1. What is Teleconvergence?
Teleconvergence is an independent management consulting firm with expertise in telecommunications, technology, and Full Cycle Business Development, a competency that draws from all areas of marketing and sales to create unique value propositions and to develop new revenue streams. We have a business rather than a technical orientation.
2. Does Teleconvergence sell any equipment? Are you an Internet provider? Do you provide software as a service?
No. No. And No.
3. Why do companies use your services?
Our Telecommunications consulting services result in lowered costs, increased revenue, enhanced productivity, and improved communications between clients and their constituencies.
Our Strategic Telecommunications Planning (STP) services help clients leverage telecommunications to reach corporate objectives. Our STP competencies include Telecommunications Business Continuity and Disaster Planning, Bridging the IT-Business Unit Divide, Outsourcing Your telecommunications, and Procedural Strip Mining, Teleconvergence’s version of business analysis.
Finally, Full Cycle Business Development helps companies differentiate their products and services from their competition while developing new revenue stream 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 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 objectives, mapping out appropriate strategies, and working with various departments to bring achieve objectives. We can also perform the telecommunications management function virtually for our retainer clients, although not day-to-day administration.
Because over time we gain insight into our clients' future plans, and acquire significant understanding of their business practices and procedures, we are able to ensure that we can continue to leverage our expertise for our clients’ best short and long term interests..
5. How much does it cost to speak with you?
We will speak with you without charge or time limit to answer your initial questions, to let us both determine if:
− Teleconvergence can understand your situation and objectives
− It seems that Teleconvergence can satisfy your needs, and
− It makes sense for us to consider a formal relationship.
There are two reasons why we hold nothing back during these conversations.
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, honest approach. This is especially true when a prospective 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 initially just to determine what it is that needs to be done, in what order, and even whether Teleconvergence is the best entity to do the work. If we decide we're not, we'll do our best to steer you in the right direction. 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, you might as well stop reading now. Why? Because if you are looking for a firm that will say "yes" to whatever you tell them, then you want to speak with someone who gets paid for saying "yes" to a customer, and that's a salesperson, not a consultant. Or at least not a true consulting firm like us. Also, if you're not comfortable with straight talk, 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, not exactly. We will not spend time generating a proposal just to see if you like it. We will spend the time necessary with you beforehand to determine if have the basis for a fruitful relationship. Over one or more sessions, we discuss the scope of what we can do, the objectives and some details, how much time we would spend on your behalf, and how long it would take us to satisfy your objectives. 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 starting date, then with your approval, we will gladly 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 offer clients multiple fee 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 comfortable