Yesterday VoIP Supply was awarded the Best Place to Work in Western New York (for companies with 51-100 employees).

This is a tremendous honor and a testament to the quality of staff employed at VoIP Supply. Growing at such a rapid pace, constantly adding more and more people and always having to change in order to set the pace and stay on top of our game is a challenge. Ensuring that the workplace is safe, fun, and enjoyable while maintaining a high level of morale makes that challenge that much more exciting.

So far this year we have added 23 new people (more than 50% growth), changed our ERP and CRM platforms, expanded into additional office space, refined and documented all company processes and procedures, and expanded into two additional markets (IP Surveillance and Voice Recordings).

I am proud to be part of an organization that can pull off all of these things, do it with a smile, and look forward to coming back in tomorrow. To all those at VoIP Supply, thank you for being part of this team.

Always an interesting component of the CEO’s role is the summarization of one’s employment at the time of departure. These are usually quite different when the employee is leaving on their own versus when they have been terminated. We conduct exit interviews whenever possible to determine the reasons for the change from the employee perspective and to learn how we can improve if necessary.

“The grass is greener.” Often times people leave the company because they feel that there is a more suitable opportunity elsewhere. In many companies I am sure this is true; at VoIP Supply the owners and managers work very hard to create an environment where people can grow their own green grass and not feel a need to leave. If the greener grass is more money for less work, responsibility and accountability then there will always be a short term gig with skeletons in the closet. This is not a new concept and sometimes there may well be greener grass depending on where you are coming from. Many have left VoIP Supply to pursue greener pastures. Most have come back to seek their old spot or continue their quest, also embarrassed to return once they found that the grass was green but spoiled.

“I was not treated fairly.” What is the benchmark for fairness? It is pretty self explanatory yet there are different measurements based on experience, responsibility, competence, expectations, seniority and level of compensation. Being treated fairly, at least at VoIP Supply, is generally an issue of perception. Not liking the way you were treated is different than not being treated fairly. Times change, people change and the needs of the business change; as a result it can often be seen as unfair when something that was acceptable or tolerated 12 months ago is no longer going to cut it. When the needs, attitude, and direction of the company are in direct opposition of your own needs, attitude and agenda; that is when it becomes easy to take a stance of not being treated fairly. It takes a lot of time and energy to fairly and consistently manage 65 people, and to work to ensure management is on the same page when it comes to fairness and consistency. In short, fairness is often based on perception and not reality, and it is a two-way street where fairness must go both ways – in the reality wagon.

“Too much was asked of me.” America has built an economy where too much is asked of everyone, work weeks are no longer 40 hours long and the expectation is that everyone is to perform at a comparable level, even after a superstar comes in and raises the bar. VoIP Supply is not too different, as a lot is asked and expected of everyone; the difference lies in understanding an individual’s capabilities versus attitude and drive. When someone quits because “too much was asked of them,” it is always a sign of a poor attitude, lack of motivation or unwillingness to be part of a fast-paced, rapidly growing, constantly evolving environment. You know what? That’s ok; the world needs those people too, just not here at VoIP Supply. Those driven to succeed, grow and be successful are held in extremely high regard.

Go3 allows customers an affordable way to protect their hardware investment

Go3 Guaranteed Replacement Warranty

VoIP Supply announced the launch of its new three-year, no-questions-asked, guaranteed replacement warranty, Go3. The new Go3 Guaranteed Replacement Warranty gives customers a no hassle way to protect their VoIP hardware purchases. The new warranty program is based off of VoIP Supply’s existing warranty program and was redesigned with feedback from existing customers.

“Our customer service is VoIP Supply’s number one priority,” said Benjamin P. Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply. “We have been successful due to our wonderful customers’ trust and support. The Go3 Guaranteed Replacement Warranty is just another way that we can bring our clients needs to the forefront.”

The Go3 Guaranteed Replacement Warranty allows customers to protect their VoIP Supply hardware investments. Their hardware is completely covered for a full three years from the date of purchase. If the equipment fails, malfunctions, or ceases to operate properly for any reason (manufacturer defect, component failure or user negligence), VoIP Supply will provide a replacement.

Unlike most extended warranty programs offered by retailers, with Go3 there is no fine print or run-around during the redemption process. The only conditions include purchasing the equipment from VoIP Supply and returning it within the three-year period. The coverage must also be purchased at the point of sale, and it is not refundable.

For more information about the VoIP Supply Go3 Guaranteed Replacement Warranty, please visit the go3 warranty for more information.

Quality customer service at VoIP Supply

As a consumer, how many times have you been in a situation wondering the status of a good or service being provided to you? It’s not a great feeling to be left in the dark, so why do consumers feel the need to live in the “dark”? The excuses of inadequate time, lack of patience, or simply the unknown meaning of great representation, seems to be present daily throughout the minds of many consumers. Because of this, I want to reach out to you, let you know we are here to help, find solutions, answer questions, keep you happy, follow through, but most of all–make a friend!

Providing customer service at all levels is something VoIP Supply prides itself in, and it’s improving daily. What aspect of a business is more rewarding then having a satisfied, excited customer? How do we actually do this? Providing a live body, excellent support, pre/post sale support, and many additional add-ons has not only become the focus of VoIP Supply, but is at the core of our work ethic. As a growing company, the focus to fill your needs is our top priority, and it shows on a daily basis.

What greater reward could you ask for? Let our staff turn the “lights of service” on for you, and help you become the “excited” consumer. As your care taker we want your hospitality, your presence, and dedication. My final line to you is to simply try us; I guarantee you will be in for a pleasant surprise. Let us be the “Value-Added” to your day.

Previously I have written about the value of reading the manual early on in your exploration and use of a new application, toy, tool or otherwise. However boring the material is, the advanced reading will almost always save you significant time trying to make things work and will reduce your overall level of frustration.

In any business, someone needs to write the manual before others can read it. If you are fortunate to be in a position of being first, you are also likely to be challenged with this task. This is so often overlooked by small companies, particularly young ones in rapidly changing environments. This step is also frowned upon by those with any ounce of creativity in their job as they often feel that they are artists and their role cannot possibly be documented.

1. Why write the manual, I already know how to do my job?

2. I’m too busy to write the manual, how about I get to it when things slow down?

3. I’m an artist; you don’t expect me to document how I create!

4. Why should I take the time to write the manual when there are so many more important things to do?

The only valid question is the last one, and there are so many great answers to it. The first answers are easy:

1. Do you already know how to do your job? Prove it. Besides, if you want a promotion you need to train and backfill your position, wouldn’t that be easier and faster with process documentation?

2. If you are successful, things should not “slow down.” They should just get more efficient. Document how to become more efficient and thereby, more successful.

3. If you get hit by a bus tomorrow, can I easily find your past creations and pick up on open tasks where you left off?

4. There are dozens of great reasons for documenting what you do throughout the day and how you complete each task. Below are some of the reasons why.

a. Documenting each task helps to plan your day today and tomorrow. Having a plan, even if it is little more than a task list, will help keep you focused and ensure that you are able to complete all of your objectives each day/week/month. Document to plan, plan to succeed.

b. Proper documentation will allow you to take vacation with less stress. Knowing that someone can pick up a book and walk through the steps to complete your job in your absence should be a load off your mind. Document to relax.

c. Every process has room for improvement and areas to focus on becoming more efficient. By documenting each process and the steps to complete it, you have drawn it out and are able to evaluate it from the outside in, something not possible when you are already in the middle of the task. Document to improve.

d. By having a complete listing of your tasks and the individual steps to completion is a huge highlighter on your professionalism. Taking the time to understand what you do, to share that knowledge and maintain it as business changes, makes you an invaluable asset to the company. Not doing so make you a liability. Document to build value and professionalism.

e. Keeping internal job secrets might seem like a good way to protect your job and ensure employment security. The opposite, at least at my company, is the actual truth. By not documenting you become a liability and need to be replaced with someone who is secure through professionalism and results not by keeping secrets. Document to build job security (and keep your job).

f. If you are in management, how do you hold your staff accountable? Did you train each one individually? Do you shadow them daily? By documenting their processes, you can build in measurements and points to ensure proper execution. Your staff’s results fall on your shoulders. Knowing what they do and how they do it allow you to measure and to hold your staff accountable. Document for knowledge and success.

Like many companies, we started small and fast with little documentation and a constant stream of changes. We still move quickly and change a lot, but we also realize the value of stopping to look around, documenting what we do, and evaluating it for purposes of improvement and overall business knowledge. However boring, tedious and unnecessary the documentation process may seem, the value of the output is second to none in relation to effective and efficient business operations.