The Basic Teleconvergence FAQ

1. What is Teleconvergence?
Teleconvergence is an independent management consulting firm with expertise in marketing, technology, telecommunications, and strategic operations. We have a business rather than a technical orientation. Our clients range from startups to medium-sized businesses. We're located in Portland, Oregon, and we offer our services in both English and Spanish.

2. Does Teleconvergence sell any equipment? Are you an Internet provider? Do you provide software as a service?
No. No. And No. 

3. What are examples of your services and why do companies use them?
Our Telecommunications Consulting services result in lowered costs, increased revenue, enhanced productivity, and improved communications.

Our Strategic Telecommunications Planning (STP) services help clients leverage telecommunications technologies to attain corporate objectives. Our STP competencies include Telecommunications Business Continuity and Disaster Planning, Bridging the IT-Business Unit Divide, Outsourcing telecommunications, and Procedural Strip Mining, Teleconvergence’s version of business analysis.

Our Strategic Telecommunications Marketing (STM) services are utilized when the telecom focus shifts from satisfying internal operations requirements to creating new revenue streams. Examples of such capabilities are resale of telephone service within a building or local area, providing virtual or actual call center capabilities, and providing telecommunications business continuity services to partners up and down a client’s supply chain

Our VoIP Opportunity Development services (actually a specialized subset of FCBD, below) help entrepreneurs determine whether and how to enter the VoIP business.

Finally, Full Cycle Business Development (FCBD) helps companies differentiate their products and services from their competition while developing new revenue streams to meet organizational objectives.

Our clients appreciate the fact that we're there with them for the long term, that we learn their business and their style, and that they can either use us whenever they need us or on a more formal retainer basis. They view Teleconvergence as integral to their success as their other professional advisors.

4. What types of consulting work do you do?
Our consulting work falls into two areas:

On a Project basis, we perform specific tasks and provide advice and recommendations to help a client reach a particular objective.

On a Retainer basis, we become part of a client's management team, identifying priorities and opportunities, mapping out appropriate strategies, and working with various departments to achieve objectives. We can also virtually perform the telecommunications management function for our retainer clients, although not day-to-day administration.

Due to the long-term nature of our retainer relationships, we gain insight into our clients' future plans and acquire significant understanding of their business practices and procedures, ensuring that we can continue to leverage our expertise for their best short and long term interests..

5. How much does it cost to speak with you?

Nothing. We will speak with you without charge or rigid time limit to answer your initial questions, and to let us both determine if Teleconvergence can understand your situation and satisfy your needs.

There are two reasons why we hold nothing back during these conversations.

1. First, we consider your time as valuable as ours, so it's a mutual investment.
2. Second, assume we have a two-hour conversation. If we could tell you everything we knew in two hours, there would be no reason to retain us in the first place. Besides, until you’re convinced that Teleconvergence can help you, why should you agree to pay us anything?

6. What is it like having Teleconvergence as a consultant?

We're very direct, both before and after we've been retained. Our clients value our no-nonsense and honest approach. This is especially valuable when an existing or even potential client knows he or she needs help, but is not even sure where or how to start.

It may seem unusual, but Teleconvergence is frequently retained first to determine exactly what needs to be done and whether we're the right party to do the work. If we decide we're not, we'll do our best to steer you in the right direction.  We also often invite colleagues with special expertise to work on projects with us. Even the best doctors refer certain patients to other specialists.

Since we're consultants and not vendors, if you basically just want to buy something and be done with it, then you want a vendor and not a consultant. Similarly, if you're looking for a firm that will say "yes" to whatever you tell them, then you want to speak to someone who gets paid for saying "yes" to a customer, and that's a salesperson, not a consultant. Or at least not a true consultant like us. Also, if you're not comfortable with straight talk like this, that's another indication we might not be a good fit for each other.

7. Once we speak, do you send us a proposal?

No. We will not spend time generating a proposal just to see if you like it. We will spend the time with you necessary to determine if have the basis for a fruitful relationship. Over one or more sessions, we will discuss the scope of what we can do, your objectives and budget and other constraints and details, how much time we would spend on your behalf, and how long it would take us to complete your project. We'll discuss work stages and milestones and fees and the other elements of a successful relationship. We do that together. 

However, if and only if we agree to a relationship, including first payment and start date, then, with your approval, we will willingly spend a considerable amount of time to prepare and send you a detailed confirmation of everything we've agreed to, including a reasonable kill fee should we not proceed. But we will not just send out a proposal solely in the hope it will be accepted; someone has to pay for the time we spend preparing it, and it's not fair to charge other clients for it, however indirectly. Don't you agree?

8. One last question. If we decide to use your services, how do you charge?
We have a variety of options available, ranging from hourly or flat fees to a monthly or annual retainer. We always try to give a client compensation alternatives, each of which is revenue neutral to us. That way, a prospective client can retain us on the basis with which he or she feels most appropriate.

Once you’ve read enough to feel comfortable with our perspective and approach, why not call us to discuss your needs?