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meister_sd
Premium
join:2006-01-29
La Mesa, CA
| reply to BruceN
Re: [VoiceStick] Well I am back and in charge of VoiceStick
Bruce, welcome back!
I think two of the biggest issues were the free incoming minutes plan was removed and the second, maybe bigger, were the constant changes in the terms that even violated your own TOS, such as advanced notice.
I had been with VS for a few years and when they cut off the free incoming minutes, that is when I stopped being a customer. Mostly because of HOW they did it, not THAT they did it. I would still like that plan brought back.
I believe it was your son who took over here in the forum for a while and while I think he did what he could, it felt that he was being tied down somehow but wouldn't/couldn't say that.
Hopefully things will return to the way they were - great plans, great service, etc... I would also like to hear from you with regards to the things that changed since your departure and what is going to stay changed and what will be changed with your return.
Thanks,
-Mike | |
BruceN
Hi
join:2006-11-17
Roswell, GA
 ·Future Nine Corpor..
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·Comcast
| Thanks for the input. Yes I sent my son Matt out to see if he could calm down some of the insane stuff but the same bully that I had issues with walked all over him (Matt is 16)
But as I mentioned before that person is LONG gone. I know what you mean about "HOW" it was done. Policies changed at whim!
For those that know me, I have a long track record of owning companies, and that is NOT how to make friends or keep business up and moving.
My deal is one where I am ONLY paid in stock, and the stock is ONLY going to go up if I can get this thing back on track (And I will!)Stock is ITUI
I know that customers are the best place to figure out and fix what is wrong! And the bunch up here are without doubt the best.
As to free incoming, I am going to look at it. It is free of course on monthly plans, but is now charged for on pay as you go plans. It was my idea to charge for it, BUT it was supposed to ALSO include a major drop in out bound costs. That part did not happen.
We pay for both incoming and outgoing calls. The calls cost us the same. What we had going on was a large abuser base that made zero outbound and a ton of inbound. My thought was to stem the abuse was to adjust the difference in rates.
We had accounts that had zero income yet costs to us at $200 to $300 a MONTH!!!!!
I have some other MONSTERS that I am going to focus on in the first few days, rates in general are going to take a week or two.
Also we going to change calling switches and NOC locations so that they will be inside of the building (THANK god)
Again, thanks for the input. I need it, and love it!!
Bruce | |
nitzan
Premium,VIP
join:2008-02-27
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| said by BruceN  :I know that customers are the best place to figure out and fix what is wrong! And the bunch up here are without doubt the best. On that, you're definitely right. I am glad to see that finally some other companies are starting to realize this. 
I do have a personal account with VS, but I have pretty much stopped using it once I got sick of the incoming charges and attitude I got from customer support. At one time I remember a rep telling me that VS doesn't support ATAs other than Grandstream. That's around the point I decided to take my business elsewhere. Or to be more exact, attitude from customer service at multiple companies, including VS and ViaTalk, drove me to start my own company.
We pay for both incoming and outgoing calls. The calls cost us the same. What we had going on was a large abuser base that made zero outbound and a ton of inbound. My thought was to stem the abuse was to adjust the difference in rates. I totally hear you, but I think my problem with it personally was less about having to pay for it, and more about how much it cost. I know not all DID providers were created equally, but in general incoming calls don't cost $0.011/min to provide. If you do the math, a customer that receives 3 calls a day, each 10 minutes, that's 900 minutes monthly. 900*$0.011=$9.9 per month, and that's not even including taxes & fees.
I do like the way you're taking things though, it is rare to find executives who listen these days!
And finally- out of curiosity, I know your main target is residential customers, but do you plan on offering wholesale services to smaller providers perhaps? ViaTalk for example does that, but their pricing models and support are abysmal.
One market that is totally waiting to be tapped is E911 for smaller providers. To date I have had zero luck with finding a provider which doesn't require me to sign 12 NDA agreements before allowing me the pleasure of paying them thousands of dollars just to "set up". ViaTalk does offer E911 for their own numbers, but they too are $0.011 which prevents me from using them. What would be great for smaller providers (and a good source of income for a larger company like VS) is a third-party E911 service. Something like $1/DID or similar, without all the monthly minimums and ridiculous set up fees.
But, I'm dreaming. I am sure you have a lot on your plate these days. Good luck!!!
--
Nitzan Kon, CEO
Future Nine Corporation | |
BruceN
Hi
join:2006-11-17
Roswell, GA
·Future Nine Corpor..
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast
| Yeah things got all screwed up while I was gone. Paul (CEO)did some adjusting to the group and made me an offer I could not refuse.
Besides I like Paul a lot and the job I took after i2 almost got me killed, and I needed a couple months off to think about nothing.
But I am back and hitting it hard!
Today was a busy day. I got a far better deal on outbound, and shortly will have a better deal on inbound. We have been paying insane termination rates (retail schnook prices ). We are a public company, go look at the books, we were paying about $2 for every $1 in termination sales.
Paul calls me the "fixer". I have been going full blast 18 hours a day 7 days a week. We are making head way.
Customer service. We are a clean slate. New ticket system tomorrow!!!!!
Garbage fees, gone. If we need them to stay in business, I need to go do something else. We are going to win customers on quality products, quality service, decent prices and my good looks...... Well at least the first 3 !
e911, what a rape of the system. I think that there must be price controls. Every provider is the same price! Anyone know of a deal for less the one buck? IM me.
Look for rate reductions and whole programs to come AFTER the new billing system and switch are set up.
ALSO go check out my beta thread for myglobaltalk | |
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