We are pleased to announce that the votes are in & Clere Communications won the race under the "ADMIN" Category of the Telecom Association Members Choice Awards for 2010.
A sincere Thank You to all of you who took the time to vote for us. We appreciate you very much. It is an honor for us to serve you and grateful for everything you have done to help us get where we are today.
If you would like to view the official announcement, the post can be found at: http://www.telecomawards.com/
We will be able to publish the official artwork & press release Tuesday Dec 14th.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tis the Season! 25 Days to Save
As we are celebrating the holiday season, our book host is offering a discount on our printed books through 12/25/10 via the online store at: http://stores.lulu.com/clerecomm . Be sure to also check the site for the daily December promotions as well – a different promotion each day at: http://www.lulu.com/holiday_coupons/
$5 off
any 5 paperback books
Coupon code:
SAVEFIVE
Through 12/20/10
$5 off
any 5 paperback books
Coupon code:
SAVEFIVE
Through 12/20/10
Friday, November 19, 2010
Our Phone+ Article: Tweeting for Prospects
You will find in the Phone+ December 2010 YOU Edition issue, an article about Social Media - specifically Tweeting writen by our CEO. Take a moment to check it out:
http://www.phoneplusmag.com/ebooks/2010/11/phone-you-edition-2010.aspx
http://www.phoneplusmag.com/ebooks/2010/11/phone-you-edition-2010.aspx
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Interview with Partnerpedia about our Social Media Books
Partnerpedia Views with author Hollie Clere on her book Social Media in Telecommunications 12345
September 07, 2010
By Vanessa Ho
To listen to the podcast, click here
In this episode of Partnerpedia Views we are talking with Hollie Clere, author of "Social Media in Telecommunications," a guide that equips agents and telecom companies in the launch, development and processes for adding Social Media to their online presence, support offerings and customer engagements.
Hollie also is the founder and owner of Clere Communications, a company that helps telecommunication agents grow their business.
Hollie has been involved in the telecommunications industry for over 13 years. She started her company over seven years ago supporting Agent Business Partners in back office needs.
We talked to Hollie about her book "Social Media in Telecommunications" and what led her to write it and include Partnerpedia in its chapter on "Looking at Social Networking Platforms and Tools." As well, Hollie offers some tips she gives in the book.
"Social Media in Telecommunications" is available either as an e-book or in print on the Clere Communication's website and can be ordered here: http://www.clerecomm.com/Book.html
September 07, 2010
By Vanessa Ho
To listen to the podcast, click here
In this episode of Partnerpedia Views we are talking with Hollie Clere, author of "Social Media in Telecommunications," a guide that equips agents and telecom companies in the launch, development and processes for adding Social Media to their online presence, support offerings and customer engagements.
Hollie also is the founder and owner of Clere Communications, a company that helps telecommunication agents grow their business.
Hollie has been involved in the telecommunications industry for over 13 years. She started her company over seven years ago supporting Agent Business Partners in back office needs.
We talked to Hollie about her book "Social Media in Telecommunications" and what led her to write it and include Partnerpedia in its chapter on "Looking at Social Networking Platforms and Tools." As well, Hollie offers some tips she gives in the book.
"Social Media in Telecommunications" is available either as an e-book or in print on the Clere Communication's website and can be ordered here: http://www.clerecomm.com/Book.html
Friday, June 4, 2010
Sneak Peek at the book “Social Media in Telecommunications”
I have found that with Telecom; there are specific social media spaces that were more effective than others. I felt the strong desire to help those in the Telecom Industry develop their branding, find useful tools and sites where other Telecom businesses are present and utilize tools that will help them market their companies in a new way. The process can be rewarding and fruitful, but has taken me time to determine which sites my clients or prospects may be visiting, how to best contact them, and which sites would become home to personal contacts vs. business contacts.
“Social Media in Telecommunications” is a guide to help Telecommunications companies sift through the grey and become successful in Social Media.
CHAPTERS & TOPICS:
► SUMMARY OF SOCIAL MEDIA
✔ WHAT IS SOCIAL NETWORKING?
✔ THINGS TO CONSIDER IN TODAY’S MARKET
✔ WHAT IS BRANDING?
► INS AND OUTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR TELECOM
✔ WHAT DOES SOCIAL NETWORKING LOOK LIKE IN TELECOM?
✔ WHY SHOULD YOU CONNECT?
✔ WHERE DO YOU CONNECT?
► CONNECTING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
✔ HOW DO I SECURE MY USERNAME ON MULTIPLE SITES?
✔ WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER YOU CONNECT?
✔ HOW DO YOU MEET OTHERS?
✔ WHAT IS THE BEST ETIQUETTE FOR ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS?
► TOOLS AND BUILDING PROFILE CONNECTIONS
✔ HOW DO I MANAGE SEARCHES AND MULTIPLE SOCIAL NETWORKING PLATFORMS?
✔ HOW DO I FIND CUSTOMERS?
✔ HOW DO YOU ADVERTISE TO YOUR CONNECTIONS?
✔ HOW DO I GET RECOMMENDATIONS?
► DEFINING YOUR SCOPE AND BUSINESS PLAN
✔ IMPORTANT TIPS ABOUT YOUR LISTINGS
✔ HOW DO I KNOW THIS IS RIGHT FOR ME?
✔ HOW CAN YOU TRACK OF BUSINESS DERIVED FROM SOCIAL NETWORKING?
✔ HOW CAN YOU PLAN SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES FOR YOUR COMPANY?
✔ MILESTONES
► LOOKING AT SOCIAL NETWORKING PLATFORMS AND TOOLS
✔ LINKED IN
✔ BLOGGING
✔ MYSPACE
✔ PARTNERPEDIA
✔ YOUTUBE
✔ XEESM
✔ GOOGLE ALERT
✔ SLIDESHARE
► KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER
A few brief Tips from the book:
Always take time to think through your marketing and goals
Discover what social media sites your customers have presence
Never bash a competitor, vendor, partner or individual
Stay consistent with your profile language, images, colors and logos
Utilize tools to help you manage these sites
Develop a daily schedule to manage these tools, and fulfill your marketing and prospecting goals
Be aware of who is presenting information about your company online
Establish and utilize keywords to maximize functionality and visibility on all sites
. . . You will need to read the book to get the rest of the information . . .
We are open to comments, so please let us know if you are interested in writing a recommendation for us to post on the website.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
What is the skill you value most in Telecom Back Office/Project Management Support?
In a small poll I conducted on LinkedIn, I asked the question, “What is the skill you value most in Back Office/Project Management Support?”
85% of the answers voted for Active Communication
14% Order Paperwork Efficiency
Not one voted for:
Thorough Documentation
Customer Experience
Timeliness of Deliverables
I think all 5 are important, and I must say that if I could only choose one, it would probably be Active Communication.
• What are your thoughts?
• Are there items that you feel should have been added to this list?
• What are the 5 top PM qualities you look for?
http://polls.linkedin.com/poll-results/47456/euylr
Please feel free to provide feedback through LinkedIn or this forum.
14% Order Paperwork Efficiency
Not one voted for:
Thorough Documentation
Customer Experience
Timeliness of Deliverables
I think all 5 are important, and I must say that if I could only choose one, it would probably be Active Communication.
• What are your thoughts?
• Are there items that you feel should have been added to this list?
• What are the 5 top PM qualities you look for?
http://polls.linkedin.com/poll-results/47456/euylr
Please feel free to provide feedback through LinkedIn or this forum.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Xeesm™ Building Momentum With Indirect Channel Partners
New business opportunity for entrepreneurs building a profitable social medium business
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Palo Alto, CA Apr 28, 2010 – Xeequa Corp. a provider of social business applications with over 30,000 users in 24 countries announced today that it will sell its solutions through business partners worldwide.
The company’s Social Relationship Management systems will continue to be supported by the company, training, consulting services and solution implementation will be provided by trained business partners.
“Since the launch of our Social Relationship Manager, Xeesm™ (pronounce ‘see sum’), in summer 2009, we rapidly grew our user base worldwide,” said Xeequa CEO, Axel Schultze who explained the reason for building a partner network.
View the full article here: http://xeesm.com/_/site/index.php/2010/04/28/xeesm-business-partner/
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Palo Alto, CA Apr 28, 2010 – Xeequa Corp. a provider of social business applications with over 30,000 users in 24 countries announced today that it will sell its solutions through business partners worldwide.
The company’s Social Relationship Management systems will continue to be supported by the company, training, consulting services and solution implementation will be provided by trained business partners.
“Since the launch of our Social Relationship Manager, Xeesm™ (pronounce ‘see sum’), in summer 2009, we rapidly grew our user base worldwide,” said Xeequa CEO, Axel Schultze who explained the reason for building a partner network.The decision to build a partner channel was based on three objectives:
• To provide localized support wherever our users are located
• To be able to scale at the speed of social media growth
• To use the most cost-efficient sales model.
“In addition to our strategic objectives, we understand that collaborating with others is a cornerstone to success and to a large degree what social media is all about,” Schultze added.
Xeesm™ Business Partners from the US, Europe, Latin America, Australia and Singapore have been trained by the company in three major areas including product knowledge, sales strategies, and business planning.
“In helping Telecommunications Agents grow their business with Social Media, we have found that the Xeesm social relationship management tool can help organizations through their entire social selling process from initial engagement to the final sale and service” said Hollie Clere Project Manager / Auditor, Clere Communications, LLC, Colorado, USA. “We are excited to Partner with Xeesm to better enhance the social media support services we offer to our clients.”
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Follow Feature on LinkedIn
Have you logged into LinkedIn lately? There is a feature on there where you can "Follow" a company. Find your company on there & be sure to "Follow" it.
Here is the URL for our company site:
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/301194
If you don't have the "Follow" option on your page yet, keep checking back in because they are updating the access on profiles constantly.
The image looks like this:
Here is the URL for our company site:
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/301194
If you don't have the "Follow" option on your page yet, keep checking back in because they are updating the access on profiles constantly.
The image looks like this:
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Information on the book: "Social Media in Telecommunications"
Check out this SlideShare Presentation about our book:
ISBN: 978-0-557-43768-9
Only $29.95
"Guide to help Telecommunications companies sift through the grey and become successful in Social Media." by: Hollie Clere
Only $29.95
Friday, April 23, 2010
Clere Communications Partners with RPM Software
As described by Roger Balm, CEO of RPM Software, "In their ongoing efforts to provide superior service and support, Clere Communications has become our first certified AGENT back office consultant. We are excited to have Clere Communications become an extension of our support network and offer outsourced support to all AGENT subscribers."
"Clere Communications is honored to receive Certification from RPM for the support of Partners on their commission and order management platform. We are excited for this opportunity, partnership with RPM and we are committed to continue delivering the best possible support and training services to agent partners", stated Hollie Clere, owner of Clere Communications.
About Clere Communications
Clere Communications is focused on telecommunications auditing, business consulting, and project management on behalf of agents. They support agents, brokers, and subagents across the United States with nearly any carrier they represent. They have been providing these services to agents for over 12 years.
To learn more about Clere Communications visit http://www.clerecomm.com/Home_Page.php
Sincerely,
Joe Laratta
Sales Director, RPM Software"
CenturyLink and Qwest Communications Merger website
If you are interested in following the CenturyLink and Qwest merger online, they have published a website detailing the specifics. Visit thier URL:
http://www.centurylinkqwestmerger.com/entry.php
You can also visit:
http://news.qwest.com/centurylinkqwestmerger
http://www.centurylinkqwestmerger.com/entry.php
You can also visit:
http://news.qwest.com/centurylinkqwestmerger
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Announcing Book Release “Social Media in Telecommunications”
Clere Communications is announcing Book Release of “Social Media in Telecommunications” by Hollie Clere:
It is a guide to help Telecommunications companies sift through the grey and become successful in Social Media.ISBN: 978-0-557-43768-9
Only $29.95
"Guide to help Telecommunications companies sift through the grey and become successful in Social Media." by: Hollie Clere
Only $29.95
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
RPM Software Certifies Clere Communications
"Clere Communications is now the first certified RPM consultant. If you're looking to hire some 3rd party RPM expertise, they are our recommendation.
This is a program we're looking to expand, and it's exciting that the RPM subscriber base is now large enough to support independent consultants.
Sincerely,
Jade Ohlhauser
Product Manager, RPM Software 04/21/2010"
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Spiff Program Can Cause Hardships for Customers
Many carriers offer a spiff program where the Agents can quickly input minimal data to process an order, then get paid a decent spiff & be on their way. Downfall to this is; the amount of time it takes the carrier to then process the order – in which the customer & agent ultimately suffer.
A spiff isn’t always ALL it is cracked up to be when you sacrifice the quality of implementation for your customer. Look at the life cycle of an average order: Let’s say it takes about 30 days to get a standard T1 order processed, scrubbed, keyed, FOC received, circuit delivered, then turn up is ready to schedule. If you add another lesion in the mix between your PM and the customer, you are waiting for them to communicate with the customer, phone tag, questions, documents to be signed, more questions, then the process will finally begin . . . you are looking at a two week delay to your already 30 day interval. Sure, if you establish this with your customer ahead of time – you should be ok, but if you have a high priority order – what do you do when service is delayed due to mediation process?
Good rule of thumb in cases such as this – if it is worth it to you to get paid a few $100 for an order upfront rather than rely on your tried and true methods of order processing, feel free. We encourage the engagement of the spiff & would prefer all of our partners get the most money possible for each deal. We just suggest that instead of entering the minimum required information document- then hoping it all goes well; you should continue to engage your PM from initiation to mediate the communication, process and updates on the project daily so the order gets processed in the quickest, most efficient manner. You and your customer can not afford time lost between phone calls. Be sure that you & your PM have developed the action plan prior to the request getting submitted, finalize all paperwork so the order gets processed quickly. Only you & your PM can achieve success in the delivery of these types of orders.
A spiff isn’t always ALL it is cracked up to be when you sacrifice the quality of implementation for your customer. Look at the life cycle of an average order: Let’s say it takes about 30 days to get a standard T1 order processed, scrubbed, keyed, FOC received, circuit delivered, then turn up is ready to schedule. If you add another lesion in the mix between your PM and the customer, you are waiting for them to communicate with the customer, phone tag, questions, documents to be signed, more questions, then the process will finally begin . . . you are looking at a two week delay to your already 30 day interval. Sure, if you establish this with your customer ahead of time – you should be ok, but if you have a high priority order – what do you do when service is delayed due to mediation process?
Good rule of thumb in cases such as this – if it is worth it to you to get paid a few $100 for an order upfront rather than rely on your tried and true methods of order processing, feel free. We encourage the engagement of the spiff & would prefer all of our partners get the most money possible for each deal. We just suggest that instead of entering the minimum required information document- then hoping it all goes well; you should continue to engage your PM from initiation to mediate the communication, process and updates on the project daily so the order gets processed in the quickest, most efficient manner. You and your customer can not afford time lost between phone calls. Be sure that you & your PM have developed the action plan prior to the request getting submitted, finalize all paperwork so the order gets processed quickly. Only you & your PM can achieve success in the delivery of these types of orders.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Clere Communications is a “Social Media Academy Empowered Partner”
The first graduating class of the Social Media Academy Channel Empowerment Program received their “diplomas” after completing a rigorous six week program and passing a final exam.
Apr 08, 2010 – Happy resellers posted ”virtual high-fives” across their social media spaces and set off to engage their customers and vendors in a more social and comprehensive manner. This program was sponsored by Qwest, EMC and Partnerpedia to improve the social media awareness of their channels . . .Read the full article: Click Here
Thursday, March 11, 2010
How can you get connected in Social Media specifically for Telecom?
I wanted to let you know about a new package we are offering to Agents. There are 2 variations.
Social Media Ramp-Up & Social Networking Support
Social Media Ramp-Up includes setting up & developing your Social Media Sites to promote your branded individual & your branded company to your connections & future prospects. We will get your profiles developed with essential keyword searches, content & stamp your company in the social media markets. We will also setup for you & teach you how to use all of these sites via a free online portal that will optimize your productivity. We will consult you on the best practices in marketing specific for Telecom, Telecom prospects & build your following quickly.
Social Networking Support is a service we offer to monitor these platforms for you with reporting on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis. It is important to have current visibility on these platforms with consistent activity to build trust, relationships & knowledge of your services. You can have access to the media platform at any time to view productivity in addition to the reporting options we will provide to you. You will be able to target specific prospects via the social networking tools & market your business in a way that you haven’t been able to do before.
Fact: Qwest developed a team of social media experts to support existing customers. What they found is when people would complain about their services online, there was no visibility to help them & they were losing business. 7 out of 10 of complaints on Twitter about Qwest were responded positively by the end user & customers were retained. In the last 6 months, large companies including Qwest and Cisco have not only branded but perfected the customer experience by helping the customers real time with their issues.
Fact: Customers will research your branding/profile prior to calling you back on a cold call. How do I know this? Many of you did the same with us before calling us for support services. Where are they looking? LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google. If you don’t have a website, you may be overlooked. In addition, Google pulls feeds from LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter for specific keyword searches. If you aren’t on active with a broad profile on these sites – you may be overlooked because they won’t know much about you.
Fact: By allowing us to manage these services for you – on a flat rate basis each month – you know the following:
(1) You won’t have to learn the specifics about Social Networking ins & outs
(2) You will be in the field more – instead of trying to figure out how to connect & maintain your profile
(3) All direct messages or inquiries will be filtered to you immediately with the option for you to personally respond
If you are interested in letting us help you grow your business through this new technology, let me know. The tools we use are completely free, the only cost to you is our flat rate.
Don’t be left behind because of a lack of online presence.
Don’t let your customers feel neglected if they contact you online & you infrequently login.
Social Media Ramp-Up & Social Networking Support
Social Media Ramp-Up includes setting up & developing your Social Media Sites to promote your branded individual & your branded company to your connections & future prospects. We will get your profiles developed with essential keyword searches, content & stamp your company in the social media markets. We will also setup for you & teach you how to use all of these sites via a free online portal that will optimize your productivity. We will consult you on the best practices in marketing specific for Telecom, Telecom prospects & build your following quickly.
Social Networking Support is a service we offer to monitor these platforms for you with reporting on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis. It is important to have current visibility on these platforms with consistent activity to build trust, relationships & knowledge of your services. You can have access to the media platform at any time to view productivity in addition to the reporting options we will provide to you. You will be able to target specific prospects via the social networking tools & market your business in a way that you haven’t been able to do before.
Fact: Qwest developed a team of social media experts to support existing customers. What they found is when people would complain about their services online, there was no visibility to help them & they were losing business. 7 out of 10 of complaints on Twitter about Qwest were responded positively by the end user & customers were retained. In the last 6 months, large companies including Qwest and Cisco have not only branded but perfected the customer experience by helping the customers real time with their issues.
Fact: Customers will research your branding/profile prior to calling you back on a cold call. How do I know this? Many of you did the same with us before calling us for support services. Where are they looking? LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google. If you don’t have a website, you may be overlooked. In addition, Google pulls feeds from LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter for specific keyword searches. If you aren’t on active with a broad profile on these sites – you may be overlooked because they won’t know much about you.
Fact: By allowing us to manage these services for you – on a flat rate basis each month – you know the following:
(1) You won’t have to learn the specifics about Social Networking ins & outs
(2) You will be in the field more – instead of trying to figure out how to connect & maintain your profile
(3) All direct messages or inquiries will be filtered to you immediately with the option for you to personally respond
If you are interested in letting us help you grow your business through this new technology, let me know. The tools we use are completely free, the only cost to you is our flat rate.
Don’t be left behind because of a lack of online presence.
Don’t let your customers feel neglected if they contact you online & you infrequently login.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Channel Partners Expo March 1-3 in Las Vegas, NV
Our CEO will be attending Channel Partners Expo in March. If you are interested in scheduling a meeting during that time, please send her an email directly at hclere@clerecomm.com
Monday, January 18, 2010
Reflection on the Qwest QMarket Place Event Jan 2010
Each year, the Qwest QMarket Place Event is a time for us to visit with old coworkers, channel sales managers, visit with Agents and meet new companies in the Telecom business. This year we had a great time catching up, sharing business practices and learning about new technologies and strategies.
The format was slightly different this year, than past shows. The Product Fair was held on Thursday, during breakout sessions instead of Wednesday evening after the on boarding training. The disadvantage for partners attending the breakout sessions, was the inability to participate in the product fair, but it also made the product fair less congested, giving those who had specific product questions, the forum to have one-one time with specialists. It would have been great for our AC & SE Teams to have been there, as these relationships are crucial to the building of sales, process & business functions for each Agent.
We found the breakout sessions we attended were comprised of very useful information, experts in the area and there was a lot of time for not only understanding the technology / process, but also question answer sessions. This was very helpful for a deeper understanding of how Qwest is positioned in the market for new technology trends.
If you have ever considered attending the QMarketplace Event, but never taken advantage of the opportunity, I would recommend trying to attend next year. When planning, schedule yourself to arrive to Denver by 11am, on Wed, giving you time to meet your CSMs in the partner lunch, attend the on boarding (or refresher) and stay for the full event with Awards Dinner Thurs. Plan to either join the group on the ski trip or head home on Friday.
It would be great to meet those of you next year who were unable to attend!
The format was slightly different this year, than past shows. The Product Fair was held on Thursday, during breakout sessions instead of Wednesday evening after the on boarding training. The disadvantage for partners attending the breakout sessions, was the inability to participate in the product fair, but it also made the product fair less congested, giving those who had specific product questions, the forum to have one-one time with specialists. It would have been great for our AC & SE Teams to have been there, as these relationships are crucial to the building of sales, process & business functions for each Agent.
We found the breakout sessions we attended were comprised of very useful information, experts in the area and there was a lot of time for not only understanding the technology / process, but also question answer sessions. This was very helpful for a deeper understanding of how Qwest is positioned in the market for new technology trends.
If you have ever considered attending the QMarketplace Event, but never taken advantage of the opportunity, I would recommend trying to attend next year. When planning, schedule yourself to arrive to Denver by 11am, on Wed, giving you time to meet your CSMs in the partner lunch, attend the on boarding (or refresher) and stay for the full event with Awards Dinner Thurs. Plan to either join the group on the ski trip or head home on Friday.
It would be great to meet those of you next year who were unable to attend!
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