SUPPORT

“Support” is such a small word for such a huge scope of responsibility. With our guiding principles in place, we assume a huge responsibility for our customers. When you become one of our customers, you don’t just get a few boxes full of phones, a technician set-up visit, and then never hear from us again. You get a team of experts who will help you set up new features on your phones, who will help you when you need to make changes within your system, and will help you with any of your communications needs. We are your friends in business, and take seriously our responsibility to serve our customers in the way that we would like to be served.

CONSULTING

It is our goal to provide you with much more than just communications equipment. Our goal is to act as your consultant in this complex and sometimes confusing industry. To accomplish this, we train all of our account executives extensively, and approach your business as a team in order to provide you with the best communication solution possible. We want you to consider us as part of your IT and communications team!

We evaluate your BUSINESS to see how you rate on:

1. COMMUNICATION EFFICIENCY

Although you may not consider your business communication system to be ancient, there is still a strong chance that you are using manpower to do things that could be simplified by the proper implementation of a new communication solution.

2. FUNCTIONALITY

We first take a look at your Business model and what you are trying to accomplish, and then we approach your communication system to see if it is facilitating your goals from a Business Sense Perspective.

3. COST ANALYSIS

With a quick look at your current communication systems setup, our experts can determine if you are paying too much for any of your services. In many cases the Cost Savings gained from our recommendations save More Money per month than the monthly payment of a new system. If you need a low-cost business communications system, we will help you get that.

4. FLEXIBILITY

Are you prepared to grow your business? Even if your system is meeting your needs now, it is most likely not prepared to expand with your future growth. With the system we will recommend, you will be prepared for the future. This system has an Open Architecture Design that allows your system to easily interface with new and current technologies and to expand with your business at minimal cost.

5. REDUNDANCY

In an emergency situation, how well is your business computer network system prepared to adapt to the situation and maintain your communication services? Our system and entire Business Model is designed to keep our customers up and running at all times, regardless of the scenario.

RFI’S AND RFP’S

After the needs assessment is complete, we will assist in the production of Request for Information (RFI) and/or Request for Proposal (RFP) documents, lists of suggested vendors, and then assessment of the replies submitted. We also provide a competitor analysis that will assist in the selection of a vendor. If requested, our technicians will also provide consulting services and project management through implementation to ensure that the vendor and client are in agreement on the installation and any change orders needed.

We will provide review of implementation, approval of change orders, and analysis of costs and benefits. Since the state of the technology industry changes from week to week, a close attention to “scope creep” is essential. Scope creep is defined as “The continual enhancement of the requirements of a project as the system is being constructed. Also called ‘feature creep,’ scope creep occurs frequently in information systems development and is often responsible for projects going way over budget if the changes occur in the coding and testing stages rather than in the early design stages.” (Source: PCmag.com Encyclopedia.) Slappey Communications’ highly trained network security systems team will help you plan the right IT business systems from the start, thereby avoiding “scope creep.”

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

TO ENSURE A QUICK SMOOTH INSTALLATION WE USE THE FOLLOWING INSTALLATION PROCEDURE.

• The salesperson will define the communication needs of your company through conversations with the main contact, receptionist, owner, and department heads. Also, by observing your company’s work methods and call flow, the salesperson will be able to recommend solutions to improve your company’s communication.
• Salesperson, Customer and Service Coordinator agree on a cutover date (The date of the physical changing of circuits or lines from one configuration to another, or from an old system to a replacement system, covering the overlap from when the new system is live until the old system has been shut down).
• Three to four days before the scheduled cutover date the equipment is bench tested and allowed to “burn in.” This decreases the chance of equipment failure.
• While equipment is burned in, the technicians will be installing any new cabling, rebuilding the mainframe, and installing lightning protection.
• Labeling of the telephones and any internal telephone guides will be done.
• One day before the scheduled cutover date, the Customer Service Representative (CSR) will train the customer’s employees. Each group will have approximately 4-7 employees. Training sessions will be approximately 45 minutes each. This will be a live hands-on training session.
• Cutover – the customer’s phone system is shut down and the new phone system turned on. If the cutover is at night the customer will have a new phone system the following morning. If the cutover is done during the day, the receptionist’s phone is brought up immediately and approximately one additional phone is brought up every 20 minutes, in the order of priority as predefined by the customer.
• During the cutover, the CSR will be present with the receptionist for the first 2-4 hours. The remainder of the training period will be spent answering general questions and assisting employees in the use of telephones as requested by the customer. Generally 2-6 weeks later, the CSR will return to follow up with any advanced user training.
• After your order is placed, Slappey Communications, Inc. agrees to have the Inter-Tel Axxess Telephone System installed and operational at your company within thirty days from the date ordered.
• Training To ensure your personnel the full advantage of your new system, a Project Coordinator will:
  • Train your attendant and back-up attendants to efficiently operate the console.
  • Train all personnel on the use and method of operation of the telephones and other equipment with emphasis on the features available within the system.
  • Assist in the preparation of an internal directory.
  • Provide general instruction guides for the system.
  • Make available refresher training on a periodic basis as required.
  • Local Utilities: We will act on your behalf in conducting all necessary business with all local utilities at your request.
  • Ordering and Discontinuing Line Service
  • Bad Line Reports
  • Service Reporting and Follow Up
  • Coordinate Schedules and Dates
  • Environmental & Electrical Requirements
• To ensure satisfactory operation of your Slappey equipment, you are responsible to make sure your facility meets the following requirements:
  • Conduit for cabling, IF required by building codes
  • Room temperature range between 60-80 degrees F (optimum)
  • Relative humidity not exceeding 75%-non condensing (optimum)
  • Normal business lighting
  • A 20-Ampere – 117 volt AC isolated circuit terminating within six feet of the Key Service Unit. Duplex type receptacle required.
  • If the building has return air ceilings, then Teflon cable will be required.
  • A 3′ minimum clearance in front of the mainframe equipment – secured access preferable.
  • Access to “cold water ground” within 10′ of the Key Service Unit.
  • If at all possible, the equipment room should be centrally located.
  • The demark must be in the same room as the phone equipment. If it is not then the demark will be extended at the customer’s cost.