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Hello everyone,
My name is Tim, Accounts Manager for a leading Internet Service Provider. Just here to say a few things about what differentiates a recreational connection to the internet, from a more serious Business Class Internet Service. At the moment, prices for higher-end SDSL and T1 services can start as low as $100 for a slower SDSL connection, and as low as $350 for a full channel T1. Granted, there is usually something lacking in areas of Customer Service, Technical Support, and/or Service Level Agreements. With this being said, we must think of the internet as a true utility for our business, to be treated with the same prompt attention as our gas and electric, or our water or telephone service when they go down. Logically, a good internet service provider should be on call, 24/7, 365 days a year, and that's just for residential customers! 1) For one, a par business class connection should provide you with a Service Level Agreement (SLA). This should guarantee that you get service in a timely fashion, say no later than 21 days. It should also guarantee to the effect that if service goes down, there should be some type of mean time to restore service back to your location. 2) Secondly, in order to execute repairs and restorations to your one site or multiple locations, you are going to need a knowledgeable and capable Customer Service Team. Customer Service is so incredibly valuable because of the increasingly higher costs of network outages and ISP downtime. When you turn on your faucet, you want water; when you pick up your phone you want to make or receive a call. It's the exact same thing for your web access. You need competence and efficiency when there is a problem beyond your control or scope; you need this 24/7, 365. 3) Last, and truly most important, Service Reliability. When you have a good service level agreement, you usually will have a trustworthy connection. With a connection that is dependable, you can run your internet applications flawlessly and worry-free. It becomes second nature to log on to the net to find information for you and your employees. These are just a few things to consider when looking for a business class connection. Price should never be the sole determining factor when investing your company's money in communications tools. An internet service provider does its job when you aren't left feeling vulnerable. |