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TBSupport1
join:2007-09-11
Leesburg, VA
| reply to dmolavi
Re: layoffs at the company (was: Teleblend Holding my # Hostage)
I think I have pretty much addressed the comments in the linked thread. Basically, Teleblend is not a part of USA Telephone, and never has been. We leveraged USA Telephone assets in the beginning and have begun the process to operate seperately.
Also, Teleblend is owned by Unified Communications Corporation. No, it is not the same company as when you google and you get the Singapore company. We have no affiliation and never have. | |
dmolavi
Premium
join:2005-04-11
Sewell, NJ
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| reply to N9MD
said by N9MD  :said by dmolavi :Unified Communications is based in Singapore said by TBSupport1 :That is someone different. Oh, really?!?!  » Re: Teleblend not new ? Mr TB, can you address the comments in that linked thread?
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Cut through the crap, see how the candidates really voted.
TheMolavis.com | |
TBSupport1
join:2007-09-11
Leesburg, VA
| reply to N9MD
Yes. Unified Communications Corporation is not based in Singapore. That is another company.
Like I mentioned, we leveraged many assets at the beginning from USA Telephone. We have begun the process a while ago to move away from USA Telephone and operate as a fully separate organization. | |
N9MD
Premium
join:2005-10-08
Wayne, NJ
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| reply to TBSupport1
said by dmolavi :Unified Communications is based in Singapore said by TBSupport1 :That is someone different. Oh, really?!?!
»Re: Teleblend not new ? | |
dmolavi
Premium
join:2005-04-11
Sewell, NJ | reply to TBSupport1
it is? huh..they're the first google result. my mistake. we now return to your regularly scheduled outsourcing. pack up your desk  | |
TBSupport1
join:2007-09-11
Leesburg, VA
1 edit | reply to dmolavi
That is someone different. | |
dmolavi
Premium
join:2005-04-11
Sewell, NJ
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1 edit | reply to TBSupport1
it's nice to see a foreign company[1] "in-source" its labor to the US 
[1]Unified Communications is based in Singapore: »www.unifiedcomms.com/article.cfm?id=15
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Cut through the crap, see how the candidates really voted.
TheMolavis.com | |
TBSupport1
join:2007-09-11
Leesburg, VA
| reply to crazyhamster
I would like to comment on a couple of the comments made.
First, Teleblend is not a USA Telephone company. We have never been a USA Telephone company. Our official company name is Unified Communications Corp. We worked with USA Telephone and leverage several of their assets to help Teleblend, such as the Nationwide Call Center.
Second, The only person that has left our organization is Dave. He has moved on to another position. Bill Fogg, and Michael Carboneau are both still with Teleblend.
Finally, I'm neither going to confirm nor deny anything else that crazyhamster has said. A lot of these comments and opinions come from a person on the front lines. Their views are always going to be different than other people. | |
crazyhamster
join:2008-02-06
Tucson, AZ
| reply to N9MD
Well, like I said, n9md, things have changed there. They may have pulled this off and saved themselves and their customers after all. Only time will tell for sure, I suppose. I unfortunately don't know any current customers of TB to hear there side of the story, but the tidbits I hear coming out of the company are promising, even when considering the sources. Still, like someone mentioned in another post (could have been you for all I remember), would make a great case study for any business course. | |
N9MD
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Wayne, NJ
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| reply to crazyhamster
Very interesting, dementedrodent ... er-r-r-r crazyhamster ... This TB story reads like the Cliff Notes abridged edition of the SunRocket story. Good guys trying to make the business survive verses bad guys with poor managerial and financial skills sinking the ship.
I had been wondering whether TeleblendGuy (David McDougal) had disappeared from this Forum due to my suggestion a while back to make himself scarce. Current sleuthing indicates that he left TB in February and is now with Arca Solutions in Arlington VA. Oh well, good luck to DM. | |
crazyhamster
join:2008-02-06
Tucson, AZ
| reply to voiper
So, to make a long story short, there were a number of people involved with the crazyhamster and other persona. Who knows, some may still be around. One who had all the the really juicy stuff decided for legal and/or personal reasons to stow his anger and bite his tongue. Even I, one of the biggest rabble rousers from the old company have limits on what I can or will say. I'm sorry that the info promised to you wasn't delivered.
There's still a lot of things I'd like to say, but won't for a variety of reasons, but I will tell you about the updates I have heard recently. These are just word of mouth pieces garnered from here or there, although reliable sources who remain within or near the company.
First, on the upside, the major problems of TB are gone, or so I hear. A lot of the trouble you faced as customers in the beginning, and I did within the company really came down to some very poor managerial decisions. From what I understand, those people who were responsible are gone now. Michale Carbenou, Bill Fogg, and head tech McDougal have all parted ways for various reasons. I can say without a doubt, these people made it very difficult for myself and the people I worked with to be effective in any way, shape or form. Granted, not everything was their fault, but what made most people so upset was the lack of information, misinformation, and lack of support.
The call center had merely an hour or so to prepare for handling TB calls originally. I know, I was there, and I made the announcement...right before a giant smoke break. Yup, that gives those who already know me a confirmation...my name is Cameron and I was a technical support supervisor/team lead for Nationwide. If I've spoken to any of you as customers or colleagues, know this...I tried. I butted heads with higher ups on a daily if not hourly basis.
I saw one email go up the chain explaining how a customer's ATA was stolen and he needed a replacement, and it came back twice for "no troubleshooting." I would make a call only to never hear back about a suspected outage. Or, I'd get, just because you're calls have significantly jumped in number, and they're all from the same area, and they all started experiencing the same problem at the same time does not mean it's an outage..........Hey, I may not be a VoIP expert, but phones and Internet I knew, and hey seriously treated myself and my staff very poorly.
Because I would fight day in and day out, trying to get my people more info, trying to get customers fixed, not caring about a promotion or where I was headed within the company and playing political chess, I was among the first to be let go. It wasn't a surprise, really. Unfortunate, maybe. I spent 12-18 hours and sometimes more at that center, sometimes off the clock, often working from home. I researched, I called, I documented, I did whatever I could. I developed processes to get things escalated and handled better. I wouldn't except non-answers and incorrect information. I poured myself into that company for about 2 years, and everything from my health to my family and my finances suffered. So, if I seem a bit angry, it's because I am.
I have watched some truly skilled people be slapped in the face by the company. I have watched people be used and abused and it is absolutely disgusting that people can still be treated this day in a supposedly evolved and progressive society.
Supposedly, things are changing. Money is tight at the company due to previous mismanagement, and the checks and balances aren't really there, so personal quirks will be as much a part of doing business as the bottom line. I spoke to someone the other day who states calls and problems are both way down, and they actually don't mind their job now. The people still in control there have a different way of managing things--some good, some bad, some I don't even know.
I will say you're not dealing with AT&T or Sprint, but a small company still. So, calls are handled here in the states and so are other problems. But, they don't have the kind of money to toss around for expansion or big problems, and often rely on other vendors perhaps moreso than similar companies. Oh, the horror stories I could tell.
The people I know that remain working there are good at their job. They will try to help you. Sometimes they can, sometimes they can't. But, they will try. And, word actually gets around, so if you have a problem, it can possibly be taken care of by upper management, but their time is drawn thin, so it can take time.
The stability of the company itself is a question that remains. Without the problem it previously had, it can stick around. Will it get bigger, better? Maybe. Will it stay small? Perhaps. Does it still stand a chance to land itself in trouble? Could be.
I imagine those of you who still have the service plan on sticking with it. I'm not going to talk you out of it. If it works, it works. Would I recommend it to new users? Not if I can suggest a larger, more stable company, but that's always been my way.
TB was an interesting ride--not one I'd like to take again, but one I hope to some day tell my grandkids about. I use it as a winning tale in "my job sucks so much" contests. And, I learned a lot from it. For those still there, both employees and customers, I wish you luck. For those floating around, my apologies. | |
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