359 (11:59 p.m.). Since each time must have four digits, use leading zeros when necessary. For example, to set the time to 9:00 a.m., enter 0900. For 4:45 p.m., enter 1645.

    The time appears on system display phones as a.m. or p.m. (not in 24-hour notation).

    To change the System Time using a display phone at extension 10 or 11:

    Press Feature 00. Press System Program (Left Intercom button). Press System Program (Left Intercom button). Press # 103. Enter the time in 24-hour notation. For example, to set the time to 2:15p.m., press 1415. A display similar to the following appears:

    System Time Data 1415 Note: The time will appear on system display phones as 2:15p.

    Select another procedure or press Feature 00 to exit programming mode.

  • Business Phone System “Fail Safe Routing” Can Prevent Financial Losses

    In the aftermath of disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, or events like the New York Transit Strike, businesses can keep phone calls coming in if they plan ahead.

    A disaster recovery plan can keep businesses operating even in the event of widespread power outages, transportation strikes, or natural disasters. Business telephone systems can be backed up and distributed to remote locations.

    “In watching the news break after hurricane Katrina hit and the flooding started in New Orleans I noticed only one building lit up at night and that was Bell South, said Trinidad. “Bell South had a power generator on the roof plus it also had a major battery back up system in the local central office. This is significant because calls could be re-routed. Realizing that the central office was still up I immediately went our customer West Way Holdings to let them know we could transfer the main numbers on their T1 to route to a another location. They would not miss calls. This is true for most businesses that have T1 , PRI or 800 numbers. Having a fail safe routing plan is essential to avert catastrophe.”

    Fail safe routing is having a plan to which in the event of a catastrophe phone calls can be re-routed. It could be as sophisticated as having a full disaster recovery plan in which you might have a back up voip phone system in waiting to allow your office to become virtual or as simple as having calls re-routed to a cell phone. Having a fail safe routing plan is a must for all businesses. You don’t have to operate on a fault line or on the coast to have a plan in place. Fail safe routing can protect your business when a cable has been cut and your phone service with it.

    A fail safe plan should contain a few things:

    Escalation phone number list. This list should contain the phone numbers of both your phone company and PBX vendor. It should have the names and numbers of everyone up the ladder. The higher you can get it the better. You are probably going to receive faster resolution to your problem if you have the VP of Services’ number then just the customer service number.

    Have a designated number to which you can receive calls in case of phone service interruption. You should talk with your carrier ahead of time so they have the number as well. Some carriers like Globalcom in Chicago offer this as part of their service. When they detect an outage they automatically send calls to another number. Do not assume a carrier will offer this to you in the event of an outage. On recent service call we received from a new customer who had been completely with out phone service for the day we asked the carrier why they had not offered fail safe routing to the customer , who had two other locations, they said ” they never asked us to”.

    Make sure the plan is in the hands of a few key people. When problems occur it’s always at an inconvenient time. Make sure everyone knows the drill.
    Other things to consider is having a full disaster recovery plan. PD Management recently added a disaster recovery plan which included a fully loaded phone system that could be dropped shipped and set up in days notice. When asking Joani Baskins the PBX manager about it she said ” it is essential to our business operations to keep phone service up in the event of a hurricane”. PD Management has locations in Texas and Louisiana.

    Having a VOIP phone system set up as a back up system could enable a company to work virtually. Workers could work from home or other locations with VoIP enabled phones or PCs with softphones. Avaya IP Office is a VOIP phone system that can be set up and installed as a virtual PBX. It offers both VoIP phone sets and softphones.

    Telcom & Data is a nationwide business telecommunications equipment and service provider based in Chicago. In addition to phone system service, Telcom & Data sells Plantronics Bluetooth Headsets and Avaya Telephone Systems for small, medium, and large businesses. If you would like more information on fail safe routing call 800-335-0229 or visit us on line at www.telcom-data.com

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    Contact: Ricardo Trinidad
    Phone: 312-432-1192 x152
    Email: rtrinidad@telcom-data.com

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