Having good communication in an organization can greatly change the quality of life for everyone inside it. Technology improves communication, but at the end of the day, communication is about people.
Our team at TelNet is driven to help improve communication. There are many people working behind the scenes to build solutions with leading technology used to simplify communications.
We want to introduce you to some of the team members who work to make the communications part of your job easier.
Meet Tim Carr. Tim is a Solutions Engineer at TelNet Worldwide. He works with our customers to help build customized solutions that meet their specific needs. In other words, he translates what you want your phone and communications systems to do into which systems and features you need and how to make it happen so that it is simple for your team.
What is your role at TelNet?
My role is to help clients and agents and clients navigate through selecting and installing the right system and features to meet their specific needs.
Our sales team brings me in as the subject matter expert to help learn what each customer is currently using and what their needs are for functionality, integrations, data networking, and things of that nature. I help head off as many problems before the customer signs on the dotted line, as opposed to trying to figure it out after the fact, especially for more complex installs or installs that require integrations to other platforms.
Every customer is unique. Even each location within an account can be unique. They need ring patterns, the ability to move around in certain areas, and functionality in each place. So we customize each plan. We ensure the specific information is flowing properly. We want things to show up on their phone how they want and then inform them at any time.
I explain I answered questions. I go in with an open mind I actually ask a lot of questions of customers typically because I want to understand their function, format, and what current communication issues they have. So I ask many more questions about how they operate and how their phone system operates.
Does your role stop once someone signs a contract?
My role is kind of twofold, both pre and post-sales. We aren’t just interested in your experience in the beginning – we are here to support you.
After we help a customer figure out the best solution for their needs and the customizations needed to make it work how they need, we go through the configurations and make sure that we’ve got everything right.
With complex systems, getting everything perfect the first time is rare. We discover a lot of things in the process of migrating a customer from an older platform to a newer solution.
Often, people don’t understand how things were routed in the past; maybe a legacy telecommunications person or IT person has moved on. So we discover things about their old system that they were unfamiliar with and need to be included.
Our team and setup are built to handle that kind of flexibility. We don’t want customers stuck because they can’t anticipate every little customization. The end users just want the system to work the way they need it.
So for 60 days after the installation. We have a TelNet program called concierge service. During that time, new customers can email the same team, me, the provisioners, and the project managers that installed their system to make tweaks for you. We know all the intricacies and details. After that time, we will help you transition to the regular support team, who will help you with future adjustments and changes.
Life isn’t all work and no play; in your role, you travel all over Michigan to support installations. What are some of your favorite discoveries?
- Isle Royale National Park – I backpacked with a couple of friends here, and it’s absolutely splendid. There are wolves and moose on the island. Sightings are common, but trek a very wide path for either.
- Alpena “Fresh Waves” Art panels. https://www.downtownalpenami.com/fresh-waves-mural-project.html. My wife, Paulette, and I took the idea back to the artist organization that we are Co-Executive Directors in Otsego, MI. We wrote a grant to fund a similar riverfront walkway and other city improvements.
- Glen Arbor Area, Sleeping Bear Dunes/Homestead Resort – This is an outdoor lover’s play area. They have it all, from hiking to golfing, to great roads for motorcycle runs, to skiing, to snowshoeing, and snowmobiling in the winter.
- Gilmore Car Museum – https://gilmorecarmuseum.org/
- Beaver Island There is some nice camping and interesting history here. (Protar )
- Disc Golf course on Mt. Zion, Ironwood, MI – I love disc golf. This course is nice but challenging. What sets it apart is the awesome views.
- Fishtown Leland, MI – This is the quintessential spot for fresh fish and shopping. https://www.fishtownmi.org/
- Hell, MI – Just to say you’ve been there and back (on my motorcycle) or when it’s frozen over. (Not on my motorcycle.)
- Artprize in Grand Rapids – There is a fantastic, diverse display of installations.
- Soo Locks – I love to grab some food and a brew at Karl’s Cuisine and watch the ships slowly rise and lower along their way.
Thanks to Tim for sharing some behind-the-scenes info and favorite off-the-beaten-path spots around Michigan.
We are more than cables, cords, and clouds. We believe in the power of connection (and yes, maybe pies and snacks too!) Get to know more about TelNet Worldwide and our work culture. But most of all, we’re proud of the work we do because, at the end of the day, we’re leaving the world a bit more connected than it was before.
