After reading Tara's blog and comments posted yesterday titled, What Technology Means to Haiti, Post-Devastation, one question comes into my mind: Where in the world did texting and social media come from and why is it so popular?
If you look back at Jim Barker's comment posted on the blog, the Red Cross alone had reported over $22 million in donations from texting 90999 for Haiti. Facebook and Twitter have reported hundreds of status updates and tweets regarding the Haiti tragedy and how others can help or donate. So it brings my question to mind of how technology has changed from emails and letters to texting and social media.
The actual "breakthrough" date of text messaging and social media is debatable for many people, however, I am certain that today it is the #1 form of communication for today's society. What is the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? I know at my house it is to reach over and grab my IPhone to read and respond to texts or emails. The second thing I do is click on that little icon titled Facebook and read the latest status updates of my friends. How many of you have the same routine each morning? This truly is what they call viral marketing.
Now that you are thinking about how you communicate daily, does it really surprise you that over $22 million in donations for Haiti have come from text messaging? I watched the same Cowboy's vs. Vikings game as Jim's wife and also considered texting in a donation...the only thing that stopped me was that my company probably wouldn't appreciate a "personal donation" on my phone bill!
So really, is it that big of a leap to think that texting and social media are the primary forms of communication for many people worldwide? The world operates at such a fast pace; who doesn't want a quick and easy way to stay up to date with current events? I know I do so thank you Mr. Fortini, Mr. Zuckerberg & Mr. Dorsey for giving us the technology that helps us communicate effectively and efficiently.
Kimberly Kelly, Director of Marketing
Unified360
One may ask "How does VOIP and the economy fit together"? In my opinion it's simple! As most reading this blog are very aware, the economy has had a significant impact on how business is conducted not only in the United States, but worldwide, especially for the small to medium sized organizations. If you think about it, on the cuffs of this recession that started back in 2008, companies scrambled to make changes... decisions to scale back on expansions, decisions to streamline their workforce, decisions to cut back on making purchases and decisions on how to communicate both internally and externally were on the top of most decision makers mind.
This is where VOIP has made a HUGE impact on organizations that adopt this technology, due in part to the down economy opening up the window for more VOIP initiatives. With VOIP technology, decision makers have been able to, in most cases, stop the bleeding and more often heal the wound. It has allowed many organizations to cut down their variable operating expenses to streamline more fixed costs, especially when it comes to communications. They have been able to adopt "work from home" strategizes that otherwise would prove to be non-productive. In most cases they have even driven revenue because the quality of life of the employee has changed. Probably most importantly, the quality of service to the client has improved. Utilizing this technology to communicate internally has proven beneficial, but more importantly externally to the client has been the key to generating revenue.
By employing this technology, Unified360 and many of our clients have been able to improve response times to prospective clients that otherwise would fall in the same bucket as the competitor down the street. I decided to write on this topic because Unified360 as a whole in 2009 has grown tremendously in a time when many organizations have seen a major decline in business. On numerous occasions, our clients have come to us with many of the pains described earlier in this blog and we have been able to deliver a solution to meet those pains that is surrounded by VOIP technology.
If I could tell you that in most cases, companies that have chosen Unified360 as a partner to implement a VOIP technology platform for their business had no capital cash outlay, would you believe me? Well you should, because that has been exactly the case for the majority of our clients. This economy, in my opinion, has really helped the VOIP space because companies are looking at ways to streamline their communications and have seen some great results. Are you ready to tackle this economy and move over to the VOIP world? We'd love to hear from you...
Andrew Espitia, Director of Client Services
Unified360
I hate to say this, but more often than not first impressions are generated by ones appearance. Imagine going out on the town with your friends or going on a first date with someone special. As you get ready you put on your favorite jeans. You're about to leave, check yourself in the mirror, and then you realize it... your favorite, perfectly worn-in jeans have a hole in them. Frustration and anger takes over because they fit you perfectly and give you a certain sense of comfort. Even though you hate to do it, you change them.
You're probably thinking, "How does an old pair of jeans have any relevance to business?" Well, it all goes back to appearance being the biggest part of a first impression. The outer-shell of your business is what draws in your clients. You wouldn't own a restaurant without having the name of the restaurant out front, would you? Unfortunately, the corporate world is full of business owners who resist the need to update or change for the good of their company. The key to making your business successful is being susceptible to change. Times are changing and you should work to keep up!
One of the fastest growing changes in the world as we speak is, of course, technology. Technology is driving businesses worldwide to become more successful than they ever imagined. Businesses can have one office, be located in ten or more different cities, and have their employees working remotely from home through the ease of technology. Instead of clients calling your office phone and getting your voicemail if you're busy, now those calls can be forward to your cell phone! Or even better, you can have your voicemail sent to your email! Have you ever missed an important email while not at your computer? Well thanks to changing technology, you can receive emails via your cell phone. My point is, technology can help you be more efficient not only for your employees but most importantly, your clients.
I get it... you're comfortable with your old phone system just like you are with your old jeans. Why would you want to start all over again wearing in a new pair? Similarly, you don't want to go through the trouble of learning to use what you think is "complicated" technology. The problem with this is, nothing lasts forever. Eventually, you need to put on a new pair of pants. Your business needs to update its communications solution. The great part is that thanks to VoIP, you can establish change without burning a hole in your pocket. It actually saves you money and increases your ROI. That's like finding another great pair of jeans on sale! There's definitely no excuse for you not to make the change. Even if you're hesitant to leave your comfort zone, we at Unified360 urge you to take that first step towards an upgrade. After all, isn't your business worth it?
Felicia Cienfuegos, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
As an employee at Unified360 and a former dancer, if there's one thing I know about, it's being on a team. I have learned through my past experiences that your team has the power to help you succeed, or contribute miserably to your failure.
I think it's fair to say that we all work better with someone else. It helps to have that support system to bounce ideas off of and help you with your responsibilities. It all goes back to that age old saying "together we stand, divided we fall". No truer words have ever been spoken. I believe that those who are the most successful in life can name at least one other person who contributed to their accomplishments. How much can one person really do without enlisting the help of others? And even if the answer is a lot... how enjoyable is it?
Personally, I have found that I am best at my job when I roll my chair over to Felicia's desk and we talk about things together. I believe we both learn faster and come up with a larger variety of ideas. The support the marketing team gives each other contributes to our success and the enjoyment of our jobs. But just as easy as it is to build one another up, it is just as easy to tear each other down. As a dancer, I came face-to-face with both realities. There is nothing more exhilarating than having your team cheer for you and believe wholeheartedly in your abilities. But there is also nothing more devastating than having them rip you apart and experiencing the darkness that comes from feeling alone and worthless. It's hard to believe we have that kind of power over one another.
Most large, profitable, thriving businesses are successful because of a team of people working together.
- Facebook was started by Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room. What began as a kid hacking into his dorm network grew to be a world-wide phenomenon only after he was joined by friends Eduardo Saverin (business aspects), Dustin Moskovitz (programmer), Andrew McCollum (graphic artist) and Chris Hughes.
- Bill Kaplan was a "smart guy" who graduated from Harvard who, after joining forces with J.P. Massar, created a card-counting blackjack team that took Vegas for millions in the 1980s... a feat that definitely couldn't be accomplished alone.
- Our company, Unified360, was started by the partnership of Jim Barker and Paul Tran in the back of a dry-cleaners.
Troy, Emmitt, and Michael; Dolce & Gabana; Shaggy and Scooby... Let's face it. Your team is your foundation and many times, the key to your success. If anything, it's just nice to have that support in knowing that someone believes in you. Having been torn down and built up by teams that I've been a part of in my life, I choose to follow the golden rule, if only for the fact that my success and happiness is intertwined with that of my teammates.
Tonight, I'll head home to sit and relax after a long day at work--- with friends of course. After all, if I'm going to sit around and do nothing, I might as well do nothing with other people. That's teamwork! :)
Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
So, I am the one that always blogs about advances in technology and how everyone should do their best to keep up with the changes. So this blog may come as a bit of surprise since I'm about to question the need for the newest technology gadget.
This year, Amazon.com has called the Kindle the "#1 Best Selling, #1 Most Wished For, and #1 most Gifted Product on Amazon". It is titled the ultimate gift. Don't believe me? Check out the homepage yourself and see the countdown rolling on "time left to order Kindle" to get free shipping for Christmas! It makes the book I bought my best friend (that I know she'll LOVE) look a little inadequate. Or does it?
I hate to say it, but doesn't it seem a little ridiculous? Are we really so advanced that the thought of reading a book that's not on an electronic screen seems outdated? Don't get me wrong, I definitely get the fact that it's flashy and convenient and much easier than searching through a line of shelves for the book you want. But when does convenience start disguising what might just be down-right laziness?
I guess that idea can be applied to many other types of technology. I'm not trying to attack all the advances that we have grown accustomed to (remember, I usually write my praises about them). I just thought for once I would sit back and take a different perspective on things. Newspapers, books, magazines, journals... they're dropping like flies everywhere. It really has become so much easier to find the information you need or want through simple technology. If you need proof, just go to newspaperdeathwatch.com to see for yourself. I don't even remember a time where I actually had to go to the library to write a research paper. Truthfully, I would write it with the information I found online in no time... then I would spend hours in the library trying to find a book to "reference" to fulfill my professor's requirements (Sorry, Professor Schuester J).
Don't ask me why I all of a sudden think the Kindle has taken things too far. I guess I just love reading a good old fashioned book. Snuggling up next to a warm fire with my Kindle just doesn't have the same feel. And on that note, the fancy shmancy Kindle can be destroyed in a fire (or water or any other damaging effect) just as easily as a book can. At least my book won't run out of battery.
Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
Unified communications has many applications and can streamline many operations. Few have considered the North Pole as needing this solution, but months ago we actually made contact with the North Pole, strictly by accident. They required an NDA, so our Legal Beagle sprang into action. Because of our results, they released us so that we may tell our story.
One of our business development representatives made contact with a group referred to as "Elf Central", thinking it was a holiday call center operation. Much to our amazement, it was, literally! The original one to be exact. So after several conference calls to arrange a visit to the North Pole, we finally got our Sales team on the ground to perform a review of the communication challenges and discover how Unified360 could improve the Jolly operation.
Cameras were not allowed, but we were truly amazed at the vastness of the North Pole city. Light poles lined the streets, and were adorned with ribbons and bells. Christmas music was heard from everywhere as if heralded from the skies above. Of course the Unified360 team was amazed at all the shops and thousands of Elves!
After getting into their communications center we were shocked to learn several things. Their communications system was several hundred years old, and extremely inefficient. It was a network of aging "Santalites" orbiting earth. No one ever suspected Santa of placing the first objects in orbit! Go figure.
Once we got into their operations center, we realized that they were failing to make contact with about 1/5th of the world's children because there database's were moving so slow. Millions of names were not making it to the naughty or nice list, which translated into an enormous gap of children not being accounted for. Santa was literally pulling his hair out with worry, and demanded that the head of Elf IT, (Aaron) get this problem resolved.
In turn they looked at their naughty and nice list and found a correlation that people on the Nice list had a Unified360 UC solution. So when our Business Development Rep called in, our call was flagged and sent directly to Aaron.
Besides missing about 1/5th of the children, the Elves had lost vital internal communications. They had created a mobile workforce but had not given them the ability to leverage communications mobility. Add that on top of the fact that an enterprising young Elf named Bean had opened 39 Starbucks in and around the North Pole. Elves absolutely love coffee, and were spending too much time in the coffee shop rather than the toy shop.
This was a recipe that could have derailed Christmas this year, but thanks to Unified360, BlackBerry's for the Elves have been provided as well as WIFI capabilities for all 39 Starbucks at the North Pole.
This allowed the Elves to stay in communications with the Primary Toy Assembly Line, improved accountability and increased production. We were also able to upgrade all their communications services, IT infrastructure, as well as provide a full range of managed services. This freed up over 1000 Elves that were able to get back into Toy Production.
As we were wrapping up our on-site implementation, it was realized that Unified360 had saved Christmas this year! While winding down our work, we were called to the city center. There, through the big doors right off the city square, the Big, Jolly Man himself showed up.
A towering figure, with bright red cheeks and a round belly. He invited the Unified360 Leadership Team over to thank us. As he gave a short but touching message to the entire population of the North Pole, we all noticed how appreciative the Elves were. Many of them became choked up by the big guy's words. I heard one Elf say he had not heard Santa so moved "since Rudolph saved Christmas all those years ago". Yes, we did it. Unified360 saved Christmas for millions of children and we feel privileged to have done so. So this year remember that in order for Santa to have gone full circle, Unified360 first had to bring his communications "Full Circle".
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOODNIGHT!
Jeff Rothell, COO
Unified360
Is technology driving your business? If not, then you may need to reconsider.
For example, take the proliferations of cell phone technologies within the last fifteen years. Who would have thought in 1995 that cell phone technology would be where it is at today? Remember the standard plain old telephone that each household depended upon for communication. Who would have imagined everyone carrying the same thing in his or her pockets today? Take a look at the revolution in personal computing. Would you have imagined in 1995 that everyone today will have a laptop or desktop capable of more processing speed than the standard main frame of those days?
Seeing the evolution of personal communication brings one question to my mind: Why are most companies today still using the same technology for their business telephone systems as fifteen years ago?
Paul Tran, Chief Technology Officer
Unified360
My Pastor has engrained this thought process into my head. Logically speaking, I have understood the meaning and intent of the message. However, it is one thing to understand, another thing entirely to apply it to your life (personally, professionally, etc).
Change and the unknown over being comfortable and content; who would take such a risk? We all have a comfort zone, so to speak. The challenge is how it limits and inhibits our growth potential!
I took a position at Unified360 in February 2009. I risked a lot to put trust and faith in this company and its leadership team. Since I have been here, there has been CHANGE weekly! I was employee 15; we are now at 40+ employees in multiple markets. This growth is happening in a depressed economy! I attribute this growth to two things: 1) Managing and adapting to CHANGE and more importantly, 2) Holding true to the principles our leadership team has set in place from the beginning.
The principles I am speaking of are the "core values and purpose" our owners (Jim & Paul) founded the company on.
Unified360 Purpose & Values
Our Purpose
Unified360 exists to integrate lifelong clients, innovative technology, and industry leading partners in cutting edge communication solutions that deliver improved productivity and profitability of our clients.
Our Values
Innovation
Through innovative thinking, technology, and ideas, we will grow to become the most innovative organization in our local market for our business segment. We practice this innovation by challenging the thinking of our team, clients, and business partners regularly.
Partnering
Through the partnerships we develop with our team member, clients, and other business partners, we practice the process of helping all grow and thrive to achieve success.
Commitment
Our commitment to our team members and clients is proven by our continuous improvement in helping them achieve their goals - business, professional, and personal - making our relationship unmatched by any other organization.
Results
Continuous growth was not only the foundation of Unified360 upon inception but will remain a core value throughout our existence. Growth to Unified360 means personal, professional, and intellectual growth for all of our team and our loyal clients.
Excitement
We challenge ourselves to maintain excitement within our team, partnerships, and community for the success of all. We show this through our quarterly events and family gatherings.
These Core Values are one of the many reasons we continue to grow as we put our customers first!
What I do know is that when you have the end-goal in mind and a foundation to build a business, family or team upon, you will never waiver or fail. This is the foundation that Jim and Paul created a few years ago and we, as the Unified360 family, will continue to build this company on!
I am thankful and honored to be a part of this team of champions! Merry Christmas!
Shawn Fisher, Sr. Account Consultant
Unified360
It's a common term that we've all heard at one time or another. In many call centers and other environments companies use an outsourced provider to provide their dialing capabilities, reach their customers, bridge them to a call center, communicate a message, make an appointment or schedule a reminder.
As technology goes, this one is fairly old. It made sense in the late 90's or even just a few years ago. During that time frame it was just too cost prohibitive to bring in enough lines, bandwidth, and dialer technology for it to make any financial sense. So the Hosted Dialer companies were born in an era when bandwidth was 40% higher, and the termination costs were north of 5 cents per minute.
As technology goes, companies are now realizing that getting this technology embedded into their organization is driving real savings back to the company, and improving efficiencies. By deploying SIP trunking across bandwidth that is much less expensive than in years past, companies are realizing savings of 40% or better. The ability to get Sub 2 cents per minute and advanced dialer solutions that offer other benefits such as soft phone integration are starting a new trend in the dialer market.
Unified360 manages several of these deployments and has strong experience in the implementation and dialer technology. Anybody reading this should refer back to some of our Blogs on "SIP" that may also provide more information on the bandwidth prospective. No matter what, we keep dialing for dollars... but let's do it at a cost of pennies!!
Jeff Rothell, COO
Unified360
I'm talking about the evolution of communications technology of course, and what a ride it's been and continues to be. The twentieth century get's most of the credit, but it was the discoveries in the 19th century that set the course for great communications inventions.
The Multiplex Radio telegraph was invented in 1887, and Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi, invented the radio in 1895. I think the most interesting story of the Second Industrial Revolution belongs to Antonio Meucci; talk about missed opportunity! This story will teach you what a 10 dollar bill can get you if you have it.
We all know Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of the telephone. He filed a patent on the device in 1876. However, there is overwhelming evidence that Antonio Meucci was the original inventor of the telephone. The first American demonstration of Meucci's invention took place in Staten Island, New York in 1854, 22 years before Bells patent was filed.
In 1860, a description of it was published in New York's Italian language newspaper. Meucci claimed to have invented a paired, electro-magnetic transmitter and receiver where the motion of a diaphragm modulated a signal in a coil by moving an electromagnet. For some reason, this detail is not mentioned in his 1871 caveat, which was basically a place holder that gave an inventor time to perfect his or her claim (similar to what we call a provisional patent in today's terminology).
Antonio Meucci, called it Unified Communications... Ok just kidding, but actually he did refer to it as the Teletrofono!
Meucci is also credited with the early invention of inductive loading of telephone wires to increase long-distance signals, but unfortunately serious burns, lack of English, and poor business abilities resulted in Meucci failing to develop his inventions commercially in America. Meucci demonstrated the instrument in 1849 in Havana, Cuba.
Western Union laboratory reportedly lost Meucci's working models, and Meucci, who at this point was living on public assistance, was unable to renew the caveat after 1874, over a mere fee of 10 dollars. Meucci was recognized for his pioneer work on the telephone by the United States House of Representatives in House Resolution 269 on June 11, 2002. The resolution stated that "if Meucci had been able to pay the 10 dollar fee to maintain the caveat after 1874, no patent could have been issued to Bell."
So if Meucci could have held on to his claim, what would have happened? Bell labs would be called Meucci Labs? Meucci South instead of Bell South, or Southwestern Meucci instead of Southwestern Bell? And for those who talk about how great it is that an American, Alexander Graham Bell, got the patent and invention recognition, guess what? He was a Canadian citizen, so they get the credit for inventing the telephone. Because of 10 dollars the poor Italian didn't have, the Canadian got all the credit for a monumental invention.
The fortunes and misfortunes of these individuals brought great minds together and jumpstarted decades of innovation that have us communicating via wireless, IP and all other forms. It created a demand for ideas and creativity, and it all started over 150 years ago!
Jeff Rothell, COO
Unified360