Announcing Microsoft® Lync® Integration

Toshiba beefs up the power of their telephones again…

The new Toshiba Plugin for Microsoft Lync enables the integration of Microsoft Lync's Instant Messaging/Presence application with the Toshiba Strata CIX and IPedge Telecom Systems. This powerful combination enhances the way you communicate with colleagues, customers and more.

• Lync Presence shows the user's telephone status as Busy (in call) when they're using a Toshiba digital telephone, IP phone or the built-in softphone.
• Right click on a name in Lync Contact and select Toshiba Call to make the call on your Toshiba digital phone, IP phone or built-in softphone.
• "Pop up" Notification of Lync Contact information shows who is calling. You can answer the call, send it to voice mail or send it to another destination.
• Easily Transfer and make Conference Calls from the Toshiba Plugin main window.

The Toshiba Plugin is installed on your PC and integrates with the Microsoft Lync client. It eliminates the complex server configuration required for server integration.

Message On Hold Special…

Professional Message On Hold system - $300.00
(tax & installation not included)

• Includes 25 music melodies including 2 holiday melodies
• Perpetual license for music included - no license renewal required
• Generic messaging included… "Thanks for holding, we'll be right with you."
• 1 year manufacturer's warranty included

3 Minute Custom Recorded Message - $125.00

What do your prospects and customers hear while they're on hold? …the latest commercial for a competitor…or maybe the radio has drifted off the station and all they hear is static…or do they think you forgot about them because they hear silence?

Messages On Hold are a cost-effective way to reduce hang-ups, enhance your company image, promote your business and inform your customers. It's positive PR every time a caller is on hold.

Music on Hold and Copyright Laws

February 7, 2012 By toshibatelecom

Authorized Toshiba Dealer Mike Beyer at Select-Telecom, Illinois submitted this blog post for the 'Next Toshiba Blog Star' contest and was chosen as a runner up.

Let's cut to the quick. Music on Hold and background music played through your telephone system must be licensed. Even if you are using a radio station or playing songs you purchased on a CD/MP3 player, it's still illegal if used without permission. Radio stations have the right to broadcast music but not the re-broadcast rights. When you purchased a CD or MP3 file, you own the medium but not the rights to the music on it. If you get caught — and there are people who get paid to look for criminals like you (Mike's words, not ours!) — expect to pay $1,500 to "settle out of court." This is coincidentally the amount you would need to fight your case in court, but the settlement has a 100 percent certainty that the prosecutor will go away while the litigation route cannot guarantee success.

Music on Hold is a necessary business tool. The industry average is that more than 50 percent of callers to your company will be put on hold. Those callers need to hear something during their hold time, or they could think that they have been disconnected while they were waiting. There are solutions.

The classy route is to hire a professional company to record messages to use while your customers are on hold. Their set-up includes hardware, licensed music of your choice and customized messages that are updated, usually quarterly.

Another solution is to contract with a subscription music source such as Muzak. If you have cable TV service at your business location, your cable company may be able to offer you Music Choice or a similar service. These are the music channels you see on cable TV except that they are branded specifically for re-broadcast.

The most logical solution is to purchase a digital audio system designed specifically for Music on Hold and message playback. They are designed for 24/7 service and usually have royalty-free music included.

Remember: the airwaves may be free, but getting yourself out of a copyright lawsuit is not.

COMMWORLD of KC wins awards…

We're proud to attain the most prestigious status awarded by Toshiba America Information Systems - Telecom Systems Division. Less than 15% of the 450+ Toshiba Telecom Dealers in the United States have attained this highest level of expertise and achievement.

"2013 Toshiba TAIS TSD IPedge Communication Specialist Platinum Dealership"
and
"2013 Toshiba TAIS TSD Strata CIX Sales Professional Platinum Dealership"

Bob and Linda Bennett, owners of COMMWORLD of KC, want to congratulate and thank the dedicated staff for demonstrating this commitment to excellence.

Stress, memories and the workplace…

A classic definition of stress is "any real or imagined threat, and your body's response to it." In other words, it's your body's reaction to your mind's perception.

Our perceptions are an individual matter. Picking up the phone to make a cold call is the ultimate stressor for one salesperson, but another can easily make a hundred calls because he feels "it's just a numbers game". Taking on a management role is comfortable for one employee, but another with equal qualifications feels he isn't good enough to do the job and is overcome with stress.

One way to control and eliminate stress is to change negative perceptions that cause it. Our perceptions and beliefs are developed throughout our lives beginning at birth or even before. They are formed by our experiences, what people tell us, our environment and our memories of all of the above. Hopefully you have many positive memories, but we also have negative memories that continue to effect our perceptions today.

What if I told you that your memories aren't real and that you can change them? I can hear the disbelief now…but think about it. What is really REAL now - at this moment? The past is over and the future isn't here yet. The only thing that is real, at this moment, is now.

Memories aren't that accurate. Experiments have shown the unreliability of human recall. For example, a staged robbery elicits contradicting eye-witness reports. Although the fake robber only carried a banana, some witnesses swear he had a gun and the physical description of the robber varies from witness to witness.

Our brains create memories filtered through our own beliefs and perceptions. Change negative memories to positive and you'll overcome stress and change your life for the better.

Changes at LightSpeed816-761-5100
Bob Bennett, MBA, Life Coach / Stress Expert
Linda Bennett, MA, Life Coach / Stress Expert
Call to schedule…
Speaking Engagement for companies or groups.
Private "Change" Session.

Learn simple, logical steps to make positive changes in your life.
Release Stress • Fears • Phobias • Low Self-esteem • Creative Blocks • Weight • Depression • Grief & Loss • Cravings • Headache • Relationship Problems • Insomnia • Bad Habits • Anxiety • Pain • Addictions

Stress is a major problem for business…

• Job Pressure is the leading cause of stress in the U.S.
• 83% of workers say they feel stressed out by their jobs
• 75% - 95% of doctor's office visits are due to stress related illness / problems
• $300 Billion is the annual cost to employers in stress related health care and missed work

Sources: www.forbes.com - Harris Interactive study, American Institute of Stress

Yahoo CEO bans telecommuting. What's that all about?

Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer sent an email announcement banning working from home / telecommuting for Yahoo employees. Since then I've read numerous comments in support of her decision and against it.

Some cite the benefits which telecommuting can offer. Their statistics claim improved productivity. They discuss reduced expenses for the company for real estate, utilities, office furniture, etc. Fewer commutes means less fuel used, lowered emissions, even decreased traffic. Telecommuting can make work easier for parents, the disabled and can create better work/life balance with the elimination of commute times.

Those supporting the ban claim that teamwork within a company cannot be attained unless all employees are under the same roof. They explain that management of remote workers is difficult. Their sources claim that productivity is lower for people working from home.

Like most things in life, isn't the answer somewhere in the middle?

Some people just don't have the self-discipline and drive to manage themselves when they're right under a manager's nose, much less out-of-sight. They're not good candidates for telecommuting. Some jobs cannot be done without resources and hands-on work, so they can't be done remotely. But think about all the companies with outside sales reps, on-site service technicians, delivery staff, etc. Those jobs can only be done outside the brick and mortar office.

Each company is unique, jobs within each company have different requirements and the individuals who make up the staff have their own strengths and weaknesses. Telecommuting does not have to be an all or nothing proposition as Ms. Mayer has mandated for Yahoo.

There may be some people in certain jobs within your company who are excellent candidates for telecommuting to benefit them and the company. It could just be for one or two days a week or only for certain projects instead of all or nothing.

Modern telecommunications / data technology can make it feel like they're just down the hall.

Fun Phone Facts…

Who came up with Music / Messages On Hold?

In 1962, Alfred Levy, the owner of a factory, was surprised when his telephone system started playing music. When he investigated, he finally discovered it was the music being broadcast by the radio station located next door. Being an entrepreneurial thinker, Levy didn't try to fix the problem. Instead, he took the idea and ran with it. In 1966, Levy patented "Music On-Hold."

We can really identify with this scenario at COMMWORLD. Back in the early 80's, we had a client with offices located right next to and under the tallest broadcasting tower in Kansas City. When we installed a telephone system for them, we were surprised to hear country music coming from the speakers in the phones. It took some investigating to discover that the source was the radio station broadcasting their country music format to the whole Midwest area.

COMMWORLD Technicians tried everything they and the phone manufacture's technical support group could think of to eliminate the unwanted tunes. We were informed that this was the worst RF (radio frequency) interference case in the U.S. at that time. Two engineers from Toshiba, the manufacturer, flew into Kansas City to investigate and come up with a solution.

To their credit, that engineering discovery was built into all future models of Toshiba phones so there would never be another system with country music "built in".

Sources: www.inventhelp.com,
The School of Hard Knocks!