Even with a vaccine on the horizon, the pandemic seems to have more staying power than anyone could have predicted. Lockdown rules are constantly changing and often go into effect on short notice, leaving many businesses unable to adjust fast enough.

In this edition, we explore what you can do to build more agility and flexibility into your business so you are not caught flat-footed should the tables be turned against you…

Contact me today to discuss how TCI solutions and services can help you sustain your business operations and serve customers during these uncertain times.

(703) 321-3030 | cornbrookst@tcicomm.com.

Today’s pandemic has changed the way small and medium businesses perceive the workplace. Responding to stay-at-home mandates, SMBs with existing remote work programs have expanded them, and those that lacked work-from-home options prior to the pandemic started implementing them.

Some employees will eventually go back to the office full-time when the pandemic subsides. Many will continue to work at home full-time, while others divide their work between home and office. The workplace is also likely to remain fluid, accommodating changing business and employee situations on the fly.

People who had turned off their cameras for online meetings started turning them on. In the process, everyone has become accustomed to the occasional technical glitches and security breaches, or scenes of family life playing out in the background. But video conferencing is not the only online tool that has helped sustain businesses...

Cloud applications – remote IT and access, real-time collaboration, file sharing, backup, security, and identity management – have proven their value in supporting remote work and keeping businesses operational.

Integrating a mix of old phone systems, web and video conferencing, SMS, file-sharing and other tools often cost more – in terms of both time and money – than it does to move to a unified solution where the applications work together.

Unified, cloud collaboration solutions pull all of the things you need to do every day into one place. Many cloud solutions offer integration with key business applications, such as email, CRM, human resources, and other solutions to help streamline business workflows and help remote workers thrive. For example, your communications can be arranged to integrate with G Suite, Salesforce, SugarCRM, Microsoft Office or Microsoft Dynamics. Unified collaboration solutions also offer enterprise-grade security and reliability safeguards that businesses need.

As your business transitions from meeting immediate needs to long-term planning, taking a more holistic approach can help you bring people and processes together, and put your business on the path to sustainability and growth as the workplace continues to evolve.

Collaboration in the evolving workplace can be a big challenge. TCI can help make it happen. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

If you’d like to get MiTeam Meetings for 6 months free, we’ll get you up and running now. Contact us at TCICustomerService@TCIcomm.com

The impacts of the coronavirus on business culture have forced a critical need for unified business communication technology that goes well beyond commonly used band-aid solutions.

As we all continue to grapple with social distancing and lockdown protocols, everyone is searching for innovative ways to get back to "normal life."

This has prompted business leaders to rethink customer interaction and strengthen remote collaboration in their B2B and B2C environments - while making it all work seamlessly.

Ready to make the switch from your emergency solution to a long-term solution? We're here to help. Contact TCI today: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

In the brick-and-mortar world, windows entice shoppers into the store. Online, your website is the "window." Is it visually exciting? Does it encourage shoppers to explore your services and capabilities? Is it easy to navigate, and does it load quickly?

These are only the basics. If you haven't already, you’ll want to cover all the bases when it comes to developing a strong e-commerce platform. Here’s why…

Today's consumer won't tolerate slow service. Shoppers want answers quickly - in minutes, not hours - and certainly not days. They've come to expect 24/7 service, where someone, somewhere in the world, is available to resolve any issues they encounter. And while they expect and use self-service options, consumers' patience runs thin if they can't find the answers they need quickly. When that happens, they expect a live person to step in and help.

Consumers expect service reps to know everything about their communications with the company, as well as key personal information and history. Successful online businesses use CRM tools to capture all customer data, across all channels, to create a seamless experience. By using the cloud and integrating with other internal systems - like supply chain and logistics platforms - service professionals can have all the information instantly available to meet customer requirements.

The desire to limit exposure to COVID will continue to influence shopping behavior for the near term. Enhancing the online shopping experience with tools for attracting and retaining customers becomes even more vital. That can mean offering the ability to save items in a cart and apply coupon codes to offering a range of payment and shipping choices. Shops that aren't properly set up for online transactions will lose out.

Along with increasing their demands on customer support, consumers have come to expect flexibility when it comes to shipping and delivery. Due to the pandemic, delivery services are expected and many companies are making delivery options part of their core business and arranging Just-in-Time inventory to help reduce costs.

An essential part of today's online shopping experience is the ability to read credible product reviews. That means not just publishing your customers' thoughts about their purchases, but responding to any concerns they might have in the review section. Businesses that demonstrate that they're listening to - and doing something about - complaints develop greater respect from both current and potential customers.

The pandemic has moved more employees into a virtual work environment, which can actually improve customer service. Call centers don't need a physical location when reps can connect to the network from home. With the right communications tools, businesses can be more responsive and nimble.

The pandemic has put great pressure on businesses, but it has also presented them with great opportunities… TCI can help your efforts to exploit better technology go smoothly. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

When it comes to communications and collaboration, the DC region’s fastest moving businesses choose solutions that give them choices.

TCI’s flexible, easy-to-use cloud service is powered by Mitel, making us the choice of public and private sector customers across the region. Supporting ‘anywhere’ connections, our TCI Host service supports their office-based, remote and hybrid workers across the country.

Industry experts and customers of all sizes are reinforcing our choice of a Mitel-powered platform over any other provider for our clients:

Just 4 more reasons to choose TCI Host - powered by Mitel - for all your communications needs… Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.