Integration problems

[tebbing]

Hello everyone. I'm originally from the planet Nortel. My company (a fairly large hospital) has purchased a new VoIP phone system from Avaya. We have integrated the two systems with the hopes to eventually phase out the Nortel completely (eventually). We have modular messaging on both the Nortel and Avaya and they are networked to pass messages and such back and forth. We always have little quarky things like the lamps on the Nortel sets will not light up. Everytime we call our vendor, they complain and drag their feet saying they will have to charge us $95 an hour for them to look at our Nortel.

Here is my *itch about this whole thing. We voiced our concerns at the start of this project with the solution they had proposed. Over and over and over again, they told us "it will be completely seemless... your employees will never even notice".

When everyone in my hospital can't call the operator, pick up parked calls, the MWI don't light on the Nortel phones, etc. etc.... my employees... well let's just say they noticed.

It goes without saying that I'm frustrated. I have a call to speak with my account rep (who was not the person who proposed/sold the system). I need some guidance. I want to be fair, but at the sametime, I need to be firm.

Are these problems typical for these types of integrations?

Sorry for the ramble, but I'm at the end of my rope.

 

[dufus2506]

As you say, integration with a Nortel system is a pain in the neck. However, having said that, this sounds more like lousy professional services than system integration problems. Nothing you've mentioned looks like it's anything more than poor implementation. It all sounds very fixable.


This can't be their first time to this dance. I'd be holding the vendor's feet to the fire. Don't ask for assistance. Give them instructions. Insist on action. Set deadlines for either completed fixes, or updates about what they've done towards the fix.

If you haven't remitted the last payment, don't. Hold the last payment until your punchlist is cleared. If you have, don't let that be an issue. Be sure to have a complete list of items to repair, and forward them to the vendor's project manager. Tell them that the implementation isn't done until that punchlist is addressed.

If the vendor's project manager isn't responsive, ask for their manager's name and number. Don't agree to any more charges. This should be taken care of as part of the professional services they charged you for at implementation.



Carpe dialem! (Seize the line!)

 

[mikeydidit]

Any time you throw too many things into the mix, yep you are going to have little pita things come up. Its just how it goes. These were not (on either side) designed with the thinking, well lets do this to ours so it will play nice with the Avaya or Nortel.

And its not just this application. Your add ons get just as bad sometime. Fax severs using a HP server running someone else software using a Dialogic card. Its just as bad. Its Not our problem, is usually heard from everyone in the mix.

I also work for a hospital so I feel your pain. In your situation I would visit the Nortel forum here on TT and see if some of those guys can help make the two play together. At least as much as they will. I also think that one or the other solution will work fine without the other. So thats where i would concentrate my efforts. The sooner you can cut completely off the Nortel the better life will be on you.

I would also contact my vendor and ask for the Avaya they sold you. Sales will sell the world and leave it to someone to fix what they sold. Happens everyday. But again if i were in your position I would place a call to them letting them know of the problems. Ask for a time line for someone to be on site or at least someone dialing in remotely.

And have them contact you with what can and can not be integrated. if you do not get satisfaction, then go up higher until you do.

If you get to the point you need some help on the Avaya side, just post your questions here. We have a lot of BP's and others who are very knowledgeable on Avaya systems here.

When is the last time you helped someone, just because you were able to?

For the best response to a question, read faq690-6594

 

[tebbing]

I appreciate the feed back. I'm certainly not a Nortel lover/expert, but it's what I'm most familiar with. Purchasing the Avaya was a big step for me, but there have been sooooo many little "gotchas" that it just seems never ending. I did call the vendor with my boss and we had a somewhat "direct" meeting. I'm not sure if it will help, but at this point it can't hurt. I'm just hoping that we can get our second and thrid phases of the project completed before December so these problems can be done once and for all! LOL

 

[turtlezzz]

I am curious to know what Nortel platform you are running and what voip gateway you purchased.

I am in the process of researching integration as I have Nortel 61 and going to g450 avaya and wnated to see what we require to integrate the two as I don't want to phase out the nortel right away. Any input is greatly appreciated

 

[tebbing]

We have a Nortel Option 11 and integrated it with a Nortel S8500

 

[jimbojimbo]

Not sure of your exact scenario but there are a couple of items that stand out.

1. When was this installed? Starting with Modular Messaging 5.0 Avaya supports multiple systems/multiple switch integrations so you would only need 1 modular messaging.

2. Updates are a big one. Avaya has released a variety of updates. There are also a significant number of Microsoft updates that should be loaded. Often there is the "it is the customers responsibility" attitude to get the updates loaded. This should be part of your training.

3. Modular Messaging has the capability to audit the Message Waiting Indicators. I believe this can be set up to run on a routine basis so if for some reason you have a failure to light the MWI it will try again.

4. Is the MWI service failing. Verify the MWI service is running.

5. You should be under a software support contract. If you can't get your vendor to fix it contact Avaya.