Telecom; Past, Present, and The Cloud

With Christmas under our belt, ’tis the season to take a look at the past, present, and future. In Telecom and technology, we’ve seen a huge movement toward mobility. Everywhere we look, someone is utilizing a mobile device, for personal use, professional, or both. Businesses are trying to take advantage of the edge they can attain over their competitors and what better way to do it than staying connected to employees and customers 24/7 if they choose- for little or no extra cost. This has led to the SMB’s gaining that competitive edge over the larger businesses.

When we reflect on the past and look into our future for 2014, we also see a clear trend toward the Cloud. Questions still remain about it, but many have adapted the Cloud to their business strategies and for good reason. The benefits are, again the competitive edge, more possibilities and applications available, lower costs, typically easy integration- no need for extra equipment. The concerns still border along the security issues, which is why 2014 will likely be a big year for resolving those concerns and issues.

NWMAP offers multiple carrier strategies for implementing the Cloud and other Telecom services. Trusted carriers who have Cloud security services, dedicated networks for reliability, security, and flexibility. There are so many options available and we believe we’re in the right spot for our clients to pick and choose what fits them best. We don’t charge for reviewing your current services and we offer free quotes as well: https://nwmap.com/contact-us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Aspects of Great Salesmanship

This being the last month in 2012, people are gearing up for the New Year, hence new goals and new resolutions. At NW MAP we’re often looking ahead in technology and what’s new in Telecom. This year has been focused on the Cloud and hosted services- making more things possible for more businesses. Do we have goals for selling these products and services? Well…yes and no. Our number one priority is our clients, always has been, always will be. So we’ll continue to do this in 2013.

Is there anything you or us can strive for this coming year? We’ve compiled a short list of key sales aspects that have hit high on lists for business, technology, and sales in general:

  1. Create value before claming any. If you sell, you’ll want to create relationships and establish value not only within your services, but also as a business…as a salesperson. At NWMAP we offer free bill reviews and service evaluations- we offer several no-charge services up front before anything else.
  2. Offer something specific. All types of businesses exist out there, and many have various and differing needs. If you want to get in the door, offer something specific to their needs.
  3. Make time. Time is a love-hate relationship for people in sales. Establishing relationships take time. Something you do now may benefit you 6 months from now. This also means taking time to grow- you can go to seminars, hit the books and take classes, groom yourself to be the best, organize your time wisely, and spend time social networking.

We hope to continue helping others and establishing relationships in the future. Happy holidays from the NWMAP team!

Contact us any time: https://nwmap.com/contact-us

Telecom in the News; Integra Telecom

NWMAP brings you updates in Telecom making the news. Integra Telecom made a few headlines this month, including the announcement of their new CEO, Kevin O’ Hara. Kevin was formerly co-founder of Level 3 and company board member. He is taking over for Tom Casey.

Integra has made most of their headlines due to the widespread and fast growing expansion of services this last year. In a recent article it states that Integra extended Hosted VoIP across its entire network. Integra is giving its business customers options. Since no two businesses are the same, businesses have the option to purchase a basic phone system with traditional calling features or a completely hosted solution with a dedicated switch.

Pairing its network with PBX gear from vendors including Mitel and NEC, the Managed PBX service is a completely managed premise-based system that provides businesses with a fixed monthly price. One of the clear benefits of the service, especially for smaller businesses with little or no IT staff, is that it can reduce reduce the complexity of managing separate equipment and service vendors.

Read more: Integra Telecom extends hosted voice across its entire network – FierceTelecom http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/integra-telecom-extends-hosted-voice-across-its-entire-network/2011-12-07#ixzz1h0OIWTbH

Also making headlines is Megapath with its enhanced managed security suite. Among the many updates are in-the-cloud signature updates, scanning, and cleaning to create what MegaPath says will be “a steady flow of clean data to businesses.”  Taking care of security threats before they become a problem is certainly a proactive solution.  

 

Customer Wants and Needs

There is no doubt businesses are currently focused on financial projections for the upcoming year based on this shopping season. Recently with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, everyone has money on their mind. So it’s easy to forget what matters more than money, what ultimately sells your services and/or products…Customers.

Customers are looking for the deals right now, but this is also a time they reach out and try new products or services and how you treat your customers can form a lasting impression. So what goes on in the customer’s mind when purchasing or choosing where to do business? What do customers want?  Increasing your understanding of people is crucial to your success.

“Please don’t give us something overly complex.” Don’t overwhelm your customer the long version explanation of ALL their possibilities or give them products and services well above their needs. You may personally have an idea about the ultimate myriad of products and services  you would have if the choice was yours, but chances are these ideas don’t fit for your average customer. Giving them their best fit, addressing the main points, keeps things simple for all involved. Listen to what they really want.

“Do you know what type of service we require?” Are you taking into consideration the size of business you are working with, the type of customer you have, the detail of questions and concerns the customer has? Determine what level of service they are seeking or what kind of product they want.

“What do you have to offer us?” This time of year people expect deals, freebies, etc. Have good communication about what services you are providing and what those services are achieving for your client. What’s the value for their buck. For instance, NWMAP Telecom reviews bills and services free for clients and potential clients so there’s no guessing from the start. Making it known what you have to offer is often where businesses surprisingly sell themselves short. Barnes and Noble is another example of how a business offers continuous value for their customers- they offer free support for all Nooks they sell. This is part of the marketing for their product as well- they make their value known that their value extends beyond the purchase itself.

New From Integra! Cloud Firewall Services (CFS)

Introducing a NEW Service from Integra Telecom launching in September 2011!

Cloud Firewall Services (CFS) is a suite of managed, network-based security products that offer protection from unauthorized and malicious network access 24/7. It safeguards the network while providing Internet access through a secured gateway.

Benefits Inlcude:

  • Increased protection and flexibility
  • Extra support
  • Great return on investment and cutting costs
  • Eliminates the need to purchase and staff Internet security infrastructure.

 Capabilities include:

  • Application visibility and control
  • URL filtering
  • Intrusion prevention and detection services
  • Anti-virus and anti-syware
  • File data/content filtering

These services will continue to expand and develop over the next year into 2012. It will be presented in three plans (standard, plus, and premium), all to suit your specific protection needs. Everything is managed 24/7. NWMAP will keep you updated- for more info please email: info@nwmap.