Windstream, which filed for bankruptcy in February, has noted that it will cut approximately 15 percent of its channel partners. Those affected will immediately see their commissions stop, regardless of how it negatively impacts their operations, cash flow projections, or reputations. Apparently, Windstream has other items on the agenda at the moment than supporting channel partners who have been driving revenues and customers to the telecommunications company for years. According to some current and ex-employees posting at TheLayoffs.com, one of these priorities is carrying out a “stealth layoff program” that involves handing out a small number of pink slips over...

There are times when it makes sense to hop in the car and head to your nearest big-box retailer, such as when your kids (read: you) want the latest PS4 or Xbox One video game, or when you need to pick up a flash drive to store pictures of your “bucket list” dream trip to Augusta National (wait until you get to the glorious  13th hole).However, there are also times when big box retailers don’t have the solution you need — in fact, they will add to your problems. And this is definitely the case with a hosted cloud business...

One of the most popular and useful features of a hosted cloud system is video conferencing, which allows employees to connect and collaborate face-to-face, regardless of where they are located.Here are 7 reasons why your business — and your employees — will love hosted cloud video conferencing, and wonder how you ever managed to survive without it:1. Dramatically Reduce Travel CostsBusiness Travel News’ Corporate Travel Index study reveals that the average cost of business travel in the U.S. — including meals, car rentals, hotels, and incidentals — has climbed to a whopping $325 per day. And this doesn’t even include...

An old movie from the 1950s informed us that “love is many splendored thing.” Well, at the risk of offending all of the romantics out there, we suggest that “love is many virtual numbers.”Admittedly, it’s not the most lyrical turn of phrase. But if you’re a business owner or executive who needs to lower costs, increase productivity, and improve the bottom line, then poetry isn’t on the agenda: getting a hosted cloud phone system with virtual numbers is!Here are the 7 reasons why your business will LOVE virtual numbers, and why your employees will wonder how they ever managed to...

The quality of customer service is the key differentiator between good, bad and indifferent companies. Good quality customer service keeps customers coming back; bad customer service drives customers away, taking their friends, family and workmates with them.All else being equal, good quality customer service gives the edge over competitors. Regardless of industry, here are the 9 key principals of good customer service that always make business sense. 1. Attracting new customers costs more than retaining existing customers A satisfied customer stays with a company longer, spends more and may deepen the relationship. For example a happy credit card customer may enlist the...

So it Begins… It’s the kind of nightmare scenario that sends chills up and down the spines of even the most unflinching business owners and executives: without warning the network goes down and takes the phone system with it, along with wireless connected devices including computers, laptops, tablets, printers, and smartphones.Operations grind to a screeching halt. Customers cannot get through to buy solutions or get support, colleagues cannot connect to move the needle on projects and programs, and everyone sits around hoping — and praying — that someone, somewhere, reconnects a wire or flips a switch. Indeed, according to research by...

Unlike the Mad Men era, today’s marketing professionals are not enjoying “3 martini lunches” while they look over color samples and stock photos, or flip through their rolodex.Instead, they’re pouring over mountains of analytical data and market research, so they can optimize campaigns, increase brand visibility, establish competitive advantage, expand marketplaces, and populate the sales funnel with qualified leads. And that's why one of the most valuable tools in the marketing world today is a hosted cloud phone system.Here are 10 ways that a hosted cloud phone system drives marketing success:1. Get Customized Local Numbers Businesses can easily get customized...

February 27, 2019 News: Following a recent $310 million judgment in favor of bondholder Aurelius Capital Management, Windstream Holdings Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 25. The bankruptcy filing, which was widely expected given the recent Aurelius judgment (which Windstream has since appealed), alongside more than $5.8 billion in debts that the rural phone company had racked up over the last several years, means that Windstream will continue operating through a multi-year financial restructuring plan. As with virtually all bankruptcy filings, the only winners in this disaster will be select Windstream executives and managers, who will keep their jobs and...

There is growing speculation that a Windstream bankruptcy and massive downsizing are imminent in the wake of a devastating court ruling, which was handed down by the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York on February 15.The Story So FarThe court ruled that in 2015 when Windstream spun out its internally-managed real estate trust Uniti Group, it improperly transferred over $300 million worth of assets that served as security for bonds issued by Aurelius Capital Management LP. Uniti Group is Windstream’s largest customer, with assets that include over 4 million fiber strand miles and around 850 wireless...

We’ve all heard of soft skills, software, softball, and of course, everyone’s favorite: soft serve ice cream. But softphones? For many people, this term is not part of their vocabulary — yet.For starters, no, this is not some kind of Nerf-inspired phone that people can use to make calls one minute, and kick across the room the next (although the inventors out there might want to take a run at this, because it would be a bestseller).Rather, softphones are software apps that let people make and receive calls on the cloud phone system network across various devices, such as their...