Phone System Services -Palatine, IL 60074,60078

Whether you need a legacy phone system maintained, or an entirely new communications system for multiple offices, Andromeda Technology Solutions is the answer you have been looking for. As our expertise also includes complete data network solutions, you can rest assured that we can fully integrate a communications system that will best leverage your existing or future IT infrastructure.

In many cases, your telephone system is the first thing people will experience when dealing with your business.

• Does it show your company in a good light?
• Is it set up so your clients have a good experience?
• Does it help maximize employee productivity?

Let us show you how a phone system should be set up!

Experience the simplicity of having an experienced company to handle all aspects of your communication systems, letting you focus on running your business.

Contact us or fill out the Request form on this page now to ask us to contact you!

^
Hybrid PBX and IP-based Phone Systems

We support a host of major phone systems—from Avaya, NEC, Panasonic to Toshiba— and are a certified Panasonic dealer for both a traditional PBX system, as well as a true IP-based VoIP system. The beauty of these systems lies in their very extensive feature set (over 800 features) and their mix-and-match capabilities. Each system can mix analog, digital and IP phone sets to match almost any application. Also, each system has extensive functionality built-in for incorporating branch offices, work-at-home employees and other remote workers.

We spend a great deal of time understanding all your requirements, so we can select the system and functions that are exactly what you need.

^
The Phones Become the Network

If you are considering an IP-based telephone system, it is important to understand these systems are more data systems than phone systems. Unlike a traditional PBX system, a VoIP system puts a significant burden on your data network, and requires specific equipment and configuration to ensure everything is running properly.

Many traditional telephone service companies lack the skills to properly install and maintain a VoIP system. Andromeda Technology Solutions excels in all aspects of voice and data, and will ensure you get the system that is right for you.

Whether Cloud-based, Hosted/virtual PBX, or completely on-premises, we have the knowledge AND experience to guide you and implement your voice communication system to perfection.

^
Replacement of Legacy Phone Systems

We have many years of experience upgrading/replacing legacy phones systems from: ComDial, Nortel, Toshiba/Mitel, and Samsung just to name a few. If you would like to experience service from a truly customer-focused organization, call us when you are ready to replace and upgrade your existing legacy telephone system.

			KX-TA KX-NCP KX-TDA KS-TDE
			IP Office Definity Magix Legend Partner
			Aspire Elite IPK I-Series DS/DSX

AndroPedia Tech Library

As part of our service, it is important to keep our client-partners well informed on Telephone system developments, news, and best practices. Here is just a sampling of typical items from our AndroPedia^SM library archive:

There are many options available to you when purchasing a professional telephone system.

And there are many companies out there that want you to purchase your professional phone solutions from them.

So – how do you make sure you are getting the best phone system for your business AND make sure that you are working with a company that puts your interests first?

We’ve put together a list of 5 of the top questions you should ask yourself when it comes to a professional telephone system and the telephone service providers that install them for your business.

5 Questions You Want To Ask Yourself  Before Purchasing A Professional Telephone System

1. What are your 5 year total costs for the system?

This is an important question that is often overlooked when purchasing a professional telephone system. There are many factors that impact total cost but typically there are two different types of systems that you are taking into consideration.

• Hosted VoIP Telephone Systems
• On Premises PBX Telephone Systems

Within those two options there are different options and models but the key difference is where the majority of the hardware exists.

In a hosted or cloud based phone system, you don’t have equipment in the office. Instead it is ‘hosted’ in the cloud. You simply have phones that you plug into the network.

With an on premises solution, your professional telephone system and equipment exist in your office. Most of the time this is in a ‘box’ mounted in your IT closet.

The reason the distinction between these two is important is because they have different costs associated with them.

With hosted VoIP you are essentially paying every month for service to the phones and the software that allows inbound and outbound calls to your network.

With an on premises system, you buy the hardware up front and you pay for telephone lines (POTS lines) to give you connectivity.

To look at costs for each type of system you’ll want to consider recurring monthly service charges, hardware costs and service/maintenance costs.

NOTE: when considering a hosted VoIP phone system, make sure that you find out what your taxes will be each month. Many times, these rates are not included in quotes and can add on hundreds of dollars to your monthly costs.

2. Who owns the equipment?

When it comes to any hardware you are using at the office, it is important to figure out who actually owns the equipment.

With an on premises option, you buy the hardware up front and install it. You own it. Simple as that.

If you choose to go with a hosted solution, you want to look into who actually owns the equipment. Many times, you are renting the phones you use from your service provider. Even if you are only paying $25.00 per phone per month, multiply that out over a year and look at how much you’ve paid to rent out phones you don’t own.

On top of that, if you ever want to switch providers or decide you want to purchase an on premises system, you have to give the phones back and start from scratch. All that money spent on renting equipment is out the door with nothing to show for it.

3. Who is going to help you service your telephone equipment?

Things break – unfortunate but true. So when you are having issues with your phone system, who will you call to come out and service it? How long will it take for technicians to get to your issues? Do you have a dedicated team or is it just whoever is available? Do they offer emergency service?

These are all questions you’ll want to ask anyone proposing their phone solution to you. All too often, business owners are sold on phone solutions that have no local service providers for technical issues.

Different technology vendors work with specific types of systems and you want to make sure you are buying a system that you can get serviced professionally and promptly.

4. Will the telephone solution grow with your business?

Each telephone system has its own list of features and compatibilities. But each one also has specific capabilities when it comes to scaling.

There are specific hardware components in phone systems that limit the number of telephones, calls or mailboxes you can set up at any one time.

If you are purchasing a system today but plan to add a call center next year, you want to make sure that you talk to your vendor about that before you purchase. That way, you can make sure that your solution is capable of that type of growth.

Not only that, depending on your business model and needs, you’ll also want to make sure that you choose a telephone system that best suits your day to day practices which brings us to our fifth question.

5. Does this phone system offer all of the features and functions you need?

Every business has its own needs when it comes to phones. Some are very simple and others are more complex. If you use your phones the way many small to midsized business do, all you’re looking for is a connection, some basic functionality (receptionist phone, easily transfer calls, put people on hold, maybe a conference phone for conference calls etc.).

At the same time, you may have a sales team that is constantly on the road which means you’d like the ability to transfer calls to your cell phone, voicemail-email set up, voicemail to text set up. You may want direct extensions or maybe when an inbound sales call comes in you want every sales person’s phone to ring until someone picks up.

The list of features goes on and on. And that doesn’t even include third party applications that integrate security, presence management and more.

Make sure you are working with a vendor that can help guide you and manage the different functions and features on the market.

Request a Consultation

A Professional Telephone System can be complex but it definitely doesn’t have to be.

If you’re in the right hands with a vendor who makes it a priority to get to know your business and your needs, most of these questions can be answered without an issue.

If you’re thinking about adding to your phone system, switching to a different type of system or you know you need something new but don’t know where to start, our account managers are ready and more than willing to help guide you through the process.

Take the first step and give us a call at the office (815) 836-0030 or fill out the form below and request a phone call with our team.

The post 5 Questions To Ask Before Purchasing A Professional Phone System For Your Business appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

There will most likely come a time when you decide you want to change service providers for your business internet and telephone.

That makes sense.

In fact, we would suggest that you audit your phone service and bills at least once a year if not every 6 months. (For more on auditing your phone bills – read here).

The telecom industry term for the date you go from one service to the next is the “cutover date”. Basically, this is the day that you cut service with your old provider and begin service with your new provider.

You’d think this is as simple as the switch of a button but there are actually a lot of ways that a cutover can cause trouble for you and your business.

The last thing you want is for a cutover issue to mean loss of profit or productivity in your office. After all, every minute your phones are down costs you.

With this in mind, we thought you would enjoy a quick checklist to ensure your telephone service cutover goes as smooth as possible.

Andromeda Technology Solutions Telephone Service Cutover Checklist: 6 Things to Do Before Your Cutover Date

1- Bring your IT/Telecom Service Provider Up to Speed

First things first, the moment you start thinking about changing telephone/internet service providers; you should get your IT group involved.

A good vendor will guide you through the process of preparing for your telephone service cutover date.

A GREAT Technology Partner will guide you through the prep for your cutover but they will also help guide you in the right direction when it comes to your service levels and providers.

There are a lot of important factors to consider when choosing a telephone/internet provider.

• Customer Service Reputation
• Bandwidth options
• Type of service
• Availability in your area
• Impact on other technologies and departments in your business

It is important to get your IT/Telephone Solution Provider involved for your cutover but it is just as important to get them involved as soon as you make the decision to shop service providers.

This will allow you to avoid a lot of headaches and it will also prepare you properly for everything you’ve got to get done.

Keeping your technology partners in the loop is one of the best ways to steer clear of speedbumps.

2- Notify your current vendor that you’re switching service.

This one is very simple. Once you’ve decided to switch service providers, you need to notify your existing telecom service provider.

Most companies require 30 days’ notice or they will charge cancellation fees.

You’ll also want to make sure you aren’t under a contract. If you find that you are still under contract, you’ll need to figure out what types of penalties or charges the existing vendor has in place for early termination.

As a general rule, you always want to be aware of your contract dates. Even if you aren’t switching vendors, your rates might rise if you aren’t under a long term contract with your vendor. This is best practice and ensures you aren’t being overcharged for your services.

3- Get a “cut sheet” from your current service provider.

The cut sheet is a list of all of the necessary work prior to your telephone service cutover. This is a great way to make sure you have all of your ducks in a row before the official telephone service cutover date.

Once you have the cut sheet you need to make sure and get a copy of it to whoever manages your telephone system.

This sheet includes any equipment you’ll need, programming needs as well as a list of all the numbers you need ported over.

By providing this to your technology partner you ensure that they can schedule technicians to get the required work done prior to the big day.

4- Check your IT closet or equipment room out.

Changing service providers may require some new equipment. Make sure to find out what space that will require and ensure that you have the space available.

Be clear on who will install the new equipment and where you want it as well.

5- Map out your current setup

You’ll want to map out all of your existing set up.

Make sure you have a list of all phone numbers and extensions.

This is something you can do yourself or you can request that your phone system vendor does this for you. They will dive a little deeper and check for dial tones, testing ports and checking for local & long distance capability.

Just be sure to request that your vendor provides you a full report of your findings.

6- Get the date on your calendar and notify anyone who might be impacted

It might sound obvious but you want to make sure that everyone knows your cutover date.

Andromeda recommends that you let all employees know the date and time. Additionally, you’ll probably want to schedule and send out a few emails to customers in case there is any service disruption.

Communication is key with these types of projects.

Customers won’t be upset that they can’t reach you by phone if they know that you can be reached via email or other communications.

This will also make sure that everyone is prepared just in case the cutover doesn’t go as smooth as planned. If your phones are down for longer than expected, you’ve covered your bases on the front side and shouldn’t feel a backlash from employees or customers for the temporary disruption of phone service.

As you’ve probably noticed – most of these steps and the checklist recommends that you communicate with your telephone system vendor. These projects are pretty simple but can easily go wrong if everyone isn’t on the same page.

If you are thinking about switching phone service providers make sure to get in touch with whoever manages your phone system.

You’ll be glad you did.

The post 6 Things You Need To Prepare Before You Change Telephone Service Providers: Your Telecom Cutover Checklist appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

Even the largest companies in the world can't claim immunity to hacking, data breaches and momentary lapses in judgment.

Nissan is a classic case in point.

Recently, due to a careless oversight, default admin credentials were left in place on part of the company's network.

That allowed an unknown third party to easily breach the company's network and gain access to some 20 gigabytes' worth of code residing in normally well-protected corporate repositories. The vast cache included source code for most of the company's mobile apps and a wide range of diagnostic tools. It also contained code and other documentation relating to market research, client acquisition and the company's NissanConnect service.

A Swedish developer named Tillie Kottmann analyzed both the contents of the repository and the anatomy of the breach itself. Kottmann discovered that once the default admin credentials were discovered by an unknown hacker, a torrent link for the source code collection began making the rounds online and was widely shared. It potentially put the contents into the hands of thousands or hackers around the world, and possibly even more than that.

Kottman's company is in the habit of maintaining a secure repository of all compromised data like this, and often works with the companies who suffer incidents like this one to help improve their security.

In this case, Nissan NA reached out to Kottmann and asked that her copy of their repository be deleted, and she complied with that request. Needless to say, the company has since better-secured the repository, but at this point, the damage has been done.

If there's a silver lining to be found, it lies in the fact that the repository didn't contain sensitive customer or payment card data. So if you're a Nissan customer, there's nothing for you to do or worry about.

The loss of control over the proprietary data, however, could be a major issue for the company. Although it's too soon to say precisely what the scope and scale of the fallout might be. In any case, the situation is still unfolding and it bears watching.

Aggregated