Keep Up With Technology To Stay In The Lead! What We Can Learn From BMW

As Bob Dylan sings, “The times they are a changin,” and so it is true for the business world. As technology advances, the way we conduct business changes, and for many in the business world, technology is leaving them behind! In order for a business to stay competitive in today’s marketplace, it must be able to keep up with and utilize the latest technology in its products, services and the way it operates.

BMW started out in 1916 as a small manufacturer of aero-engines. In 1922 they moved into motorcycle production and in 1928 they began their journey into car manufacturing. Over the course of 85 years they have grown and have now managed to move out in front and stay in the lead of car and motorcycle manufacturing with their stylish and innovative designs. They now manufacture their products at 28 sites in 13 countries on four continents! How are they managing to remain the world’s leader in the luxury car industry?

Their strategy is based upon four pillars which are: “Growth, Shaping the Future, Profitability and Access to Technologies and Customers.” For any company to remain a leader in their industry, they must grow in market share and in profitability. BMW has managed to do this by utilizing the latest technology at their disposal to improve their products, and connect with their potential clients in the luxury car market.

If you look at BMW cars over the past 85 years, there has obviously been advancements in technology, and the car industry, much like other industries must apply these advancements to their product in order to appeal to consumers. The same can be said for almost any company, whether you are selling cars, computers, software, telephone systems, or technical gadgets. Even many services are at risk of falling behind the times by avoiding new technology.

If we look at the development of BMW’s 3 series line of cars, they have been one of the most popular of their lines since 1977 when the first one rolled off of the production line. The series was launched as an advertised improvement to their 2002 series line. Over the course 37 years BMW has modified its beloved 3 series model by changing engines, body styles, interior layout, options, features, the suspension, etc. The company has managed to keep their product relevant for the times by being flexible and innovative. For example, would a 1984 BMW be competitive on the market today? The obvious answer is no. Yet many companies are trying to stay alive by selling their outdated products and using inefficient means of conducting business.

Although the BMW body styles have remained intriguing and eye catching over the years, the 1984 car would pale in overall comparison to any modern car. Can you imagine BMW trying to stay on the racing circuit with 30 year old technology? They would get hammered on the track. This same also goes for BMW marketing. If BMW did not have a well maintained website and well-connected company structure that allowed them to work efficiently and connect with potential clients, would they be the world’s leader in luxury cars? Case in point, you also have to run your business in the same fashion. If you don’t stay up with times in how your company operates and in the products and services you offer, you will not be a leader in your industry.

Here are a few points to ponder.

1. Website: Do you have an appealing, updated website for your company? Is it easy to navigate and does it compel you to act? If you look at BMW’s website, it has a clean easy to navigate interface that encourages you to explore their product models, and play with the configuration of the cars. It’s easy to make payments on it, it’s easy to navigate and find a dealer near you, and the personal portal has useful information on it. The site is also appealing to the eye with images that tend to capture your imagination, and make you want to put yourself behind the wheel of one of their cars. What about their cool tag line, “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” What is yours? Is your website outdated? How much useful information do you have on it? Does it compel your visitors to act?

2. Product Innovation: Do you offer the latest technological advances in your product market or service? Are you still offering old technology because you are comfortable with it and are afraid to change? Are you willing to take the time and make the effort to keep learning new technology to improve your product line? I have had two 328i BMWs, and the difference between my 2011 model and my 2013 model are substantial. It has a more sophisticated on board navigation package and more digital controls and apps on the user interface. The suspension has improvements and BMW now has an improved Efficient Dynamics package which reduces fuel consumption without sacrificing power. Notice how they market Efficient Dynamics: “BMW Efficient Dynamics stands for the noticeable reduction of consumption and emissions with a simultaneous increase in performance and driving pleasure. Intelligent energy management and lightweight construction as well as aerodynamics and engine efficiency measures mean sustainable mobility is already standard in every BMW.” How are clever are you in marketing your product or service?

3. Getting Connected: Are you using the latest accessible means to stay connected with your existing customers as well as increase your connections with new prospects? Are you the expert in your field who provides useful information to people, and do you use the latest social media to distribute it? Are you using the latest mobility applications to make your company, service and product more relevant? Do you give them a reason to stay connected with you? The key question is, are you to be found where your customers are looking for your product or service, and when they find you do you peak their interest?

While there are certainly more lessons to be learned from analyzing BMW’s success in the luxury car market, these few points are certainly food for thought. Are we really making an effort to learn and apply the latest and greatest technology to grow our businesses and put ourselves at the front of the pack?

Be a Leader in Today’s Competitive PBX Telecom Market!

Cross the Finish Line First: Be A Leader in VoIP Telecommunications Solutions!

There are many PBX companies in the telecommunications industry all competing for a limited market share. Many businesses are hanging on to their old phone system as long as they can, and those who have decided to invest in a new system are not quick to move. This equates to a much higher level of competition than ever before. What are some factors to consider when choosing a PBX product line to keep your business competitive? There are several elements to keep in mind to determine the overall value of a PBX manufacturer. Once you determine this and take on a new product, then you must also differentiate yourself on how you market your company and product. All three of these factors are inseparable in today's economy. 

1.       Price Point: Although only about 30% of businesses buy on price alone, having a lower price point on your equipment purchase does not necessarily have to equate to a rock bottom price to your buyer. Yes, you may want to have a very competitive price point so that you can come in under your competitor, but it is not absolutely necessary. Most importantly, you want the flexibility to have margins so you can make a profit. Your price no matter what it is must include high value. The lowest price with low value is worth little. 

2.       Quality and Loyalty: Having a competitive price will not get you far if you do not offer a quality product and service. Your equipment must be reliable, and your company must also be reliable. It no longer suffices to keep your customers “happy.” You have to keep them loyal, and that means you must earn their trust. One of the most important factors is equipment quality and personal service. Keeping in touch with your customers earns you loyalty. Don’t be an ‘install it and disappear’ kind of company. If problems arise be the hero. 

3.       Value in the Product: Overall value does not equate to always being the lowest price. Being able to offer more features and flexibility with your PBX is extremely important. In order to differentiate yourself from the competition, you should look for a VoIP phone system that is rich in features and does not require extra licensing for every feature the customer wants. A PBX with a large standard feature set out of the box is more valuable to a potential client than one you have to keep adding licensing costs, even if the PBX is cheaper on the front end. Watch out for those back end costs. You also want a product that is easily upgradable so that when the latest features and applications are developed, you can upgrade at a reasonable cost to obtain the latest and greatest.

4.       Premise Based and Cloud Based Platforms: Since many businesses are looking at running their communications solutions in the Cloud, it is wise to find a manufacturer that can give you the best of both worlds. While premise based systems are here to stay, it is imperative to be able to offer a Cloud solution to those companies that desire it. Look for a manufacturer that offers a robust VoIP PBX as well as a Cloud based solution. Ultimately, the Cloud based solution would be one that lets you retain control and direct contact with your customer. A hosted option in which you are only a reseller for a hosted company builds up their customer base, not yours!

5.       Customer Service: No PBX can fit the value mold without support from the manufacturer. Being able to contact personnel in the US who can actually help you with your challenges is extremely important. You must also receive the proper training to install the systems and maintain them. Does the manufacturer charge for tech support and training, or do they offer it as a value in the dealer partnership?

6.       You Are The Final Differentiatior: Once you have chosen your product line, it is now up to you! You must now make the effort to personalize the PBX solution to match the desires of your potential clients. Your company must be known for its commitment to helping customers obtain an efficient and well managed communications solution. Sales is not a part time job, it’s a fulltime commitment to introducing your company to as many people as you can as many ways as you can. Utilize every avenue available to you to communicate the expertise of your company. Use manufacturer brochures, videos and testimonials to build an effective website. Remember, when you meet a potential client they are buying you first! Once they buy you, then they will consider your value offering.

Meeting the requirements of these six key elements will have you well on the way to being a leader in today’s telecommunications industry.

 I am glad to help you with obtaining all six of these elements, and help you build a leading communications company.

   

Matthew Bellisario

941-306-2209

mattb@ipitomy.com

IPitomy HD VoIP Phones

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IPitomy's New DVPBX Cloud Communications Platform

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The Top 4 Sales Rules All Salespeople Should Know

My New IPitomy Hospitality Flyer!

IPitomy Hospitality by Matthew Bellisario

Chet Holmes The 7 Steps To The Sale

Jeffrey Gitomer Answers a Question on Anonymous Testimonials

Great Sales Resource Investments

When I was in the last weeks of employment as a senior wireless technician, and started to really contemplate going into sales, I began to listen to talks and read books on sales. I wanted to really understand the journey I was possibly getting ready to embark on. Having been a communications technician for my whole career, I knew that changing careers was risky. I knew I had to educate myself. As I have progressed in my sales career I have continued to educate myself, and I wanted to share some of the most influential resources I have come across.

1. Brian Tracy- The Psychology of Selling and Advanced Selling Strategies.
Brian Tracy was the first person I listened to to prepare myself for the world of sales. Listening to his CDs in my car prepared me mentally to build up confidence and commitment, to face the first 90 days, which are the most challenging for any new sales position. Whenever I started to even have an inkling of a doubt about my career change, I remembered his message on attitude and commitment. Brian Tracy helped me to overcome the most difficult initial hurdles as a newbie in sales.

2. Keith Rosen- The Complete Idiot's Guide To Cold Calling
Cold calling is always a sales person's worst night mare. I went through this book like a text book and prepared myself to make solid cold calls, introducing myself briefly, and making an attractive value offering. I have no fear whatsoever now in approaching new prospects. I actually enjoy it.  

3. Jeffrey Gitomer- Sales Bible, Boot Camp CD set and Caffeine Jolt newsletter.
Gitomer is one of the best sales trainers on the planet. The Sales Bible is on my desk at work, and I refer to it, and several of his other books, time and time again for sales ideas. I highly recommend his Boot Camp CD set available on his website. It gave me all kinds of creative ideas on how to differentiate myself from the competition and have confidence in myself, my company and my product. Subscribe to his free weekly newsletter for sales articles and tips.

4. Nightingale Conant- Tom Kelly Coaching
Another one of the best choices I made when I first started my new sales career was to contract a 90 day coaching session through Nightingale Conant. I worked with Tom Kelly for a period of 90 days by phone and he was able to help me immensely with many things. He taught me how to approach new prospects, identify personality types, answer objections, and how to increase value to both my customer and my employer. It was money well spent. It also came with a nice Brian Tracy multi-CD set that I still listen to when I drive around.  

IPitomy Puts The Value In VoIP!

My latest sales publication! 

Are You Thinking Mobility?

If we look at technology advancements over the last decade, the majority of development has been aimed at mobility. Laptops have almost made the desktop obsolete, while the tablet is now beginning to overshadow the laptop. Smartphones will soon enough make the old "dumb" phone obsolete very soon, and there are still huge developments on the way where the smartphone and tablet will most likely merge. The desire for media access on the go is the driving factor in all of these types of advanced tech devices.

New companies are figuring out ways to function more efficiently at less cost than their predecessors. Businesses are figuring out ways to maximize the time of their employees, and more employees are filling more than one role in their company. This means they may not be able to spend the entire day in an office. They may need to take calls and send email files while they are moving from one place to another. Whether they are in an airport, going to a client meeting, taking their lunch break or merely driving between locations, people need to stay connected.

The two primary ways of staying connected are by phone and email. Smart phones have changed the way we communicate. We are able to have a phone conversation in most places, and with the integration of data, we can also send and receive emails. Access to the Internet on the smart phone in conjunction with the latest apps has now started a revolution as to how we conduct business. We are no longer limited to a phone call or an email. We can actually access pertinent data we need to engage clients.

With high speed data available and apps which integrate into our databases via the Cloud, technology is on the verge of making large office spaces obsolete. As our databases and applications move into the Cloud, we can now begin to conduct business on a tablet with touch of an app! For example, you can conduct a webinar on your tablet, or have a face to face meeting with a client across the globe with Skype, Facetime, or other apps. You can send texts, emails or important data files easily without setting foot in an office. The latest advancements are aimed at offering even more mobile functionality. The latest smart phone manufacturers are pushing the envelope, and some are working on a fold-able phone as we speak. These will provide the compact usability of a phone, with the larger display of the tablet when opened.

What does all of this mean for those in the sales industry? It means that mobility is going to play a key role in the future success of your company and product. This of course does not mean you have to be in the smart phone or tablet business, but you may want to consider how you, your company and product interfaces with these mobile devices. Does your company have a mobile app that can be utilized by your customers? Can you work effectively out of the office when you need to? Do you utilize all of the advantages of mobility solutions to make the most of your time and efforts, like a soft phone on your smart phone so you can take and make calls off of your phone system from anywhere? Are you thinking mobility? You should be!

Why Do I Prefer Apple Products?

I was a Windows PC user up until about 6 years ago when I bought my first Apple computer, an iMac. From that point on I never looked back. About a year after that I purchased a 13" MacBook Pro and soon after, an iPad. This year I treated myself to a 15" MacBook Pro with the retina display, and I am extremely pleased with it. Why have I grown so attached to Apple?

When I first turned on my iMac I loved the screen and the fact that everything fit neatly on my desk in one sleek package. It was easy to use and there was a very minimal learning curve compared to using a PC. In fact, it was easier and more intuitive to use. I also never had any problems with viruses on it like I did with my past PCs. I did have a hard drive fail on it and it was under warranty. I took it to a local Mac store and it was replaced. When I got home I loaded my backup from my Time Machine hard drive and it was like nothing ever happened. I continued to use it regularly until my next upgrade.

My next purchase was a 13" MacBook Pro laptop. I used it everywhere; on my couch, in my bed, out at the coffee shop, on trips at hotels, etc. It did indeed render my iMac almost obsolete. I only use my iMac today to do printing with and a few other tasks that I do at my desk, which is little. I have had my MacBook Pro going on 5 years now and have never had a problem with it. What I like about the Apple laptops is that no matter how light or thin they are, they never feel cheap, like most of the Windows brands out there like Acer, Toshiba, etc. The Windows laptops look cheap and feel cheap.

When it comes to operating systems, the Apple OS is much stabler than Windows, which has always been a buggy OS. The Apple OS is sleeker and more attractive and has a sense of style to it, that Windows has never had. Windows is simply tasteless. Its like eating a bowl of bland thin soup, while Apple is more like eating a hefty bowl of thick tasty stew.

How about the iPad? The only beef I have with the iPad is Apple's refusal to play ball with Adobe, which means Flash does not work when surfing the web. Other than that, my 32G second generation iPad is used almost as much as my MacBooks. Will I be upgrading to the new Air? Probably not any time soon, since there is nothing wrong with my 2nd gen model. But deep down inside, I really want one! Perhaps next year some time.

This year I decided to upgrade to the 15" MacBook Pro with the retina display. Again, I could not be happier with it. The display is incredible and the battery life is amazing. Even at 15 inches I can take it anywhere and use it comfortably. I absolutely cannot go back to another style of touch pad after using Apple's for so long. All of the others on PC laptops feel cheap and do not function the same. I still use my 13" MacBook depending what I am doing and where I am going.

You may be wondering why I do not have an iPhone. It is for pure economic and practical reasons. I used to work for a cellular carrier called Metro PCS, and I have an Android phone that I continue to use on their $50.00 a month no contract service. At some point in the future I will buy an iPhone, but for now there is no reason to trash a perfectly good Droid.

What about price? This where Apple really shines with their product. Most people buy on a perceived value, and Apple delivers on overall value. When it comes to price it does not matter that I can buy two Acer laptops for the price of one Mac. I have an Acer at home that I use for those Windows tasks that I need to do every once in awhile in conjunction with work. Yes, it costs a little less than half of the MacBook Pro, but I hate it! The touch pad sucks and well, its Windows 7. In short, I would rather have one cool MacBook Pro than two or three cheap feeling PC laptops that I hate.

In summary, why am I an Apple fan? Apple products are high quality, stylish products that offer the functionality that I want. They are well built, easy to use, they feel like a quality product, and they seem to last. I rarely have had any functional issues with their products and their OS is very stable. No blue screens of death! At times it is good to have a PC laptop laying around to use for those Windows ready gadgets, or Windows software you may need once in awhile. At work I am provided with a PC. Other than that I have no intentions of ever going back to a Windows PC for my personal use. I am a loyal Apple fan because Apple is able to meet my buying motivations, which are quality, style, functionality and usability.

Utilizing the Power of "Smart" Call Routing

With all of the cool features available on today’s VoIP phone systems, many people forget the primary reason for having a phone system, which is to route callers efficiently throughout the company. With the increasing use of auto attendant, there is a need to automate the ways calls can be routed.

IPitomy’s “Smart” routing allows you to route calls by including or excluding a number or numbers programmed in the system through expressions. There are many applications for this feature, which can be used in any number of businesses, small and large. The digits can be collected by caller ID or even after the system has answered through the auto attendant.

If a company were to have 3 branch offices for example, perhaps one in New York City, one in Rochester and one in Buffalo, it would be possible to route calls by area code to the appropriate branch office. This ensures that those customers who live nearest to the Buffalo area would rout to the Buffalo office, alleviating the need for an operator to take the time to find out which office they are closest to and then transfer them manually. The phone system can easily be programmed to automatically route calls by the first three numbers of the caller ID.

Many companies have the need to route their customers to an appropriate individual or group based on an ID number, account number, etc. For example, a company may have tiered technical support where a platinum member may route to a different group than a gold member, or can even be queued behind a platinum member. Once the caller rings into the main menu through the auto attendant, the caller would be asked to enter their ID number and they would be instantly routed to the appropriate call group. There are endless scenarios that this function would fit into nicely.

This feature is extremely powerful, and several expressions can built in the system for dynamic call routing, where you can discriminate according to the incoming numbers in great detail depending on your needs. This added feature gives even more depth to an already robust, efficient call routing platform.  Be sure to check out IPitomy’s website for more information on its impressive IP-PBX lineup. 

Politics and Sales?

As we all know, politics and religion are the most controversial and touchy subjects we can discuss. For this reason many people try to avoid such conversations because they fear they may be rejected by people who have a different view than they have. For genuine sales advisers who build genuine relationships with their customers and prospects, there are times when such topics will arise. How should we handle them? Do we avoid the discussion altogether and change the subject? Perhaps we should fire with both barrels telling the other person what are thoughts are on the subject? Do we try and adapt our position to match that of the other person to win them over?

My approach to this realm of conversation is a genuine, yet humble approach. I usually do not instigate political or religious discussions with clients or prospects. There have been situations however, where the news of day will come up in a discussion with a client, and I will engage in the topic based on the other person's interest to do so. I do not attempt to hide my opinions whatsoever, and at the same time I do not insist that the other person adopt my opinions. In other words, I kindly state my thoughts and ideas on the matter, and I listen to the other person's thoughts and ideas on the topic. I have had several of these types of discussions and I have not had one person go away after it angry or upset.

I know many people who will try and play both sides of the fence trying to cater to the person they are speaking with on these sensitive issues. In my opinion this is not being genuine and most people will pick up on this type of chameleon approach, and eventually find you to be untrustworthy. You are better off telling the other person that you will not talk about such topics, rather than playing the chameleon card. In my opinion, you should be honest in your approach.

The first approach is to be genuine, and if the conversation comes up, you engage in it with charity. The second approach is to be genuine, and kindly tell the other party that you do not usually engage in such topics of discussion. Personally I find that the first approach is more open and I think it affords deeper relationships with customers and potential clients. At the same time I do not think that intentionally instigating these types of conversations in most sales settings is wise, only when they come up naturally. What are your thoughts?

Being A Genuine Sales Advisor

How genuine are you, really? How do you feel when you speak to a prospect? Are you fumbling with words, trying to use old "sales techniques" to work them into buying your product? There are so many sales people who try too hard to be "genuine," yet this is precisely why they are not truly genuine.

In order to present yourself in an authentic manner there are three questions you should ask yourself.

1. Do you believe in yourself and your product enough to sell it to your closest friends and relatives and be comfortable with seeing them after they buy it?
2. Are you able to comfortably stand before anyone of any stature and engage in a meaningful conversation  on any number of topics without having to mention what you sell? Can you connect with people on more than a superficial level?
3. When you encounter someone who could benefit from your product, do you comfortably perceive that you are helping that person make an educated, value based decision? Do you have their best interest at heart?

Notice how the word comfortable keeps showing up in these questions? How comfortable are you with yourself and your product or service?

My Philosophy On Sales: 'Helping and Assisting'

There are many ways to approach the idea of sales. Many of those involved in sales are in it just for the money, some are stuck in the field, some have a natural talent for it, some have to do it to run their business, and the list goes on. We all have our reasons for being involved in sales. My philosophy on sales revolves around one core ideal, which is 'Help' or 'Assistance.' If I am promoting a product or service I must believe that it has an innate value to help those who purchase it. It must believe I can provide a high level of value to my customers, otherwise I should not be selling it. Selling something that is uninteresting to you is like trying to push a stubborn mule up hill!

In order to really engage in sales at a high level, you must be willing to spend more than just your eight hour day thinking of ways to help others with your product or service. In order to devote such time and effort, you have to truly believe in it! You must have a high interest in your offering. Even when I am not actively working on a project on my off hours, I am always thinking about ways to improve my ability to connect with others and effectively communicate the value of my product and company.

When sales is viewed from the idea of assisting or helping people to make smart, educated decisions, then it becomes very personal. Your product or service becomes something you can fully identify with and engage in. This mindset keeps things fresh and you will not grow tired of finding new ways to present it to people. Sales is personal profession, and if you are selling something you do not believe has any real value, or you are uninterested in, then I suggest you dust off your resume and start looking for something else. If you cannot truly personalize your product or service, so that you can truly help and assist others, then you are not in a good position to realize true sales success.

The Economy: A Curse and a Blessing (Utilizing Social Media)

Today's extremely competitive economy is both a curse and a blessing. For those who want to run their business on an antiquated model, a decade behind the times, it is a curse. Those who are taking advantage of new technology and learning a more personalized way of doing business are seeing it as a blessing. The Internet and social media have changed the way we do business. We are now connected to one another in a variety of mediums which are able to communicate data in a very personalized manner. No longer do we have to fly all over the country to introduce ourselves to prospects. It no longer takes millions of dollars for a start-up company to compete against the big boys. Now you just have to be smarter, more creative, and more personable.

Every day you wait to engage in social media, you fall behind your competition. Devote an hour a day to Twitter, Blogger, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Write interesting articles that offer value to people, and create videos for YouTube so people know who you are and can identify with you on a personal level. Find ways to add value through these avenues and find ways to be creative in making new contacts with people. Remember, be personal. Tweeting out advertisements for your business all of the time is not a great way to build rapport with people. It would be like you going to a dinner party and blabbing about your company and product all night to everyone you meet.  Once they know and like you, they will know what kind of business you have, and be willing to do business with you when the opportunity presents itself.

Is a Hosted PBX Solution Really Your Best Value?

IP-PBX VS the Average Hosted Product

(Will the cloud rain on your parade?)

The Dilemma

Many companies today are faced with a dilemma of sorts in trying to decide what direction to take their business communications in. Do they go with a premise based IP-PBX solution, or do they take their company in the offsite hosted direction? Hosted marketing material boasts a low monthly cost and a low maintenance model, while the premise based solution boasts more control and the advantage of not being tied to a monthly cost for the life of the business’s communications needs. In order to make a good choice based on the facts, we must closely examine the real cost, features, and benefits of each. 

Are You In Control?

As soon as you make the decision to hand off your communications needs to a hosted company, you are no longer in control. Although your hosted company may boast of having essentially no “downtime” you are still at the mercy of the hosted provider’s connections, data center issues and your local internet company. Also, you are not able to troubleshoot issues as easily as you can with a premise based system. Having a hosted solution adds another layer of support to your model; just like calling the phone company. That means you have to rely on someone who may be located halfway across the globe to help you troubleshoot your problems. Your local IT group or local communications vendor can be available in person to troubleshoot your premise based solution. Finally you can customize and make changes to a premise based system much easier than a hosted. You control the system, its upgrades and growth. The key question is, do you want control? 

Is Hosted Really A Better Value?

The short answer is no, it is more expensive. To start with, in order to compare apples to apples we are going to break both solutions into a monthly cost. The one misleading marketing tactic that the hosted providers do is compare a large upfront cost of a premise based solution vs. an apparent low monthly cost of the hosted. They also fail to tell you that you are going to be paying their monthly cost forever, as long as you use their service. The truth is, once you break the IPitomy premise based solution down to a monthly payment, the hosted solution begins to lose its shine. Additionally, when you begin to compare them feature for feature, the IPitomy premise based system for example, really leaves the hosted competition lacking. 

Is Hosted Really Invincible?

A hosted PBX runs over the Internet! No Internet, no phones! Are you really going to forward all of those lines to cell phones while the cable or Internet company fixes that outage? On a premise based system you can have two service providers. A traditional PRI for example, and Internet based SIP lines. Why put all of your eggs in one basket when you can diversify? Can a premise based system crash? Sure, save your backups and use a RAID drive and a redundant power supply to drastically reduce your chances of an outage. If you have a reliable interconnect, you will have the proper backups and replacement equipment available to get back up quickly in case of an outage. Finally, one good reason to use the Cloud, is for backup. You can have your IP phones hit the Cloud in an emergency if your premise based system completely dies. To sum it up, a premise based system gives you more options for system redundancy that a pure Cloud solution. 

Well What About Service Costs?

The great pitch of the hosted salesman is to tell you that you never have to worry about service again! Even with hosted, phones still go bad, and if you have a bad one, you have may have to wait to get a new one mailed to you. If you are experiencing problems, dropped calls, buttons not working, etc., you have to call someone on the phone and haggle with them to determine what the problem is. Then you may still be wrong and find out you have a network problem! Is it really worth paying all of that extra money every month to have to do the troubleshooting yourself? Why not save those hundreds of dollars a month, and when you have a problem, someone can actually come out and talk to you personally and solve it for you? I guarantee that the amount of money you will spend on service will not even come close to the money you are wasting every month for that “invincible” system that you still don’t own. Looking at the comparison example, which you will see on the next page, once the equipment is paid for a business would save close to $4000.00 a year for a small 20 phone system. 

A Softphone Integrates Your Business Into Your Smartphone!

Cell phones have revolutionized the way we communicate. There are few people who do not have a cell phone, and many have completely replaced their home land lines with cell phones. While businesses do not have the luxury on doing away with their premise based phones, cell smartphones do have their place in the business world. Although you can ordinarily forward your business phone to your cell phone, there is a limited capacity to use your cell phone with your business phone system. A softphone alleviates these limitations and allows your cell phone to have a higher integration with your business system, provided it is an IP system.

A softphone is a software app that you can run on your smartphone, laptop or tablet which allows you to use Internet access to make and receive phone calls off of your business VoIP system. There are some things you should know about using your cell phone as a softphone. When calling from a softphone on your cell phone there are some pros and cons. The pros surely outweigh the cons, but knowing some of the limitations will be helpful in getting the most user friendly experience with your new softphone

Pros
1. A softphone works as an extension off your VoIP system which gives off the caller ID of your business rather than your personal cell number. As you know, there are times when you would rather not have your personal phone number being broadcast when making business calls. It is also beneficial to broadcast your business caller ID so your customers can call back the appropriate number. This makes your cell phone a transparent component of your business phone system.

2. When you have your softphone registered on the VoIP PBX you can also put that extension into groups which can allow cell phone users to answer calls in groups while being mobile. You can also transfer calls just like you would if you were in the office. You also have the ability to put callers on hold with hold music.

3. By using the softphone in conjunctions with WiFi, you do not use your personal minutes up while talking, nor do you use packets your data plan.

Cons
1. Softphones are known for wearing down your battery on your cell, so have an extra battery available, or your charger. Make sure you can completely disable your softphone so it will not drain your battery when you are not using it. Check out the reviews for various softphones. Some of the free ones are not easy to disable and can kill your battery quickly.

2. Do not completely rely on your 3G or 4G data to make calls on your softphone. Always try and use a WiFi hotspot for reliable bandwidth. Voice is very susceptible to packet loss. Slow or inconsistent data speeds will present you with delayed or choppy voice or no voice at all. I have made calls while driving around in Sarasota utilizing 4G on my Metro PCS plan, and my calls did stay up, but the call quality is not quite as good as a normal cell call, and there are times when I had a little delay causing me to talk over the other person.

Summary
Softphones on your cell phone allows you to stay connected to your business VoIP system while traveling. For those sitting in an airport this can be very helpful for conducting business before and after flights. Your softphone gives you superior integration with your business and you will enjoy some of the benefits of your VoIP PBX while you travel. As far as recommendations go, I can say personally that I have Sipdroid on my LG-MS840 Android smartphone and it works pretty good. It was easy to install and setup and works well on WiFi and I can make calls on 4G while driving, with occasional quality issues. When you are not using the app, make sure to go into your settings and turn off the 3G feature so you can use your cell to make normal calls Some apps are easier to navigate than others so be sure to try a few to see which works best for you. There are a variety of free and paid softphones out there such as Counterpath, Zoiper and Sipdroid to name a few. Have fun with your new softphone!

It is Not About Statistics and Features, It is About Personalization

One of the major mistakes sale people make, is that when they have the first opportunity to speak to a prospect, they quickly tell them as much as they can about their product or service. It is like a fire hose gone wild! No one wants to waste a valuable opportunity, and we certainly want to make the most out of it. Unfortunately rattling off all of the features and statistics about your offering is not really making the most out of your opportunity, its wasting it. There are a few key rules to keep in mind when you make a sales call.

Do They Like You?

People don’t usually buy from people they don’t like. If at the first opportunity you start listing off every feature you can remember about your product or service, they probably are not going to like you very much. They think you just want to sell them something, and that is usually a big turn off for people. Be friendly, ask questions so you can learn about your prospect and start to build rapport with them. As you begin to understand who your client is and what his wants, needs or desires are, you can then begin to advise him on how your product or service could benefit them.

Do You Personalize Your Product?

Prospects don’t necessarily care about features, they want to know what value you can provide. For example, I work in the telecommunications industry. Instead of telling a prospect that your phone system can have remote phones, why not personalize the feature for them? For example, do they ever wish that their key employee who is home with their sick kid could answer some important calls instead of being completely out of commission for the day? Have they ever considered letting some employees work from home to save costs on office space? Personalization is extremely important.

Do You Know Your Prospect’s Motivation To Buy?  

What idea does the prospect have in mind when considering this new purchase? It is important to determine why your prospect wants to buy. What benefits do they perceive, and what outcome do they desire? When you go shopping for a car don’t you normally picture yourself driving that shiny new cool BMW or Lexus before you buy it? Then you decide to test drive it, and finally you desire to have that imagined outcome become a reality and then you buy. Everyone who buys something has an outcome in their mind which motivates them. If you do not know that motivation or desired outcome you will have a hard time selling.

If you keep these three questions in mind when you approach new prospects you will have a much better shot at completing the sale. 

Saving Money With SIP Redundancy

In today's market nothing is more important than a company's ability to communicate. There are various ways for businesses to build disaster recovery into their communications platform. One of the most overlooked methods is not an expensive proposal, and in fact can put money back into your pocket every month! For those businesses who have moved into the VoIP era, their premise based VoIP system can utilize multiple trunking types and multiple service providers to prevent business interruption by the loss of communications.

The SIP service provider market has been growing exponentially over the past few years. It is
an excellent way to provide redundancy for your business as well as save you money every month. Many businesses are still running on POTS (traditional) lines, which can cost over 50 dollars per line, per month. A SIP line which runs over your internet into your VoIP system can cut this cost in half per line, and also provide you with competitive long distance plans. Many companies have gone completely to SIP trunking for this reason. There can be a benefit to having a combination of trunking. This a blind spot for those who have chosen to subscribe to a hosted cloud solution. When the internet goes down, your business will experience catastrophic business disruption. Even if your hosted provider can set up call forwarding to mobile phones or voice mail, it is still a major disruption to your business continuity. Not so with a premise based VoIP solution that has combined trunking. With combined trunking, an Internet outage forwards calls to your traditional phone lines automatically with no disruption in service. The same thing if your analogue lines should fail, the SIP service is available for all calls. In most cases, using the combined provider scenario actually reduces phone costs. What could be better; disaster recovery, business continuity and reduced telecom expenses?

To improve business, rather than discarding all of your old traditional phone lines, you can choose to keep some of them, and replace some of them with SIP trunking. Premised based VoIP systems such as the IPitomy allows you to easily set up outgoing and incoming routes based on your diversified trunking configuration. For example, your long distance may route out on your SIP trunks, while your main number may remain on your POTS lines. You can build priorities on your trunking allowing you to fail over to another in case one provider fails. This can also work with companies who have a PRI. It can be combined with SIP trunking to add additional redundancy to your system. If the internet goes down, you would still be able to fail over to your POTS lines or PRI. If your POTS service or PRI service fails, you can fail over to your SIP trunks, which operate over your internet provider.

Being creative with your premise based VoIP system trunking is not only beneficial to keeping your communications alive in times of outages, but it can also put real dollars back into your pocket every month. Examine your phone and internet bill and then implement a plan that will integrate SIP trunking into your premised based VoIP communications platform, so that you can have the best of both worlds; disaster recovery and monthly savings!

Ditching Your Old Phone System? What Type of Trunking (Dial-tone) Should You Use?

When you are looking for a new phone system, one of the first questions you are asked is “What kind of trunks do you have?” Much of the time the response is “what are trunks?” Put in laymen’s terms, trunks are the means in which your phone system communicates with outside world. It is your dial tone. There are generally three groups into which we classify trunking, and each have pros and cons. We will briefly discuss them.

POTS Lines

In the old days you pretty much had one standard trunking solution which was a pair of copper wires, which we call POTs lines, or Plain Old Telephone Lines. Anyone who has had a land line at their house can relate to this type of line. Two wires go from your house to the central office of the telephone company and then are routed to another pair of wires when you call another subscriber. The main difference with businesses is the need for several of these lines so their employees could make and receive simultaneous calls. Having these multiple lines required a way to integrate them into the business, which was largely done by a telephone system. There are still many of these lines in use today, although many of these “POTS” lines are now just simulated by digital devices. The days of true analog lines are gradually going by the wayside, and AT&T has vowed to phase them out over the next 7 years or so.

What are the pros of POTS lines?

For the small business with limited access to high speed data, the POTs line is still an effective solution. Although they are gradually being replaced by SIP solutions, they still have physical connections which afford a somewhat more consistent reliability being that the local phone company still maintains them directly.

What are the cons?

POTS lines are slowly being phased out since they are outdated technology. Those hanging on to their old phone systems are going to have to upgrade sooner rather than later. These lines are usually more expensive, and if high bandwidth Internet is available which allows for the utilization of SIP trunking, you can decrease your telephone bill by 50% or more. Also, many POTs lines are not physical copper lines anymore, and are digital interfaces which are converted to an analogue interface on the phone system. This conversion also means there can be loss of call quality. As technology advances POTS lines are going to be a thing of the past.  Purchasing a phone system that is designed as a TDM system and requires POTS lines is obviously a poor investment. Your investment dollar is much better spent with a system that fully embraces the next generation technology; avoid systems that are designed solely around the old technology.

PRI/T1 Trunks

The PRI/T1 interface has been around now for some time. Once only utilized by large businesses because of high cost, they are now found in businesses of all sizes. A PRI is a digital circuit which runs on 2 pairs of wire and delivers 24 channels, one being used for negotiation. The other 23 channels are channels used for voice lines, giving a PRI a robust 23 voice channels. There are also shared T1s which can also be used for both voice and data. This however s not utilized so much anymore since a whole T1 is only 1.54 Mps.

What are the pros of the PRI?

A PRI can still be very cost effective voice solution for your business. With the cost averaging between $350.00 to $450.00 a month for 23 lines, a PRI can make a lot of sense. Maintenance on the PRI is also usually easier to manage since your provider maintains it up to the telco demark, and your phone vender is responsible for it after that point into the phone system. Call quality is usually consistent on a PRI. For businesses with a lot of DIDs and the need for several phone lines, a PRI is a viable option that will be around for the foreseeable future, yet will be losing market share to SIP trunks..

What are the cons?

Although the cost on a T1 has come down over the past 10 years, it can still be a bit much for those business that do not need 23 lines. It also costs your business more to interface a PRI into the phone system since it requires a PRI interface card. This makes the PRI perhaps a bit much for the business that may only need 10 phone lines for example.  With all of the service provider consolidation happening in the industry, T1/PRI providers are being acquired by a few large companies.  This has had the effect of reducing customer service to very low levels in some areas.  Make sure to take this into account with your vendor.  The T1 and analog service providers are in a diminishing business sector.  They are rapidly losing market share to the SIP providers.  This trend will not be reversed.

SIP trunks- The Wave of the Future

SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) trunking is the new kid on the block compared to POTS and PRI solutions. It utilizes the Internet to make voice over IP phone calls. A PBX that is SIP based only needs an Internet connection with adequate bandwidth to utilize SIP trunks. Essentially the IP-PBX hangs on your local network which is connected to the Internet. This allows your IP-PBX access to set up VoIP calls. I would make sure that whatever system you buy has SIP compatibility, and even better if the system is SIP ready out of the box. Watch out for systems that have SIP licensing as an add-on. SIP trunking is becoming an extremely popular form of trunking and appears to be the way communications will move in the future.  New looking systems with a TDM core instead of a true pure IP PBX may be something to avoid, as they may become obsolete as parts become scarce and the old technology is displaced by IP PBX systems that are software based.

What are the pros of SIP?

SIP trunks are a very cost effective way to bring dial tone into your business. They are somewhere around 50% less expensive than POTS lines, and often include great long distance plans. This can mean huge monthly savings on your phone bill. They are fairly easy to integrate into the phone system and there are many companies to choose from. You can also choose how many SIP trunks you need based on your business traffic and you can add them easily as you need them. SIP provides you with the best scalability. SIPs also provide the best redundancy since they can be utilized with a Cloud in the event that your premise based system crashes and your Internet is still up. VoIP call quality when set up correctly is very good.  As the “new kid” on the block, SIP carriers are much more customer centric than the old wire line carriers, hence customer service is essential to be competitive in this growing sector.

What are the cons?

SIP trunks are still new technology and bandwidth plays a critical role in having call quality. Depending on how many simultaneous calls you need, you must calculate then needed bandwidth and make sure your slowest speed will suffice. Companies that have only DSL speed may have problems depending on their need. Maintenance is also sometimes a bit more difficult to deal with since you have more parties involved. You not only have the SIP provider, but you may also have a different Internet provider to work with as well, which can directly affect the quality of SIP trunking.

Summary

Depending on your business’s situation and needs, any of the above trunking solutions may be utilized. There are some areas where you have no viable option other than to use POTS lines. However, as Internet service becomes more popular, and higher speeds and reliability increase, so will SIP trunks. The PRI is a nice way to go if you need several lines and want maximum stability. Finally, I would always encourage using more than one trunk solution for redundancy. Even if you only have a few SIP trunks, I would recommend complementing the traditional PRI or POTS lines with SIP. Your premise based IP-PBX provides your business with the best redundancy when it comes to trunking. I recommend buying a system that will grow tih you on the SIP side of things, and systems that are SIP ready with no additional licensing for SIP trunks wil be the most cost effective. I hope this information helps you when you go shopping for your next phone system.

Why Choose An IP-PBX For Your Next Phone System?

Don't Get Left Behind!

Today there are many options to choose from when you are shopping for a new business phones system. Many companies are still manufacturing systems utilizing outdated technology and passing it off as the latest. VoIP is the direction that the telecommunications industry is moving in. As voice over IP technology advances more businesses are able to take advantage of it. This technology however is not just about new cool apps, it is about saving money and increasing efficiency. There are many ways that an IP-PBX will benefit your business.  Here are just a few of them.

Direct Cost Savings

An IP-PBX can often pay for itself by utilizing SIP lines that work over the Internet. Phone bills can often be reduced by 50% or more which means that financing that new phone system may not cost you anything out of pocket! That combined with other robust features like conference bridges and remote workers for example, makes purchasing a new IP system a no brainer.

Scalability

A true VoIP system provides a business with the ability to grow without having to add expensive equipment. SIP phones work on any network and all you need is a switch to plug them into. No more adding cards in the phone system. An IP-PBX also allows you to use SIP trunking, which is a way to make calls with a provider over the Internet. SIP trunks are less expensive than traditional phone lines and often offer robust long distance plans. They can easily be added or removed depending on the needs of your business. This adding and removing of trunk requires no cards or extra equipment.

Trunking Redundancy

The ability to use more than one type of dial tone connection, or trunking, is a great benefit for communications redundancy. Companies that have two types of trunking, for example, a PRI combined with SIP trunks, will have more stability if one of the dial tone carriers experiences a service outage. If one were to lose the Internet, their PRI would still function, and if one were to experience an outage on their T1, if their Internet was still working their SIP lines would not be affected.

Remote Workers

Companies are finding ways to cut costs and keep their employees connected through their phone system no matter where they may be located. An IP-PBX gives you the ability to use remote office phones at their homes or remote office and still be on the same system, using the same caller ID and incoming phone numbers. All the SIP phone needs is an Internet connection to work of the system remotely. For those who travel, they can utilize soft phones on their cell phones while they are at the airport, and any location that has 4g or WiFi and work off of the phone system as an extension. Try that on the old systems!

Efficient Call Routing

The main purpose of a phone system of course is to route calls the proper personal at the desired times. An IP-PBX usually has built in flexible routing options such as call groups and queuing that can route callers efficiently to make sure customers receive stellar customer service.

Staying Up To Date

If you are looking at an IP-PBX you will want to shop for one that is easily up-gradable and easily programmed remotely. Many of the new IP-PBXs are primarily software driven, which means that new features and upgrades can be done remotely so that your business always has the latest and greatest applications as they are developed. There are always new applications being developed such as built in conference rooms, emergency applications, and others that will benefit your company without having to keep buying a new phone system.

Summary

There are many reasons to make your next phone system purchase a pure VoIP based platform. Technology is not stopping to wait for anyone, and as companies realize the many benefits of VoIP, more and more development is going to be focused on that platform, not the older TDM platform. Support will also be more of a problem for those who opt to go with an older type key system. No one would consider using a horse and buggy anymore for their commute back forth to work, we now have the automobile. Try putting an AC unit on that buggy and see how it works! Choose VoIP, it’s the future of telecommunications!

Listen To Your Customer!

When it comes to being a successful sales adviser, it is important to listen to your potential customer. They may be interested in purchasing a new phone system for a variety of reasons. Their old system may be old and in need of replacement, or their needs may have changed since their last purchase, where certain features or options were not available. Some of your future customers may not be actively looking for a phone system, thinking that it is out of their price range. Regardless of which of these categories they fall into, there will be one or two particular reasons that they will be interested in doing business with you. It is your job to find out what they are. Here are few things to keep in mind to as you engage your potential customer. 

1. Build a relationship, not a sales opportunity. 

Those who are in the business of making a fast buck will not be successful in the long haul. A good sales adviser is one who actually cares what his customer is interested in. They want to help their customer rather than sell them. Most people do not buy from those they do not like or do not see as being sincere. Trust is a key factor. Build a sincere relationship, and you will have a customer for life. 

2. Find out what is important to them. 

We all have a tendency to project our own ideas of what is important to us onto others. This is not to say that you should not point out things that the customer may have overlooked that could be of importance to them. However, if you dismiss their initial concerns only to replace them with your own ideas, you are most likely to turn your customer off and lose their interest or trust. 

3. Listen first, offer solutions second. 

When you have the opportunity to meet with your potential customer be sure to afford them the opportunity to speak and express their concerns first. Ask questions so that you can find out the best way to meet their needs. Write them down when they are speaking so that you can address them specifically, offering solutions for each. 

4. Know your product. 

None of these steps will work unless you have them underpinned by product knowledge. In order to offer solutions, you have to know what solutions you have to offer them. The more solutions your product and company can offer the more likely you are able to fill your customer's needs. 

In summary, you must build a good relationship with your potential customers and truly be interested in helping them find solutions, if you want to win their trust and their business. Learn first what is important to them, fill those needs, and then offer additional solutions that they may be interested in. Know your product well so you can offer them legitimate solutions to their concerns. 

Attitude Matters

In today’s economy many small businesses are doing more with less. It is not uncommon to have an employee filling two roles, that of a technician and a sales adviser for example. Coming from personal experience, it is very hard for most technicians to see themselves as “sales” advisers It is true that there are many people in certain industries in the field of sales which have given the name “sales” a bad image. We all have experienced that used car salesman who is more concerned with moving a pile of junk off his lot, than he is concerned for the needs of his customer. We should not however let this stereotypical image ruin the image of what real salesmanship is and should be. Whether or not you are exclusively in sales or you wear two hats, attitude is of the utmost importance.

I have spoken before of the importance of building relationships with customers and filling their actual needs and wants. In other words, we need to listen, and then fill a need that we are capable of filling with our service or product. As important as this is to being a successful sales adviser nothing can make up for a bad attitude. No one likes a sour personality, no matter how great their product or service may be. There has been much said about positive thinking, and much of it is useful. If we have a tendency to be negative, much of our outcomes in life will be negative. Negative people are generally not as successful as positive thinking people.

Part of being in sales is the reality of dealing with rejection. Surveys regularly confirm that there are two top fears that all people have. The top fear is death, and the second is fear of rejection. They say that 75% of sales people fold in the first 90 days because they simply cannot deal with rejection. If they do make it through the first 90 days many develop a negative attitude towards selling, and their sales numbers are poor. Rejection often paralyzes them from making sales calls.

While it is true that not everyone has the calling to be involved in sales, most of us, if we have the right attitude and drive, can be fairly successful at it. If we have the right outlook on ourselves, our product, and on those we will be engaging with, “sales” becomes an art in finding solutions for people, rather than being a numbers game. When we are genuinely concerned with the needs of others, and we have a positive attitude to drive ourselves towards meeting their needs, the negative aspect of rejection disappears.

Here are a few pointers that will help you to realize the importance of a positive attitude.

1. Act: If you have a product that you really think will benefit your customers, then what are you waiting for? They are not coming to you, you have to go to them. Call on companies by phone or in person and introduce yourself. You are never going to sell anyone anything if they do not know anything about you. Procrastinating is the worst thing you can do in sales. If you do not act each day to make contact with as many people as you can, then chances are you are missing a lot of opportunities, and others will cash in on your lack of action. Procrastination and lack of action result from dwelling on negative thoughts. True action follows from positive thoughts.

2. Introduce Yourself: It is important to make a good first impression. Most people do not like overly aggressive sales people. The key point to understand is that you want to introduce yourself, your company, and your product briefly, for an opportunity that may arise in the future where you can help them find a solution to a challenge or need. Never aggressively imply that you are assuming that they want or need your product when you first meet someone. Always bring down the barrier by letting them know that you are not assuming they are looking for a new product or another company to do business with, but that if in the future, should the need arise, here is what you have to offer. This takes the pressure off you and the customer, but leaves the door wide open for a future relationship. Most sales do not happen the first time you meet someone. Rest assured, if they are in need of your product at the present time they will let you know once you briefly introduce it.

3. Believe: It is important to believe that you will succeed in winning over your potential customers. A lack of confidence is easily spotted by most people. Confidence, not arrogance, puts people at ease. It conveys the idea that they are going to do business with a well-established person and company. If you don’t believe in your product, neither will they.

4. Smile: No one likes an angry looking sales advisor. A smile is worth a thousand words and can open up doors very easily. Nothing can turn away a potential customer faster than an unenthusiastic stick in the mud. Present yourself positively and with genuine enthusiasm.

5. Follow Through: Once you make initial contact with a possible customer, do not wait for them to call you back unless they explicitly tell you not to follow up. Always let them know that you will check back with them in a defined period of time. This allows you to further develop your relationship and to see if they have any questions or feedback for you. If you say you are going to call them back in two weeks, be sure to follow through on that promise. If they are not available be sure to leave a message to let them know that you were following up as promised.

6. Keep the Doors Open: Always do everything you can to keep relationships alive even if there is no immediate probability they will do business with you. A ‘no’ today can often be a ‘yes’ several months or even years later. There is nothing wrong with a periodic check in to see if anything has changed for them.

7. Know When To Drop It: Sometimes there will be instances where you cannot meet the needs of the customer. Although these instances should be rare, when this happens it is crucial to let your customer know that your product or company is not a good fit for them. They will appreciate the honesty in not trying to sell them something that is not going to work for them. There are many times where they will even refer a friend of theirs to you, who you may be able to help.

Matthew J Bellisario 2013