agents

Where is Dan Morford?

January 23, 2009

For those agents out there that attend ACC Business training at Channel Partners Expo over the years, you will notice that Dan Morford is missing this year. ACC Business let him go during their layoffs in December. The good news is that MicroCorp hired Dan Morford as Product Manager of their Insite Inventory software application. As product manager, Mr. Morford will be responsible for managing the pre-sales and post-sales support of the Insite application.

Posted in TEM, agents, channel

Top 5 Ways to Improve Agent Training

January 23, 2009

Agents are paddling like a duck in a pond to stay afloat. Always have been, but moreso now. Many companies are wondering how to get Agents to sell their services. (I get this daily). Here's some thoughts:

Agents spends all day just running their business and keeping customers happy.

Posted in VAR, agents, channel, sales and selling

Agents Need to Morph into a VAR

January 22, 2009

It is getting tough out there, as the news keeps repeating as nauseum.
Businesses are laying off and closing. If you can maneuver in this environment, then opportunity awaits. No I haven't been drinking. Let's examine things.

Layoffs means companies have to be more efficient and more productive with less.

Posted in TEM, agents, saas, unified communications

VoIP and the Economy

January 20, 2009

VoIP originally was sold as the answer to the next wave of cost savings for consumers and especially for small business. Business phone lines have always cost more than residential lines because, in theory, businesses use the phone line more often. (I guess, if you have 2 teenagers then that equals 1 small business).

Now that businesses are looking for ways to cut costs, analysts are predicting a rise in VoIP sales. Maybe.

Posted in PBX, agents, economy, sip trunking, telecommunications, unified communications, voip

Is Verizon Serious About the Channel?

January 14, 2009

In my opinion, NO. With all the information that you must provide them in order for the Verizon system to do "Segmentation", it is too cumbersome. Segmentation is the process through which they decide if the company is VZT, VZB, wholesale, carrier, etc.

If your customer is delivering a circuit to another business, the process goes up in smoke. It's resale.

Everything about dealing with Verizon is a PITA.

Posted in agents, channel

Dave's Advice to Agents

January 13, 2009

Dave Rusin, CEO at AFS, has some advice on his blog for agents (or on xchange). I agree with this one point: "If I were an agent of any sort, I would focus on carriers that have competitive sustainability." However, when Mr. Enterprise CTO wants a quote from CLEC ABC, then as an agent we get one. That's how an agent stays in the picture.

Dave, you have never been an agent - and I would suggest that you haven't been an outside salesperson in the current climate.

Posted in agents, sales and selling

Customer Retention is Job 1 for Agents

January 12, 2009

I blogged to my clients this morning that they need to be spending their time on customer retention as much as on acquisition. Then I got my Monday morning email that stated:

CUSTOMER RETENTION - If you aren't talking to your customers about renewing their contracts - trust me the Direct Sales force of Qwest, Verizon and AT&T ARE. All three carriers are using their Direct Teams to mine Agent accounts. - It cost more to get a new customer versus maintaining and growing your existing base.

HOW TO UPSELL IN A DOWN ECONOMY - Agent Quote - " If I'm not helping my customers with all their telecom needs, then someone else will." With it being the start of a new year now is the time to set up appointment with your top 25 customers and discuss their business and how you can help them. Don't assume they don't do conference calling because almost every business does these days. If you aren't talking to them about it, someone else will. Same holds true with wireless, disaster recover, data back up and collocation. Yearly audits are essential.

Posted in agents, sales and selling

The Road Ahead: Telecom Agent Keynote

January 9, 2009

I was lucky enough to be chosen to give the keynote for TMC's Telecom Agent Day at the Internet Telephony East Expo in Miami Beach on Feb. 3.

The Road Ahead: So you want to know what tomorrow has in store? Come to this session to hear all about the opportunities that are waiting just ahead. The speaker will address the trends and the recent activity in the market and come away with a plan for addressing the challenges ahead.

So I would like to know what YOU think is coming down the pike. I spoke with Dan Goodwin at ATC this morning who expressed that agents need to be experts and on top of their game to be able to handle the constant change in this industry.

Posted in TMC, agents, conferences, expo, telecommunications

Bell-Head versus Net-Head

January 7, 2009

Discussing the economy on telecom sales today in some parts of the South, I was led to the following: Bell-Head versus Net-Head. What, you ask. Another way to ask it is Why can some folks sell TDM/POTS/PRI and why can some people sell VoIP?

VoIP is just an application, like UC, voicemail, and conferencing. That's Net-Head thinking. It's just eye pee!

VoIP is an unreliable step-sister to POTS.

Posted in agents, sales and selling, voip

Asset Management for Money

January 5, 2009

There has been buzz around TEM since 2006. In an economic downturn (kind of like we are experiencing now), telecom expense management can play a real role. Hand-in-hand with auditing, TEM is a way to get the attention of the prospective buyer. Personally, I have a distaste for the "I'll save you money pitch", but its what resonates with most people.

Today, businesses have to do more with less - including less people.

Posted in TEM, agents

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