Commander forced to keep Affinity IT Recruitment subsidiary

Embattled Australian service provider, Commander Communications, has been forced to take its Affinity IT Recruitment subsidiary and internal recruitment services off the sales table.
Commander has previously announced its intention to sell the Affinity division, but after extensive discussions with external parties, the service provider wasn’t able to conclude a suitable deal for the Affinity, said Commander’s managing director Amanda Lacaze.“When we identified the ‘Turnaround Plan’ for Commander we identified Affinity as a subsidiary that was not core to our strategy,” she said. “We are disappointed that we were unable to conclude an external sale of the Affinity IT Recruitment business and therefore have taken the decision to close down operations,” she said. According to Lacaze, a full review of Affinity’s operations has been completed and management now believes it can be cost effectively managed within Commander’s internal HR division, rather than a separately run division.“Commander will no longer seek to divest the Affinity business as an ongoing operation. Instead, certain recruitment professionals from Affinity will be appointed to new roles within Commander,” she said.Affinity IT Recruitment will no longer provide services to external clients. However all current candidate selections will be finalised and Affinity will manage its existing contractor base until the expiry of the contracts, said Lacaze.However 15 employees, mainly from the sales and administration division, will be retrenched, due to these changes and consequent reduction in overheads, said Lacaze.

By Lilia Guan 27 June 2008 02:09PMTags: commander forced keep affinity recruitment subsidiary


cheers

GS

Little Secret About Your Next Phone System

One of the most important decisions a small business has to make is how they are going to manage their communications. After all, communications are the back bone of any small business. If they cannot communicate clearly and efficiently with potential and current customers, they will not be in business long. It can be very stressful trying to determine which communications system is going to be best for your business. Adding to the confusion and stress of making the decision is the number of options available when it comes to telecommunications. There are standard hard line PBX systems, standard POTS lines from the local carrier, virtual PBX systems, local numbers, toll free numbers, virtual fax, standard VoIP and hosted VoIP PBX systems… and you could probably find at least a hundred providers for each. It’s enough to make you crazy.
One of the biggest mistakes that small business owners make as they wade through all the choices available to them is that they start at the end and work their way back. Usually they will do an Internet search for “phone systems” and from the thousands upon thousands of results choose a provider. Then they will go and see what systems and features are available. The problem with finding your telecom provider in this way is that you are trying to fit your small business communications needs into a cookie cutter phone system. And there is a dirty little secret in the telecom industry that perpetuates this problem. Small businesses end up finding a provider and then trying to fit their needs into the phone systems that the provider has to offer. Sometimes they fit and sometimes they don’t and that is when the small business loses out. The dirty little secret that these telecom providers are keeping from you is that it doesn’t have to be that way. You do not have to try to squeeze your small business communications into one of their pre- designed, one size fits all solutions.
Instead of finding a provider first and then trying to fit your needs into their solutions, you need to start at the beginning. The beginning is you and your small business. Before you even start looking for a phone system you should know exactly what it is that you want. Finish this sentence, “If I could have everything I wanted in a phone system, it would include….” Then start making your list. Here is a list of questions to help you get started:
How many employees will have extensions?
Would I like to be able to have a dispersed workforce taking calls?
Do I want to incorporate my Internet and phones together?
Do I need my phone system to grow with me?
Do I want to combine my fax and phone system together?
Do I want to be able to do inter-office/inter-extension transfers?
Do I want an automated attendant to answer and direct calls?
Do I want voicemail accessible by email and/or over the Internet?
Do I want to be able to monitor all calls on the system either live or through reports?
Do I want to be able to create forwarding groups so that calls can be forwarded to all extensions within a group of employees?
Once you decide what your small business needs, you can then search for a provider to fulfill those needs instead of finding a provider that you can try to fit your needs into. Having even just a basic understanding of the options available will help you understand your choices and not allow a provider to mold your needs into what they offer. Here is a breakdown of the most popular options:
POTS lines (Plain Old Telephone Service) can be a simple solution for a one man band that does not need an automated attendant to route calls nor any enhanced features such as voicemail to email, virtual fax, follow me call forwarding, etc. Start up costs will depend on if you already have lines established on site or if you are starting from scratch.
A standard PBX (Private Branch eXchange) includes onsite equipment to route calls between employees. These systems are usually cost prohibitive for small businesses due to their large up front costs, they have maintenance requirements, and they are not very flexible in their ability to grow with the business. Your start up costs will depend on how many users you have
Virtual PBX systems include all the features of a standard PBX, but without the initial cost of the switching equipment, ongoing costs of maintenance and will allow for growth. Many small business owners like the virtual PBX set up because it allows them the flexibility that a small business needs and features that help them maintain a professional image. Specific features that benefit small businesses include the follow me call forwarding, automated attendant, multiple extensions/voicemail boxes, and online administration and retrieval of voice and fax messages. Virtual PBX solutions are usually only efficient for inbound calling only.
Hosted VoIP PBX systems take the virtual PBX a couple steps further with the addition of VoIP technology and IP (Internet Protocol) phones so that you have inbound as well as outbound calling happening on one system. It will use your current Internet connection so an increase in bandwidth may be necessary. A hosted VoIP PBX also allows you all of the flexibility of a virtual system because it is scalable and can be used with a dispersed work force whether they are across town or across the country. The start up costs will be a little bit higher than a virtual PBX because you also have to buy the phones.
intimidated into trying to squeeze your needs into a cookie cutter phone system. Your small business is not like anyone else’s and only you know what it needs. So first sit down and write down everything that you would like your phone system to do, learn the basics about what is available, and then find the provider that can fulfill those needs. Don’t allow the telecom providers dirty little secret force you into a phone system that isn’t a perfect fit for your business.

Brandi Cummings, an expert author on the unique issues facing small and home based businesses, recommends checking out http://www.freedom800.com/ a leading provider of business class virtual telecommunications solutions.

Cheers
GS

What is IP Telephony?

What is IP Telephony
IP telephony combines different types of communications-such as data, voice, and video-over a single packet cell-based infrastructure.
IP telephony extends the value of the network with these non-traditional applications. By combining different types of traffic on a single network connection, small and medium-sized businesses and small branch offices can dramatically reduce the costs of their voice and data networks.
Cheers

GS

10 most popular phone system features

June 15th, 2008
1. Voicemail
Voicemail saves time and money. Handwritten messages waste time, resources, and are often to blame for ineffective communication.
Just like your mobile phone voicemail, phone system voicemail allows callers to tell you exactly what they want, while maintaining their privacy. Voicemail saves unnecessary return calls and allows you to prioritise call backs.
Which staff members actually receive voicemail is entirely up to you. You may only opt to give it to key staff, or everyone - it’s your choice.
Some systems charge for voicemail and others include it free. Make sure you do your homework.
2. Daytime & after-hours greetings
This is arguably the most important feature on any new system. Day and night greetings ensure your business never misses a call day or night and they ensure you sound professional!
For example, if your receptionist hasn’t picked up after 5 rings the system will pick up the call for you and greet them with your own customised message. “Thank you for calling XXX, your call is important and we will be with you in just a moment…”
Some phone systems can even answer multiple callers at once. While other phone systems allow you to present callers with options to choose from such as “press 1 for sales, Press 2 for admin etc”.
No matter which option you select for your business and customers, the result is you will never lose another opportunity, compromise professionalism or hurry through one call simply to take the next! You will now give every caller the best impression, every time.
At Infiniti we also program the system to answer with time specific messages at different times of the day, week or year. That’s intelligent call management! Some systems charge for greetings while other brands include it free. Make sure you do your homework.
3. VoIP Compatible
VoIP is the latest technology and a fantastic way to slash costs. Any reputable phone system can integrate with cheap VoIP calls but not every system can actually offer VoIP phone system features.
VoIP system features are used for linking multiple sites, or remote workers. They allow other users on the phone system to see, transfer, and receive calls, from other sites and staff no matter where they are located.
If you’re only after cheap calls then it really won’t have any bearing on the system you buy (unless you want to use SIP trunking which is more technical).
4. Music & tailored on hold messages
If you genuinely care about your company image then nothing has as much impact as messages on hold. Not just music but messages about YOUR business. They sound incredibly professional whilst also educating and entertaining your callers.
When you consider that over 70% of callers are left on hold for a staggering 43+ seconds it’s not difficult to see why messages on hold are so popular. At Infiniti some of our phone systems include messages on hold for FREE. Enquire today and see how you can save over $1000 with your own tailored message on hold package with your new phone system.
5. Transfering calls
Even though it is a basic option, “transferring calls” is a key reason many small businesses upgrade to a phone system. It’s important that you and your staff can transfer incoming calls to the right person easily and efficiently. Different brands achieve this in different ways and you need to understand how the system you’re looking at actually works (not just looks). It may not be the right option for you.
6. Speed dials
When you look at how frequently you dial the same phone numbers you soon realise that speed dialling can be a fantastic feature to have.
Whether you use a database, ACT, Goldmine, Microsoft outlook, or just a list of your customers or associates, phone systems can make calling people as easy as clicking a mouse button.
If you are running a computer database or CRM then you should look at how you can tie this into your phone system. Imagine if when a customer calls their whole file could pop up on your screen ready for you.
Some systems charge for this feature whereas others include this at no charge. Make sure you don’t pay for something unnecessarily.
7. Speaker phone
Speaker phones are great for conferencing or just being able to talk, or dial numbers, without having to pick up the phone.
There are a whole range of different handset models to cater for every taste and budget. It is very important you know exactly what your handsets can and can’t do. Most basic models do not offer speaker phone capabilities. Make sure you get the right handsets for your staff and their needs.
8. Warranties & guarantees
Technology is not infallible and ensuring your new system comes with a warranty is a must. You wouldn’t buy a new car without one and a phone system is no different.
In terms of ongoing maintenance and support it is important to check the bona fides of the company you are dealing with. If you are buying from a one man operation then they may not be available when you actually need them. You need to know that a company won’t only install a system, but that they have the staff and technical expertise to quickly resolve any problems that arise.
Alternatively, for maximum peace of mind and insurance you may prefer to opt for a maintenance agreement. An MA guarantees your business a specific service level agreement and response times to any problems you may experience over the life of your phone system.
9. Conference calls
If you conference, or would like to, then make sure you get the right phone system and handsets. Some systems offer sophisticated conference bridging etc while others only offer basic functionality. If you conference then it pays to know a system’s limitations. For example, how many parties can conference simultaneously?
If conferencing is important to you then make sure you ask about full duplex conference phones. Full duplex makes a massive difference to call clarity and quality.
10. Headset compatibility
Headsets are great for mobility, call clarity and noisy environments. They are comfortable and allow staff to multitask while they are on the phone. Headsets are a great addition to any solution however you must ensure that the handsets you get are also headset compatible.
Regards
GS