Associated Press Asks VoIP Supply about Small Business Pay Raises

April 12, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

In a weak economy, jobs aren’t a sure thing let alone yearly raises.

Associated Press Asks VoIP Supply about Small Business Pay RaisesAssociated Press writer Joyce Rosenberg takes a look at small businesses raises which are ” increasingly based on performance — not just an employee’s performance, but the entire company’s.”

Rosenberg’s article, Small Businesses Basing Pay More on Performance, asked CEO’s across the country about pay increases, other rewards, and compensation tied to corporate performance:

Whether they’ll do well is the big question for many small business owners. Jobs and incomes are growing, but not fast enough to make them more confident that a healthy economy will give their sales a boost.

Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply, was asked about his company’s reaction to the economy.  Although VoIP Supply “had been giving bigger raises than it did during the recession” a recent tax increase from Congress will hurt, leaving “less money to put into the business.”

Sayers still expects to be able to give cost of living and merit raises but, “The bucket’s going to be smaller than it would have been,” he said.

Coming Soon: AXIS M1004-W

AXIS recently announced that they are currently in the works for releasing a new affordable wireless camera, and it’s looking better than anything before!

As a leader in the IP surveillance industry, AXIS is known for their top line cameras, which unfortunately also tend to correlate with high prices. In efforts to reach out and provide for small retail, offices, and home users, AXIS is set to release the AXIS M1004-W, a small and cost effective IP camera, complete with 720p HD resolution!

This new addition to the AXIS M10 Series is going to be an excellent step up allowing budget conscious buyers to reap the benefits of:

  • 1280×800 pixel resolution/progressive scan/HDTV color fidelity
  • 16:9 widescreen and AXIS Corridor Format
  • Input/output ports
  • Support for Wi-Fi IEEE802.11b/g/n

A particular perk to the M1004-W is its support for Wi-Fi Protected Set-Up (WPS), a feature commonly seen in TRENDnet IP Cameras and D-Link IP Cameras. WPS makes setting up a wireless connection easy and simple, removing the learning curve usually associated with wireless technology. WPS simplifies the configuration process by automatically pairing the WLAN with a push-button. Additionally, the One-Click Camera Connection feature makes this wireless camera completely functional with AXIS Video Hosting Solution so you can store all your video footage securely online. Otherwise it’s easy to back up edge recording to a Network Area Storage device.

You can look for the M1004-W this quarter at $199 MSRP.

VoIP Supply Named Digium’s North American Marketing Partner of the Year

April 10, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski
Digium Pinnacle Partner_2013

VoIP Supply earns Digium Pinnacle Partner Award as Direct Marketing Partner of the Year

For the second year in a row, VoIP Supply has earned Digium’s Pinnacle Partner Award as the Direct Marketing Partner of the Year.

“The Pinnacle Partner awards are presented annually to partners who have excelled in developing and growing their partnership with Digium and driving customer success for Switchvox Business Communications Solutions or Asterisk Custom Communications Solutions,” writes Craig Galbraith at Channel Partners Magazine.

DigiumÂŽ, the AsteriskÂŽ Company and developer of the most widely used open source VoIP telephony system, annually recognizes their outstanding channel partners around the world.

VoIP Supply is proud to once again be named as Digium’s Direct Marketing Partner of the Year for North America by:

  • Operating a business model focused heavily on internet marketing and fulfillment.
  • Achieving the top certifications and highest level of qualification within the Digium partner program.
  • Achieving the highest annual revenue across all Digium solutions, in their respective geographic territory.

“We are very honored to receive this award again which recognizes our commitment to offering affordable and innovative Digium solutions while providing the best customer experience and education, ” said Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply.

As a Digium partner, VoIP Supply is certified to sell:

YFS Magazine Asks VoIP Supply if Brands Should Take a Stand?

April 9, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

YFS Magazine - Should Brands Take a Stand?

YFS Magazine, a resource for startup, small business news, and entrepreneurial culture, asked VoIP Supply if brands should take a stand?

In the article, Sex, Politics, Religion, Oh My: Should Brands Take a Stand on Social Issues?, YFS remembers that sharing opinions in public on those societal issues “were once considered taboo and scandalous.”

But now, your family, friends, and co-workers freely share opinions so, “should brands throw their hat into the ring and take a stand on social ills?”

Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply, weighs in:

If the company is not truly engaged in social issue then, it’s simply a marketing ploy. VoIP Supply became a Certified B Corporation because we put people ahead of profits, give back to the community, and act sustainably. The certification now stands as an example to others in the community that ‘conscious capitalism’ can be a successful business model.

Click here to read more about what other entrepreneurs think about companies taking a stand and if they have “everything to lose or even more to gain.”

Via YFS Magazine

3 Tips for New Entrepreneurs from VoIP Supply CEO Ben Sayers

April 5, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

CEO Blog Nation, a community hub for entrepreneurs and business owners, has released an eBook available for download that shares advice from Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply.

The I Am CEO Handbook provides tips, anecdotes, and how-to’s to help guide startups and business owners. Learn from others experience and get firsthand information on:CEO_HANDBOOK-1-731x1024

  • Get a businesses up and running quickly including marketing tips
  • What you need to start a business
  • Finding people to help out with your business
  • How to write a business plan
  • Bootstrapping tips
  • How to find and recruit top talent
  • Motivating quotes
  • Maintaining a work/life balance

Sayers shares his advice on how writing lists, building a solid business plan, and staying focused will help you succeed:

  1. Write Lists: Lists are a big part of any plan for success. One of the first things I do when trying to remember what I had planned for the day and what I should do next is to create a list, so I don’t have to think about it anymore.
  2. Build Solid Business Plans: Take the time to build a solid business plan and don’t ever expect it to be “finished” as it needs to live and breathe in order to be successful. Be conservative in your planning and understate your market, capabilities and revenue. At the same time, make sure to over estimate your expenses.
  3. Mind Your Focus: It’s too easy to have too many great ideas and not enough focus. There’s always time for the next great thing. Focus on one major initiative at a time. If you have the courage to start something on your own, have the sense to focus on one thing and do it better than anyone else.

Via CEO Blog Nation

Paul Arens of Polycom Talk About Polycom VVX Phones

April 3, 2013 by Tom Costelloe

Earlier this month Polycom announced the release of four new Polycom VVX Business Media phones and two expansion modules that work with all but one all of the VVX models. These new models helped to round out the VVX Business Media phone line by adding entry level and mid-level phones. They also marked the latest chapter in what has been a busy year for line. To get a better overview of the Polycom VVX Business Media phones VVX Phone Guide and what benefits users can expect from them I sat down with Paul Arens, Polycom National Channel Manager, to talk all things VVX.

VoIP Supply – While many people may be familiar with the Polycom SoundPoint phones, they may not be as familiar with the Polycom VVX phones. Would you be able to provide a quick summary of what separates the VVX phones.

Paul Arens – Polycom VVX endpoints unify voice, video and applications capabilities into an easy to use business media phone. Building on our past experience with the SoundPoint phones, the VVX Series utilize a new intuitive user interface that’s designed to improve productivity and business workflows.  Polycom VVX devices are the ideal, all-in-one desktop productivity tools making high-performance collaboration as simple as a phone call.

Polycom VVX 500

VS – What are all of the VVX Business Media Phones and who are their targeted users?
PA – Polycom VVX 1500 is a videoconference-enabled business media phone with a touch screen. It provides busy professionals with lifelike unified communications.
The VVX 600 enhances productivity and enriches collaboration with the ultimate, all-in-one, one-touch desktop UC solution designed specifically for executives, managers and knowledge workers.
The Polycom VVX 500 business media phone is designed for today’s busy managers and knowledge workers. It is a powerful yet intuitive office phone that can keep up with their multitasking and schedule juggling.
The VVX 400/410 are color 12-line mid-range Business Media Phones are for today’s office workers and call attendants who depend on crystal clear communications. They provide your call attendant with a high-quality, cost effective UC solution that will handle their call volume and provide them with the advanced telephony features they expect from a modern media phone.
The VVX 300/310 are powerful 6-line entry-level Business Media Phones are for today’s cubicle workers that handle a low to moderate volume of calls and need crystal clear communications.
The VVX Camera empowers knowledge workers, and executives to collaborate interactively with the best in class personal video communications experience with high definition 720p resolution.
With the VVX Expansion Module (Color and Monochrome) you can give your busy telephone attendants, receptionists, administrative assistants and secretaries the ability to handle high volumes of concurrent incoming calls with ease.

VS – With the Polycom VVX 500 and VVX 600 you have the option of adding the Polycom VVX Camera to turn the phones into video phones. How do you think people could benefit from desktop video conferencing on their VVX phone?
PA – With the Polycom VVX Camera, your existing VVX device becomes an immediate, desktop resource for true HD video conferencing without the costly external equipment or installation costs of traditional video conferencing solutions. The Polycom VVX Camera enables you to connect to video-conference bridges and fully participate in video conferences, right from your desk-phone. This eliminates the need to purchase, manage, and maintain additional video devices while giving employees the benefits of visual communications right at their desk.

VS – As well as the optional VVX Camera there are also two optional Expansion Modules, what are the added benefits of using these Expansion Modules?
PA – Both Expansion Modules offer a great way for telephone attendants and other “power users” who manage multiple simultaneous telephone calls and to dramatically expand the number of lines they control. The expansion module allows users to visualize when lines are busy and to effectively route calls to their optimal destinations instantly.

Polycom VVX 600 with Polycom VVX Camera

VS – The VVX phones have an improved Business Media Phones might make the phones seem a bit overkill for some users needs. If you were just looking for a desktop phone and weren’t interested in all of the integration capabilities, would you still recommend people look at the VVX Business Media Phones?
PA – Absolutely yes. While it’s true that not every business is ready to make the jump into using video in all their internal communications, the VVX phones are designed to improve productivity and business workflows with their rich visual organization system. Business that are interested in improving productivity and simplifies operations should look closely at the VVX phone line.

VS – How can companies benefit from Polycom Zero Touch Provisioning on VVX phones?
PA – Companies benefit from Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) because it reduces the time, effort, expense and frustration that can come from the traditional telephone deployment process. ZTP removes the need to “open the box” at a distribution center or send skilled technicians to the customer site. ZTP preloads information through a phone UI or web interface. Customers have a fast and simple deployment process allowing them to be productive with their new telephone in a matter of minutes.

Entrepreneurial Column, The Ride, Features VoIP Supply CEO Ben Sayers

April 2, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply, was featured in the entrepreneurial column, The Ride.

As the name suggests, author Mildred Culp highlights the up and down journey that all businesses take.

Here she shares Sayers’ story from the beginning:  Selling a business and using the small proceeds to start another one; being forced to make cutbacks after going “overboard” just before the recession hit; and rebuilding the business by recognizing a trend and taking advantage of a new opportunity.

Click here to read the full article, Firings Bring Consequences.

Via Knoxville News Sentinel

 

Sixth Nomination for VoIP Supply in 2013 Best Places to Work in Western New York

April 1, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

For the sixth time in the company’s 10 year history, VoIP Supply was named to the 2013 class of Western New York’s Best Places to Work by Buffalo Business First newspaper.

The 2013 Best Places to Work award, sponsored by Buffalo’s Business First newspaper and Quantum Market Research, recognizes companies in the Western New York area that:

  • Maintain high standards of accountability
  • Create an exceptional customer experience
  • Cultivate a great company culture
  • Have core values that are supported by both management and stakeholders

Great Customer Experience and Great Working Environment

Employees of nominated companies voluntarily share opinions through a survey about co-worker attitude, teamwork, working relationships, supervisor feedback, and overall work environment.Best Places To Work Generic Logo

“The Best Places to Work award is one that we cherish and strive to earn every year,” said Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply. “This nomination has nothing to do with sales, revenue, profits or other financial metrics; it’s all about our people and our culture.”

“It’s wonderful to witness the passion and determination of our people work collectively to create new ideas, bend over backwards to help each other and their customers, and generate the positive energy that empowers our culture,” said Sayers.

“I’m proud of each one of them, thrilled to work by their sides, and thankful every day for their effort and determination to exceed expectations.”

Cisco SPA504G (VSRF) Salvage Edition

During 2009 when the world economy was struggling VoIP Supply launched their VoIP Supply Refreshed (VSRF) or Refresh phones as an alternative to new-in-box phones from manufacturers but without the risks and uncertainty of used phones from eBay.

To make this happen VoIP Supply set up a detailed 10 step reconditioning process that each phone goes through where they are examined, upgraded, reset to defaults and repackaged with all of the parts, a CD that includes all the datasheets and manuals and a certificate of Refreshness signed by the VoIP Supply employee who Refreshed the phone. Additionally each phone comes with a six month Plus 6 Warranty that can be extended to 1 year for a small fee.

Earlier this year Nate Martin asked if they could take a phone home to do a custom refresh on the phone. Taking a Cisco SPA504G home Nate worked for two months trying different ways he could customize the phone to mixed results until eventually he unveiled his prototype, Cisco SPA504G (VSRF) Salvage Edition.

Cisco SPA504G VSRF Salvage Edition

While the telephony features of the SPA504G Salvage Edition aren’t any different it has gone through several noticeable cosmetic enhancements:

  • Taking inspiration from an Eames Lounge Chair he gave the phone a fresh coat of shiny black paint
  • To keep on the Eames theme he replaced the panel around the display with a custom wood panel which he engraved with the Cisco logo and SPA504G model number before varnishing it
  • As a further nod to the 1960s the numerical dial pad keys were replaced with old typewriter keys that he was able to salvage from a typewriter he bought from Buffalo ReUse
  • Further still with the 60s inspiration the curly phone cable has been replaced by a curly guitar amp cable. An update was the integration of a phone handset cord swivel on both ends to help reduce knots in the cable
  • One final change is the replacement of the 4 direction knob for menu navigation with the directional pad from his old Nintendo NES controller

When asked about for his thoughts Ben Sayers, VoIP Supply CEO, first asked for it to be put on his desk before going on to say “I am really impressed with what he has done with creating this phone. Besides being a very unique piece it also incorporates and can be used as an example of a lot of the values that VoIP Supply stands from.”

To show his support for the work that had done VoIP Supply has commissioned an initial run of 25 Cisco SPA504G (VSRF) Salvage phones.

First Look: Polycom SoundStation Connect

March 28, 2013 by Tom Costelloe

Since their first conference phone in 1992 the Polycom product catalog has expanded to include video conferencing, telepresence, VoIP phones among other products but with over 4 million conference phones shipped and an 80 percent share of the conference phone market place (Polycom Ships 4 Millionth Conference Phone) they haven’t forgotten their roots. This week Polycom announced the latest addition to the SoundStation conference phone family with the release of the Polycom SoundStation Connect.

Polycom Connect

What Is It?

The Polycom Connect is a USB conference phone that is targeted towards Unified Communications (UC) users. The Polycom Connect can be used with any UC softphone application and can be connect via the included USB cable to computers (Mac, Windows or Linux) without the need for drivers making it easy to install and starting using.

The Polycom Connect has a familiar starfish design with 3 cardioid microphones for a 360 degree microphone pickup of up to 7ft. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack that can be used with headphones for privacy on a call or for audio pass-through by connecting desktop computer speakers.

Since it is designed to be used with computer based softphone applications the number of keys has been stripped down to the essential keys for call and volume control. There also is no display on the phone but there is one LED for call status.

This SoundStation conference phone features many of the same audio enhancements that you get from other Polycom conference phones including automatic gain control, dynamic noise reduction and gated microphones with intelligent switching.

Who Is It For?

The target audience for the Polycom Connect is UC users in a small to medium room setting. The smaller microphone range makes it a good match for up to 8 people but might not be suited for larger groups or rooms. My thoughts are small offices or home offices with be a good match. The relatively smaller size, 9 inches, also makes it quite portable and a good match for road warriors.

Another possible use for the Polycom Connect is for handling the audio on video conferencing calls for individuals or small groups at a PC or laptop.

In his review on . . . and I thought I saw a 2, Greig gives a nice 10 word summary, “think of it as an upgraded version of the CX100,” in addition to a very good hands on review.

Polycom Connect in Use

Pricing?

The Polycom Connect has an MSRP of $299.99.

Availability

While there is no firm date the scheduled release date is currently scheduled for late April 2013 and VoIP Supply is currently taking pre-orders.

Update: After having it’s release date pushed back several times it was announced that the Polycom SoundStation Connect will not be released.

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