FW: [Asterisk-biz] Open Business Plan

Mon Jan 9 10:10:06 MST 2006

I sent this to directly to Linda but I meant to send it to the list. 

  _____  

From: Steve Totaro 
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 12:20 PM
To: Suzanne Bowen
Subject: RE: [Asterisk-biz] Open Business Plan

See comments inline.  I apologize, I am using OWA and the indenting does
not work.  

I also posted this to the list since it is directly related to
Asterisk-biz discussion.

Thanks,

Steve

	Hello Steve,
	Any business list such as Asterisk-biz, I personally... treat
each "member"
	with respect. It's the professional thing to do. I wouldn't use
a list to
	pummel an individual or business. I would go directly to the
person or
	business in that case. Let others decide for themselves what
they want to
	believe about you or us. You are in a minority in your opinion,
in fact.

	Last I knew, people were free to make a decision themselves and
most are smart enought to do just that, at least here in the United
States.  I have never stated anything that was not true and have never
made a single personal attack against you or anyone in your
organization.

	Sorry, to burst your bubble but if you search the list archives,
you will see more negative comments and even rude statements about your
businesses (and practices) than you will see positive (although you will
find more posts by Rehan trying to sell services).  

	Yes, this is a business list, but it is not here just to
advertise how your company can do everything under the sun.  It is also
here to discuss different businesses.  Your business comes up all the
time so there is no harm or foul in discussing it.  

	Just because my post hit a nerve with you, does not make it any
less true or appropirate for the list.   I can provide a series of links
to posts that range from unhappy customers or potential customers if
that will help you believe that this is not just me talking.

	The origianl poster was looking for an open business plan to
start a business selling PBXs at the CPE (Customer Premisis Equipment.)
Your post and offering of services had absolutely nothing to do whith
what he was looking for and was totally off-topic.  

	Everyone with a good grasp of VoIP realizes that VoIP only
services are nowhere near as reliable as an onsite PBX with connections
to a VoIP services with failover to real in house PSTN lines.

	I never bashed your business or acted unprofessionally.   I was
merely suggesting that your company find and stick to a core competentcy
before starting five new  business and also posting those all over the
lists.  

	For weeks the most popular subject on the list  was that your
company was spamming people and that their DIDs either worked for a
short while or not at all.  I was simply giving sound advice to you and
to the people on the list.  I have also read about people being billed
even after canceling their accounts.

	You will not find me making opinionated comments in a public
manner about
	others, you or any company, service or product that you are
affiliated with.
	You and we have a right to do business without being insulted on
a regular
	basis in public. I request that you conduct yourself in a
professional
	manner, instead of the manner that I have seen you conduct
yourself this
	year on this list. Note... that I am not writing to you in front
of the
	list. I believe in treating people with respect.

	A piece of advise for you.  "Stand for something, or fall for
everything."  Another piece of advice, "opinion drives business"  This
is why referrals are such a valuable thing in business. 

	The list is not your personal one way free advertising avenue.
If you choose to use it then expect feedback from the "community" good
or bad.

	I guess you want the biz list to be your own biased advertising
medium with no discussion.  I suggest you take out an advertisement
somewhere if this is your goal.  A mailing list is meant for two way
discussion.

	Suggestion noted, but the only other post I made pointed out a
real flaw in your DIDx service.  You cannot guarentee any service
levels.  Many people posted how their DIDs never worked or stopped
working after a day or two and they had a hard time getting a refund.
You may call this an insult, I call it discussing a business on a list
designed for business.   Pointing out a flaw in a service is not a
personal insult.  It is meant to be constructive crititzim. 

	Maybe you should be more professional, take a step back, and
look at your business practices and core competencies.  Just because
your service is not perfect and people complain, don't take it
personally.  Note which compaints are valid and work on them, discard
the others.  

	I would like to call you as soon as possible. What is your phone
number?
	Waiting.

	I have no desire to speak with you, I am much to busy to be
lecured to or given a sales speel.  Feel free to email me and maybe I
will provide you with some more valuable free advice.  Again, please put
me on your "DO NOT CALL LIST"

	I'm looking forward to your reply,

	Thank You for the Comments Steve,

	What is a good number to reach you on the phone on?

	Our CEO would like to speak with you about some of your concerns
which you
	have
	expressed today on here.

	Linda

	> This guy is looking at selling small sized systems to
businesses.  I
	> don't think he is looking at re-selling someone else's non
CPE, IP
	> only solutions (with DIDs that are probably not even their
own.)
	>
	> The hardest thing is getting a new customer and the easiest
thing is
	> to lose it.
	>
	> Part of an asterisk business plan should probably be to avoid
outfits
	> such as Rehan's.  At least for now.  Seems Supertechnologies
is the
	> cure all to everything on the biz list.  Although they have a
GREAT
	> MANY offerings, I am not sure that they do any single one very
well.
	> "Shoemaker, stick to thy last."
	>
	> I for one am turned off by Rehan posting about his own company
but not
	> stating his affiliation (over and over again.)
	>
	> Not to say that the hosted service is not good.  I am just
wary of
	> business with these types of practices.
	>
	> Thanks,
	> Steve
	>
	> PS.  OWA stinks!
	>
	>  Dear Alan,
	>
	>  If you like, you can test drive our hosted pbx services,
which
	> come with DID numbers,
	>  Termination and Hosted Asterisk Servers.
	>
	>  The URL is http://www.ip-pabx.com
	>
	>  Linda
	>
	>  > Alan Gutierrez wrote:
	>  >
	>  > >Intro..
	>  > >
	>  > >I'm a software developer. I am learning Asterisk. I'm
reading the
	> "*:
	>  > >tfot" book. It is easy to understand. I am confident that
my
	> many
	>  > >years of Linux and Apache adminstration will help me get
up
	> to speed
	>  > >quickly.
	>  > >
	>  > >That said, please excuse my noobishness. I am RTFM.
	>  > >
	>  > >Anyway..
	>  > >
	>  > >I'd like to build a simple Asterisk system to market to
small
	>  > >businesses, like real estate offices, law offices, etc. My
	> customer
	>  > >would need more that four phone lines, but less than
twenty.
	>  > >
	>  > >The system would do just the basics.
	>  > >
	>  > >To me, this is basic retail computing, for small business.
	>  > >
	>  > >I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who has taken
the
	> time to
	>  > >write up a business plan for a similar business. If so,
could you
	>  > >share it with me, so I could have a framework to write my
	> own.
	>  > >
	>  > >Or if this describes your business, and you'd like a
business plan
	> to
	>  > >show to your bank or the SBA, would you like to co-operate
on
	> writing
	>  > >this business plan?
	>  > >
	>  > >The resulting business plan would be placed on the
Asterisk
	> Wiki, for
	>  > >people to tweak. If there is such a thing already, please
let me
	>  > >know.
	>  > >
	>  > >Cheers.
	>  > The basics on writing a good business plan can be found in
	> many books
	>  > and a couple of software programs. There are even govenment
	> agencies
	>  > that can help you with your business plan.
	>  >
	>  > The Small Business Administration (SBA) has some free
	> information on
	>  > the basics of writing business plans at
	>  > http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
	>  >
	>  > Remember Google is your friend. Preform a search for
business
	> plans.
	>  > 6th on the list was a business plan archive.
	>  > http://www.businessplanarchive.org/ this contains both
	> successful and
	>  > unsucessful business plans.
	>  >
	>  > Software that helps you write a business plan is just that
a
	> helper.
	>  > you still must do research and fill in the content.  But it
	> will guide
	>  > you through the business plan writing process. A very good
	> software
	>  > maker is Palo Alto Sofware Business Plan Pro.
	> http://www.paloalto.com/
	>  >
	>  > A combination book and software that works for me,
Streetwise
	> Complete
	>  > Business Plan With Software: Interactive Software to
Quickly
	> Create a
	>  > Powerful Business Plan Plus a Comprehensive Book (Adams
	> Streetwise
	>  > Series) (Paperback).
	>  >
	>  > A good starter book on business plans is The Successful
	> Business Plan:
	>  > Secrets and Strategies (Paperback) by Eugene Kleiner
	> (Foreword),
	>  > Rhonda Abrams. In addition if you are a beginner I
recommend
	> Six-Week
	>  > Start-Up: A Step-By-Step Program for Starting Your
Business,
	> Making
	>  > Money, and Achieving Your Goals! (Paperback) by Rhonda
Abrams. The
	>  > book helps you take into a majority of things that need to
be
	> done to
	>  > get the business rolling legally and in a way that will
help
	> develop
	>  > your business skills.
	>  >
	>  > A little advice for you on business plans make your own
	> business plan
	>  > or alter the business plan to match your skill set and
	> capabilities.
	>  > Remember What works for one person may not nessarly work
for
	> you. This
	>  > is a common mistake and why many businesses fail. Not
enough
	> careful
	>  > planning and thinking about how and when to do things.
	>  >
	>  > Sincerly,
	>  >
	>  > Max W. Blackmer, Jr.