Vista Connections. Kershaw County Law Enforcement Center is pleased with ESI

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1 FEBRUARY 2008 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 Vista Connections Kershaw County Law Enforcement Center is pleased with ESI Pick Your First BlackBerry 3 Ease of ESI Phone Systems 4 TruVista Customer Spotlight 5 Humor at Work 6 Tips for Customer Calls 7

2 Vista Connections 2 Vista Connections is a publication of TruVista. Main Office: 112 York Street, Chester, SC No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, electronic, photocopying, recording, mechanical, or otherwise without the prior written permission of TruVista. All rights are reserved. Editorial and Circulation - Contact: Bob Wilkinson, 112 York Street, Chester, SC 29706, Trademarks - All brand names and product names used in this publication are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Additional Issues - Extra issues are available to business customer employees on a limited basis while supplies last. Contact: Bob Wilkinson, 112 York Street, Chester, SC 29706, Copyright 2008 by TruVista and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. POSTMASTER Send changes to: Bob Wilkinson - Vista Connections TruVista 112 York Street Chester, SC Welcome to the first issue of Vista Connections, a quarterly publication created by TruVista for businesses in Chester, Fairfield, and Kershaw counties. You can expect each issue of Vista Connections to cover subjects directly related to telecommunications as well as topics of a more general business nature. We ll keep you updated on new technologies offered by TruVista, as well as remind you how the use of some of our established programs could enhance your daily operations. We ll also provide tips for making improvements in areas such as management, marketing, customer service, and office efficiency. This issue features several articles related to the core of telecommunications phone service. We begin with a look at the many timesaving advantages of BlackBerry smartphones, and encourage you to try one if you haven t already. Next, we introduce you to office phone systems from ESI, a manufacturer known for making advanced features easy to use. One of our customers, Kershaw County Law Enforcement Center in Lugoff, then shares their exper ience using an ESI phone system as well as working with TruVista. Finally, we pass along a few tips on how to turn phone calls with customers into opportunities for strengthening those valuable relationships. We hope you enjoy reading Vista Connections and are able to take away ideas you can immediately implement at your workplace. We ll continue to do our best to help your business achieve its goals and have a more prosperous tomorrow. If you have any questions about the topics we cover, or would like assistance with using today s technologies more effectively, just give TruVista a call. We look forward to connecting with you. Sincerely, Brian Singleton President/CEO

3 Pick Your First BlackBerry You ll enjoy more fruitful days ahead Thinking about making the switch from a traditional wireless phone to a feature-rich BlackBerry smartphone? Then come to TruVista. We offer several BlackBerry models and our friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you find the one that best fits your needs. In no time at all, you ll be enjoying the increased efficiency and productivity that have made BlackBerry a leading name in wireless devices. In fact, you ll probably wonder how you ever survived this long without one. Users can save themselves an hour a day or more by taking advantage of free moments to quickly complete personal or business tasks. Blackberry smartphones are very user-friendly and you ll quickly feel like a pro. They make it easy to keep working and keep in touch, no matter where the day takes you, notes Mary Beth Burton, Wireless Products Coordinator. Besides making phone calls, you can read and respond to s, send text messages, schedule appointments, check the news and weather, book a flight, get directions, and even take photos and listen to music. This versatility can simplify your life by eliminating the need to carry other devices (such as a laptop) with you. Visit to find out what BlackBerry owners love most about their devices. For many, it s the ability to save time. Users can save themselves an hour a day or more by taking advantage of free moments to quickly complete personal or business tasks. Two of the most popular BlackBerry models with TruVista customers are: BlackBerry 8820 Top of the line, this is the first Black- Berry model to offer integrated Wi-Fi for use at hotspots. It also features a full QWERTY keyboard, large and bright display, trackball navigation, best-in-class voice and data functionality, built-in GPS (Global Positioning System), and multimedia functions. BlackBerry 8800 The BlackBerry 8800 is packed with advanced features such as GPS, Black- Berry Maps, a multi-media player, expandable memory, Voice-Activated Dialing, and trackball navigation. To see other smartphones and PDAs available from TruVista, visit Helpful Hints for Newbies OK you ve made the plunge and bought your first smartphone or other PDA. Congratulations! To get you off to a good start, we ve pulled together these helpful hints on using basic features. Here s how to: Answer and end a call. Simply press the end/receive button. Or if your PDA has touch screen functionality, a call can be sent/received by tapping answer or call on the screen. Change your ring tone and turn the ringer on or off. Ring tones can be changed using the settings menu on the PDA. Some PDAs have a silent switch that will silence the ringer. All PDAs allow you to customize notifications to suit you and the situation. Access your address book, add to the listings, and change listings. The contacts menu allows you to manage your contacts. Send and/or text messages. Using the main menu, access the messaging menu, select desired form of message, and proceed. Synch up your PDA with your Outlook Calendar. All PDAs come with software to load on your PC, as well as a USB cable to connect your PDA to any computer with a USB port. This software includes a synchronization tool. Simply tether your PDA to your computer using the USB cable and run the synch tool. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO PERFORM THIS TASK REGULARLY. 3

4 ESI a Smart Choice in Phone Systems They re loaded with features, yet amazingly easy to use 4 ESI designs and manufactures a variety of innovative business phone systems to give workplaces a competitive edge. Their award-winning systems are famous for making advanced capabilities easy to use, and TruVista offers your business several models the ESI-200 and ESI-600 Communications Servers as well as the ESI X-Class All-in-One Phone System. Because of the flexibility offered by ESI, you can pretty much customize each phone and its features ESI-200 and ESI-600 Communications Servers are flexible systems that vary primarily by call-handling and voice message storage capacity. They support both traditional digital functionality and IP-to-the desktop or any mix of the two. The choice is entirely yours, and the mix can easily change as your business grows. ESI Communications Servers also provide superior voice mail capabilities and messaging options. ESI X-Class All-in-One Phone System is a highly advanced, expandable phone system with unique call handling features. It includes full-featured voice mail, an automated attendant, and automatic call distribution. For maximum ease of use, it also features a large display and dedicated function keys that eliminate the need to memorize codes. Patricia Joyner, Business Solutions Manager for TruVista, believes ESI Phone Systems work well for business offices with only a few users as well as those with bigger needs. Because of the flexibility offered by ESI, you can pretty much customize each phone and its features to meet the needs of that particular employee, says Joyner. This helps your whole team be more pro ductive. And since the systems are so easy to use and price competitive, they meet the needs of many different businesses. Some of the most popular ESI features are: Help Key The verbal user guide on every ESI desktop phone gives pre-recorded assistance and prompts for system features. Auto Attendant or Live Voice Lets you set up autoanswering that conveniently routes callers to desired destinations, either internal or external. If you prefer to answer live calls, the auto attendant can assist with overflow situations. Virtual Answer Key Lets you use special greetings for certain callers when you are on another call. Remote IP Feature Phone Perfect for off-site or temporary employees, it allows remote phone users to easily conference, hold, and transfer calls to in-office extensions. Inbound calls can also be routed transparently to the remote phone. Call Record Key Allows conversations to be re corded for use as personal reminders or as part of customer service training. Dial-on-hold Prevents callers from becoming trapped when placed on hold and having to hang up and call again. With ESI s dial-on-hold capability, callers that have been placed on hold may dial an alternate extension number. To find out more about the benefits offered by ESI phone systems, contact Patricia Joyner at or call Putting ESI to Work Here are a few examples of how businesses in different industries benefit from the features provided by ESI phone systems: Medical Offices Use the Record Key to maintain accurate appointment records. Legal Offices Improve the accuracy of billing through detailed call accounting programs that allow PIN codes for different attorneys and their cases. Real Estate Companies With Reach Me Forwarding, calls forwarded to voice mail can be connected to a cell or other phone number, enabling sales representatives to be more easily located for the next sale. Retail Stores ESI cordless handsets make it easy for employees to assist customers while answering incoming calls quickly from anywhere in the retail location.

5 Customer Spotlight: Kershaw County Law Enforcement Center is pleased with ESI Before the Kershaw County Law Enforcement Center moved to their new building at 821 Ridgeway Road in Lugoff, they turned to TruVista for assistance with phone system selection and installation. The center was looking for advanced technology that would offer them ease of use and in-house manageability. After evaluating several systems, they chose an ESI Communications Server with network-based VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephony. We are now able to manage our own phone system internally when changes are needed, we can simply make them ourselves Susan Sullivan, Administrative Assistant with the Kershaw County Law Enforcement Center, says they selected this ESI system because it met their list of requirements at a very competitive price. It was an excellent choice for us, Sullivan notes. We are now able to manage our own phone system internally when changes are needed, we can simply make them ourselves without waiting days for someone to make them for us. We also appreciate the fact that the system is so user-friendly. Their ESI Communications Server combines multiple systems into one tightly integrated unit including a business phone system, voice mail, automated attendant, messages-on-hold, enhanced caller ID, and automatic call distribution. They added the optional VIP (Visually Integrated Phone) applications that combine the power of an ESI phone system with Microsoft Outlook. This enables the center s staff to control calls and organize voice mail and contacts from their PCs. According to Sullivan, the transition to this new phone system went smoothly because of the professional service provided by TruVista. Patricia Joyner and her team were with us when the transition was made to the ESI Communications Server and they stayed with us until everyone was comfortable using the system. If we had any questions about the features, they were easily available to answer them for us. And this kind of responsiveness has continued. Whenever I call TruVista, I always receive prompt, excellent service. They go out of their way to insure that my issue is addressed immediately. Hats off to Patricia Joyner, Nicole Ramsey, David Crosby, and especially to Jodi Branham, who is always just a cell phone call away to make himself or another member of his staff available. To discuss how an ESI phone system could enhance the efficiency of your business, call TruVista at

6 Make Room for Humor at Work Laughter reduces stress and builds camaraderie In recent years, more and more companies have begun to recognize the need for a little levity around the office. So much so that many consultants now make a living offering advice on how to infuse humor and fun into the workplace. Why? The answer is simple. Studies have demonstrated that laughter has positive effects on both our physical and mental health. In fact, laughing enhances the immune system, lowers blood pressure, and even releases natural antidepressants and painkillers in the body. This boost to our systems can result in fewer missed days, less illness, and reduced stress. Many employers now say that a good sense of humor is a key factor when choosing new hires. This trait is often reflective of a person s flexibility at work and an ability to build good rapport with colleagues. Improved morale, greater creativity, and increased productivity have all been reported by companies making efforts to add humor to their environment. Of course, injecting humor into the workday isn t always easy. Many workers don t feel there s time for it and if used inappropriately, it can even be offensive. With that in mind, consider these tips on constructive ways to add some lightheartedness to your day: Be self-deprecating. We all appreciate people who can laugh at themselves from time to time. Don t take yourself too seriously! Find humor in stressful situations. By pointing out the funny side of a task or project your team is working on, your colleagues will easily relate and no one will get their feelings hurt. Create a humor space in the office. Whether it s a room filled with Dilbert cartoons or just a big box stuffed with chattering teeth and other toys, your team should have access to things that will help break the ice, especially when deadlines are looming and stress is high. Add humor to the agenda. Devote the first two or three minutes of each meeting to humor and lighten the conversation before getting down to business. Avoid sarcasm. Sarcasm may work with your closest friends but in a work environment, it can be misinterpreted as a put-down or a thinly veiled comment on someone s actual work habits or skills. Likewise, remarks and jokes related to race or gender are strictly off-limits. With just a little effort, you can make sure that the workplace is a little less serious and a little more fun for everyone. After all, Americans typically spend more waking hours at work than at home, so it s a good idea to find ways to enjoy it. And in the long run, you may even see an improved bottom line as a result. 6

7 David Crosby: Keeping TruVista customers connected for 36 years Phone Tips to Improve Customer Service Every time a customer calls, it s an opportunity to reinforce and grow the relationship. If you take the extra time and effort to make these phone calls as service-oriented as possible, your business will benefit. Take a look at these tips recommended by customer service experts: 1. Carefully consider the content of your company s standard phone greeting. Is it concise, helpful, and friendly? Does it make customers feel welcome and comfortable as they walk in the front door of your company via a phone call? 2. Always tell your customer what you CAN do for them. Don t begin your conversation by telling them what you CAN T do. 3. Call the customer by name. Personal attention makes customers feel they are truly valued. David Crosby, Business Solutions Specialist, has worked for TruVista in Chester for 36 years. He began his career splicing cable and working on the installation and repair of residential telephones. After a few years, Crosby s focus shifted to business phones including key and PBX phone systems, and he received certification on Northern Telecom Norstar digital phone systems and some Mitel PBXs. Crosby was promoted to Business Solutions Specialist about 10 years ago. As the name implies, his current position is all about finding solutions for TruVista customers. I help meet the needs of a wide range of business customers, from our small single-line businesses to those with several hundred numbers and lines, he explained. I enjoy working with people finding out what their needs are and then seeing what we can put together to meet those needs. It s rewarding for me to help a business customer select a new phone system, and then stop back in a few days and hear that the phones are working great for them. In order to provide all the different phone options that our businesses require, we handle Norstar and ESI digital key systems, ESI VOIP systems, and Mitel PBXs, Crosby noted. This variety enables TruVista to offer efficient solutions for all kinds of companies. If you have a question for David Crosby, you can contact him at 4. Listen attentively. You don t want to ask a busy or stressed customer to repeat what they have just said to you. 5. At the end of phone calls, remember to ask your customers, Is there anything else I can do for you? Taking the time to ask this question often results in increased sales as well as a more committed customer. 6. Conclude each call with a Thank you or a similar message of appreciation for their business. 7. In cases of problem resolutions, re-contact the customers later to make certain that everything was handled in a satisfactory manner and they are pleased with the outcome. 7

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