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Radio TalkSwitch: Episode 6
 In our latest episode, VP Sales Tim Welch talks about how easy it is to set up and configure a TalkSwitch IP phone, and shares some tips on getting the most out of your system.
Click here to listen.
Category: Tips and Tricks
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Comments: 0
Reseller Feature: centrexIT
 1. Where are you located?
We are located in San Diego, California.
2. How/where did you first hear about TalkSwitch?
We first heard about TalkSwitch from an Avaya reseller in Florida.
3. What attracted you to TalkSwitch?
We currently resell, support and install Inter-Tel and ShoreTel phone systems. TalkSwitch was so attractive because it comes built-in with most of the same features that Inter-Tel and ShoreTel systems have, but at a fraction of the cost. I knew that we had to review the TalkSwitch product right away. Now that we are a TalkSwitch reseller, it's turned into a win-win for my company and our clients. We are able to resell and support another quality product (TalkSwitch), and our clients add lots of advanced features to their phone system without increasing their budget.
4. What makes TalkSwitch an attractive product for your customers?
Unlike the other phone systems that we sell, TalkSwitch was designed for small companies, and can be scaled up for larger companies. We used to take a phone system that is designed for a large company, and scale it down for smaller companies. The problem with that is that they are still paying more for the core of the larger system. With TalkSwitch, we are able to offer the same large system features, as well as the benefits of VoIP to small business who couldn't otherwise afford them.
5. What kind of feedback have you received from your customers about TalkSwitch?
Nothing except for positive feedback. After all of our installs, we provide a free training session for the users, which usually answers most of their questions. The users are typically upgrading from some sort of Avaya or NEC system that only has basic voicemail. At first, some users are very excited by all of the new features (voicemail to e-mail, Attendant Console software, call forwarding and bridging, etc) and some users don't think that they will ever use them. Within a few months, all of the users are happily using the new features, and can't remember how their business ever functioned without them. The best way for us to close a new TalkSwitch deal is to a) give them an on-site, in-person demo of the system and b) have them talk to one of our many satisfied TalkSwitch clients.
centrexIT
(619) 651-8700
www.centrexIT.com
erockwell@centrexIT.com
Click here to check out the spotlight on our Facebook group page.
Category: TalkSwitch Features
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Monday, July 21, 2008
Comments: 0
Facebook Group Member Offers Up Tips and Tricks
 Congratulations to Michael Breines of Accessory Genie for winning our Facebook Discussion Board Contest. Accessory Genie sells batteries, laptop bags, chargers, power adapters, and iPod and mp3 player accessories for up to 30 to 40 per cent less. Last month, Michael's intuitive tips and tricks won him a copy of our Attendant Console software program. The software gives you the power to see and control your calls right on your PC.
Here are Michael's tips and tricks for using TalkSwitch:
Issue: We have several voicemail boxes configured to have announcement only. Customers hear an announcement and can dial "0" to speak with someone or hang up. There were not enough general voicemail boxes to support our numerous announcements.
Solution: We decided to utilize extensions to add announcements. We created a remote extension with a bogus phone number. We uploaded the announcement to the voicemail box for that remote extension. Since the remote extension only appears in the auto attendant and isn't in any call cascades, it works like any other general mailbox.
Issue: We were unable to keep callers on hold if no one answered their call. The auto attendant transfers a caller to a ring group called "support." Our call cascade rules say that if there is no answer in 9 rings, keep ringing. In the TalkSwitch rules, if no one picks up after 9 rings, regardless of the keep ringing option, the callers gets dropped. We needed to find a way to have our callers remain on hold if there was no answer.
Solution: We amended the call cascade to say, "After 9 rings, go to an auto attendant." We named that attendant "no answer." In that auto attendant, the caller has the choice to dial 2 and leave a message or continue holding for support. If no option is selected, the caller is sent back to the support ring group. In the office, we hear a ring every minute or so to indicate someone is holding for support and the caller remains on hold. It has proven to be a nice workaround to queue callers while agents are technically available but not able to pick up the ringing phone. Now they're able to finish working on e-mail and then grab the caller (without turning on and off the DND option throughout the day).
Check out Accessory Genie for your electronic accessories, and stay tuned for more contests on our Facebook group page.
Category: Tips and Tricks
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Thursday, July 17, 2008
Comments: 0
Save Big Time with TalkSwitch
 It's that time of year again. The weather's hot, the drinks are cold, and our biggest sale ever is sizzling. Save up to $800 with TalkSwitch Power Packs.
It's the best price ever to get started with a complete TalkSwitch system, expand your existing system or upgrade to VoIP. See the details.
This offer is available from TalkSwitch authorized resellers, or directly from us. But hurry, sale ends August 31st.
Category: TalkSwitch Features
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Comments: 0
Reseller Feature: Selkowitz Technology
 1. Where are you located?
Bellevue, Washington (a Seattle suburb, also in the backyard of a certain Redmond technology company with their own phone system).
2. How/where did you first hear about TalkSwitch?
I first read about TalkSwitch about three years ago, when I started looking at phone systems options for my company. It took me at least a year to finally circle back around and purchase one. I thought hosted VoIP and computer-based telephony was the future and would be less expensive. What I found was hosted VoIP didn't work reliably and cost quite a lot. Computed-based telephony was difficult to install and manage - and had a higher cost of entry. So I circled back and picked up a 244vs for my company, loved it, then starting selling them to my customers.
3. What attracted you to TalkSwitch?
The feature set and total cost of ownership were very compelling. It has the best aspects of modern telecommunications systems (voicemail to e-mail, easy management interface, IP extensions, etc) while keeping the lowest TCO of any solution I reviewed.
4. What makes TalkSwitch an attractive product for your customers?
In general value is something customers really appreciate right now. When a customer can save thousands and still get what they need from a well established and respected product, they really appreciate it. Also external IP extensions are becoming increasingly popular with high gas prices as it makes telecommuting practical for even small businesses.
5. What kind of feedback have you received from your customers about TalkSwitch?
What surprises anyone who's dealt with phone systems over the years is how easy the system is to manage. TalkSwitch's point and click interface is a far cry from the old days of punching numbers into the admin phone usually tucked away in a closet. Customers feel empowered by knowing how to handle small things themselves and like that we don't need to get involved for every change.
Selkowitz Technology
(425) 890-3421
www.selkowitz.com
kevin@selkowitz.com
Click here to check out the spotlight on our Facebook group page.
Category: TalkSwitch Features
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Comments: 0
TalkSwitch Takes its Show on the Road - to Australia
 TalkSwitch just concluded a wildly successful tour of Australia, where the company was one of the standout exhibitors at the CeBIT show in Sydney. The TalkSwitch booth drew tremendous traffic throughout the show, becoming a must-visit destination for the reseller and end-user attendees.
Click here to see TalkSwitch VP of International Business Development, Michael Sellwood, speak about the benefits of TalkSwitch for small businesses in the region.
Category: Business News
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Monday, July 07, 2008
Comments: 0
Radio TalkSwitch: Episode 5
Concerned about your TalkSwitch IP phones during a power failure? Listen in to our latest episode where VP Sales Tim Welch clarifies what you need to know about network and Ethernet connections and how to keep them going in the event of a power failure.
Click here to listen.
Category: Tips and Tricks
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Monday, June 30, 2008
Comments: 1
Radio TalkSwitch: Episode 4
IP or analog? How do you decide? What's the difference? In our fourth episode, VP Sales Tim Welch discusses the main differences and similarities between IP and analog phones, and offers some tips on how to decide which model is right for your business. Click here to listen.
Category: Tips and Tricks
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Comments: 0
A customer shares his experiences with TalkSwitch
 Adam Landrum, President of South Carolina-based Merge High Performance Web Sites had some good things to say about his recent buying experience from TalkSwitch.
"Not only was the TalkSwitch buying experience great, but so is their product."
Click here to read his comments in full on his corporate blog.
Category: Business News
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Thursday, June 19, 2008
Comments: 0
Radio TalkSwitch: Episode 3
In our latest installment, VP Sales Tim Welch talks about headsets. He'll tell you which ones he trusts and which ones he recommends for use with TalkSwitch phones. Click here to listen.
Category: Tips and Tricks
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Comments: 0
Rich Tehrani interviews Jan Scheeren
 TMC is the top destination for news and analysis about the telecommunications and VoIP industry. Recently, TalkSwitch CEO Jan Scheeren sat down with TMC President and Group Editor-in-Chief Rich Tehrani to talk about the state of the small business communications industry, and where it’s heading.
On his blog, Tehrani described the discussion this way:
“Right now the small business market is the shining star in communications -- plenty of growth is predicted in this space and small businesses for the most part are behind the tech curve -- meaning they need to catch up. For over a decade, TalkSwitch has been serving this space with innovate, small PBXs designed to be easy to install and support.
Jan Scheeren the President & CEO of the company has been to TMC headquarters frequently to tell us about new products and upgrades. Scheeren knows the small business communications market better than most and on this podcast I was able to pick his brain on the SMB communications space and learn a great deal about his thoughts, the competitive situation, etc.
It is definitely worth a listen.”
To listen to an excerpt of the interview, please click here.
Category: Industry Watch
Posted by: Chris Brennan on Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Comments: 0
Radio TalkSwitch: Episode 2
Check out the latest episode of Radio TalkSwitch, where you’ll hear Vice President of Sales Tim Welch touch on issues ranging from the use of softphones with TalkSwitch systems, to the ways that you can use line and extension appearances to improve business productivity. We hope you find the discussion informative and entertaining!
Click here to listen to Tim's comments.
Category: Tips and Tricks
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Comments: 0
Swing into Summer with TalkSwitch
 You know that no phone system on the market keeps you connected like TalkSwitch. Whether you’re on the road, in an airport, a hotel room, or on the 18th tee, with TalkSwitch you’ve got full phone system power wherever you go.
And this summer, we want to hear all about it. Let us know how you use TalkSwitch remote extensions or external IP extensions to stay connected to the office and you could win a great summer prize pack from TalkSwitch. The best entries will receive a case of TalkSwitch branded Maxfli Fire golf balls, and one of our brand new golf ball StyleSwitch skins that you can use to customize your TalkSwitch system. To enter, click here. And while you’re at it, be sure to check out our full line of StyleSwitch skins.
Category: Business News
Posted by: Chris Brennan on Monday, June 02, 2008
Comments: 0
Introducing StyleSwitch
 Introducing StyleSwitch, the hippest way to customize your TalkSwitch system.
Available in four fun designs, StyleSwitch skins are the easiest way to turn your TalkSwitch into an office conversation piece. Peel and stick your way to a cooler TalkSwitch today!
Check out our full line of StyleSwitch skins here.
Category: Tips and Tricks
Posted by: Chris Brennan on Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Comments: 0
TalkSwitch Tidies Up Communications for MaidPro Franchise
 Frank LaGreca and John Cahill from MaidPro of Cape Cod had a problem: their outdated and inefficient phone system was dropping calls and slowing them down. Worst of all, it was costing them customers.
Luckily, they found TalkSwitch.
Click here to read the new TalkSwitch/MaidPro case study to find out how TalkSwitch helped take their communications to the next level.
Category: Business News
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Comments: 0
Where is SMB Telecom Heading in 2008
2007 was an interesting year for telephony in the SMB space. We saw the ongoing marriage of Voice over IP services with customer premises equipment, which I attribute to reliability and quality having finally passed a tipping point. Small Business owners are always looking to reduce costs, and are often willing to take risks on new technology faster than their larger brethren. We all know that VoIP still isn’t a completely mature technology, but the ROI is so compelling that it is hard to resist deploying it in some capacity.
The tipping point is best represented by one solution – the hybrid.
Hybrid analog/VoIP PBXs are in demand. Why? Because not everyone is ready to give up their connections to the traditional telephone system. For some businesses, VoIP doesn’t offer a significant enough cost saving to make it worth the risk to completely switch. Others see it as complex and don’t feel confident in their ability to use this new technology. A hybrid solution lets those businesses experiment with VoIP, while keeping a traditional phone network safety net.
VoIP is about more than just transporting voice. We’re seeing the natural evolution that involves the integration of voice with applications. Social networking, conference collaboration, presence and routing applications, voice networking while gaming and click-to-dial from a web page are all examples of applications that make effective use of VoIP.
As we move further into 2008, I, and many others, expect analog trunking will continue to decline. Most of this can be attributed to the incumbent phone companies not offering any new “bang for your buck” features in their existing service packages. New competitors are entering the market every day with very competitive long distance and local service packages that come with all the necessary features included. Eventually, the incumbent providers are going to reach a point where they have to drop prices in order to compete and survive. When that happens, it will be interesting to see how that ripples across the industry. Will it lead to the demise of some of the newer VoIP service providers, or will it simply put the two technologies on a level playing field when it comes to price? I expect the answer to that question to reveal itself as this year rolls on.
I believe we’ll see a continued evolution as 2008 rolls along, one that will see both traditional and VoIP service providers strive to meet the changing demands of the market. I also believe that it is the hybrid systems, especially those that are designed to be owner-friendly enough that a small business-person can set up and maintain them, that are best suited to take advantage of this evolution. They provide maximum flexibility, and give businesses the ability to take advantage of all the benefits inherent in each technology.
Category: Industry Watch
Posted by: Eric Ramsden on Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Comments: 0
TalkSwitch Announces Power of Voice Contest Winner
Congratulations to Richard Cameron of Cameron Recruiting Group for winning the TalkSwitch Power of Voice Contest! We wanted to know when customers preferred the power of voice over written communication for doing business. For his winning submission, Richard receives a Polycom SoundStation2 conference phone, valued at $599.
Congratulations Richard and thanks to everybody who participated. Be sure to check out past contest winners and their submissions by clicking here. Stay tuned for more contests from TalkSwitch!
Category: Business News
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Monday, April 14, 2008
Comments: 0
Reinventing the Telephone to Stay Ahead
 The Ottawa Citizen recently profiled TalkSwitch, looking at the company’s origins, and how its ability to innovate and stay ahead of the curve has positioned the company for long-term success. You can read the profile here.
Category: Business News
Posted by: Chris Brennan on Thursday, April 03, 2008
Comments: 0
TalkSwitch wins VON Magazine Innovator Award
TalkSwitch has won VON Magazine’s 2008 Innovator Award, the most prestigious recognition in the IP communications industry! Awarded to only 65 companies worldwide, the Innovator Awards are handed out to those companies having the most significant impact on the communications industry. 
“The VON Magazine Innovator Awards recognize the Internet Communications industry’s best and brightest companies…TalkSwitch stood out among the large field of companies that participated in the nomination process, and was a unanimous choice of the selection committee,” says Bill Sell, Publisher of the VON Media Group.
For a full description of the awards, and a list of all the winners, click here.
Category: Industry Watch
Posted by: Chris Brennan on Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Comments: 0
Smart Office News puts TalkSwitch to the test
Smart Office News, an influential Australian business journal recently took an in-depth look at the TalkSwitch 248vs system and the TS-9133i IP phone. Its conclusion? TalkSwitch is a good all-around phone system for small and medium businesses, and is very effective in helping them communicate more efficiently.
To read the full review, click here.
Category: Industry Watch
Posted by: Michael Doyon on Thursday, March 13, 2008
Comments: 0
TalkSwitch vs Response Point
Blogger Kevin Selkowitz recently took an in-depth look at Microsoft’s Response Point system and compared it to TalkSwitch in the areas of features, price, future potential, and service/support. His conclusion? TalkSwitch is a better choice for small business.
You can read Kevin’s full review here.
Category: Industry Watch
Posted by: Chris Brennan on Monday, March 03, 2008
Comments: 1
Introducing Radio TalkSwitch
Radio TalkSwitch is on the air!
In our first episode, Senior Product Manager Eric Ramsden sits down to talk about some of the cool new features available in configuration software 6.0.
Click here to listen to Eric's comments!
Category: Business News
Posted by: Chris Brennan on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Comments: 0
TalkSwitch and Junior Achievement
Did you know that 8 out of 10 high school students say they are taught little or nothing in school about how business actually works? Yet more than 30% of those same students expressed interest in starting their own business once they graduate? (Source: www.jaeo.org)
TalkSwitch takes that entrepreneurial spirit seriously, and for the past few years members of the TalkSwitch team have been helping fill that knowledge gap by lending their time and energy to a local organization called Junior Achievement, a program that helps students achieve their full potential by gaining leadership, business and workforce readiness skills.
Involved in many different activities with the organization, TalkSwitch regularly sends members of its executive team to speak to diverse groups of students, and has provided sponsorship support for the organization’s annual awards gala. This year, a group of students mentored by TalkSwitch Channel Marketing Manager Valérie Albert took part in the Junior Achievement Company Program. As part of the program, students create a company and then develop, market and sell a product of their own design. At the recent awards gala, Valérie’s group took home the awards for Best Company, Best Product, Top Director and Entrepreneur of the Year.
Beyond the volunteer work, Junior Achievement is a happy TalkSwitch customer, relying on the TalkSwitch system installed in its Eastern Ontario office to provide it with the professional call handling capabilities it needs.
TalkSwitch is extremely proud of its association with Junior Achievement, and extends its congratulations, and thanks, to all the participants, volunteers and organizers that help make it such an important incubator for the business leaders of tomorrow.
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