Under the Agreement P2 telecom will market Samsung’s Hosted VoIP solutions, SIP Phones, and suite of affordable OfficeServ™ Series Systems to their SMB customers. Combined with existing P2 telecom network offerings, the Samsung Suite will provide valuable new revenue streams and income opportunities for their Agents. NextStep will provide complete resources to P2 telecom Agents, assisting them in delivering a bundled solution.

“The Agreement with NextStep aligns P2 telecom with the powerful Samsung solutions and brand, strongly positioning our agents to take advantage of the widespread migration of SMB’s from their legacy phone systems into VoIP solutions,” said Bill Patchett, Founder/CEO, P2 telecom. “Recognizing the convergence of voice, data, wireless and internet technologies and their importance to today’s business operations, we’re pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Samsung and NextStep” said Mr. Patchett.

“We are excited about the Agreement with P2 telecom and look forward to working with its team of respected industry veterans,” said Phillip Sherman, President, NextStep Technology Solutions. “The Agreement will broaden the reach of Samsung OfficeServ™ and Ubigate solutions and help Samsung gain greater visibility in the small-business markets” said Mr. Sherman.

Added P2 telecom CEO, Bill Patchett, “This is a tremendous opportunity to partner with a trusted company such as Bandwave because they are a market leader offering affordable broadband solutions, experience and great customer service.”

“P2’s high-end customer base will benefit from Bandwave’s multi-site broadband including Cable, DSL T1, T2, Ethernet, 3G Internet aggregation services added Azelby. In addition, Azelby noted that P2’s customers will benefit from Bandwave’s 24/7 management and monitoring multiple-location data networks.

“We know that P2 is very experienced and customer centric,” noted George Allgair, managing partner at Bandwave Systems. “It is a rare pleasure to partner up with a company that provides these attributes to their customers.”

About Bandwave Systems Inc.
Bandwave Systems, Burlington, NJ, is a nationwide business broadband provider integrating multiple providers, carriers and technologies. The company provides businesses first-rate data services with dedicated customer service at a competitive price for any location in the United States.

“This arrangement has been many months in the making. I have worked with P2 telecom’s senior executives for many years and am excited to be joining forces with them. I am confident that this will not only enhance the service we provide to our existing customers, but will also position us well for future growth,” stated Bruce Cranston, President of B. C. Consultants, Inc., who has been named a Regional Manager for P2 telecom.

This agreement marks another milestone in the growth and development of P2 telecom, as it broadens it geographic penetration and management depth.

About B. C. Consultants, Inc. B.C, Consultants, Inc. is a Buffalo, NY based telecom agency that began in 2003 and is led by its founder and President, Bruce Cranston.

This is a partnership that is several years in the making. “We are excited to work with P2 in offering their multi-location clients a full suite of conferencing services, backed by an experienced operations staff,” says Greg Plum, the Conference Group’s director of business development. “P2 has a proven track record of customer satisfaction and we are honored to be entrusted with their clients’ conferencing needs.”

Offer flexibility in your service offering. Trying to push new technology such as VoIP simply because it’s the most modern or offers you the highest margins won’t always be the best strategy. Businesses often have important reasons for retaining legacy systems. Included in these are re-training issues, needed backup/emergency capability or simply resistance to change. Consider also that individual locations may have distinct needs or constraints. It will be important to position yourself as flexible versus rigid in your offer, even if it means giving up a few commission dollars in the short term.

Recognize the administrative efficiencies you can deliver. While cost savings are most likely the deciding factor behind a change in one’s telecommunications providers, don’t underestimate the opportunity to provide streamlined billing and tracking. Many companies, even fairly large ones, do not have up-to-date capabilities to centrally understand their telecom costs. Your ability to address those needs, in addition to reducing their costs, may be enough to push them into considering making a change.

Treat every location as a unique customer. Even if you made your sale through a company’s headquarters, your job is to make each and every on-site manager happy. In the end, it is those individuals on the ground that will make or break the ongoing relationship. It is likely that any renewal will include a polling of opinion “from the field.” You’ll want those people to feel special and serviced as if you sold them directly.

Utilize the right master agent/carrier partner. Depending on the geographic footprint of a potential customer, select carrier partnerships will be more advantageous in delivering a superior service solution. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of specific master agents and their carrier relationships will enable you to deliver not only competitive costs but also excellent service.

Finally, micro-manage any service transition. Assuming your job is over once a new customer signs up is very short-sighted. A renewal three years down the road is often solidified in the first few months of service. Consider assigning a “dedicated” service team member, so there’s a clear sense of accountability. Make sure that you walk your new customers through each new invoice, as the charges will seem unfamiliar and may call into question the savings you have promised. This extra work will undoubtedly pay dividends in getting customers to renew, as well as considering additional services.

As you can see, winning and retaining multi-location accounts is not that easy. However, if you approach these opportunities with the right partners, with flexibility and with attention to detail, the hard work can result in a lucrative long-term customer.

Bill Patchett is President and CEO of P2 telecom, LLC, a telecommunications master agent offering voice, data, VoIP, hardware and managed telecommunications solutions. He can be contacted at bpatchett@p2telecom.com.

Utilize the right telecommunications partner. Make sure your telecommunications partner has carrier relationships that work for your business’s geographic footprint. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of different carriers will enable you to achieve not only competitive costs, but also excellent service.

Demand flexibility in your service offering. New technology, such as VoIP, may not always be the best solution simply because it’s the most modern. Your business may have important reasons for retaining legacy systems, including re-training issues, needed backup/emergency capability, or simply resistance to change. Ensure your telecom partner is flexible versus rigid in its offer, enabling you to evolve with them.

Don’t underestimate administrative efficiencies you can realize. While cost savings are most likely the deciding factor behind a change in one’s telecommunications providers, don’t underestimate the opportunity to receive streamlined billing and tracking. Many companies, even fairly large ones, do not have up-to-date capabilities to centrally understand their telecom costs. That ability alone could be a deciding factor in selecting your telecommunications partner.

Demand personal service. Even if your telecom decisions may be made through your company’s headquarters, every on-site manager needs to be treated well. In the end, it is those individuals on the ground that will make or break the ongoing relationship. It is likely that any renewal will include a polling of opinion “from the field”. You’ll want those people to be serviced as if they’re the final decision-makers.

Finally, ensure the service transition is well-managed. Your telecommunication partner can make or break a new relationship if they don’t pay attention to the details during a transition to new service. Your decision to renew three years down the road is often solidified in the first few months of service. Request that they assign a “dedicated” service team member, so there’s a clear sense of accountability. Also, ask for them to walk you through each new invoice, as the charges will seem unfamiliar and may call into question the savings you have been promised.

As you can see, a good telecommunications partner for your multi-location business must offer you plenty beyond savings. However, if you select the right partners, with flexibility and with attention to detail, the result can offer your business tremendous value.

Bill Patchett is President and CEO of P2 telecom, LLC, a telecommunications master agent offering voice, data, VoIP, hardware and managed telecommunications solutions. He can be contacted at bpatchett@p2telecom.com.

“P2 is exactly the kind of Master Agent that we like to partner with,” said Andrew Pryfogle, President & CEO of Terrapin Solutions. “They understand complex, consultative selling and are focused on larger, multi-site implementations. Our Cloud Solutions dovetail perfectly with P2’s strategy. Just a few weeks into this relationship and we’re already closing deals together.” Formal cloud training for P2’s agent community is scheduled for Friday, October 8th.

About Terrapin Solutions
Terrapin Solutions is a Cloud Services Master Agency focused exclusively in the areas of Cloud Telephony (Hosted VoIP) and Cloud Computing. Terrapin’s go-to-market is 100% channel focused and includes dedicated Channel Management tasked with partner recruitment, training, and business development. Terrapin Solutions is made up of industry-veterans who are expert in Cloud Services. Visit Terrapin at www.terrapin-solutions.com. For press inquiries, please contact Andrew Pryfogle at (888) 454-CLOUD, apryfogle@terrapin-solutions.com.

P2 Telecom agents will be able to take advantage of MasterStream’s ability to generate instant price quotes and proposals, track order status and manage customer contact information among other features. When asked “Why MasterStream?”, P2 Telecom President and CEO Bill Patchett stated, “The Salestream people understand the Agent business model and their software provides us and our agents the tools to be extremely productive.”

Salestream Software’s CEO Steve Roberts noted, “P2 Telecom has been a leader in recognizing the value that automation software can deliver to its agent network and we are proud to have them as a partner.” About P2 Telecom, LLC P2 Telecom, LLC is based in Stamford, CT and specializes in providing its customers with voice, data, VoIP, hardware and managed telecommunications solutions. For more information visit www.P2Telecom.com or if you’re an agent interested in working with P2 Telecom, please contact Bill Patchett at 203-388-7250 ext. 101.

About Salestream Software Salestream Software provides superior automation solutions to the telecom industry. With its MasterStream™ family of hosted automation services master agents and telecom service providers alike automate all of their processes related to the management of agents, opportunities, quotes, orders, commissions, and other back-office operations. For more information visit www.salestreamsoft.com or contact Steve Roberts at 877-921-1200 ext. 705.

About Nitel, Inc.
Nitel is a leading single-source provider of telecommunications network services nationwide. With products specifically designed for tier 2 and 3 cities as well as rural areas, NiTel is particularly well-positioned to reach underserved or difficult-to-reach areas. Headquartered in Chicago with offices in Atlanta, Ga., Madison, Wis., and Reno, Nev., Nitel has built a superior reputation for customer service and customized solutions since its founding in 1997.

About New Horizon Communications Group
New Horizon Communications Group is a full-service provider of voice, data and internet solutions for businesses. Headquartered in the Northeast, they provide service to organizations throughout the US, with the highest density in the Maine-to-Virginia corrider. Products and services range from basic local and long distance to high bandwidth internet connectivity to advance networking solutions such as MPLS VPNs and customengineered WANS carrying voice, data and video.

About P2 telecom, LLC
P2 telecom, LLC is based in Stamford, CT and specializes in providing its customers with voice, data, VoIP, hardware and managed telecommunications solutions. For more information visit www.P2Telecom.com or if you’re an agent interested in working with P2 telecom, please contact Bill Patchett at 203-388-7250 ext. 101.