29 Oct 2014

Smart App Allows Coaches to Track and Assign Goals for their Student Athletes

By Janet Dufour
San Diego, CA - October 23, 2014 - Every team has goals, every player has goals, every Coach knows that goals result in better performance. Whether those goals are physical or academic, everyone knows proper goal setting works.  Unfortunately, the ability to monitor and track goal progress is not as easy as it would seem.  Coaches can teach their players to set goals, but usually the best result is a goal sheet taped to the inside of a gym locker.  How often the goals are read is hard to determine and making sure they were written down correctly isn't always easy.  My Goal Mine, a web based service and fully functional application, provides student athletes, teams, and their coaches, a platform to track and accomplish all of their goals.

My Goal Mine's web based platform and App allows student athletes to set SMART goals, allows coaches to track their goal progress, and even allows coaches to assign goals. By assigning goals, a coach can help a player in an area that needs attention, such as having a player read for two hours a day, or see a tutor for a specific subject they might be having trouble with.,  The coach can then track the progress.  Every day the player opens their email, or the My Goal Mine APP to read their goals, the player gets a point. The teams coach has a dashboard showing how many goals each player has and how many points they have accrued.   Student Athletes can even share their goal achievement or show their peers what goals they are trying to obtain by posting on Social Media sites such as Facebook.
The Goal Setting Platform provides businesses such as popular local Eateries, local Real Estate Agents, Sporting Goods Shops, or other SMBs the ability to sponsor the high school or college.  The sponsorship is affordable and provides sponsors the ability to reach the local student athletes by having their logo and hyperlink displayed on each players' goal setting page.   Every day the student athletes read their goals, the local SMB gets an impression.  Moreover, when a student athlete wants to share goal achievement--or goals they are trying to accomplish--on a Social Media platform such as Facebook, the SMB is recognized as the schools sponsor.  This high exposure, affordable sponsorship will allow every student athlete and coach across the nation to have a web/APP based goal setting program.  The school wins, the players win, and the local SMB wins. It is truly a win/win/win situation.

In the first beta test of the My Goal Mine App student athletes reported a raise in GPA by a full .6; meaning if a student was getting a 2.0, it jumped to a 2.6 by the end of the season.  The power of goal setting is the surest way to elevate performance. Every business owner knows the importance of goals; and fortunately with todays' technology, local business owners can help every player across the nation learn and reap the benefits of proper goal setting.

To help your local student athletes please visit: www.my-goalmine.com.

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02 Jul 2013

What Happened to My Data? Midland Communications Explains the Dangers of Insufficient Backup Procedures

By Janet Dufour

DAVENPORT, IA - June 27, 2013 - Today's businesses are operating at a blistering pace and IT infrastructure has become the backbone of small to mid-sized businesses across the nation. The complexity and strain placed on networks has exposed SMBs to greater security threats than ever before. Natural disasters, power outages, employee errors and failed system upgrades all pose significant threats to the network and failing to address these risks can cause severe network damage and immobilize a company for hours, days or weeks. The best way to combat this dynamic is to understand the risks, address the problem, and make sure the proper precautions have been taken.

One of the risks most easily mitigated is when data simply hasn't been backed up. Oftentimes organizations fail to have a regular backup procedure in place, whether partially or completely, and having a data backup program can help get around this issue. According to Symantec's 2011 SMB Disaster Preparedness Survey, "only half [of SMBs] back up at least 60% of their data, meaning they would lose 40% of their data in the event of a disaster. In addition, organizations often fail to back up corporate PCs, or take an "all or nothing" approach if it can't be all-inclusive. For example, of those surveyed, 31% don't back up email, 21% don't back up application data, and 17% don't back up customer data." The biggest benefit in having a process in place is that employees never have to redo work. If data is ever lost, it can be recovered rather quickly and with minimal effort.

Another risk to address is failing to protect branch offices or telecommuters. "Out of sight, out of mind," doesn't exactly fare too well in the corporate arena. When businesses are subject to compliance or regulatory standards, they must ensure that all company endpoints are protected in an appropriate fashion. When there is a centralized IT support staff, they can often overlook users that are not primarily in the office, as in the case of salespeople for example.

Failure to consistently backup company data is another common oversight. The benefit of having an automated or regularly scheduled backup is paramount. According to Enterprise Security Group, even with all the advancements in storage technology, only about 20% of backup jobs are successful. This is exactly why consistency and frequency are such key metrics in evaluating any backup solution.

Utilizing outdated equipment such as tape or disk media poses a threat as well in that these solutions are hardware, meaning that they can be lost, stolen or improperly stored. Any of those situations usually results in irretrievable data, therefore rendering that equipment useless when a recovery is most needed.

Today's business continuity and disaster recovery solutions address these risks and provide a software-based solution that virtualizes all data to the cloud. This enhances overall performance by providing greater accuracy, efficiency, security and archiving functionality to a business's disaster recovery plan. Simply put, technology has come too far for SMBs to have to deal with the notion of losing important data and risking going out of business. With today's powerful solutions and the assistance of a trusted IT advisor, SMBs can protect themselves, their employees and their customers' data from these threats.

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.

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31 May 2013

Midland Communications Launches a Mobile Device Management Program to Monitor and Secure Devices That Are Attached to Customer Networks

By Janet Dufour
DAVENPORT, IA - May 30, 2013 - Midland Communications, a leading unified communications provider, announced today that the company has launched a Mobile Device Management Program to Monitor and Secure Devices that are attached to customer networks. With the proliferation of Smart phones and tablets in today's business world, companies need a way to monitor and secure mobile devices that enter their company space. Whether a mobile device is company-issued or employee-owned, Mobile Device Management (MDM) is the fastest, most comprehensive way for organizations to centrally secure devices and protect their networks from intrusion.
Smartphones are here to stay and businesses need to be certain that they have an infrastructure established to bring these devices into the workplace. According to The Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, "the growth of global mobile data traffic in 2012 is up 70%" from the previous year and when comparing Mobile traffic in 2012 versus entire Internet in 2000 we find that mobile traffic today has twelve-folded that of the entire Internet in 2000."
The best MDM solutions perform several functions and have a set of unique characteristics which make them the best fit for small to medium-sized businesses. First, they must integrate into existing networks well. Many MDM solutions integrate seamlessly into enterprise systems and don't require on-site servers or network reconfiguration. Another trait of a great solution is the ability to remotely locate, lock and wipe lost or stolen devices. This is vital for enhancing security, especially in an environment with shared data and content. Many solutions rely on encryption settings and established passcodes in order to monitor device compliance and detect potentially unsafe devices before they make it on the network.
"The growth of mobile is representative of a culture shift where people expect instant communication and want to be connected," stated stated Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications. "This has tremendous implications for our industry and as we've noticed this evolving over the years we knew that our customers needed some way to bring security and data management to their networks. That's exactly why we have spent substantial time, effort and energy investing in leading edge technologies so our customers can be better equipped to protect their businesses. We consider it our duty to equip our customers with the best technology tools available, so they constantly have a leg up on their competitors. In the end, making them successful, keeps us successful and prolongs our relationship."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.
05 Apr 2013

Is Your Organization Protected Against the Risks of Technology?

By Janet Dufour
Midland Communications  Explains the Right Way to Invest in Communications Technology Today

DAVENPORT, IA - April 4, 2013 - Making the right investment decision is critical, especially in challenging economic times. It can mean life or death for any small to mid-sized business (SMB). This includes the manner of investing in new technology, because technology brings with it two embedded risks - obsolescence and unforeseen cost.  Technology is a depreciating asset and business 101 teaches us to never pay cash for a depreciating asset. Plus, there is an ongoing and unknown cost to technology after it is implemented within a company. Midland Communications understands these risks and has a unique solution known as the Current Technology Assurance Plan (C-TAP) to overcome them.
C-TAP is designed to increase an organization's profitability and give it a competitive advantage. This technology investment vehicle fixes the cost of technology by bundling together hardware, software, unlimited training and all of Midland Communications' professional services. It's a method of acquiring technology that gives businesses a brand new element of flexibility that is much needed in today's world.
The biggest benefit of the C-TAP program is that businesses no longer face the frustration of paying cash for a depreciating asset. After purchase, it is only a matter of time before new technology becomes obsolete and this program has taken that into account.  Business owners have more control over their technology budget than ever before, because C-TAP allows businesses to add in new hardware, software, equipment, or installation without increasing monthly expense. In the traditional model, businesses do not have this flexibility. For example, if a business was stuck utilizing antiquated PCs and obsolete phone systems, the business owner would simply have to purchase all new equipment via a large capital expenditure. Under C-TAP, companies can add new computers, phones or other technology solutions, while keeping their monthly cost the same. Furthermore, Midland Communications waives any labor or installation fees that would normally be incurred.
"The growth of the C-TAP program is self-perpetuating," stated Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications. "It's a much simpler way of acquiring technology, and our customers love that. Businesses are continually evolving and infrastructure needs to shift with these changes in order to remain competitive. When our customers are able to get the technology they need without being 'nickeled and dimed' and we are able to earn our customers' business month after month, both parties win. We firmly believe that the best way to win our customers over is to enhance their productivity and increase their bottom-line profitability. By partnering with our customers, we see them succeed and that turns into a positive result for everyone."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.

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30 Nov 2012

Midland Communications Helps SMBs Use IRC Section 179 to Benefit From Significant Tax Deduction on New Technology

By Janet Dufour
DAVENPORT, IA - November 29, 2012 - Midland Communications, a leading provider in unified communications, announced today that the company is helping customers take advantage of a large tax-break for small to mid-sized businesses with Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 179. Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if a business owner buys (or leases) a piece of qualifying equipment, he can deduct the full purchase price from his gross income. Essentially, it's an incentive created by the U.S. government to encourage businesses to buy new equipment and invest in their companies.
The recession has taken a toll on many businesses and this program provides a means for business owners to access much needed savings on major purchases of technology equipment, software or business phone systems. If business owners act by December 31st, 2012 they can write-off the entire purchase price of qualifying phone systems in the first year up to $139,000. While every transaction is different and tax professionals should be consulted on specific situations, the potential rewards of this program have nudged many business owners to invest in the technolgy they need to gain a competitive advantage for 2013. This year, Section 179 also extends to cover off-the-shelf software purchases in addition to traditional equipment. Many business owners have installed new business phone systems as a result of this addition to the tax code, because recent breakthroughs in unified communications are enabling businesses to collaborate better, faster and more efficiently with one another.
"We were stunned to find out that so many of our customers had not yet heard of Section 179," commented Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications. "We may specialize in delivering technology solutions to our customers, but we treat our customers like partners. When we find something as powerful as this program we have always considered it to be our duty to share this information to our customers. Our goal is to introduce our customers to technology that not only enhances their productivity, but more importantly increases their bottom-line. That approach has contributed largely to our success over the years and we plan on continuing to serve our customers in a proactive manner for years to come."


ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.


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05 Oct 2012

Jason Smith of Midland Communications Explains Evergreen Contracts

By Janet Dufour
Industry Leader to Lend His Expertise and Years of Experience to Help SMBs Avoid Getting Locked Into Telecom Contracts

DAVENPORT, IA - October 4, 2012 - A vicious trend has developed among prominent carrier service providers called auto-renewals also known as "evergreen" clauses. Evergreen clauses are essentially an agreement between two parties that is automatically renewed or after each contract term, until canceled by the either party. For businesses, this means that you can easily become locked into contracts with poor service providers. Imagine attempting to cancel your services with a current provider, only to find out that you are contractually obligated to continue paying another year for a service you're completely unhappy with.
Hidden in your carrier service contract is language that automatically renews your services, preventing any opportunity to explore options to optimize or reduce cost on your carrier services. Be wary of auto-renewal verbiage sent by the carrier along the lines of: "Unless notified within 90 days of contract expiration date of intent to cancel services, contract will automatically renew for the same term at the same time." Locating the auto-renewal clause can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. One way find this verbiage is to call the customer service line of your carrier service provider to obtain the termination date of your contract and request this in writing. This simple process alone can save you thousands of dollars.
Ironically enough, these contract restrictions are often avoidable. In the case of "evergreen" clauses businesses have two options. On the one hand, you can avoid being locked into contract by making sure that you notify your carrier that you'd like to cancel services in writing, prior to the expiration of the specified term. These can vary from one contract to the next. On the other hand, you can consult with a Unified Communications provider, like Midland Communications, who has been helping businesses deal with "evergreen" contracts for several years. Whichever approach you take, it's vital that you periodically review your carrier service contract and acknowledge the termination date.
"Small to mid-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy and they need all of the help they can get to continue fueling our nation's economic growth," states Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications. "We get a great deal of satisfaction when we can help our customers get out of these contracts and get back on the fastrack to profitability." Midland Communications is a leading unified communications provider that specializes in:
*       Examining current connectivity (phone lines and internet) to analyze cost/effectiveness in order to make recommendations. If you're paying a long distance phone bill, we can eliminate it.
*       Evaluating specific business needs, as they relate to Voice and IT services, and customize solutions accordingly.
*       Most likely if your phone system is more than 3 years old we can cost justify a new system while eliminating the two risks of technology: Cost and Obsolescence.
*       Educating our clients on the advantages of new technology and partner with them to increase their profitability and give them a competitive advantage.
Midland Communications has earned its position as the market leader by educating its customers on technology solutions that either create competitive advantages for them or increase overall profitability.

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.

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29 Jun 2012

Clearfly Communications, Inc. and Midland Communications Announce Strategic Partnership

By Janet Dufour
Companies Team Up to Deliver World-Class SIP Solution

DAVENPORT, IA - June 28, 2012 - Clearfly Communications, the premier carrier and leading national provider of  SIP trunking, announced today the formation of a strategic partnership with Midland Communications, a leading unified communications provider. The companies have aligned in order to provide small and medium size businesses in under-serviced suburban markets with "large business" like voice, data, and mobile services at a cost that is affordable and in a package that is manageable.
SIP is an IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), internet based protocol originally designed for call set-up and control.  According to the SIP RFC, the protocol defines how two or more end-points can negotiate to set up and control a communications connection that suits the capabilities of the devices and the needs of its users.  In simple terms, SIP supports any form of real-time communication regardless of whether the content is voice, video, instant messaging, or a collaboration application.  Additionally, SIP enables users to inform others of their status, their availability, and how they can be contacted before a communication is even initiated.
SIP trunking may deliver a myriad of benefits, yet the driving factor behind its widespread adoption is the substantial cost savings which it provides to entrepreneurs and enterprises alike. Several smaller organizations can leverage SIP trunks in order to gain access to new features and functionality, such as Caller ID, Local DIDs, etc., which were previously excessively expensive or reserved exclusively for large companies. SIP is leveling the playing field and has successfully brought enterprise-class solutions to small to mid-sized business (SMB) looking to compete with larger companies in their industry.
Many larger enterprise sized companies have taken note and are also taking a hard look at SIP trunks. With many large organizations looking for new ways to increase profitability and secure a strong foothold in their industry, SIP is coming under the microscope quite often. SIP improves efficiency and consolidates cost across all areas of an organization's network which makes it much easier for companies to focus on mission-critical areas of the business, rather than funneling money to business communications systems.  In fact, many enterprises are harnessing the power of SIP in order to edge out their competitors and secure their spot at the forefront of their industry.
"Midland Communications is an outstanding match," said Chris Hunter, North American Sales Director for Clearfly Communications.  "Midland Communications is an exemplary organization and we're proud to be working with them. They understand how important it is to provide their customers with quality service and we believe that's why they've been so successful over the past several years."
As a leading provider of Unified Communications solutions, Midland Communications offers an array of technology that helps their customers achieve their strategic business objectives. Now an authorized dealer for Clearfly Communications products, Midland Communications will drive SIP IP PBX sales in the region.

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS
Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.


ABOUT CLEARFLY COMMUNICATIONS
Utilizing the most advanced voice services technology, Clearfly provides SMB (small-medium business) customers with communications service packages that include local, long-distance, toll-free, fax-to-email and Internet access. We also provide our customers with easy to manage services, simple to understand bills, and low flat rate pricing for predictability. For more information please visit www.clearfly.net or call (406) 794-0223.

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27 Feb 2012

Midland Communications Reports Strong Increase in Technology Investment for 2012

By Janet Dufour
Leading Unified Communications Provider Helps Customers Position for Growth

DAVENPORT, IA - February 23, 2012 - Midland Communications, an industry leader in unified communications, announced today that the outlook for technology purchases by small to mid-sized (SMB) companies in 2012 is exceptionally positive. This outlook was confirmed by Technology Assurance Group (TAG), an international association of unified communications providers representing approximately $350 million in products and services. As a premier Member of TAG, Midland Communications is positioned as the dominant force in their marketplace and is able to better prepare and protect its customers for whatever the future holds.
Many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are starting off the New Year by deploying advanced technology in order to secure a competitive advantage early on. Today's SMB needs to be more agile, efficient and better equipped to handle the challenges that 2012 will bring and many business owners are creating a gap between themselves and their competitors by implementing the technology offered by Midland Communications's. "Every sector is experiencing different growth rates, but when we step back and look at the big picture, it becomes clear that overall demand is up, and businesses need to have the tools necessary to gain a foothold in their industry," stated Dale Stein, Co-Founder of TAG.
Midland Communications's unique relationship with TAG, enables them to adopt cutting edge best business practices, deliver innovative programs, and partner with elite technology manufacturers and application service providers. Over the years, Midland Communications has leveraged this relationship to consistently deliver benefits to their customers that are simply unavailable to other technology providers. For example, Midland Communications is able to leverage the buying power of approximately 130 technology providers to receive deep discounts from manufacturers, and provide a lower cost to the customer. The bottom line of this partnership is that Midland Communications is better positioned to enhance employee productivity and increase profitability than any other technology provider in the market.
"We continue to be impressed with Midland Communications's stern commitment to their customers. At the end of the day, business owners are concerned with the bottom line and new technology is pointless if it doesn't increase your overall profitability," commented Stein. "Midland Communications has always focused on this fact and it shapes their recommendations and suggestions when working with their clients. As a result of this approach, their customers continue to thank them and I see a very bright future for Midland Communications," added Stein.
With growth opportunities on the horizon in 2012 many businesses are looking for ways to prepare for the large influx of sales they expect to see. This change will be driven by macroeconomic factors, but will be sustained by a business's ability to keep up with demand. Many businesses are investing heavily in technology and enlisting the help of elite technology providers like Midland Communications to make sure that whenever that wave of sales arrives, they're ready to ride it all the way to the bank.

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

.Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.


ABOUT TECHNOLOGY ASSURANCE GROUP (TAG)

Technology Assurance Group, LLC (TAG) is an international organization of leading independently owned business communications companies. TAG provides its members with the competitive advantages necessary to achieve a dominant position in their marketplace. Members benefit from programs including strategic partnerships with communication solution providers, best business and management practices, and advanced sales training programs.  TAG's mission is to increase its Members' sales and profits through education and to ease their introduction of new technology to the marketplace by leveraging their combined intellect and purchasing power. For more information on TAG, please call 858-673-5800 or visit www.tagnational.com.


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23 Dec 2011

Midland Communications Helps Law Firms Go Green and Increase Productivity by Utilizing Unified Communications

By Janet Dufour
Leading Business Technology Provider Changes the Way Law Firms Communicate

DAVENPORT, IA - December 20, 2011 - Midland Communications, a leading provider of unified communications, announced today that the company is placing special emphasis on bringing its innovative technology and applications to the rapidly growing legal industry.  Midland Communications has a number of valuable communications and data networking solutions that support the needs of the legal community.  These solutions have the unique ability of increasing productivity while decreasing the firm's carbon footprint because of the significant impact they have on attorney's commute times, marketing efforts, reduction of office space and reduction in operational costs.
"An attorney's time is very valuable and anything we can do to increase their efficiency has a dramatic impact to a law firm," said Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications.  "The utilization of technology solutions like Unified Communications enhances a firm's green initiatives by drastically reducing the use of paper, reducing travel by utilizing video conferencing or web collaboration and allowing attorneys to receive calls, faxes and voicemails anytime, anywhere. This allows attorneys to work from home, at the courthouse or while they are visiting a client at their residence, while still providing the quality experience that both the firm and their clients have come to expect."

Unified Communication solutions provide a number of impressive benefits which increase productivity in law firms. One example is presence management, which informs assistants and partners of where the attorneys are located at all times. Another is call recording, which allows lawyers to save recordings to client files and email them internally. Conference call management integrates with Microsoft Outlook and call attached data tracks who called and other various statistics as well.  Fax-to-email and  the ability to schedule outgoing faxes through a fax server lower telecommunication costs help businesses go paperless. Furthermore, businesses can benefit multiple office connectivity through VoIP, which unifies all incoming and outgoing communication.  Additionally, law firms benefit significantly because attorneys are no longer tethered to a desk when they take advantage of Unified Communications' mobile capabilities. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, enable law firms to increase productivity in a myriad of other ways as well.
The Unified Communications interface has been developed with the end user's specific needs in mind. This essentially means that the front-end of these systems are extremely easy to operate regardless of the individual's age or technical know-how.  The advanced technology is hidden within each solution and may be managed internally by the organization's IT department or by certified team of Unified Communications professionals.
"Legal is a very unique industry and we have partnered with leading Unified Communication manufacturers who make these solutions cost effective by integrating all these capabilities into a single box solution," added Jason Smith. "The types of solutions we offer greatly benefit law firms as well as make the lives of their attorneys easier and less stressful."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS
Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.
25 Oct 2011

Midland Communications Help SMBs Utilize Softphone Technology to Enhance Mobility

By Janet Dufour
DAVENPORT, IA - October 20, 2011 - Midland Communications, a leading unified communications provider, announced today that the company is deploying softphones to help small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) increase their mobility and flexibility. Softphones are the ultimate solution for the road warrior, and they enable workers to function "as if" they're in the office, regardless of their physical location.
Softphones are software programs which enable users to make phone calls over the Internet using their laptop or home computer eliminating the need for a physical instrument. Recently, they have been gaining in popularity among SMBs primarily because they reduce the cost of calls to virtually nothing.  Also, they have a surprising number of ancillary advantages for end users.
Firstly, softphones are extremely easy to setup. Typically they require little more than a bluetooth headset and the proper software, and employees can be up and running in minutes. Softphones can also easily integrate with existing phone systems and leverage all current capabilities. For example, many phone systems in today's market have Instant-Messaging (IM) embedded so co-workers can supply one another with answers to customer service questions on the fly. The goal of softphones is to better connect an organization and create more opportunities for mobility and collaboration.
Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications comments, "softphones are predominantly utilized by companies that desire additional levels of mobility. In an increasingly globalized world, mobility and speed have become even more important to survive and this helps explain why demand is up." Jason also adds "With the call quality equivalent to that of a cell phone, softphones are making a big impact in the technology sector and businesses across all industries are jumping on board. The bottom line with softphones is that they enhance productivity, increase profitability and create a competitive advantage regardless of industry."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS
Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.


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