Online forums have been bringing industries together for decades. They are a great way to foster a sense of community and encourage peer-to-peer interactions. Overall, they improve the engagement of similar players in the industry. 

The Bicom Systems Partner Forum launched early in the year of 2021. The forum is exclusive to resellers, distributors, and partners of Bicom Systems. We found many users who think alike and ask similar questions, so we created a safe space for all. 

There are many benefits to forums and reasons why people use them. When your immediate network of friends and family can not help you, forums are a great way to connect you to strangers who understand what we’re talking about, how you feel and what you need.

The similarity between members is what makes forums so successful. We like ‘people like us’. Moms want to talk to other moms. Food bloggers with chefs. Fitness groups who share a passion for healthy living. People like to share a connection, a sense of trust and understanding.

Don’t believe us? Take a look at a few threads we gathered to showcase as examples. 

EXAMPLE # 1 – Billing Biz

Partner #1 asks:
“What are other partners using to bill for Toll-Free and International usage from PBXware CDRs?”

The partner was looking for recommendations for external billing solutions compatible with the Bicom Systems software suite. Responses from other resellers and distributors came flooding in!

Response #1:
“Hi Partner, we offer a fully featured billing platform for Telco CDR Rating and UCaaS Billing. It is a very flexible and easy-to-implement platform. Please feel free to email me; we would be happy to help!”

Response #2:
“Hey, Partner! We recommend this billing system, and I built a macro in Excel to tear down the CDR report from the Bicom Systems platform, and it sorts out only the billable minutes! Our billing structure is set up and most of our customers are set to unlimited usage, so, there is not a huge file to parse. That being said, I imagine you could work with them to build something that fits your needs using the Bicom Systems API.”

Response #3: “We use a Bicom Systems partner, Bandwidth!” 

And just like that, the partner has many options and recommendations to sort through. Forums like this are extremely helpful because companies have different needs and desires. But at the same time, people share their personal experiences so users can trust their endorsements.

EXAMPLE #2 Old Age Hardware

Premium Partner Asks:
“I wonder if anyone ran into a situation where you had an implementation of a nursing home or a hotel, and they wanted to keep their old wireline infrastructure for the Rooms. What solutions do you propose for this?”

Response #1:
“Hi, Partner! Hopefully, I understand you correctly. We had a client with many analog lines/wires and phones that they needed to keep but wanted to move to VoIP/PBXware. We ended up going with the rack-mountable 48-port Grandstream GXW4248.

The 48 port unit comes with two 50-pin Telco connectors, which the customer already had in place, so these replaced what was already there nicely. If needed, we could have broken these connectors into individual wires and spliced them using a punch-down block or individual button splices. The smaller units appear to have analog jacks, which is also an option.

The GUI of this device is super intuitive and easy to use. Each analog wire pair has a section in the interface to add your SIP Username, SIP Password, and Server Address credentials. You are basically done/registered unless you want a more detailed configuration (various timers, auto-hot-dial, etc.).”

Response #2:
“The Grandstream ATA is the way to go! I have 300 patient rooms run remotely from MT PBXware. Those ATAs are always in my toolbox. You can’t beat ‘em.”

Response #3:
“We have also used the same Grandstream solution in some large Adult Living Facilities. As others said, they are a reliable and solid solution.”

As we see above, not only do we have a strong recommendation, but other partners also backed it! This example perfectly showcases the benefits of an online community such as a forum. 

Are you a Bicom Systems partner and NOT part of the forum? Connect with our Business Success team here, and they can get you started. Are you interested in becoming a Bicom Systems partner? Contact our Sales team for a free demo! 

Let’s Connect.
📞 +1 (647) 313 1515
📧 sales@bicomsystems.com
💻 www.bicomsystems.com/contact-us   

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In a previous blog post, we covered the 4Ps of Marketing in Unified Communications. As we mentioned, technology and best practices for marketing have advanced since the original Ps were established. Therefore, Booms and Bitner discovered three more factors that could extend the marketing mix.  

• People
• Process
• Physical Evidence

And with that, the 7P’s of Marketing were born. Let’s explore them!

People👫

Many corporations want to come across as customer-centric but as a UC industry reseller, you generally sell B2B. Even though those businesses are still your customers, your people are extremely important.

In the marketing mix, people refer to anyone involved directly or indirectly with your company. Think of your employees, customers, and AI chatbots on your website. The success of your brand and the overall satisfaction of your customers come down to who represents your company. Ensure your people are polite, professional, and fully trained on your product suites. Your company’s people must uphold their reputation in their office or on a trade show floor.

Process↔️

The process represents the in-between time from the sale of the solution to when your customer is fully up and running using it. Think of your current strategy and consider the following questions.

When you onboard a new customer from another platform:

• Do they experience any downtime? 
• Is it a quick switch? 
• Do you offer in-depth training?
  

The more seamless and personalized your process is, the happier your customers will be! For example, hosted solutions are designed to save time, and therefore, you can virtually install a solution in a few quick and secure steps. With no customer-premise-equipment and no need for staff to visit your customer’s location, things will move along swiftly. If switching is not seamless, it may be time to reconsider who your provider is. 

Physical Evidence🕵️

As we explore the final P, physical evidence, it is important to note we are not talking about evidence found at a crime scene. Ha! Yes, physical evidence provides a reference of proof of purchase, but it also covers your brand’s existence.  

Physical evidence includes your:

• Website
• Social Media
• Logo & Branding
• Trade Show Booth 
• Office Building
• Packaging 
• Post-Purchase Initiatives 

Each element is extremely important because it helps your customers identify your business. Together, current and future customers can trust that your company is reliable, trustworthy, and legit. Stay consistent with your messaging, colors, and overall brand. 

We covered all seven P’s in the marketing mix; what do you think of yours? Have you considered the additional benefits of exploring the three listed? Navigate through all seven points and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. 

Learn why you should be a UCaaS Reseller and be a part of this ever-growing, million-dollar industry by becoming a Bicom Systems partner today. 

Let’s Connect.
📞 +1 (647) 313 1515
📧 sales@bicomsystems.com
💻 www.bicomsystems.com/contact-us  

Global digital operator Veon Ltd has announced that Banglalink, its operating company in Bangladesh, is rolling out next generation 4G networks nationwide across Bangladesh, with a launch reportedly now taking place in a major city.

The new mobile network is being rolled out over the next few months. Veon says it will typically double internet speeds once available.

With 92.8% of internet users in Bangladesh relying on 4G to access digital services, the availability of high-speed, high-quality digital connectivity through Banglalink will benefit the economic development of Bangladesh, the company adds.

The new Banglalink 4G network uses the 2.3GHz spectrum it procured when it doubled its spectrum allocation in April 2022, employs the latest time division duplex (TDD) technology, and has involved the deployment of 3,000 new base stations to provide a total of 14,000 sites across the country.

Banglalink says it is the first mobile operator in Bangladesh to deploy the next-generation TDD technology. The TDD network will, it says, improve the speed and availability of digital communications across Bangladesh while providing higher connection quality for users of Banglalink’s health, education and entertainment digital services.

The network is being systematically rolled out across the country and is reportedly now being launched in Khulna, Bangladesh’s third largest city. The launch was supported by vendor partner ZTE and will provide an upgraded 4G service to Banglalink customers in the city.

According to the Data Centre Dynamics website, the operator’s existing 4G LTE network first went live in February 2018, in the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands.