[Asterisk-biz] Asterisk for small businesses.

[Sergey Kuznetsov]

Thanks Jim!

I am here. How did you know about all my skills and perks?) We even 
never had a conversation over the phone, yet :-)


Jim Van Meggelen wrote:

>asterisk-biz-bounces at lists.digium.com wrote:
>  
>
>>Jim Van Meggelen wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>products of Cisco, Nortel, Avaya (all at the platinum level). I have
>>>NEVER seen anything like the quality of support that comes from an
>>>open source community, including Asterisk's. You are not on your
>>>own, but you are also expected to either have, or know how to
>>>obtain, the skills required.
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>"...or know how to obtain, the skills required." How do we do that?
>>    
>>
>
>At the beginning (well, ideally always), only hire people who are
>personally passionate about this stuff. If they have a boatload of
>certifications, that only means they're good at passing tests (it might
>mean more, but all you can be sure of is that). They've got to be
>über-geeks: people who go home from work and spend their evenings
>hacking.
>
>You need problem-solvers, not people who have to phone for support at
>the first sign of trouble. I would argue that the skills are not as
>important as the attitude. Skills can be learnt - attitude requires
>therapy.
>
>You need a champion. Someone who is not just an über-geek, but is also a
>good communicator. They will be the ones that inspire others to learn
>and advance.  
>
>You need team players - people who love to work with other people. I've
>seen shops that orbited around some genius -- but otherwise miserable --
>alpha geek. They were like a rusty watch. Then I've seen shops where
>nobody was particularly brilliant, but they loved working together, and
>stood by each other. Awe-inspiring.
>
>There's a whole wealth of talent out there. I've shown Asterisk to guys
>that have been working on SL1 PBXs since forever. They've never seen
>Linux and just barely know how to use a PC. All this time they figured
>they were computer illiterate. Then they see the Asterisk dialplan. They
>can't believe how easy it is. And Linux? It's actually friendly?!?
>Somebody needs to tell them that they've actually been working on
>extremely complicated (and very poorly documented) computers for the
>past 20 years. Makes them feel very smart, that does - and so it should.
>But the talent needs to be fuelled by a burning desire. Right now, this
>is art, and it's tough to make a business out of art.
>
>All that said, I imagine that what I believe today will make me laugh
>ten years from now. There's a lot to learn!
>
>  
>
>>There is quite a mix of people on this list. I do see 2 definite
>>categories so far:
>>
>>1) Those who understand what asterisk is and how it is best
>>used. They
>>are the ones who will go on to create a new breed of products and
>>services. It is likely that some of them will join together
>>in doing so.
>>    
>>
>
>More important is the commitment to evolve with it, even though the task
>is daunting. These are the folks who will reap the rewards.
>
>  
>
>>2) Those who will beome resellers/dealers for that new breed
>>of products
>>and services.
>>    
>>
>
>This group is going to find the next few years frustrating. Much of what
>you want is still being conceived of. The argument that this proves that
>Asterisk is not "ready", however, is false. What if this Asterisk
>"product" never arrives? For example, I can't think of a company that
>sells a pre-packaged website, complete with resellers. Websites are
>custom-designed, for the most part.
>
>  
>
>>I would respectfully suggest that those who are not content
>>to be part
>>of category 2 need to consider sharing the wealth in order to build a
>>category 1 team. This is more like NASCAR than the Boston
>>marathon. 
>>    
>>
>
>More like F1 than NASCAR. Both the good and the bad ;-)
>
>  
>
>>It will require teamwork.
>>    
>>
>
>As does any successful venture. But it's also business, which is
>competitive. What I think you are saying (and I agree with) is that if
>we don't hang together, we will surely hang separately. Still, that
>doesn't mean we need to prop each other up. There is a rite of passage
>that is expected in this community, and part of that process includes
>determining who has the drive - no matter the obstacles - and who will
>run at the first sign of trouble.
>
>  
>
>>You can't just throw a PC together, install free software and
>>then use
>>$10/hour technicians(fuse changers) for all your customer support.
>>    
>>
>
>This is generally true, however this is art. Like professional racing,
>the entertainment industry and the like, it will be necessary to find
>talent that not only have the skills, but also the passion. Perhaps this
>cannot be done. In that case Asterisk will end up being just another
>telephony product, trying to find a niche. But from what I've seen,
>there's plenty of talent, and plenty of enthusiasm. I can pay ten guys
>$10/hr, and not get anywhere near the volume of production that one guy
>paid $50 can give me - if he's got the right stuff. Do I know what this
>right stuff is? Well, I can only say that I'd better, or my business is
>in deep trouble. That holds true for all of us, I suppose.
>
>Successful businesses are built by people, not products. Great products
>fail because of people, and horrible products succeeded because of
>people.
>
>Asterisk is exciting because it is neither good not bad (well, actually
>it's GREAT, but I digress). What Asterisk is, mostly, is potential. All
>the rest (finally!) is up to the people.
>
>  
>
>>Either you build the right organization or you buy your products from
>>somebody that provides that support.
>>    
>>
>
>There are Asterisk-based products, and some of them seem to be really
>quite good (and possibly well-supported, although I have no experience
>to be able to say). For me, I see them as just another PBX in a sea of
>PBXs. The act of productizing them erased the tactical advantage that
>Asterisk enjoys - now they're just like any other PBX - they'll do some
>things well, other things not so well. That doesn't mean they are bad
>products, I just think they have a limited future. That might actually
>be a great way to make money for a few years (selling VoIP-based long
>distance is keeping folks busy, too). I just don't think a long-term
>business plan should count on such things for too long. Three to five
>years, and you'd better have something better than that.
>
>Regards,
>
>Jim.
>
>
>  
>


-- 
All the Best!
Sergey.
=========================
Sergey Kuznetsov
President/CEO
         High Intellectual Technologies, Inc.

           Web: http://www.hitcalls.com
        E-mail: sergey.kuznetsov at highintellect.com
Business phone: (416) 548-9700
  Mobile phone: (647) 287-8448

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