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Once again we have great new product information and company updates to share with you. Read about how AireSpring was honored with a coveted channel deployment award from ChannelVision Magazine. Learn more about our newly released Managed Security Service. In our Partner Spotlight this month, we feature Tony Bailey, President of 2Evolve Technologies, a leading IT and telecommunications solutions consulting firm. And finally, Steven Chase, Account Management Supervisor at AireSpring, is profiled in our Employee Spotlight.
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AireSpring Continues to Garner Industry Accolades
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 AireSpring is honored to receive the 2016 Visionary Spotlight Award in the UC & VoIP Best Channel Deployment category for our AirePBX Cloud Phone System.
The annual Visionary Spotlight Awards, from ChannelVision Magazine and Beka Business Media, recognize excellence in outstanding products, services and deployments across a broad range of communications technology categories, including voice, data networking, hosting, cloud services and managed services. The winners of the 2016 Visionary Spotlight Awards showcase the best of the communications industry's overall innovation efforts, highlighting future-thinking execution and creativity.
While AireSpring's AirePBX is a fully-featured, enterprise-grade cloud phone system that provides true unified communications capabilities, we are honored to be recognized for the unique, one of a kind delivery, installation and service model that we provide. AireSpring offers the ultimate in fully-managed and supported business VoIP solutions that rivals other vendors' "best-effort internet" service and delivery model.
AireSpring provides:
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Onsite delivery, installation and testing of Cisco switches, Adtran routers and IP phones by qualified technicians
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A fully managed circuit over our nationwide advanced IP Network with end-to-end QoS
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Personalized service with a dedicated project coordinator both pre and post turn up
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Free IP phones with a 3 year contract
Our AirePBX is unique because we fully manage the entire circuit, from the customer's VLAN to their WAN network. Unlike service provided over the public Internet, our fully managed, nationwide network retains full control over inbound and outbound voice and data. Owning and operating our network helps ensure users receive consistent voice quality and true end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS).
AireSpring not only revolutionized the technical delivery of the service, but fundamentally changed the customer care model for a cloud hosted PBX. Our true "white glove service" is further complemented by our technical support and AireCare advanced online portal to administer and manage customer accounts. Finally, in the unlikely event that an issue still arises, and you or your client cannot resolve it with your dedicated project coordinator or customer service team, we provide an escalation list that includes all the names and phone numbers of our key operations team members and even provide our CEO's phone number. When we say white glove service we mean white glove service.
“AireSpring is honored to add this prestigious industry award to our accolades. Our focus remains on providing our Channel Partners with the highest quality service and solutions at competitive prices and being distinguished for our execution in the fulfillment of that promise is especially rewarding,” stated Avi Lonstein, AireSpring’s CEO.
To find out more about AirePBX and our special Dollars for Demos program on hosted PBX and cloud contact center, please reach out to your Channel Manager or send an email to sales@airespring.com.
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AireSpring Managed Firewall Security Options Meet a Variety of Customer Needs
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 Cyber-attacks have dramatically increased in frequency. According to PwC, the average cost of a firm’s worst security breach is rising significantly. According to a study conducted by Kaspersky Lab, the average direct cost of a security breach to a small business is $38,000. This amount includes downtime, lost business opportunities and the fees of a professional services firm needed to mitigate the breach. Then there are the costs for lawyers, accountants, security consultants and public relations damage control. When all costs are calculated, the final price tag is easily $55,000. Make no mistake, American businesses have a target on their backs. Most cybercrime is committed by foreign cyber gangs, yes gangs, and it is extremely profitable and virtually impossible to prosecute. And because of this, it will not stop. Even small businesses are targeted now as cyber criminals expect them to have lax security and hence be easy targets.
In "The Global State of Information Security Survey 2016," PwC noted a phenomenal 38% increase in breaches from 2014 to 2015. The Ponemon/IBM report, the "Cost of Data Breach Study: Global Analysis," states that the average global cost per each lost or stolen record was $154.00. That's for each social security number, or each credit card account number stolen. Multiply that by 10,000 accounts and you get $1,540,000. And that doesn't even begin to determine the cost to a business' reputation. Many small to medium sized companies have been forced to close as a result of cyberattacks as the losses and fines for failing to protect this data under today's security and compliance laws such as HIPAA and PCI are too great.
A good IT security plan starts with a strong firewall and a Unified Threat Management (UTM) system. But network security has proven to be resource intensive and requires a high level of domain expertise. A constantly evolving technology landscape, dynamic firewall requirements, and a world where threats have become increasingly sophisticated and more frequent all serve to compound the challenge. Small and medium-sized organizations, particularly those with distributed or remote sites, may find it challenging to stay abreast of the latest security and technology practices and may not be able to afford truly talented, certified IT security professionals who are in high demand.
In light of this situation, many of our customers have been asking for Managed Security services. AireSpring is pleased to announce the availability of our managed firewall and Unified Threat Management (UTM) service.
AireSpring's Managed Firewall Security is an excellent way to reduce IT security costs without compromising effectiveness. We offer a comprehensive, fully integrated network firewall management service monitored by security experts. The service utilizes the Dell SonicWall firewall which comes with a full suite of high-performance intrusion prevention, malware blocking, content/URL filtering and application control coupled with the same level of 24/7 monitoring that they have come to expect from AireSpring. By enlisting AireSpring's help, customers are able to refocus their IT resources on other strategic initiatives and reduce the total cost of ownership (TOC) with a very affordable monthly service fee and a panel of certified experts available round the clock.
We have a number of different premise and network-based options, and add-ons, allowing you to fully customize our offerings to your customer's needs. Each solution integrates hardware, software and services for a truly best-of-breed security solution. AireSpring's Managed Firewall Security service includes providing all hardware, software, configuration, and ongoing reporting and management.
While no security solution is foolproof, you can proactively respond and assist your clients to cost-effectively protect themselves against dangerous breaches without the headaches and cost of a traditional in-house deployment. For full pricing and options, visit QuoteSpring or ask your Channel Manager today.
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April Promo: A Prescription for Thin Wallets
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 Are you experiencing slow and delayed quote turn arounds with other carriers? Struggling with a lack of personalized service? Do their commissions and SPIFFs leave you wanting more?
We have the cure. Sell more AireSpring!
QuoteSpring is the technology that provides instant quotes so you can sell our products and services! You can sleep better with personalized service and support for your customers. And your wallet will grow thicker from bigger commissions.
Ask your Channel Manager if selling AireSpring is right for you or visit our monthly promo for more details.
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See AireSpring at Interop, ITW, ICMI Contact Center Expo and Conference and More
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Thanks again to everyone who visited us at Channel Partners. It was a great show and we really enjoyed seeing you again. The month of May offers more great conferences, expos and networking opportunities, and AireSpring invites you to come and visit us at these events:
 Interop: May 2-6, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV, Booth #1045
Interop celebrates the potential of the network from May 2-6 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Visit AireSpring in Booth #1045 to learn more about our Managed Connectivity and Cloud communications solutions. Complete a quick survey for a chance to win a $500 Amazon gift card.
Need Free Passes for Interop? Until April 29, click here to get a FREE Expo Only Pass compliments of AireSpring.
 ITW: May 8-11, Hyatt Regency & Swissôtel, Chicago, IL, Booth #1300 and Table P-24
ITW brings the global wholesale telecommunications community together for education, networking, meetings and exhibits. AireSpring is excited to exhibit for the first time this year at this important international event. We will have product experts on our wholesale and white label programs available. Stop by and enter for a chance to win a $500 Amazon gift card, or click here to request a meeting at our bilateral table.
 Contact Center Expo and Conference: May 10-13, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA Booth #511
From May 10-13, we will be showcasing our award-winning AireContact Cloud Contact Center solution at the Contact Center Expo and Conference at Booth #511. While this product has won multiple awards over the last few years, we have never rested on our laurels at AireSpring and we promise to have some exciting updates to share. Stop by Booth #511 to see what's new, and complete a brief survey for the chance to win $500 Amazon gift card.
Click here and use code gwlWQx32 to save 25% off your conference pass.
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 Welcome to the latest edition in our series of profiles where we shine the spotlight on AireSpring’s amazing partners. This time we’re speaking with Tony Bailey, President - SW Region at 2Evolve Technologies.
Hello, Tony. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today. To begin, please tell us a little about yourself and your background and the history of 2Evolve Technologies.
I started my sales career in the technology industry during the late '90s working as a sales representative for a large Cisco VAR called WAN Technologies. I realized very early in my career that you needed to fully understand the technology you were involved with in order to sell it. So I took courses, at my own expense, and got various CISCO certifications. I had reached a level of expertise where I was creating my own network diagrams. After working my way up to a Sales Manager role, I left to join AT&T. I worked as a sales engineer at AT&T until 2006. I then decided to try working on the agency side and took a position with MSI Systems Integrators. After three years as a sales engineer, I left to start an IT solutions consulting firm, Carrier Choice Networks. I made a conscious effort to work very hard to earn business, and one of the things I did to do this was to provide a free assessment of a client's network. In 2008, we joined forces with Cindy Reid's Evolving Solutions and in 2014 we rebranded to become 2Evolve Technologies. Together, we became one of America's largest and fastest growing premier consulting companies. Our success is due to our commitment to helping businesses support their organizational goals while ensuring that their strategic business plans are fully aligned with next generation technology solutions.
How long have you been partnering with AireSpring?
We started working with AireSpring in 2009. At that time we had a lot of call center clients and customers who needed LD. We were trying to find a carrier for a prominent collection agency customer that ran a very large outbound call center. We were having a very difficult time sourcing the right solution to fit their needs. Most carriers were not interested in short duration outbound dialing. Jon Massad introduced us to AireSpring, and it was a great fit for them. I am happy to say that this client is still with both 2Evolve and AireSpring today and they are very happy. Whenever we had a client that needed voice services, AireSpring became our go to carrier. Then when AireSpring started to diversify its product line and came out with MPLS Mesh, cloud hosted PBX, and now more recently with its cloud hosted contact center application, AireSpring became dramatically more valuable as a supplier. AireSpring's product line now maps to more of the solutions my clients need. I have scheduled multiple demos of AireSpring's hosted PBX and Contact Center solutions because it fits into the application solution set that I am offering at a lower cost than just about every other provider. Also because of the unique integration AireSpring has between AirePBX and AireContact, this has enabled us to compete very favorably against ShoreTel, Avaya and Cisco.
What do you like about working with AireSpring?
AireSpring's flexibility. I have worked both for and with the 800 pound gorilla AT&T. When it comes to competing against AT&T, it's becoming easier to win against them because they are so inflexible. When it comes to winning contracts, it is easier to leverage AireSpring's size and willingness to be flexible against the tier one carriers. To know that I can call up Chuck Long (Pre-Sales Engineer) or Jon Massad (Channel Manager) if there is any kind of special situation and get a custom-tailored solution gives me a competitive advantage. That is just not possible with a large carrier. Just this month, Jon and I worked on a new deal for a large healthcare vendor. AireSpring's ability to bend and work with them to customize their connectivity, especially the support for multiple disaster recovery options, was an integral part of their decision to become an AireSpring client.
And that is just the sales side! The support side is just as strong. For instance, that large collection agency that I sold AireSpring LD services to back in 2009, had a few hiccups in the beginning. This kind of thing happens in our industry. No carrier is immune. It is a testament to the great support that AireSpring provides that they are still a customer today, and remain very pleased with their service. These days, I don't hear from them, and that's a very good thing! The service is consistent and high quality. Everyone has problems sometimes, but this client knows that AireSpring rapidly fixes any issues that do come up. However, on those few occasions when they do call in for support, they already know the people they are going to be speaking with. They are a known quantity to the AireSpring team. They enjoy the ability to speak to the same knowledgeable person who already knows their setup and what they do - that kind of personal touch and relationship that has developed between them and the AireSpring team makes a big difference! It's not like that with the tier 1 carriers like Century Link and AT&T. That's not their business model.
What would you say is the secret to success in this industry and being a successful agent/VAR?
Funny you should ask, as I get asked this question at least once a week from people who are trying to move away from one of the big firms and call me about working at 2Evolve. And I usually answer the question the same way I do when I'm speaking to the clients' CIOs. I am successful because instead of fitting the customer to the product, I have been able to become the customer's advocate. When you work for one company, you have only one tool belt and you can only sell something from that tool belt. You are forced to address all the customer's needs from one particular product line whether it’s the right solution for that customer or not. Every single carrier tells customers they are acting as their advocate, but that can't work if your best interests don't align with your client's. You can't be a customer advocate if you are only selling one product. The value that I bring to my clients is that I am truly able to piece together a complete solution for them in a way that they have not seen before. If there is one piece of advice I have for agents out there, it is that you cannot be the customer's advocate unless you fully align your interests with their best interests.
This is a difficult job in a difficult business: you have to be self-motivated, you have to be driven, you have to know your products, and you have to be constantly bringing value to the customer. We offer our clients a best-of-breed solution and we take the time to really get to know our clients. We strive to make a difference to our customers. You have to know what you're talking about and really have something that the customer views as valuable.
Also, without the ability to keep learning and to keep adapting to new technology, success in this industry will always be elusive. We have the tools in this industry to make anyone successful, but a large part of that is being able to use what you have been given and to bring your own knowledge base to the table.
What is the “next big thing” you think agents and VARs should be aware of in 2016?
Bandwidth rates are going to zero and network costs are going to be cheap. The real value now and in the future is in software applications - anything that helps to run your client's businesses. I always tell CIOs and CFOs if your technology is not helping you make revenue, then you are using the wrong technology. Technology is a tool to help businesses work, and you as an agent make your money by helping customers be successful using technology. People are not going to stop using applications.
For example, it is amazing to see the cost savings that result from switching from a premises- based PBX to a hosted PBX solution like AireSpring's. Hosted voice is huge right now, and many of my clients ask about backup as a service, infrastructure as a service, and other managed solutions. Technology is evolving too rapidly and companies are struggling to keep up with it. Companies don't want to purchase their own equipment any longer. With the rapid improvement of technology, customers are very interested in having a more flexible service instead of investing in their own technology, and I think we are only going to be seeing more and more of this going forward. We need to make it easy for our customers and show that incrementally it's not more expensive to have someone else manage the service for them.
What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of telecom?
One of my projects outside of Telecom is a charity I founded called Glorious Good Deeds (www.gloriousgooddeeds.org). It is a Christian organization, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded as a way to do good deeds for others and to live a good life. I was inspired to start Glorious Good Deeds in honor of my mother, Gloria, after learning about the many people whose lives she had touched by helping them directly and indirectly. I wanted to continue the spirit of her charitable work and inspire others to lead by example, as she always did. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing better than seeing people, especially children, getting involved with helping people. We do a lot of community outreach and random acts of kindness. The world needs more of that goodness — and that’s where we hope to have an impact.
I also recently purchased a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C7.R edition. It looks like the Batmobile. Now I can only afford to sit in my garage and look at it.
Between my work at 2Evolve Technologies, my non-profit, and my family, I am really quite busy. When I do get some actual free time, I also record music. We have a few songs coming out on iTunes later this year, and have plans for a music video, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Humane Society. But who knows - you might even see me on The Voice!
Thank you, Tony, for sharing your insights with us!
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 At AireSpring, we know that it is our dedication to customer service that sets us apart and customer service begins with great employees. Here is your chance to get to know the AireSpring team that oversees your orders and delivers great service every day. This time, we are speaking with Steven Chase, Account Management Supervisor.
Hello, Steven. To begin, please tell us about your professional background and your role at AireSpring.
I started in telecommunications in 2000 with Telepacific. It was a good time in the industry because there were several burgeoning CLECs popping up around the country. This generation of telecommunications companies consisted of smaller and newer firms, establishing themselves at a time of market transition to internet oriented services. As growing startups, operations in these newer CLECs were less defined than they are today. In other words, one person often played a variety of roles. By the time I started at Telepacific, they were beginning to develop clear, separate departments within the company. But I was still able to benefit from the previous generation of employees, who knew a great deal about the ins and outs of the industry. Since the office was still small and tight-knit, I was able to walk around and glean wisdom from the veterans. It was an ideal learning environment.
I started in customer service, where I worked my way up to a management position, and held that position until switching to Account Management in the mid-2000s. During this time, my sister in law was working at AireSpring. She encouraged me to apply for a position here and I did. After working for Telepacific for twelve years, I decided to part ways with them and launch a new career with AireSpring.
I am the Account Management Supervisor here at AireSpring. As supervisor I am the first point of escalation in the event of customer issues. I also carry a little more expertise given my experience in telecom, so my team comes to me when they have questions. In addition to acting as supervisor, I manage roughly 100 accounts of my own. On a daily basis, it is my job to fill the gaps in service for our agents and their customers. I reach out to customers to find out if they are experiencing any issues, but also to check in and see how they are doing. I have very good relationships with my customers, so when they want to upgrade their services or add more circuits, it's a signal to me that their business is expanding and that they are experiencing success. I am always proud when my clients are doing well.
What do you enjoy most about working at AireSpring?
AireSpring has a wonderful group of channel partners and I really enjoy supporting them to achieve our mutual goals. They are the troops on the ground, handling customer issues directly and providing personalized attention to their clients. While I cannot go to meet each of our customers in person, our agents can sit down with the customer and explain difficult or complex issues. Whenever the agent gets involved with a customer issue, it generally makes things much easier for everyone.
Working with agents to handle customers is a win-win situation. When we have satisfied agents, AireSpring gets to continue to provide much needed products and services and the agent happily presents those services to their clients. In my experience, agents are always committed to their customers. So when I get a call from an agent that needs something, I make sure to place high priority on that request. Agents always know their customers best, and it helps me to have them there to monitor customer issues in ways that I never could.
On our end, we do our best to do what the agent cannot. Once the agent closes the deal, we are there to provide customer service, repair, and general support for the client. We easily accommodate agents that work alone, providing services that only a fully staffed company can offer. As long as the agent brings us the deal, we will take care of the rest.
Since we offer so many services, our customers often are not aware of the full extent of our product line. One of my favorite things about AireSpring is that we have a solution for almost any telecommunications problem. This makes my job much easier. Often a customer will mention dissatisfaction with another provider, and nine times out of ten I can shoot right back and offer the same service from AireSpring.
AireSpring truly gives me the tools to deliver amazing service to my customers. When I was at Telepacific that wasn't always the case. As a customer support staff, there is nothing more depressing than knowing that you could be helping your clients if only you had better resources. This is not something I deal with at AireSpring.
Recently during a company meeting, our Senior Vice President of Operations, Darren Sandford, said that, "We are large enough to meet most needs in the general marketplace, but small enough to be empowered to solve special and unique requests that very large providers would never entertain or consider."
I could not agree with this statement more.
Although we have an expansive set of services and manage highly complex accounts, we are agile enough that I can interface with multiple parts of the company at once with ease and get results for our customers. If there is a billing issue with a large account, I can go straight to the CFO and make a special request for that account and, within the hour, I can solve the issue. In my experience, many of the larger providers cannot boast the same speed and efficiency when handling specialized customer requests.
Another plus is that I truly feel like a member of a large, unified team of telecom professionals working toward the same goal of providing excellent products and services to our agents and customers. Since I am working directly with other departments to solve customer issues, I learn things that I normally would not have access to. Conversely, staff in other departments learn about my job through working with me and becoming better at helping me when I have requests.
All of this benefits the agent/customer, which is, of course, my primary concern as an Account Manager.
What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of the office?
I have two sons, who are always doing new things, so I am constantly driving them places and tagging along. This past weekend, we went on a Boy Scouts retreat. It certainly is tiring keeping up with young boys, but I love it.
As a family, we recently discovered that we love camping. My sons were old enough to go last year, so we found a great camping spot - no running water, out in the wild. The boys loved it, so we are definitely going back when we get the chance.
Personal hobbies? My family has too many amazing hobbies for me to need anything else!
Here's what one of our valued partners shared with us about Steven's contributions:
“Jon Massad (Channel Manager) and I have been working together for quite a few years, so the “Partner Relationship” bar was set pretty high. Steven Chase, Account Management Supervisor, is nipping at his heels in terms of knowledge, response and accountability. I thoroughly enjoy working with him. Kudos and thanks to those who mentor him and especially, whoever assigned him to my account. Another great credit to AireSpring. Nice work all around.” Glenn Thompson, vCIO/Mother VoIP
Thanks, Steven, for sharing a bit about yourself and especially for everything you do to help AireSpring deliver excellent service!
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AireSpring is an award-winning provider of Managed Connectivity and Cloud Communications solutions providing fully managed and connected end-to-end, next-generation solutions for multi-location enterprise customers, including:
AireSpring's services are delivered over its revolutionary nationwide MPLS Mesh Network, providing customers a fully integrated, end-to-end solution from a single vendor.
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AireSpring
General Inquiries
888.389.2899
Wholesale
888.389.2899 ext. 352
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