Dispelling the Myths - Part III

Potential clients have many ideas about phone systems that are not necessarily true. Let us put your mind at ease when considering one.

A Telephone System is way too expensive to my company.

We have several options to make a new phone system affordable to your company including fantastic lease rates (currently 0%) or ACT can work with you to create short-term custom payment plans. ACT can do a comprehensive evaluation of your current phone bills and try to reduce your current monthly telecommunications costs and help cost justify any additional expenses.

All the features sound great but I won’t use any of them.

Believe it or not, you may. Our dedicated trainer will show you how to do each one and provide cheat sheets so you can learn in the future. Once you start using them, you will see how easy they are and how great they are to have! Remember, your competition is using them to make them more efficient – you should, too.

            Toll Free 1.800.899.4647 | Orlando 407.830.5993 | Ormond 386.677.4040

Dispelling the Myths - Part II

Potential clients have many ideas about phone systems that are not necessarily true. Let us put your mind at ease when considering one.

My phone works fine – why should I upgrade? 

Better customer service may be just the thing you need to increase your staff’s productivity. It may be working fine, but new features such as voicemail to email, cell phone integration, recording calls, computer integration, and more can make communications much more efficient, increase your staff’s productivity and offer better customer service. 

Do you have a need to automate a business process over the phone. We have your solution. An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System picks up phone calls for you, asks questions for you, and answers those questions for you. 

It can be your receptionist, secretary, operator, and customer service representative all at once, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Only wine gets better with age – not phone systems

If you system is older than 7 years old, it is more than likely discontinued by your manufacturer and quality replacement parts are getting harder to find. This could result in downtime and potential loss of business. You should be proactive before this happens. Besides repairs could be costly and wasteful spending on old technology.

Toll Free 1.800.899.4647 | Orlando 407.830.5993 | Ormond 386.677.4040

Dispelling the Myths - Part I

Potential clients have many ideas about phone systems that are not necessarily true. Let us put your mind at ease when considering one.

I’m too small for a phone system. 

Even if you are a small company, why act like one? NEC even offers a Small Business Package for as little as 3-4 phones. If you want “Music on Hold” or “Auto Attendant”, this can make your company seem even larger. The Auto Attendant feature routes each incoming call based upon the time-of-day and day-of-the-week. The InMail solution can even provide different announcements and dialing options for each number in the office.

I can’t buy a phone system – I’m already under contract.

Sometimes you can keep a single fax line with one company to avoid cancellation costs, and still find savings with all the other services, like lines, internet, etc.)

If you are under contract with a phone system, you can see for yourself if the new system features are worth opting out of your existing contract. Depending on the situation, ACT may help with the fees associated with the cancellation.

Toll Free 1.800.899.4647 | Orlando 407.830.5993 | Ormond 386.677.4040

A Big Announcement at ACT

Congratulations to stakeholders Eric Kee, Debbie Cavanaugh, Steve Woodward, and Kayla Carduner Sachs. They were awarded 50 percent stake in Atlantic Communications Team by Owner & President, Steve Carduner.

from l. to r. Steve Woodward, Debbie Cavanaugh, Steve Carduner (standing) Kayla Carduner-Sachs and Eric Kee 

This is from the Daytona Beach News Journal:

One local business executive is rewarding some loyal employees with more than just a year-end bonus — he's giving them a 50 percent stake in the company.

Steve Carduner, owner/president of Atlantic Communications Team, has made four employees stakeholders of his 29 year-old Ormond Beach telecommunications company.

The privately owned company specializes in business telephone, communications systems and IP solutions.

"Coming to the point of considering retirement, I needed to figure out what to do with the future of the company," said Carduner, 55, "Either I can sell the company outright, or work until I die," Carduner said.

He said neither option was realistic, so the award of stock was his way to ensure Atlantic's survival — while enjoying the prospect of an impending retirement.

"They (employees) have been here since the beginning, and it seems wrong, when I retire, to just sell the company and leave everyone high and dry," Carduner said, "It's just the right thing to do."

The four employees, out of 18 total, are Eric Kee, an installation manager with 25 years of service; Debbie Cavanaugh, a general manager with 24 years; Steve Woodward an operations manager with 15 years; and Kayla Carduner-Sachs, Steve Garduner's daughter with three years of service, who manages the company's only other location, in Altamonte Springs.

Steve Carduner announced the decision at the company's Christmas party last December, where the four employees would collectively hold a 50 percent stock in the company.

"It was a shock — a wonderful shock," said Cavanaugh. "I feel so honored."

When asked if the award compels her to stay at Atlantic, she responded, "I was planning to retire with this company, anyway."

While the employees hold a large stake in the company, Carduner said he will maintain ultimate decision-making power, "But we generally make all of our decisions as a company together, anyway."

Carduner declined to disclose the value of the award.

Garduner, a former Bell South worker, purchased Atlantic Communications in 1993 from Judi Boone, the company's founder.

From its office at 403 S. Yonge St., the company services more than 1,000 clients in Volusia and Flagler counties. Clients include Root Organization, Flagler Animal Hospital, Rice & Rose law firm, Daytona Toyota, and the cities of Ormond Beach and South Daytona.

Carduner said the company's competitors include Black Box Network Services and AT&T.

He said his locally owned company successfully competes with larger companies by providing more personal service and developing strong relationships with local customers.

Ned Harper, director of the Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College, said employers giving shares to employees is uncommon, however, it can have positive tax effects.

Referring to an employee stock ownership plan, Harper said, "There are a lot of tax benefits to allotting stock to employees — it depends on how the arrangement is set and how the company's bylaws operate."

Carduner said he would not seek tax benefits for the award.

Harper commended Carduner on the award of stock.

"It's a way of rewarding the people who have been loyal to you," Harper said. "I wish we would see more companies do that."

Music and Advertising on Hold

ACT offers 2 ways of providing your customers with relaxing music or advertising while on hold.

Why would advertising and music on hold be a good fit for you? Advertising to your target audience can bring more business to your company. If your core consumer has already reached out to contact you, you must be sure to inform them of all your services, products, and specials. Most of the time, your current customers aren’t even aware of all the services you currently offer. This is a great, inexpensive way for your business to advertise to that target market.

A great compliment to advertising on hold is music. Why would you have your customers listen to “dead air” while waiting for a staff member? Music in-between and during messages can help set a nice relaxing mood, while providing a professional demeanor.

Professional Music and Advertisements

If you wish to have a professional sound for your On Hold customers, this is the option for you. Marketing experts can read exactly the information you wish to have about current specials, awards won, items that some customers may not know you offer- anything at all, and it will be spoken in a crystal clear, welcoming manner. Playing in-between messages will be relaxing music of your choice. 

Do It Yourself

If you wish to go a different route, we can provide you with a Music On Hold connection device, which simply plugs into the chassis in your equipment room. It is then up to you to provide a cd/mp3 player and have your own music of choice to be played for your customers. 

Atlantic Communications team has been serving the Daytona and Orlando area's business telephone system, business communication and cabling needs for over 27 years.

Toll Free 1.800.899.4647 | Orlando 407.630.5993 | Ormond 386.677.4040

Why NEC?

In today’s highly competitive business environment, effective and reliable communication is critical to the success of your business. Providing the latest in Digital and Voice over Internet ProtocoI (VoIP) technology along with comprehensive desktop solutions that deliver superior performance, efficiency, flexibility, and reliability when and where you need it, is key to survival and growth in today’s information-driven business environment. With over a 100 years of building powerful communication and technology solutions, NEC understands the numerous and ever changing demands and challenges that exist in today’s growing market. NEC accepts these challenges and meets the customer’s demands for a connected world – head on!

Atlantic Communications Team is a full service communications company providing an array of telecommunications and data communications products and services for small-large businesses. We have been serving over 2000 customers in Central Florida for over 27 years, and offer provide a quality team of experts to help analyze your voice or data needs to suggest alternatives that can dramatically increase your employee’s productivity, improve customer service, and reduce expenses. Our team is consisted of highly experienced employees with over 100 years of combined experience, and is dedicated to offering the finest NEC products and services available.

Atlantic Communications team has been serving the Daytona and Orlando area's business telephone system, business communication and cabling needs for over 27 years.

Toll Free 1.800.899.4647 | Orlando 407.630.5993 | Ormond 386.677.4040

Mobile Phone Extension - Be "IN" when you're "OUT"!

Mobile/Cell phone Extension, Voicemail to Email Integration, and Message Notification are great tools offered by NEC to help employees work have full office capability while on the road or out of the office.

With a Mobile Extension, you can carry your office number with you when you’re on the road. With access to system features such as caller ID, call transfer and voicemail, it really is like being in the office, whether you’re travelling, on leave or stuck in traffic.

Get more out of your team 

Company specialists can now be empowered to maintain high service standards when out of the office, helping you make the most of your most valuable members of staff. Mobile Extension also has homeworking functionality as an alternative to an IP phone.

Never miss a sales call 

Salespeople can use Mobile Extension to ensure that even when they’re on the road, they never miss out on a call which could lead to a lucrative business opportunity.”

Mobile Extension Key Benefits:

• Embedded at no extra cost!
• Increase sales - by missing less sales calls you can help prevent your customers going elsewhere
• You can use your mobile like your system phone, wherever you are
• You can be contacted away from your desk with your same extension number
• You can access system features away from the office
• You can maintain high service levels when on the move

Mobile Extension Features:

• Conference Call
• Caller ID
• Call Waiting & Call Forward
• Paging
• Hold & Transfer
• Speed dialling
• Voicemail access
• Hotel features
• Camp On

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