Would you migrate to UCx or Shortel 1

[lvNortel]

I have installed Nortel for years and it is solid as a rock. I have so many systems and handsets etc. installed.

I am looking to the future, what would you do? Migrate to UCx or Shortel or someone else? I must have something to work with that is equa or better in reliability, ease of customer use etc, etc. to replace my beloved Nortels.

What have you done?

Thanks

 

[GordonKapesMZ4]

I've heard that call parking is non existent on shoretel, is that correct?

Call parking on UCx works exactly like Norstar, BCM and CS1K. In additon, you can choose a series of numbers to use for call park. You are not limited to the 101-109 or 701-709 etc range.

The display then reads out "parked on 525". Then you go to any phone in the system and dial 525 to retrieve the call. You even get a number announced through the handset saying where the call is parked for phones that don't have displays such as analog sets.

You will eventually be able to set up parked calls to mimic lines similar to how a key system shows lines.

Are both of these options available on Shortel? I am not well versed in their equipment.

****New Forum - E-Metrotel UCx****
Joseph Sus-Nortel Installer/Programmer-"JoetheUCxguy" on Youtube

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/joe-sus/12/1a7/856

 

[Splic3d]

The powers to be will research to see if they want to add it to our product lines. They will get the standard info - packaging, cost, certification req. and ect.

http://www.i3techgroup.com

Avaya/Nortel/NEC/Asterisk/Access Control/CCTV/DSX/Acti

 

[BombOne]

you can park on shoretel. its a pain though, you have to park it on an extension, and to pick it up, you need to have an unpark button to press, then dial the extension number it is parked on. if its parked on your phone and you go to it, it will be held on the phone, and you just need to pick it up. Its way harder than Nortel, its my biggest complaint of the Shoretel system.

 

[GordonKapesMZ4]

I know Nortel styled call parking is especially useful in retail stores, both on meridian one and Norstar BCM. Our Walgreens stores tried to mimic the Norstar call parking at our stores on Cisco sets but it still isn't as easy. You actually have to press transfer then type 101 and then Announce a call parked on 101. Strange thing is, you will dial 101 no matter what and then get a notice if that number is taken and then you have to dial 102 or 103 etc!

You'll hear the Nortel call parking code at stores like Safeway and jewel osco....

I remember when Dominick's was still a local grocery chain in 1991 and they installed the fancy new Meridian modular sets and announced "bakery you have a call parked on 578" or "mr smith call parked on 543" and everyone else was just doing the line 1 or line 2 method. I went back to a Walgreens Store and tried feature 74 and announced a call on 101 and everyone thought I was crazy! Now it's our standard, but I am still a Pee on lol!

I will say the UCx far outshines the competition when it comes to call parking...

****New Forum - E-Metrotel UCx****
Joseph Sus-Nortel Installer/Programmer-"JoetheUCxguy" on Youtube

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/joe-sus/12/1a7/856

 

[phoneguy610]

i do love the old nortel method

avaya has something nice but it takes up buttons

they use park slots so park 1 2, 3 etc which all have a button


there is a way to emulate the nortel way with ipo also but i have not set it up yet

ddcommllc.com
Avaya/Toshiba/Nortel

ACIS

 

[lvNortel]

Well I am back into all of this thread and all of these wonderful replies. Boy if I could I would take the old Nortel company and bring it back to life but that is just a dream. Shame on them for their bad mistakes that caused them to have gone out of business. I just imagine what kinds of inovative things they would have come up with if they were still in business.

For my small one man company I am sticking with Nortel and the T7316es. There is plenty new and preowned on the market to last for years to come. Look how long Partner has been around, what 30 years now?

Have you guys talked with your clients to see what the average employee or busy secretary likes in a telephone handset. Well from what I have seen it is ease of use and quick training for them and their employees. I find that I an set up voice mail and train a new users in less than 10 minutes and they are easily able to train people who come after them.

Regarding the question of handsets I feel that trying to make a phone into a computer like device with a display and multiple menus is not very popular with customers. The smart design of the t7316e with so many buttons allows me to custom design all of my installs with the feature codes that are going to be used. This way the customer does not have to bother with feature codes just tap a button.

From what I see when I watch my clients use the phone is that they don;t care about the style but they want functionality and ease of use. Some of my clients even request the old M series.

I populate a t7316e with the following features:

VOICE MAIL
TRANSFEER TO VOICE MAIL
VOICE MEMO
INTERRUPT VOICE MAIL
CALL FORWARDING
CALL LOG
3 WAY CONFERANCE
CALL RECORD
PICK-P
SPEED DIAL
REDIAL
INTERCOM
TRANSFER
LINE 1
LINE 2
DISPLAY ADJUSTMENT
TIME & DATE
PARK
PAGE
DO NOT DISTURB
PRIVACY
MUSIC
FLASH

This seems to cover what my clients want. Of course the receptionist has the KIM attached and other special things. Some Call Center sites are just suing 7208's because they have limited use.

What are your clients saying. Most of my new clients have sucg ratty old sets that the T series always gets raised eyeborws of delight form them. The new IP style sets are to complicated.

A phone is a phone and not a computer.

Ok my fingers are tired now.

I am interested in what you guys have to say!

Thanks

 

[lvNortel]

Just one more thing. My background 20 years ago was call center operations and training so I do know something about how people react to telephone technology which is why I replied the way I did. I listen and watch my clients very closely when they use their phones and I learn all I can about their organizations.

 

[exsmogger]

I haven't worked in the field for over 10 years. The end users I talk with on the phone mainly want: 1 - To dial someone and talk. 2 - Voicemail. Some want to integrate voicemail messages with their email client, but that's about as "complicated" as they want.

IP sets aren't that useful on site, but are a great convenience to connect remote users to the company phone system. That is the primary advantage the BCM has over the MICS.

Given our economic climate I expect Norstar equipment to still be available for many years to come. It's reliable and does what the majority of users want.

Brian Cox
Georgia Telephone

http://Georgia-Telephone.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/briancox1952

 

[lvNortel]

Yes, I agree. Answer, Hold, Page, Park, Voice Mail, Transfer. Other than that the avergae small and even my 300+ plus clinets just watn to use the phone to make a call. I thought that I would be loaded with orders for unified messaging sending voice mail to emails. Here is what I found. The clients are having so much trouble keeping up with their own emails that they do not the voice mails to get lost in their in boxes. They want to listen to a message and then forward it or delet it. End os story. I have only sold a single client on unified messaging.

 

[phoneguy610]

one unified messaging? Voicemail to email comes free with the avaya ip office, and even with nortel we sold that heavily. Maybe we have different customer bases? I found that lawyers, accountants, marketing firms, and even a good amount of doctors find that getting their voicemail as an email to their smartphone is the greatest thing and could not live without it.

Also now with the applications that avaya makes for smartphone and tablet and the sip Bria applications (im sure plenty of other sip ones i just happen to like bria) people are going to start wanting more mark my words lol.

I love the t series and how easy to use they were. But every time ive demoed the app on my iphone that basically becomes my desk phone customers are blown away by it. The ipad app that all you have to do is drag peoples faces into the center of the screen to initiate a conference call.

Your right i still encounter the secretaries that have been answering their m series phone for 25 years and have no desire to let it go, but they must adapt. Or theyd still have a switchboard as their desk.

ddcommllc.com
Avaya/Toshiba/Nortel

ACIS

 

[phoneguy610]

there is even a desktop application that does a screen pop for the receptionist when she gets a call. At that point she just has to click and drag the call to where she wants to transfer it.

Really cool stuff

ddcommllc.com
Avaya/Toshiba/Nortel

ACIS

 

[GordonKapesMZ4]

Well lvNortel, The E-Metrotel guys are all Nortel guys, comprised of people from every direction there. They went through the terrible layoffs and they are now hopeful they can continue the "Evergreen" tradition. I for one know with my discussions on the phone with E-Metrotel, I've talked to the guy who worked on developing the i2002 and i2004 sets, another guy who worked on developing routers and wireless devices such as the BES and BAP series products, another guy who was sent around the world to work in different offices for Nortel, another guy who built the sound chamber that all the Meridian phones were tested in, another guy worked on programming the Meridian One and CS1K, and lastly one guy I talk to all of the time was one of the lead programmers on BCM. It's been great talking to some of them and hearing their Nortel stories. So in a weird way the company does live on with these guys....and of course the small crew at Avaya who are Nortel expats.

I think the naysayers on here needs to give the Emetroguys a call and listen to their Nortel stories....they aren't just businessman with no telecom background trying to run a business. They are NORTEL guys.

And if you want the Avaya product, I know many of the former engineers work on the IP Office platform so support them too with IP Office, but why not CS1000 either? That product has an indefinite lifespan, you can still get a mini that mimics the Option 11C!......but I can't say I've heard positive things from those guys about the IP Office. One former engineer mentioned to me that working on the IP Office is like opening the hood of a Domestic vehicle when they were used to a BMW or Mercedes. They too desire for the old days of Nortel blue.


****New Forum - E-Metrotel UCx****
Joseph Sus-Nortel Installer/Programmer-"JoetheUCxguy" on Youtube

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/joe-sus/12/1a7/856

 

[GordonKapesMZ4]

Hey and by the way, I know some of you don't want a product from a new company that just came into being....and that's a valid argument.

BUT TO SUM UP ALL OF MY COMMENTS ON HERE:

If you are happy with the Nortel phones themselves and you bleed Nortel blue:
I'd recommend going with your old stand bys such as Avaya or Refurbished MICS/CICS and BCM's.....why switch to Shortel when you can still get support for an extended time on Nortel products......especially BCM.

If not, go to Shortel or the many other options out there as well such as Toshiba, Siemens, LG-Ericsson, Cisco, Vertical, Mitel, etc. give them all a try...

****New Forum - E-Metrotel UCx****
Joseph Sus-Nortel Installer/Programmer-"JoetheUCxguy" on Youtube

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/joe-sus/12/1a7/856