Comments on: Hosted VoIP Captures MSP Attention http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/ Managed Services & Cloud Services Blog for VARs & MSPs Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:46:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Zachman http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50469 James Zachman Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:59:20 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50469 We use Aretta.com which has been wonderful for us! Jim We use Aretta.com which has been wonderful for us! Jim

]]> By: Matt Cowall http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50465 Matt Cowall Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:03:30 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50465 Good point indeed on trying a service before selling it. Trust is the most important ingredient in any effective partnership, and it's probably the biggest hurdle to overcome when weighing partnership options against building out a service yourself. In addition to an excellent service, a good channel provider should also have plenty of referenceable customers AND partners, and won't be afraid to let you talk to them. Make sure. Like Gerson says, bad VoIP can drag you right down with it. Good point indeed on trying a service before selling it. Trust is the most important ingredient in any effective partnership, and it’s probably the biggest hurdle to overcome when weighing partnership options against building out a service yourself. In addition to an excellent service, a good channel provider should also have plenty of referenceable customers AND partners, and won’t be afraid to let you talk to them. Make sure. Like Gerson says, bad VoIP can drag you right down with it.

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50447 Joe Panettieri Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:53:02 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50447 Gerson: I like your advice, directing MSPs to actually try a VoIP service before recommending it to your customers. Imagine if more VARs had run Windows Vista for a bunch of months before selling Vista systems... ... ... Gerson: I like your advice, directing MSPs to actually try a VoIP service before recommending it to your customers. Imagine if more VARs had run Windows Vista for a bunch of months before selling Vista systems… … …

]]> By: Gerson http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50442 Gerson Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:25:03 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50442 Seven years ago we chose to partner with M5 Networks here in New York - a lot of their business comes from their IT Partners. They have a very mature partner program and rely on their IT partners to supply phones + related equipment and integrate the voice solution into the overall network. I suggest to be VERY thorough before suggesting any hosted VoIP to your existing clients - switch your own phones to the VoIP Partner if possible for a few months. We had a bad experience with another partner which I'm still trying to forget. Joe's right people have a lot less tolerance for dropped calls than delayed emails. You don't want a fly by night ruining your reputation on the IT side or even worse costing you clients. We prefer to not white label as well - our larger clients appreciate that we're focused on I.T. and are not trying to pass off as a telecom company. Seven years ago we chose to partner with M5 Networks here in New York – a lot of their business comes from their IT Partners. They have a very mature partner program and rely on their IT partners to supply phones + related equipment and integrate the voice solution into the overall network.

I suggest to be VERY thorough before suggesting any hosted VoIP to your existing clients – switch your own phones to the VoIP Partner if possible for a few months. We had a bad experience with another partner which I’m still trying to forget. Joe’s right people have a lot less tolerance for dropped calls than delayed emails. You don’t want a fly by night ruining your reputation on the IT side or even worse costing you clients.

We prefer to not white label as well – our larger clients appreciate that we’re focused on I.T. and are not trying to pass off as a telecom company.

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50432 Joe Panettieri Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:49:17 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50432 Brendan: Great thoughts across the board. I guess the bottom line for me is as follows... I'm willing to go a few minutes without email per month. But I can't live without dial tone... So I wonder if most MSPs are really in a position to build a five-nines hosted voice system... Partnering sure sounds like the more logical route for most MSPs. -jp Brendan: Great thoughts across the board. I guess the bottom line for me is as follows… I’m willing to go a few minutes without email per month. But I can’t live without dial tone… So I wonder if most MSPs are really in a position to build a five-nines hosted voice system… Partnering sure sounds like the more logical route for most MSPs.
-jp

]]> By: Brendan Cosgrove http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50431 Brendan Cosgrove Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:45:41 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50431 I think Hosted VoIP is one of those areas that to build it yourself requires a significant human and equipment capital outlay to do it well, so it lends itself to partnering. The other advantage of partnering on the VoIP side is less direct business risk by not being on the hook (no pun intended) for a client's entire IT infrastructure AND their phone infrastructure. Many MSP's have the IT side down pat, but the VoIP side is going to continue to rapidly evolve. Partnering allows for the MSP to have some good flexibly for choosing the right partners and technologies as the platforms evolve. The build model doesn't allow for that as well. I think Hosted VoIP is one of those areas that to build it yourself requires a significant human and equipment capital outlay to do it well, so it lends itself to partnering. The other advantage of partnering on the VoIP side is less direct business risk by not being on the hook (no pun intended) for a client’s entire IT infrastructure AND their phone infrastructure. Many MSP’s have the IT side down pat, but the VoIP side is going to continue to rapidly evolve. Partnering allows for the MSP to have some good flexibly for choosing the right partners and technologies as the platforms evolve. The build model doesn’t allow for that as well.

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50429 Joe Panettieri Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:32:43 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50429 Matt: Build or partner seems to be the central question facing MSPs on multiple fronts these days -- from hosted VoIP to SaaS applications (SharePoint, Exchange, etc.). The topic dominated last week's N-able Partner Summit. Matt: Build or partner seems to be the central question facing MSPs on multiple fronts these days — from hosted VoIP to SaaS applications (SharePoint, Exchange, etc.). The topic dominated last week’s N-able Partner Summit.

]]> By: Matt Cowall http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/10/19/hosted-voip-captures-msp-attention/comment-page-1/#comment-50428 Matt Cowall Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:05:50 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=4430#comment-50428 John, you hit the two hosted VoIP entry points on the head: build or partner. In practice, Appia makes a pretty compelling case for the latter, and we think we make it pretty easy to get up and earning. MSPs that might be leery of being seen as "agents" may be surprised at the options (white labeling, etc.) that are available to them. Let me put it this way: It's a very rare day that we can't find a way to benefit a partner. Hosted VoIP can be a strong addition to any managed service portfolio. It's worth a conversation. John, you hit the two hosted VoIP entry points on the head: build or partner. In practice, Appia makes a pretty compelling case for the latter, and we think we make it pretty easy to get up and earning. MSPs that might be leery of being seen as “agents” may be surprised at the options (white labeling, etc.) that are available to them. Let me put it this way: It’s a very rare day that we can’t find a way to benefit a partner. Hosted VoIP can be a strong addition to any managed service portfolio. It’s worth a conversation.

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