CENTURYLINK ENGAGE IS DIFFERENT....A CLOUD SOLUTION AND SO MUCH MORE

CenturyLink Engage is a simple cloud solution that offers business calling, collaboration, and call center support, no matter where or when you do business.

• Stay Engaged Anywhere, At Any Time – Your workers and sales force remain effective while traveling, using their tablets and smartphones to serve customers.
• Complete Flexibility – Mix and match calling, collaboration, and call center features power your brand and business. Bring your own internet or use theirs.
• Inclusive, High-Value Plans – Three easy-to-understand packages deliver high value with simple billing.
• Low Risk to Use – We’re so sure you’ll love CenturyLink Engage that they back it with a no-cancellation fee satisfaction program regardless of your agreement type.
• Maximum Reliability – Built over-the-top but optimized for performance and call quality when bought with CenturyLink connectivity.
• Deliver Exceptional Customer Service – Add affordable call center capabilities to your business without the need for on-premises equipment.

Three primary offerings that are available with Engage:

Below you can take a look at what is available in each of the three packages:

To learn more about CenturyLink and take advantage of a comparison of 100s of other business calling, collaboration, and contact center solution vendors ... including FREE network design and sourcing support ... simply ask at FreedomFire Communications.

TERAGO WILL GUIDE YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY TO THE CLOUD

TeraGo has been in business for over twenty years; with them, your systems are safe, your data secure, and your business connected. With TeraGo, you will get enterprise-class solutions; they will guide you on your journey to the cloud.

Take a look below for an overview of TeraGo’s Hybrid IT Products and Services.

TeraGo delivers business-grade connectivity services:
• Internet – Symmetrical, high-speed business internet connections over wireless and fiber.
• Private Connectivity – Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint, and bridged Ethernet WAN connectivity.
• Cloud Connect – Secure, high-speed, private connections to Microsoft Azure and AWS.
• Wireless Failover – Increase up-time by pairing fiber or broadband with a wireless connection.

They also continue to develop the next generation of 5G Wireless Services for the Canadian business market. They are positioned to be one of the first operators to launch commercial 5G Wireless Services.

When TeraGo works with its partners, they look to build a joint go-to-market campaign.

To learn more about TeraGo and take advantage of a comparison of 100s of other cloud solution vendors ... including FREE network design and sourcing support ... simply ask at FreedomFire Communications.

8×8 Contact Center Helps Create Compelling Customer Experiences

 8×8 Contact Center helps create compelling customer experiences throughout the entire customer journey by leveraging insights and facilitating engagement with an immersive and total approach to customer experiences.  

WHO IS 8×8?

8×8 has been in the business since 1987, since then they have built their own full technology stack to have over two-hundred patents. They also have a global footprint, including deployment centers on five different continents.

As many of you are aware, expectations have changed forever due to COVID-19. Here is how 8×8 has been helping with all the change:

• Speed is the new competitive battlefield.
• Chat, SMS, social are becoming increasingly popular.
• Employees and customers expect instant information access.
• Data-driven content, relevance, proactiveness are the new norms.
• Scale, rate of technological change create complexity that requires simplification to manage.

They believe that powerful customer experiences happen by design. The right combination of platform extensibility and collaboration are required to:

• Support the Entire Journey – regardless of physical location, channel, application, and/or device
• Leverage Insights – from the customer journey to proactively enhance and simplify the agent and customer experience
• Facilitate Engagement – across the entire organization for an effective, immersive and total approach to CX

8×8 does all the above by using one cloud platform.

CONTACT CENTER

When it comes to Contact Center, they have a group of innovative technologies.

ROUTING

8×8 has several different Routing capabilities within their Contact Center Platform.

• Skills-based routing
• Dialer: predictive & preview
• Voice, chat, email, SMS, social media
• Direct Connect
  • Route to the same agent
• Intelligent IVR
  • ASR+NLP, AI-enabled self-service

Intelligent Routing is not intelligent unless you can simplify it and make it work for your organization. With 8×8’s intelligent routing, you get the following:

• Simplified set up with workflow builder
• Seamlessly handle all interactions through an intuitive workflow
• Holistic reporting across all channels
• Link multiple interactions to a single journey

ANALYTICS

8×8 offers customer journey mapping; this means they own the entire journey from the UC portion through the Contact Center portion. They can map all of this out for you.

• Customer journey mapping
  • Historical and real-time reporting
• Includes configurable dashboards and templates
• IVR journey analytics
  • Highlights opportunities to improve the CX

Here is how you can use reporting and analytics for more in-depth insights:

• Customize dashboards and wallboards using predefined widgets with drag-and-drop editing.
• Set thresholds to highlight in real-time areas outside of targeted boundaries.
• Expand agent visibility into their own performance.

WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT MANAGEMENT

Workforce Engagement Management is what 8×8 uses to drive productivity and improve experiences.

• Empower supervisors to see a complete picture of the customer interaction.
• Highlight, save, and share specific moments of interactions using the Conversation Highlighter.
• Correlate customer survey data with quality data.
• Highlight common topics and categories with a graphical view; drill down to the details to learn more.

To learn more about 8X8 and take advantage of a comparison of 100s of other contact center solution vendors ... including FREE network design and sourcing support ... simply ask at FreedomFire Communications.

CONTACT TRACING: HEALTH FIRST, PRIVACY LAST?

 Previously, we shared our concerns about the implications of Contact Tracing and how this will affect the Privacy of US citizens and beyond. We also pointed out and made a call for solving the lack of a National Privacy Framework, to be formalized by Federal Regulations or Law, and not left up to private industry.  Interestingly, such a “Federalized” Privacy Framework was called for by over 50 CEOs of the Nation’s largest companies in a letter to Congress well before the notion of Contact Tracing came to the forefront of the public eye.  The time is now more urgent than ever to create and mandate a National Privacy Framework, and this Framework ought to put the power in the hands of We the People, not the Free Market, as the actual “owners” of that information.

The call to action by these industry-leading CEOs is profound, not in their prescient insight, but in the deafening silence from Congress.  Their outcry clearly illustrates the support by commercial heavyweights to adopt a uniform framework we can all use to deliver the right cybersecurity protections, achieve proper business outcomes, and now – adequately support the urgent imperative for Contact Tracing.  Most importantly, they also point out the need for you to maintain rights over your data, much like the European Union (EU) defined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).“We are also united in our belief that consumers should have meaningful rights over their personal information and that companies that access this information should be held consistently accountable under a comprehensive federal consumer data privacy law.”

As Contact Tracing moves closer to a necessary reality, it has, unfortunately become apparent that privacy concerns are quickly becoming a reality, and the government has done nothing to ensure the proper protection and use of our information.  Certainly, we support, respect, and understand the fine balance between regulation and Free Markets.  But information about us has become used and abused by the Free Market, as so clearly pointed out by Shoshana Zuboff in “Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” and we must make our voices loud to advocate for Common Sense control over our information.  The only realistic way to achieve control is with a National Privacy Framework, much like the EU’s GDPR.

Apple and Google have partnered to help Government entities worldwide by allowing their Contact Tracing API to be leveraged. If the words ‘Privacy’ and ‘Google’ in the same sentence give you cause for concern, know that you’re not the only one; lest we forget they were issued one of the biggest fines to date by the EU’s GDPR regulators in France for rampant privacy violations. While both companies vehemently denied they will take advantage of this privilege and will take measures such as preventing third-parties from accessing location data, the structure of this approach is inherently decentralized. Worse yet, without national, uniform guidance, and explicit requirements for Data Protection in the form of Law and Regulation, it’s being left up to the organizations to decide upon and implement the “proper” cybersecurity controls to ensure privacy.

Why does this matter? Well, with an invasive capability such as Contact Tracing, abuse of power would lead to intimate knowledge about any of us, including our location, habits, and social circles (i.e. contacts).  We must establish clear-cut guidelines, in the form of a Federal Privacy Regulation, and a governing authority to monitor for compliance of the guidelines to ensure proper use, care, and disposal of your personal information. Currently, we are going the exact opposite direction when we already have two separate private organizations offering two separate solutions to a slew of governing bodies and health organizations who are all driven by their own motives.

For example, the UK’s NHS branch determined they wanted to design their own app rather than rely on Apple or Google. However, their ‘lone wolf’ efforts have already gained unwanted publicity in the form of a report on their complete lack of compliance with GDPR requirements and an inside tip that the first version of the NHS app failed initial cybersecurity tests.

The largest issue we face with Contact Tracing from a decentralized standpoint is that no one can give a clear answer as to what’s tracked, what’s not, what’s anonymous, what’s considered sensitive, who has access to what data, how long that data will live, how it will be used, how it will be destroyed. Essentially, there is no accountability for access to our most intimate information. In addition to the inherent benefits this yields the free market (as outlined in the call to action), a National Privacy Framework would establish this accountability.  It would provide us, about whom the data is collected and monetized, the rightful control over how our data is used, how it’s managed, by whom, and for how long.  We ought to have a right to control our information and explicitly allow or deny its use – by our own determination – and not that of the Free Market entities.

Contact Tracing is creating all sorts of buzz in the media and beyond. Still our call to action remains the same: establish bulletproof requirements around Contact Tracing in general and establish a National Privacy Framework to govern the access to and use of our information. Even more specifically, it needs to be carved into stone that Contact Tracing is solely used for health pandemics and not for the gain of individual for-profit organizations and government entities.

It is not enough for us to simply assume that state-level officials and private sector company leaders will make decisions in the best interest of the population’s privacy. We must establish and enforce a nationally recognized, federally mandated privacy Framework for all organizations participating in Contact Tracing implementation that ensures our privacy takes precedence. Striving to create better ways to keep people healthy does not mean that people should have to give up privacy. As proven in history time and time again, the last thing we want to do is make irrational decisions during a crisis, only to surface on the other side, being horrified by what we have ultimately created. The time is now; our voices must be loud.

MANAGED MOBILITY SERVICES MADE EASY

Wireless Watchdogs works with companies in a range of sizes and industries because we know optimized mobile systems are critical, whether you are building houses, taking care of patients, or trading stocks. Mobility is one of the most significant opportunities for cost savings right now. When it comes to Managed Mobility Services, the cost of managing in-house compared to outsourcing looks like this:

It is important to ask customers how they feel about Managed Mobility Services, and what you’ll find out is that most of the time they are frustrated when it comes to this topic because of the following:

• It takes up too much of their time.
• It’s always changing, which causes confusion and ends up frustrating them.
• It leads to uncontrollable cost, lack of efficiency, and control.
• Data Overage/Data usage going through the roof, International usage, time being spend on help desk/support issues, ordering & provisioning mobile devices.

Wireless Watchdogs is an outsourced Mobility Management Service company with a promised and proven method to reduce mobile device expenses and the complexity of managing mobile devices for your clients without switching their current mobile carrier(s), disrupting their current service, spending any additional money or asking them to use their devices differently. Wireless Watchdogs is winning across all verticals. If you’re wondering what their value propositions are:

Simplified Mobile Management which includes:

1. Staging, Kitting & Provisioning of Mobile Devices
2. Proactive Mobile Optimization – Cost Savings using their existing mobile providers
3. Mobile Policy Creating & Enforcement
4. Mobile Security – MDM Mobile Device Management
5. Device Usage Control
6. Cost allocation reports
7. Reporting/Analytics
8. Mobile Carrier Contract Negotiation Support
9. Mobility Task & Labor Efficiencies with their Unlimited End-User Mobile Support Desk
10. Mobile Recycling Program
11. Global On-Site Technician Services for all installs, device refreshers, etc.

Every business suffers from mobility-induced headaches; Wireless Watchdog is the aspirin for those headaches.

To learn more about Wireless Watchdogs and take advantage of a comparison of 100s of other Mobility Management solution vendors ... including FREE network design and sourcing support ... simply ask at FreedomFire Communications.

CYBER CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ADVANCED EDUCATION & TRAINING TECHNOLOGY

Company data breaches have been rising every year, from 2012-2019, over 6.5 billion records have been compromised. The number one cause of company data breaches is employee negligence. With Covid-19 and quarantines, cyber criminal activities have gone into overdrive. At home, remote employees are the link to the corporate network. Making sure they are trained and aware of security risks is more important than ever.

Below you can find a couple of famous pictures of the Chinese/North Korean hacking operation. A lot of these organizations have call centers, with entire buildings packed with hackers. Some of these organizations are going after government and utility infrastructure while others are going after money.

Key findings in the MIMECAST 2019 State of Email Security Report show the shocking stat that ninety-four percent of the surveyed organizations experienced a phishing attack. Even though the number of ransom attacks was down, the effectiveness is up. Why? The resurgence of impersonation attacks. This includes emails impersonating your executives and vendors.

So, how do attackers gain access?

1. Phishing via Email or Social Media
2. Drive-by Download
3. Clicking on Compromised Website
4. Infection from computer part of Botnet

Prevention Action Plans include layered security:

• Infrastructure (firewall, email filter, antivirus, etc.)
• Outside Email Warning Messages
• Domain Security (lockdown look-alike and typosquatting domains)
• Employee Education that keeps pace with the evolving threat landscape
• Phishing Simulation

Stickley on Security provides you with the following:

1. Domain Assure provides you immediate domain security locking down look-alike domain.
2. Researching and providing employees/customers with cybersecurity training and phishing simulations can be time-consuming and costly. Stickley on Security provides fully automated services and makes it easy for everyone.

To learn more visit Stickley on Security 

Why You Should Be Speaking With Broadvoice For Your UCaaS AND CCaaS Needs

 Below you can see an overview of the Broadvoice territory map, which shows their coverage nationally.

Broadvoice is a Cloud PBX provider, and they also have a Contact Center add-on. Something a lot of people don’t know is that they also offer SIP Trunking. At the beginning of January, they took on a big task of revamping the architecture of their back-end platform. As of June 2020, they have completely moved their architecture to be a shared cluster, it is a proprietary platform, and it is geo-redundant. Instead of having a single architecture or a single cluster in a couple of different Data Centers, they have spread it out nationwide. This makes it so that if there are any issues in a specific cluster, it’ll only affect that specific pod instead of the entire network.

When it comes to Cloud PBX, they have two different seat models. This includes their traditional seat model, which is a one-to-one call path ratio. For other industries such as schools, counties, or manufacturing that have a lot of phones, they have their call path model.

Broadvoice has made its platform a standard on all seats; they provide their Broadvoice communicator software client which is their softphone application. It’s feature highlights include:

• Desktop Calling
• Chat & Group Chat
• Text Messaging
• User Presence
• Video Presence
• Video Calling
• Screen Sharing

There have been some exciting changes this year, including some new integrations. The first new integration is Microsoft Teams.

Lastly, Broadvoice has also released its integration with Salesforce.

To learn more about Broadvoice and take advantage of a comparison of 100s of other UCaaS and CCaaS solution vendors ... including FREE network design and sourcing support ... simply ask at FreedomFire Communications.

HOW TO VIDEO CONFERENCE LIKE A PRO

 I’m going to be brutally honest here: The grace period for sloppy video conferencing is over.

At this point, most people have had months to practice their video conferencing skills throughout the pandemic. Yet, I still see a fair amount of cringe-worthy presentations regularly.

The truth is that a video conference is an extension of your brand. Clients and sales prospects will judge you based on how you present yourself on screen. So, you need to prepare just as you would for any face-to-face meeting.

The good news is some simple hacks can make all the difference. Here are some tips that you can use to have professional and impactful video conversations.

Let Your Personality Show

The first step is always to be mindful of your environment. One of the great parts about participating in a video conference from home is that you have total control over your surroundings — even more than your regular office. Therefore, every virtual meeting is like a home game for you. Every aspect of your surroundings can be customized to reflect your tastes and your personality (within reason).

So, spend some time reflecting on the area where you typically video conference. What does it say about you? Is the space working to empower you? If not, you may want to consider making some small environmental changes, like adding a bookshelf in the background, hanging a degree or certification on the wall, or investing in a beautiful piece of art that will spark conversations.

Bonus tip: Use your natural surroundings to your advantage. For example, maybe you have a striking view of the ocean, you overlook a sprawling horse pasture, or you have a fireplace in your home office. Use your environment to your advantage, if possible.

Experiment with Virtual Backgrounds

One way that you can spruce up your presentation and boost your brand is to experiment with virtual backgrounds. In Zoom, this can be accessed by going to settings/ virtual backgrounds. All you have to do is upload a high-resolution image to Zoom, and you can have complete control over the theme of your meeting. You can even create customizable backgrounds, with your company logo, products, or even charts and statistics, and swap them out strategically during meetings.

If you decide to experiment with virtual backgrounds, though, make sure you invest in a green screen or find a blank wall that will work with your camera. Otherwise, your image will look choppy and unprofessional. Green screens are inexpensive and collapsible for easy storage.

Focus on Color and Lighting

Another video conferencing hack is to focus on your lighting and personal presentation. This may take a bit of work, but if you want to look your best, it’s worth the time and effort. The smallest details — like the color of your clothing against your background — or your lighting can make all the difference in how you appear on the screen. Check out this great video on adjusting the lighting for Zoom calls for further insight. I even went as far as buying this light on Amazon.

Be sure to adjust the angle of your camera so that it’s level with your face or a little above. This will create an optimal appearance on screen — and no double chins.

Keep Your Mic on Mute

This one is important: If you’re not speaking, put your mic on mute — especially if you’re sharing a working space with other people. Nothing can ruin a conference like background noise, and attendees will be quick to complain about it.

Keep Your Camera Still

Sometimes, video conferencing from a smartphone is unavoidable. However, if you’re going to use your phone for a video call, it should at least be in a fixed position so that the screen is not moving around constantly. Having a video call with someone on a mobile phone can be very distracting. Generally speaking, video calls should be taken from computers with high-quality cameras.

Rock the Upperware 

Chances are your work attire is somewhere in the back of your closet right now, collecting dust. Yet, while there’s nothing wrong with wearing a t-shirt while working from home, it’s not a great look on camera — especially during a sales call or company meeting.

One of our favorite strategies is to rock the upperwear. In other words, put on a dress shirt and tie, with whatever else you happen to be wearing. Just don’t stand up during the call (or venture out into public).

Practice Your Listening Skills

It can be frustrating sitting in on a video conference where everyone is talking at once. You may feel like it’s hard to get a word in edgewise. Understand, though, that just because you are on camera, it doesn’t mean that you have to talk continuously. Sometimes, it’s better to be silent than to contribute to a noisy conversation. Group calls are an excellent opportunity to speak less, listen more, and take good notes.

The biggest takeaway is to relax and be yourself during a video conference. Keep practicing, follow these tips, and eventually, you will be video conferencing like a rock star.