Tips for Hosting Successful Virtual Events

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With the pandemic event planners, sponsors and attendees were forced to pivot quickly from in-person to virtual events. It soon became clear the traditional in-person event couldn’t simply be adapted to a virtual environment. It would have to be re-imagined  ̶  and even re-invented. Mitel User Group Liaison, Denise Desjardins, has been organizing events for years and shares some insights…

The Virtual Advantage
No one should fall into the trap of thinking virtual is simply a stopgap measure. In fact, virtual events offer several compelling advantages in any environment:

Positively Productive – Virtual events eliminate the stress, time, and cost of travel, of course. But what’s not often discussed is the tremendous amount of flexibility they offer attendees, who can work their daily schedules around the agenda. Focus on the sessions that matter most and skip the less relevant ones. When people can take care of what matters in their everyday lives, they’re more engaged at the event. It’s the best of both worlds.

Extra Days, Extra Value – Unlike an in-person event, which has a defined start and end, virtual events can (and should) be kept open for at least 30 days past the live component. This extended period offers benefits for hosts, sponsors, and attendees alike. By making the material available for a longer time, hosts can create an agenda packed full of compelling content and speakers. Attendees can return again and again to watch videos and download content.

Always-On Classroom – Training is usually not possible for attendees to complete during the live event. The advantage of going virtual is that all these resources can stay accessible long after the event ends.

Return On Investment – Virtual events provide tangible evidence of success. By measuring attendance, downloads and other web analytics, sponsors can calculate exactly how valuable the event was for them.

In-Person, Virtual, or Both?
There are pros and cons to each type of event, in-person and virtual. One of the most compelling reasons to consider doing both is the ability to reach more people.

That’s because each type of event attracts different people. An in-person event is a big draw for those who enjoy the entire travel experience, from getting on the plane and staying in the hotel to socializing during sessions and at the end of the day. Some people don’t have the budget for travel while others are constrained by work projects or family responsibilities. That means there’s a strong argument for doing both: it gives you the opportunity to reach a wider audience.

Just like the workplace, expect to see the event industry adopt a hybrid approach. Virtual events are likely to dominate for a while longer. But as the world re-opens, events will become a mix of in-person and virtual.

Ensure your broadband and collaboration tools can support the virtual events in your future. Contact TCI today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

8 Signs Your Employees will Flourish as Hybrid Workers

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As more people are vaccinated against COVID-19, businesses are readying plans to reopen their offices and bring back their employees. Already, though, it’s clear the new workweek will look different than it did pre-pandemic. Thanks to technology and remote working tools, employees transitioned seamlessly to home offices while managing to increase productivity. As a result, hybrid work – straddling home and office – may very well become the new normal for many people.

Can your team succeed as a hybrid workforce?

Here are eight signs that indicate they’ll flourish in this new environment…

1. Focus Time is Productive Time – The home office is generally quiet, comfortable and less stressful. This makes it more conducive for projects that require concentration, but team members can still hold an impromptu web chat with colleagues to share information and insights.

2. Learning Time Happens in the “Culture Space” – The traditional office has been transformed into a space that fosters social connections and builds relationships. It’s not only a hub for learning but also for unscripted collaboration. Here’s where having coffee or lunch with colleagues stimulates new ideas.

3. Every Day is a Team Day – Hybrid workers leverage quiet time at home to focus on projects and in-person meetings to brainstorm ideas. Technology makes it possible to continue conversations in collaborative workspaces and via video. Some teams set up regular times to connect socially and to build on ideas. The overall result: collaborative time, at home or in the office, is more productive.

4. Flexible Hours – When employees own their own schedule, they can manage work-life balance more efficiently ― and accomplish more in both worlds.

5. Masters of Multitasking – Hybrid workers know how to make the most of their time without infringing on other tasks. They’ve learned how to get a few things done around the house while also giving full attention to work.

6. Focus on Goals not the Clock – One thing learned from remote work is that performance isn’t measured by time, but by accomplishments. Employers trust employees to get things done and employees feel more empowered. Showing up at the office is not for more face time with the boss, but for learning new skills and engaging with colleagues in working sessions.

7. Solve Client Problems, from Anywhere – Mobile technology and unified communications have made it possible to serve the needs of clients for some time now. But hybrid workers value these capabilities more than ever. They make it easier for them to transition from work to home without missing a beat.

8. The 3-2-2 Work Model – One of the benefits of remote work during the pandemic was the flexibility employees enjoyed. Despite the challenges of managing family and work in the same place, they found remote work made it easier to balance competing demands. For those continuing a flexible work schedule after the pandemic, the 3-2-2 model may be helpful ― three days in the office, two days at home and two off.

TCI can help your business with technologies to support hybrid work arrangements. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

What Goes into an Effective Business Continuity Plan?

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A continuity plan can help your business survive all kinds of calamities. The right plan should feature clear-cut guidelines for what your organization must do to continue operations in case of an unforeseen event. It should leave no doubt about how to organize staff and move forward. It must also clearly demarcate the different types of responses depending on the severity of the emergency at hand.

Basic components of an effective business continuity plan

Outline the Goals and Objectives – Since every business is unique, first identify the objectives and goals that are most critical to the way your company operates. This goal-driven trajectory helps you reflect on the overall planning needs, potential recovery strategies, and risk assessment.

Establish a Team – Select competent cross-functional leaders or managers who can be a valuable addition to the team. Ensure you appoint someone as the lead to keep things going smoothly and make informed decisions when necessary.

Perform Business Impact Analysis and Risk Assessment – Identify the significant risks to your business. Discuss with your team and analyze the consequences of modifying, eliminating, or reducing essential functions or services in emergency conditions. Study all identified issues and their impact on the business.

Identify Predominant Ecommerce Related Business Functions – Determine how your company will effectively maintain its essential functions/services in case of an emergency. Here are some of the necessary functions and services that you will need to plan for:

  • Supply Chain and Inventory Management Continuity
  • Shipping Deadlines and Order Fulfillment
  • E-Commerce Platform Functionality
  • Maintaining Customer Service

Prepare a Plan for Necessary Services and Functions – Create unique plans to address the needs of stakeholders and essential functions during an emergency situation:

  • Customers
  • Suppliers/ subcontractors
  • Team members
  • Shipping
  • Inventory

Make sure you have plans to change your current supplier to ensure that you don’t have inventory limitations. Also, know your options in case your supply chain faces disruption.

Focus on Documentation and Reviewing

Ensure you have the following aspects in writing:

  • Business risk level
  • Impact on customers and employees
  • Financial resources in case of a calamity
  • Community partners or external organization who can help build a mutually beneficial relationship during a disaster

Present your continuity strategy/plan to your stakeholders, perform trial runs and be proactive. This allows you to identify any weaknesses or missing features. Once you make the necessary updates, start to train your staff, test, and revise accordingly.

TCI can help you select and implement disaster recovery and business continuity solutions to ensure your business stays connected and operational during any emergency. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

 

 

Securing Your Business Requires Asking Service Providers the Right Questions

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Secure communications can protect your business from the damage and destruction of a data breach. And it’s not just a priority for banks and healthcare providers – any business has daily office emails and phone calls that can contain confidential customer and corporate information.

Your communications system must be able to protect the data shared within your business and beyond. Here are 5 questions you should ask your provider to ensure you’re getting the best security:

1. What infrastructure is your system hosted on?

A strong cloud communications provider will be leveraging a best-in-class infrastructure to ensure the highest level of security. This saves you time and resources that can be focused on performance and innovation rather than management and maintenance. A secure communications software system, like TCI Host, can do all this, plus integrate with the programs you already use.

2. Can your communications software handle mobile securely?

Working on the go is a growing norm, meaning mobility is even more important for a communications system. However, a mobile system doesn’t always mean it’s secure. Ensure you can connect and work away from the office – without sacrificing in-office functionality and security.

3. Is your communications software certified HIPAA-Compliant?

Certified HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant software guarantees that your data is encrypted in transit and at rest with anti-virus protection and security protocols that adhere to the most stringent data compliance standards.

4. How do you monitor your system?

Your cloud communications provider should have a Network Operations Center, a location that continually monitors a telecommunications network – all day, every day. Do they support it in-house or outsource? What tools and analytics are they leveraging to stay ahead? Top providers are predictive and proactive, not reactive.

5. How do I get informed of any issues?

If issues do occur with your communications system, you need to know about them quickly. How do they alert you when problems arise? Is there a public site where you can stay up to date about any issues and their solutions?

Whether you’re in healthcare, finance, education or just interested in an additional level of security, look for a communications system that keeps your customer and sensitive data secure. And make sure you can connect to client information from anywhere, while ensuring your client’s privacy needs are met.

Looking for a communications system that’s built for security? Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

 

How Contact Centers Help Drive Success in Small & Mid-Sized Businesses

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Some organizations, particularly smaller ones, may still have doubts about the real value of a contact center. From the customer perspective, however, the value of a contact center could not be more real.

For example, a small online retailer is just like a big retailer that makes their profit from repeat customers. If consumers are dissatisfied and share that feeling with others or rate the service poorly on an assessment, it could have a downstream effect that hurts your best efforts to get customers back to the cash register.

Providing an optimal customer experience is at the forefront of many planning discussions in every industry and business model. In a world that lives on posting the good, bad and ugly on social media, keeping an eye on customer satisfaction is an absolute must.

Retaining clients means more profit. By having a strong contact center solution, you can:

  • Measure and analyze customer behavior and prepare the right strategies to respond when you identify service gaps.
  • Prioritize calls more effectively by providing pop-up information on repeat callers. This allows your staff to be smarter in how they answer the phone and who they may place on hold – routing the call to the beginning of the queue versus later.
  • Leverage real-time analytics to see what’s really happening at the first point-of-contact, identify staff that require more training and determine if a customer had a negative experience – before they have a chance to leave a bad review.

A robust contact center solution can improve operational efficiency and deliver a better customer experience, while keeping you apprised of what’s really happening. Your response can drive better satisfaction surveys and online ratings.

Let’s discuss how to improve your customer experience by implementing a contact center to support your business. Contact TCI today (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.