Phone System Services -Willowbrook, IL 60527

Whether you need a legacy phone system maintained, or an entirely new communications system for multiple offices, Andromeda Technology Solutions is the answer you have been looking for. As our expertise also includes complete data network solutions, you can rest assured that we can fully integrate a communications system that will best leverage your existing or future IT infrastructure.

In many cases, your telephone system is the first thing people will experience when dealing with your business.

• Does it show your company in a good light?
• Is it set up so your clients have a good experience?
• Does it help maximize employee productivity?

Let us show you how a phone system should be set up!

Experience the simplicity of having an experienced company to handle all aspects of your communication systems, letting you focus on running your business.

Contact us or fill out the Request form on this page now to ask us to contact you!

^
Hybrid PBX and IP-based Phone Systems

We support a host of major phone systems—from Avaya, NEC, Panasonic to Toshiba— and are a certified Panasonic dealer for both a traditional PBX system, as well as a true IP-based VoIP system. The beauty of these systems lies in their very extensive feature set (over 800 features) and their mix-and-match capabilities. Each system can mix analog, digital and IP phone sets to match almost any application. Also, each system has extensive functionality built-in for incorporating branch offices, work-at-home employees and other remote workers.

We spend a great deal of time understanding all your requirements, so we can select the system and functions that are exactly what you need.

^
The Phones Become the Network

If you are considering an IP-based telephone system, it is important to understand these systems are more data systems than phone systems. Unlike a traditional PBX system, a VoIP system puts a significant burden on your data network, and requires specific equipment and configuration to ensure everything is running properly.

Many traditional telephone service companies lack the skills to properly install and maintain a VoIP system. Andromeda Technology Solutions excels in all aspects of voice and data, and will ensure you get the system that is right for you.

Whether Cloud-based, Hosted/virtual PBX, or completely on-premises, we have the knowledge AND experience to guide you and implement your voice communication system to perfection.

^
Replacement of Legacy Phone Systems

We have many years of experience upgrading/replacing legacy phones systems from: ComDial, Nortel, Toshiba/Mitel, and Samsung just to name a few. If you would like to experience service from a truly customer-focused organization, call us when you are ready to replace and upgrade your existing legacy telephone system.

			KX-TA KX-NCP KX-TDA KS-TDE
			IP Office Definity Magix Legend Partner
			Aspire Elite IPK I-Series DS/DSX

AndroPedia Tech Library

As part of our service, it is important to keep our client-partners well informed on Telephone system developments, news, and best practices. Here is just a sampling of typical items from our AndroPedia^SM library archive:

There are many options available to you when purchasing a professional telephone system.

And there are many companies out there that want you to purchase your professional phone solutions from them.

So – how do you make sure you are getting the best phone system for your business AND make sure that you are working with a company that puts your interests first?

We’ve put together a list of 5 of the top questions you should ask yourself when it comes to a professional telephone system and the telephone service providers that install them for your business.

5 Questions You Want To Ask Yourself  Before Purchasing A Professional Telephone System

1. What are your 5 year total costs for the system?

This is an important question that is often overlooked when purchasing a professional telephone system. There are many factors that impact total cost but typically there are two different types of systems that you are taking into consideration.

• Hosted VoIP Telephone Systems
• On Premises PBX Telephone Systems

Within those two options there are different options and models but the key difference is where the majority of the hardware exists.

In a hosted or cloud based phone system, you don’t have equipment in the office. Instead it is ‘hosted’ in the cloud. You simply have phones that you plug into the network.

With an on premises solution, your professional telephone system and equipment exist in your office. Most of the time this is in a ‘box’ mounted in your IT closet.

The reason the distinction between these two is important is because they have different costs associated with them.

With hosted VoIP you are essentially paying every month for service to the phones and the software that allows inbound and outbound calls to your network.

With an on premises system, you buy the hardware up front and you pay for telephone lines (POTS lines) to give you connectivity.

To look at costs for each type of system you’ll want to consider recurring monthly service charges, hardware costs and service/maintenance costs.

NOTE: when considering a hosted VoIP phone system, make sure that you find out what your taxes will be each month. Many times, these rates are not included in quotes and can add on hundreds of dollars to your monthly costs.

2. Who owns the equipment?

When it comes to any hardware you are using at the office, it is important to figure out who actually owns the equipment.

With an on premises option, you buy the hardware up front and install it. You own it. Simple as that.

If you choose to go with a hosted solution, you want to look into who actually owns the equipment. Many times, you are renting the phones you use from your service provider. Even if you are only paying $25.00 per phone per month, multiply that out over a year and look at how much you’ve paid to rent out phones you don’t own.

On top of that, if you ever want to switch providers or decide you want to purchase an on premises system, you have to give the phones back and start from scratch. All that money spent on renting equipment is out the door with nothing to show for it.

3. Who is going to help you service your telephone equipment?

Things break – unfortunate but true. So when you are having issues with your phone system, who will you call to come out and service it? How long will it take for technicians to get to your issues? Do you have a dedicated team or is it just whoever is available? Do they offer emergency service?

These are all questions you’ll want to ask anyone proposing their phone solution to you. All too often, business owners are sold on phone solutions that have no local service providers for technical issues.

Different technology vendors work with specific types of systems and you want to make sure you are buying a system that you can get serviced professionally and promptly.

4. Will the telephone solution grow with your business?

Each telephone system has its own list of features and compatibilities. But each one also has specific capabilities when it comes to scaling.

There are specific hardware components in phone systems that limit the number of telephones, calls or mailboxes you can set up at any one time.

If you are purchasing a system today but plan to add a call center next year, you want to make sure that you talk to your vendor about that before you purchase. That way, you can make sure that your solution is capable of that type of growth.

Not only that, depending on your business model and needs, you’ll also want to make sure that you choose a telephone system that best suits your day to day practices which brings us to our fifth question.

5. Does this phone system offer all of the features and functions you need?

Every business has its own needs when it comes to phones. Some are very simple and others are more complex. If you use your phones the way many small to midsized business do, all you’re looking for is a connection, some basic functionality (receptionist phone, easily transfer calls, put people on hold, maybe a conference phone for conference calls etc.).

At the same time, you may have a sales team that is constantly on the road which means you’d like the ability to transfer calls to your cell phone, voicemail-email set up, voicemail to text set up. You may want direct extensions or maybe when an inbound sales call comes in you want every sales person’s phone to ring until someone picks up.

The list of features goes on and on. And that doesn’t even include third party applications that integrate security, presence management and more.

Make sure you are working with a vendor that can help guide you and manage the different functions and features on the market.

Request a Consultation

A Professional Telephone System can be complex but it definitely doesn’t have to be.

If you’re in the right hands with a vendor who makes it a priority to get to know your business and your needs, most of these questions can be answered without an issue.

If you’re thinking about adding to your phone system, switching to a different type of system or you know you need something new but don’t know where to start, our account managers are ready and more than willing to help guide you through the process.

Take the first step and give us a call at the office (815) 836-0030 or fill out the form below and request a phone call with our team.

The post 5 Questions You Want To Ask Yourself (And Your Vendor) Before Purchasing A Professional Phone System For Your Business appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

By now you’ve heard about the increasing threat of cyber criminals. It seems there is some new breach every day with large scale breaches on a weekly basis. Trojan horses, malicious links in emails, phishing scams and ransomware are just a few examples.

We just read an article last week about new apps that allow these criminals to launch attacks on businesses from their smart phones.

Don’t let the news stories fool you either. Just because you don’t have a billion dollar company doesn’t mean you aren’t at the same risk if not a larger risk of being attacked. In fact, most cyber criminals consider the small to midsize market a goldmine. This is due to lower security protocols and focuses by the small/midsize business owner. That “It won’t happen to me”, mentality is your worst enemy.

But, as business owners get savvier and regulations crack down on protocols, cyber criminals turn to other technologies and access points to attack your business.

We wanted to share a few examples of different phone based scams and some tips & tricks on how to avoid them.

The “Can You Hear Me” Phone Scams

These phone scams spread between business owners and consumers where a criminal will call you simply to get you to say “yes”. They record your voice and use this one simple word to sign you up services and approve purchases.
Earlier this year the Better Business Bureau released an alert and warning to the public regarding this scam. They warned of a few different tactics scammers use to get the audio they want. Questions asked might include:

• Are you the homeowner?
• Are you over 18?
• Do you pay the household bills?
• Do you have a home computer?

Calls may come from many different sources but reports have mentioned scammers claiming to be from security companies, cruise lines or sometimes from the government.

You are probably wondering how you can possibly spot these scammers and protect yourself.

A few helpful tips to follow:

• Don’t answer calls from numbers you do not recognize. Far better to send a strange number to voicemail and call back than pick up and engage the scammer.
• Never give out personally identifiable information over the phone if you aren’t sure who is on the other line.
• If you believe you have fallen for a phone scam like this, reach out to your bank and credit card companies to flag your accounts. Check your account daily for any activity and be alert.

The “Vishing” Phone Scams

Vishing is a play on the email technique “phishing” you are probably already aware of. This technique is very similar to the email version where a scammer calls you and attempts to grab personal information by claiming they are from a reputable source or business you already engage with.

For example, have you ever gotten an email from your bank claiming your account has been compromised? The email then prompts you to click a link and login to confirm your account details or restore credibility?

Criminals apply this same technique to the phone.

One of the most popular applications of this scam is connected to the IRS. Your phone rings and even the caller ID may read IRS or some government related contact. When you pick up the phone you may hear a recording informing you that you are under investigation or that the IRS has located discrepancies in your taxes. They may ask for specific information to confirm your identity before connecting you to an agent such as

• Social security info
• Birth date
• Address information
• And more . . .

Again, there are a few ways you can spot these calls and protect yourself from these types of phone scams.

First, never call a phone number presented to you in an email or over the phone. If your bank calls you, call them back on their official number. The same goes for credit card companies or the IRS.

Second, credit card companies and government agencies typically refer to you by your full name. If you receive a call and the recording or person on the other line uses anything but your full name, be on guard.

Third, there is no reason any credit company or even the IRS would call you direct and request information like credit card numbers, routing numbers or social security information. If someone calls you and asks for this, hang up and call their official number (for credit/bank – call the number on the back of your card). If this was a legitimate call the official reps will have knowledge of it, otherwise report the call.

There are a few other types of phone scams or “attacks” criminals will use to interrupt your day or try and steal your info such as Telephony Denial of Services (TDoS) or Toll Scams. We will cover these two and how to respond if you find yourself on the receiving end in a future article.

Until then, stay safe and feel free to reach our team if you have any questions.

Also – check out this database provided by the BBB where you can track local and national scam trends to stay alert and prepared. After all, the best defense is continued education when it comes to cybercrime and phone scams.

The post Popular Phone Scams & How To Avoid Them appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

F-Secure recently published a new report, and their findings are disturbing.

The click rates on spam emails increased to 14.2 percent for the second half of 2017, up from 13.4 percent reported in the first half of 2017.

The increase seems to be driven by two factors.

First, more intense targeting of smartphone users, who are typically more distracted and not paying as much attention when opening and reading emails.

Second, a slight increase in sophistication.� For instance, an email that appears to come from a known sender is 12 percent more likely to be opened and responded to, so hackers are using this approach more often.

Even so, the report isn't all bad news.� While spam is still the most common means of attack, it's highly inefficient, relying on brute force (volume) rather than an abundance of sophistication.� Second, the report reveals that 85 percent of malicious attachments are made up of just five file types:

• *.7z
• *.PDF
• *.XLS
• *.DOC
• *.ZIP

Knowing this, a savvy user who's paying attention can more easily avoid falling into the trap of the hackers.

Other highlights from the report include:

• 46 percent of all spam campaigns are related to online dating
• 23 percent contain the malicious attachments described above
• 31 percent contain links to malicious websites

Sean Sullivan, an F-Secure Security Advisor had this to say about the report:

"We've reduced criminals to spam, one of the least effective methods of infection.� Anti-malware is containing nearly all commoditized bulk threats.� And honestly, I don't see anything coming over the horizon that could lead to another gold rush, so criminals are stuck with spam."

Overall, the report is bad news mixed with some good.� One thing it clearly underscores is the continuing importance of ongoing email education for all employees of companies of any size.

Aggregated