We won’t lose on price.

Who do I need to beat here?

How low do you want me to go on this quote?

We’ll do anything to win this.

These may sound like sleezy sales clichés from TV … but they are the lines I hear every day.  If you’re wondering what kind of back-alley bootlegging business I’m in to hear this kind of hustle-talk every day…. you may be surprised to know it’s information technology.  As a Solution Consultant, I shop for the technology and communication solutions that businesses depend on: internet, phone systems, carrier circuits, call center software, etc. 

There seems to be this ingrained misconception that ‘buying direct” is always a better deal.  Perhaps it’s all the commercials we’ve heard for years, where businesses claim to have “cut out the middle man” to bring you the “lowest price in town.”  And it makes sense.  It seems logical that if there is an intermediary, there has to be an increase in cost to pay that extra player, right?

Wrong. 

We all have cell phones, so who needs a business phone system anymore?

Most everyone is working remote these days. And we have become so accustomed to using our cell phone for everything... that most of us would need surgery to remove our permanently affixed mobile phones from our hands. So why not just use your cell phone for work calls, too? For 5 very good reasons. 

Don’t worry–  you can still use your beloved cell phone for business and personal calls….you just need to use it the RIGHT way. 

Here’s why you should think twice before using your cell phone for work calls,  and how to keep the convenience without the drawbacks:

Making This One Mistake With Your Computer Network Could Put You Out Of Business

How do you handle network issues? If you’re like most businesses, you wait until something breaks or goes wrong before getting an IT services company on the phone.

At a glance, it makes sense. Why pay to fix something if it isn’t broken?

Sadly, this way of thinking can do more harm than good, and it has taken many businesses out of commission.

When you get right down to it, there are two primary ways to handle network security:

• By being reactive
        or....
• By being proactive

One of these costs significantly more than the other and can destroy a business. You can probably guess which one we’re talking about.

Virtual offices, remote workers, telecommuting....

Businesses of all sizes have been moving toward the virtual office model at an increasing rate lately, and for good reason.

Telecommuting is more efficient, more cost effective, and more productive. 

Perhaps your company has been considering this direction, or even experimenting with makeshift ways to facilitate remote work. With recent world events, however, remote work not only makes business sense, but has become necessary for business continuinity.

Allowing remote work is vital for the health and safety of everyone.  But where do you begin? 

Organizations everywhere are realizing the many benefits of remote work, or virtual offices.

Releasing the bonds of brick-and-mortar offices has 5 mammoth-sized benefits not to be ignored. (Pay attention to #1.... it's a biggie!)

Counting down from number 5, the reasons you should telecommute or get your organization set up as a virtual workplace are:

How to Make a Smooth Transition to a Modern Phone System

Your communications system represents the lifeblood of your business. So switching to a new phone system can be a big challenge for a small or medium-sized company.

The first step on the road to success is removing risks by choosing a service provider with a proven track record.

Look for a provider with a robust network and many satisfied business customers.

60% of businesses hacked over the last four years went out of business*.

This sobering fact is due to the extreme costs that result from an attack, and the misconceptions that led businesses to become vulnerable in the first place. 

4 Ways We're Making Business Communications Easy Again

Helping employees connect and collaborate while working in different locations around the globe are faced with a complex variety of devices, applications, and collaboration technologies.  

While employees have access to many of these technologies on their personal devices, the traditional barriers of complexity and costs have limited deployment of business-class solutions to larger enterprises.

81% of CIOs believe IT is entering a new era of customer-driven initiatives. Businesses are increasingly embracing cloud communications to craft better customer experiences. Some IT executives, failing to recognize the opportunities cloud solutions can bring to their businesses, are reluctant to adopt this new communications platform. Savvy CIOs view it as a key enabler of a more agile, connected employee and customer experience. They recognize that providing employees with a more aligned communications platform will empower them to deliver a superior experience for customers. As with any new technology, there are several misconceptions and questions to consider.