Avatel Employee Spotlight

We believe that the Avatel employees or as we like to say, our Avatel family members are our biggest asset, contributing to the success, innovation and advancement of our company. Our spotlight page is an effort to recognize our employees that make a big difference and demonstrate behaviours that exemplify Avatel’s values. Avatel is dedicated to provide meaningful recognition for the accomplishments of our employees. We feel that recognition encourages teamwork, stimulates innovation, energizes people, helps individuals grow and, most of all, feel valued for their contributions.

Our employee spotlight is a space for inspirations, observations and celebrations of each other. We believe that life is too short to not have fun, and “Fun” is an important part of the Avatel culture. Check out the articles below and see for yourself the kinds of wonderful things our employees are doing behind the scenes at Avatel.

 

 

2012 Year End Review and Awards Ceremony

We’re such a goal-oriented culture and we get a thrill from achieving our goals, but it’s very easy to shift from the end of one year and straight into the next – without pausing to celebrate the success we’ve achieved. Our year-end review and awards ceremony is all about celebrating our successes. It is easy to get caught up in the day to day business but we must take this time to stop and reflect on what we have achieved.

We strive to create a work culture that encourages and supports individual and team achievements. Celebrating success has become part of Avatel’s culture and forms the essence of our brand attitude. We believe that it has not only encouraged our team members to aim high, but has also enhanced our employee engagement and our customer satisfaction.

Taking time to reflect on the progress you have made and successes you have had is a powerful way to program your mind for continued success. Companies that don't celebrate success will eventually have no success to celebrate. So with that said, it's celebration time! A great year went by and we have every right to enjoy our achievements. Our year end celebration is really about coming together and recounting individual and collective achievements.

 

I want to congratulate all Avatel team members for how hard you worked to help the business achieve its 2012 goals.

2012 Highlights

  • 12.6% Increase in SME Sales in 2012
  • Exceeded Service Margins in 2012
  • 99.38% Overall Customer Satisfaction Rating
  • #1 Avaya SME Partner in the Southeast
  • Recognized as a Senior Leader on the Avaya SME Council
  • One of 50 Avaya Partners chosen and approved to participate in the Radvision Fast-track Program
  • Won 3rd place in the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Best Places to Work “Big” company category in 2012
  • Celebrated Avatel’s 10 year anniversary

Avatel’s Sales Team

Although many items contribute to a company’s success, the single most important factor is the strength of the team. With strong commitment to move toward the same goal, the team creates a synergy - a force that is greater than the combined energy of its individual members. - Together you accomplish great things. Avatel is fortunate to have such an energetic, talented sales team.

There are several factors that contribute to sales success in any organization. One of the most important is defined expectations. We recognize that most of the sales team has consistently achieved, and often exceeded those expectations. Such performance does not go unnoticed.

 

2012 Top Sales Performer by Month

 Jan. 2012 ~ Frank Fautas ~ 221%

 Feb. 2012 ~ Laura Martinez ~ 540%

 March 2012 ~ Fred Sternberg ~ 202%

 April 2012 ~ Teresa Boully ~ 170%

 May 2012 ~ Bryan Kelley ~ 299%

 June 2012 ~ Deb Woodford ~ 194%

 July 2012 ~ Frank Fautas ~ 376%

 Aug. 2012 ~ Laura Martinez ~ 220%

 Sept. 2012 ~ Laura Martinez ~ 599%

 Oct. 2012 ~ Deb Woodford ~ 157%

 Nov. 2012 ~ Bryan Kelley ~ 233%

 Dec. 2012 ~ Fran Fautas ~ 220%

 

Top Sales Associates for 2012Back Row ~ Teresa Boully, Fred Sternberg, Deb Woodford and Laura Martinez

Front Row ~ Bryan Kelley and Frank Fautas

 

2012 Top Sales Revenue Performer for the yearLaura Martinez ~ 242% of 2012 Goal

 

2012 Top Sales Units for the yearBryan Kelley ~ 78 Avaya IP Office Systems

 

Avatel’s Project Management Team

We believe that effective project management is essential for the smooth transition of technology for our customers. The Avatel Project Manager is the one person to bring everything together and take responsibility for the work's success. This requires tenacity, determination and confidence—all essential traits held by Avatel Project Managers.

Avatel Project Managers have the proven ability to deliver professional project management and after-sales service and are capable of providing the project support required by all Avatel customers. They ensure that every aspect of the equipment installation and training is meticulously coordinated to ensure a smooth transition.

 

Avatel’s Engineering Team

At Avatel, we recognize that people make the organization. Our Engineering staff is matched with experience and a proven track record of success. Avatel’s Great Sales Engineers understand the problems faced by our customers and the goals they want to achieve. Our Sales Engineers have a trust with the customer that is usually not shared by anyone else at Avatel.

Our Engineers embrace technical challenges and enjoy working with exciting and emerging technologies. Their knowledge positions them as a resource and allows them to gain trust through competence and the value of the information they provide. They are seen as trusted advisors who understand the real needs of the customer.

 

Avatel’s Operations Teams

The Finance department is of utmost importance as it is responsible for ensuring that adequate funds are available for Avatel’s success. The primary objective of a company's finance department is to expedite all financial transactions in a quick and efficient manner. Proper finance management is the heart and soul of a successful business.

Accounts receivable is vital to the proper functioning and future growth for Avatel since this is where the money comes in.  The accounts payable function within Avatel’s finance department handles all the company’s expenditures from vendor payments to overhead expense and more. The AP/AR role has a significant amount of responsibility that requires multi-tasking, to solve problems, and to successfully engage customers and vendors in a positive way.

Purchasing and procurement is a function of Avatel’s Operations Group that entails the active sourcing and selection of external vendors to provide goods. In more specific terms, Avatel’s purchasing department is responsible for coordinating the purchase needs for Avatel’s customers and Avatel’s office through negotiating with potential suppliers, issuing purchase orders and resolving purchasing-related problems. Avatel’s purchasing dept. sees that every penny saved will go directly to the bottom line. We get caught up in sales numbers but good procurement skills have the same effect on the company in dollars. In fact, they not only save us money, but like a good salesperson, they make us money. In 2012 the Purchasing group has continued to stay focused on ensuring Avatel gets the absolutely best price points for our customers on product/services.

 

Special Recognition Awards

Companies that want to make the leap to becoming a high-performing organization must have employee engagement and commitment. In today's environment, this is the key to maintaining a competitive edge and driving business success.

One reason that companies like Avatel are so successful is that we have dedicated employees whose efforts surpass what is required of them. Avatel has developed a corporate culture that emphasizes going the extra mile for customers, colleagues, and the organization itself.

2012 Above & Beyond AwardGeorge Jenkins, Avatel Lead Engineer

Awarded to George Jenkins for going out of his way to do what is necessary with no thought of financial gain, praise or reward. He steps up to the plate, identifies the needs, steps into action, nurtures the result to the end, and allows the impact to positively affect those involved.

Behavior that goes above and beyond the call of duty is a key asset and one that is difficult for competitors to imitate. Employees like George Jenkins who exhibit voluntary effort and spontaneous, innovative behavior are extremely important to Avatel’s competitive advantage. George is always willing to do more than what is required, he enjoy challenges that stretch his capabilities and sets high standards for himself.

 

2012 Social Media Ambassador AwardLonnie Ledford, Avatel Project Manager

Being effective with social media is both an art and a skill. Lonnie has a passion for Avatel’s branding and for social media. Lonnie is the ambassador to all that we do with Avatel’s social media initiatives. He has implemented and manages Avatel’s Social Media Strategy, developing brand awareness and generating traffic on our online social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Lonnie understands that timely content is what drives the Social Web. Lonnie knows the importance of social community building and possesses a high degree of enthusiasm for this media through seeding content into our social applications.

He generates traffic and leads by increasing followers and subscribers across a variety of Avatel’s Social Media networks and encourages interaction between current and prospective customers and the company. He promotes Avatel’s corporate achievements, company updates, and develops contests, etc.  He also monitors the impact of Avatel’s online reputation with our social media programs in an effort to maximize results. Lonnie’s creativity combined with the ability to multitask and maintain his project management duties has created a winning combination of effective social media and branding for Avatel.

 

2012 Shooting Star AwardDennis Roldan, Purchasing Agent

Dennis has become a vital member of the Purchasing staff: Ramping up throughout the year to learn and actively do all of the necessary tasks in the purchasing department. The Avatel Shooting Star Recognition Award acknowledges a performance that rises above mediocrity, strives for excellence and inspires others to greatness. Superior job performance is not a matter of doing a few things heroically. It is a matter of doing a great many small things well.

Dennis presents issues and solutions on a regular basis, actively participating in team meetings and took the lead in effecting significant changes to the Product Return/Call Tag process earlier in the year that resulted in increased customer satisfaction and cost savings.

 

2012 Customer Satisfaction Survey’s

In today's competitive business environment, the quality of service is often the difference between keeping customers and losing them, it compels every organization to listen to the voice of its customers. To properly measure satisfaction and to be able to effectively leverage this information to enhance profits and branding, it is imperative that customer analysis be conducted.

Achieving consistently high levels of customer satisfaction is one of the best ways for Avatel to compete effectively, grow our customer base and increase profit. Customer satisfaction is essential to the survival of our businesses and is a key performance indicator within our business. We must always strive to be in tune with what our customers think and how they feel.

 

2012 Customer Survey Results

 

Avatel Account Manger Survey Results - 99.07% Very Satisfied and Satisfied (70.37% Very Satisfied and 28.70% Satisfied)

 

Project Manager Survey Results – 99.07% Very Satisfied and Satisfied (74.70% Very Satisfied and 24.37 Satisfied)

 

Engineer Survey Results– 100% Very Satisfied and Satisfied (79.07% Very Satisfied and 20.93% Satisfied)

 

Overall Company Survey Results – 99.38% Very Satisfied and Satisfied (74.71% Very Satisfied and 24.67% Satisfied)

 

2012 Avatel Year-end Review Closing Comments

Avatel family members feel a vested interest in Avatel’s success and are both willing and motivated to perform to levels that exceed basic requirements.

We work in a quota driven, fast-moving, problem-responding work environment. Our company's productivity-and ultimately, its profitability-depends on making sure that everyone is performing up to their full potential. Commitment is the foundation of Avatel’s success and the basis of our achievement. Remarkable performance doesn’t happen by accident, it is always preceded by commitment and persistent action.

I am really pleased with the momentum we have established in 2012 and even more excited about our future. We have never been better positioned than right now. It is through hard work and dedication that we continue to grow.  Look back and recognize all your hard work you put in in 2012 and celebrate every bit of success to recharge you for the rest of the journey.

Through good or bad economic times, hard work pays off and confidence in our own abilities sustains us. We focus, we change and we innovate. With optimism and drive, we can accomplish anything. High-performance organizations accomplish extraordinary results. Companies like Avatel, rise above the noise and get noticed.

 

Let’s build on our 2012 momentum

And set an even higher standard for success in 2013!

 

 

Christmas at Avatel 2012

Traditions are important in companies just as they are with families. And, nothing is more important than the annual traditions that Avatel establishes around the celebration of the holidays.

The Avatel Christmas luncheon and our Mad Santa gift game is truly an occasion to build relationships within the company as well as a way of celebrating and appreciating each other.

Our holiday celebration builds positive morale and motivation which contributes to team building and productivity.

It's a time to gather all Avatel family members together and celebrate the company's accomplishments and the people who've made it possible.

The team spirit fostered by celebrating together lasts far longer and runs much deeper than formalities that typically come to be both expected and soon forgotten.

There's a lot to be said for the camaraderie that develops among our Avatel family members and the positive good feelings that come from it help propel our workplace beyond the ordinary. To us, our Avatel family is a group of individuals with shared beliefs that help each other achieve success while working toward a common goal.

Endearing and enduring companies like Avatel are those that develop meaningful relationships that go beyond being professional to being personal. Establishing camaraderie in the workplace benefits everyone and allows Avatel to exceed its expectations.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday!

 

 

Avatel 2012 Season of Giving

The holiday season is about giving back to those in need, and this is one notion that Avatel takes seriously. Giving back symbolizes a return to the original spirit of the holiday season and suggests a focus on what is really important in our lives - the gift of comfort, strength, peace, harmony and joy — feelings that sometimes become lost in the materialism of the modern holiday season. I'm proud to be part of an organization where giving back is part of our culture and is ingrained in everything we do.


 
While saving the planet is important and protecting animal rights is certainly a worthy cause, the most meaningful gifts during the Holiday season, especially during an economic crisis, are best directed toward families in need. There is a certain power and magic in giving, essentially you create a ripple effect of love, support and compassion. Avatel wants to encourage a culture of giving and our Thanksgiving food drive and our Christmas Toy drive are a way for us to nurture that culture. Selfless giving during the holiday season allows miracles to happen in the lives of hurting families.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Sir Winston Churchill

Metropolitan Ministries is celebrating 40 years of partnership and service to the community.  As a long term partner, Avatel joined the “40 Years Drive” during the holiday season by helping them collect food and toys for families and children in need. As a Holiday of Hope partner with Metropolitan Ministries and as a part of our Giving Back program, Avatel hosted two holiday donation drives.


Avatel 2012 Thanksgiving Food Drive

What comes to mind when thinking about Thanksgiving? Food! Every year millions of Americans celebrate this national holiday with family, friends and wonderful food. But for a million or so Americans experiencing homelessness Thanksgiving is a much less celebratory day.
This time of year, many people around the world are giving thanks for the blessings in their lives. In the spirit of being thankful, Avatel held its annual Thanksgiving food drive “Hope starts with a Meal” which ran from Nov. 5th through the 20th to care for the families in need at Thanksgiving time. The generosity of our Avatel team members provided homeless and hurting families with warm meals at Thanksgiving.


 
Allow me to express my thanks to all our Avatel family members for the donations during our “Hope starts with a Meal” Thanksgiving food drive and found the compassion to provide gifts of food to make this time of year a little less distressing for those in need.


Avatel 2012 Christmas Toy Drive

Christmas should be a happy time for everyone, but unfortunately Christmas is often a time of heartache for those who can't afford to give their children the proper Christmas.  We were all children once and we know that every child looks forward to Christmas and would look forward to a new toy or something that’s just for them. The Avatel team’s donations of Christmas toys to needy children provide a glimmer of hope and inspiration for them. Not only do toy donations and gifts for Christmas bring a smile to children in need, but generously giving from our hearts is an excellent way to show our compassion and empathy for others less fortunate than ourselves.
Our Christmas Toy drive ran from Nov. 26 through Dec. 19th to care for Christmas presents for the children of families in need.  Nearly 200 homeless children reside with their families at Metropolitan Ministries. It is great to know that the success of our toy drive can make a difference in their lives.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of your generous toy donations and our wonderful Avatel Elves delivering those generous gifts to Metropolitan Ministries.


Avatel Elves – Raymond Kerker, Lonnie Ledford, Andrew Cohen and Torina Schmidt
 


 

 

 

Avatel Halloween 2012

The Avatel family enjoyed an afternoon of Halloween festivitiesand still closed the month off with a bang!!


Costume contest Winners

 

  • Jennifer Smalling (Service Dept. Project Manager) ~ Funniest Costume

 

 

 

  • Dennis Roldan (Purchasing Dept.) ~ Scariest Costume

 

 

 

  • Annette Duarte (Finance Dept.) ~ Best Overall Costume

 

 

 

 

 

From Oct. the 1st through the 5th, Avatel joined the tens of thousands of customer service professionals in over 40 countries celebrating Customer Service Week. We joined them in celebrating our achievements and in recommitting ourselves to our service mission. The quality of customer service can either make or break a business. When customers have a bad experience it remains imprinted in their minds. Customers who call our support department will be reporting a problem or a concern. They are calling because there is an issue - and it is the duty of our support teams to solve the problem to their full satisfaction. Anything less than that and our customer will continue to feel displeased.  Get it right, and we win a loyal customer who'll bring more customers to Avatel in the future; get it wrong and we could lose out to our competitors and the customer may never do business with us again. I believe that says it in a nutshell – The IMPORTANCE of our customer support teams!


This year’s theme is “Be the One”.

Be the one to make a difference

Be the one to share a smile

Be the one to show you care

Be the one to spread joy

Be the one to listen deeply

Be the one that customers turn to

Be the one to practice patience

Be the one to lead the way

Be the one to see things through

Be the one to offer help

Be the One

 

As we celebrated, I called on everyone at Avatel to pledge to “Be the One” to make a difference in the lives of the customers, coworkers and others that you touch each day. All Avatel departments showed their support in recognizing our “Super Customer Hero’s” and “Resolution Masters” by pinning up notes of recognition and gratitude for their co-workers in the Service Department.

We started the week with doughnuts and bagels, while we took a few minutes to reflect on the serious and important work that we do.  We made the commitment to service excellence by signing our names to this year's Customer Service Week Pledge.  Our second day was a “Stress Relief Day” with neck and shoulder chair massages for our Service team, along with the team members preparing brief essays about the most important thing that they could “BE” to make a difference in the lives of customers and coworkers. The third day, we dressed in the “Be the One” colors of purple, blue and orange and enjoyed a “thank you” lunch presented to the service team members. The fourth day we enjoyed an old fashioned Ice cream social in the Service department, and last but not least, on our final day of our fun filled week, we enjoyed a dinner out as we reflected on the special celebration we all shared.



 

Avatel believes that it is important to recognize employees who demonstrate excellent customer service skills in an effort to maintain employee engagement and focus. We want to make sure that we express thanks and appreciation to Andrew Cohen, Lonnie Ledford, Angela McKnight, Johnann Favata, Jennifer Smalling, George Jenkins, Romelio Chirino, Joseph Ramos, Frank Peraza, Garrett Phillips and their fearless leader, Jim Kelly not just during Customer Service week but throughout the year.

 

 

 

In keeping with the celebration of Avatel’s 10 year anniversary, the associates of Avatel feel compelled to celebrate one of Avatel’s most treasured leaders, Jamie Wood, Executive Vice President.

Jamie is an entrepreneurial executive with more than 20 years’ experience in the Telecommunications industry with a strategic vision to establish and achieve business goals.  Her expertise includes business development, strategic market planning, key account management, retention, sales team management, contract negotiation and market analysis.  She has vast experience of in the arenas of sales, marketing and strategic planning with a sharp focus on creativity and cutting-edge innovation.  Jamie has a motivational management style with a record of building and retaining highly motivated sales teams and successful identification of opportunities for accelerated growth.

And yet….

Jamie is so very much more than that to all of us here at Avatel.  Most notably known as “Motivational Momma”, Jamie goes above and beyond the call of duty to remain positive at all times, fostering that very outlook from one and all among the team or “family” as she refers to the business associates within Avatel.  She goes out of her way to help members of this family both personally and professionally in every way humanly possible.  She always pushes her partner, management, and associates to the forefront in terms of recognition, rarely even acknowledging that the backbone of their successes are a direct result of the positive environment she has created and the encouragement she provides every day. 

And she doesn’t stop there…

Jamie has been a business coach to other like executives both inside and out of the telecommunications industry, providing her wisdom to help them experience the same or like satisfaction and success in their business endeavors.  She is also a leader in the community through her involvement and consistent perseverance to aid non-profit organizations both personally and on behalf of Avatel.

Though often used, the term “Role Model”, does not even begin to embody the meaning and impact Jamie has had on each and every one of us.  The more apt way to describe her would be to ask yourself, “If you could be anyone in this world with the qualities and character that are second to none, who would you be?”….The answer would be a unanimous… “Jamie Wood”.

 

 

Avatel Celebrates Ten Years in Business

 

10 Years Strong and Improving with Age!

 

We're proud of this milestone and grateful to our customers and staff members who helped get us where we are today. The key to our success has been and continues to be the outstanding team of talented and dedicated professionals, who share Avatel’s vision and mission. Without their passion, trust and demand for excellence, our success would not be possible.

I am very proud of the business that we have built over the last ten years, and I believe that we are well positioned for the next ten. Our goal at Avatel is to continually improve our ability to meet and exceed customer needs. Our focus on customer service has earned us the reputation for being more nimble and more focused on providing what customers actually want. Because Avatel is qualified as an ‘Expert’ with Avaya, we have increased credibility with our customers, and it reaffirms Avatel’s commitment to excellence.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. ~ Aristotle

At Avatel, we believe that a workplace infused with team spirit is one that is energized, innovative and motivated. We firmly believe that our people are what set us apart. It’s important to take time to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together and to consider how, in good times as well as in challenging times, our company performs at the level we do because of the talents and dedication of our people.

In light of achieving our 10 year milestone there really was only one thing to do: celebrate! One of our core values is Celebrate Successes, so in celebrating our company’s 10th anniversary; we held a week long “Anniversary Spirit Week Event” during the month of May from the 14th to the 18th.

 

10th Anniversary Spirit Week:

  • Monday the 14th was “Crazy Mismatch Day”.  Oh my, did we have some real mismatched outfits. We celebrated with a pizza lunch celebration and the most creative crazy outfits won prizes.

Mismatch Day group photo

 

Mismatch Day Prize Winners

 

  • Tuesdaythe 15th was “Decades Day”. We dressed in the style of different decades - Disco queens and kings from the '70s, teased hair and colorful leggings enthusiasts from the '80s, 1960s Hippies and flower children, the Roaring Twenties flappers and 1980s punk rockers. We all celebrated with a potluck lunch and the most creative outfits won prizes.

Decades Day Group Photo

Decades Day Winners

 

  • Wednesday the 16th was ”Anniversary Day”. We commemorated the day with 10th anniversary t-shirts for all and we had a fabulous BBQ lunch and a beautiful anniversary cake.

Anniversary Day Group Photo

 

Avatel Executive Team ~ Anniversary Day

 

  • Thursday the 17th was “Pajama Day”. We all came in pajamas, hair in curlers, adult onesie sleepers and lots of wild slippers. We celebrated with a yummy breakfast buffet and the most creative outfits won prizes.

Pajama Day Group Photo

 

Pajama Day Winners

 

  • Friday the 18th was “Beach Day”. We all dressed in our favorite summertime outfits and had an afternoon on our patio with a Tiki bar, beach drinks, karaoke beach music and “sun in the fun” games. Prizes were given out to the beachiest outfits and the winners of the hula hoop contest.

Beach Day Group Photo

 

Beach Day Winners

 

A special prize was awarded to Andrew Cohen (Avatel Enterprise Project Manager) for his creativity and showing the most Spirit.

 

“Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits, for when the storm clouds come in, the eagles soar while the small birds take cover”. ~ Napoleon Hill

I believe that organizations like Avatel that focus on and celebrate success create more success. Success becomes ingrained in the culture and people naturally look for it, focus on it and expect it.  What we focus on shows up more in our life. If we look for and celebrate success we’ll see more of it.

Jamie Wood, Executive Vice President and Ernie Darias, President

 

I want to thank my Partner, Ernie Darias for the opportunity to lead such a wonderful group of people.

Click here for more pics from our exciting spirit week.

Congratulations Avatel!! 10 Years Strong and Improving with Age!!

 

 

Avatel named as a finalist in 2012 Tampa Bay Business Journal Best Places to Work

 

At Avatel, there is an emphasis on team achievements and pride in individual accomplishments that contribute to our overall success. We are more than just a team, we are a family. We watch out for each other, care for each other, and go above and beyond for each other because we believe in each other and we trust each other. We work together, but we also play together. Our bonds go far beyond the typical "co-worker" relationships found at most other companies.

We put great stock in being energetic, passionate people from diverse backgrounds with creative approaches to work, play and life. We’re a big family: Even when we argue, at the end of the day we all know that we have one common goal and will always be there to help each other when it really counts. Our family is a circle of strength and love and with each accomplishment the circle grows stronger. All the joy we share adds more love and every crisis faced together makes the circle grow stronger.

The Tampa Bay Business Journal has named 55 companies as finalists for the 2012 Best Places to Work awards.

Congratulations Avatel Family! We have been selected as one of the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s finalist for the Best Places to Work!

I am so proud of the hard work and devotion each and every Avatel family member contributes on a daily basis.  I am honored to be surrounded by such an extraordinary team.  Avatel is a company whose foundation is built on trust, care, appreciation and respect. The most important part of our company is our people and that’s why Avatel will ALWAYS be the best place to work!  We see being great as a starting point, not an endpoint!!!

Congratulations once again and I look forward to celebrating with you at the awards luncheon!

 

Together, We Can Make a Difference!

What good is success in life, if at the end of the day you have not made a difference in the lives of others? Giving something back is fundamental to the way we conduct our business. As successful members of the community, we have a responsibility to contribute to the common good.

The Avatel team does its part each day to make a difference and give back to those whom need it most. Giving back to the community is an important way of expressing humility, kindness, love, and gratitude for all that we have been given in our lives.

Giving back to the community is part of our core values.  We have a strong commitment to making a difference in the communities in which we reside, and we believe that the best way to encourage other businesses to give back is to do more of it ourselves.

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”  ~ Muhammad Ali

In December 2011, we announced our 2012 “Giving Back” Program. Avatel will donate one Avaya IP Office phone system each quarter, including project management, implementation and training to a non-profit or charitable institution.

The Avatel employees will take part in the selection of each quarter recipient. They feel very strongly about supporting others in need and make it a standard part of both their personal and professional responsibilities. By having their voices heard, they are able to make a personal connection to those in need and see the genuine impact on the local community by their choices.

Non-profits are a vital and important fiber in the fabric of our communities. In this economy, many nonprofits are coping with a significant reduction in funding, forcing them to count every penny.  Communication is critical to the successful operation of any nonprofit and this includes an effective phone system that meets the organization’s needs.

We are so excited to announce our first quarter recipient, Bay Life Academy, the largest private non-profit school in the county that specializes in the unique needs of children with learning disabilities. BLA serves students in grades K-8; providing a positive learning environment for students with Specific Learning Disabilities, Autism, Asperger’s, Speech and Language disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Emotional/Social disorders and Cognitive and/or Developmental delays.

We are honored to play a role in helping nonprofit organizations such as Bay Life Academy.  It is a gratifying form of validation of our success as a communication solution provider to help our community. We believe that making a difference is something all of us can do.

We look forward to giving back to those worthy non-profits and charitable organizations throughout the year and ultimately providing meaningful support to those who need it most.

Together, we can make a difference!

 

 

Avatel 2011 in Review

We can acknowledge our accomplishments and the areas that need improvement to use as a motivator to keep on going. The challenge comes in building on our past success and innovating new ways to use our strengths. Reviewing our progress over the last year can give us a boost of confidence and help us plan for even greater success in the year to come.

The year in review has seen a significant increase in sales from the previous year. Our last quarter’s performance clearly demonstrates the resiliency of our SME Sales team and the ability to deliver results for Avatel. Armed with courage and determination, the majority of the Avatel Team had impressive results. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Sales Team for your excellent execution and continued dedication.

Sales Team Top Performers for 2011

  • Rujel Brooks - 199% of  January quota
  • Evelyn Guzman - 197% of February quota
  • Rujel Brooks - 176% of March quota
  • Rujel Brooks - 164% of 1st Quarter quota
  • Rujel Brooks - 180% of April quota
  • Deb Woodford - 185% of May quota
  • Rujel Brooks - 290% of June quota
  • Rujel Brooks - 202% of 2nd Quarter quota
  • Teresa Boully - 171 of July quota
  • Marc Irvin - 170% of August quota
  • Teresa Boully - 354% of September quota
  • Teresa Boully - 202% of 3rd Quarter quota
  • Teresa Boully - 337% of October quota
  • Rujel Brooks – 228% of November quota
  • Marc Irvin – 160% of December quota
  • Rujel Brooks - 203% of 4th Quarter quota

Top Performer for 2011 – Rujel Brooks with 196% of 2011 quota

Customer Feedback

Customer satisfaction and experience is a key performance indicator within our business. Our customers are the heart of our operation and we must always strive to be in tune with what they think and how they feel.

Optimizing customer loyalty has a direct and positive impact on our company’s financial performance and strategy. Increasing customer loyalty through improved customer experiences can be driven by the insight gained from our customer feedback program. Our customer surveys allow us to establish measures and disciplines to ensure continuous improvement.

2011 Customer Survey Results

  • Sales Associate Overall Customer Satisfaction Rating ~ 94.27%
  • Project Manager Overall Customer Satisfaction Rating ~ 96.40%
  • Engineer/Technician Overall Customer Satisfaction Rating ~ 94.90%

2011 Above and Beyond

Awarded to Annette Duarte

So often, there are those that we know better as “Unsung Heroes”, because they do not sing their own praises.  They do not make a point of showing off what they do or what they accomplish.  They are the ones behind the scenes not only doing their job and supporting others every day, but rather the ones with the drive and ingenuity to make a difference for the company without anyone even being aware. 

Annette is an “Unsung Hero” for Avatel.  She not only supports the Finance Team in almost every aspect of the financial process of the business from receivables to payables to financial postings to back up support for purchasing. She works tirelessly to ensure Avatel’s finances are protected through inventive and strategic auditing preparation and presentation.  She has saved the business thousands of dollars and ensured that Avatel is always shown in the best possible light at any given point. 

Annette is a dependable, committed, creative, and overall treasured member of the Avatel Finance Team and the Avatel Family!  We couldn’t do it without her!

 

Avatel 2012 – The Future is Ours

To continue to thrive as a business, we must look ahead, understand the trends and forces that will shape our business in the future and move swiftly to prepare for what's to come.

We need to leave everything behind that keeps us from fully focusing on our future success. As we leave 2011, let us leave behind all those things that do us no good! We must not walk into the future backwards.  If we spend too much time on the past, we will remain in that mode, and we can’t create the future. Creating the future requires present and future orientation.  There is no point in building a vision on a foundation muddied with unfinished business, because the vision will not be fully realized.

When we think about our past success, we can’t stop there and switch to cruise control; we must understand that rarely do stagnant things stay successful. We must build from a foundation of realism, acknowledging our company’s current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Without a clear vision for the future, a company simply floats along aimlessly. If we don’t plan for and create our future, we can become reactive and fall into the victim mentality of blaming the economy, the competition or any other convenient excuse. We must develop strategies that address tomorrow’s business realities.

Avatel’s future is created by each and every single one of us. Each action we take every day plays into our future. The future is that place ahead of us and the things we do today can affect that future. We should think of every day as building blocks in our future foundation and we are placing those blocks exactly where we want them. We must take action. One step at a time, one day at a time until the foundation is complete, and all the blocks are in place. The goal is to have each day add to the day previous, until the year is complete.

Our vision ultimately becomes our company’s direction, objectives, priorities, strategies, and tactics for the year ahead of us. Our vision will give us direction, motivation, creativity and resilience. Without one we could become passive, aimless, bored, and vulnerable to quitting.

Our strategic approach is to build on our strengths, resolve any weaknesses, exploit all opportunities and avoid threats. Avatel’s business growth strategies need to align with our company aspirations (mission, vision, values).

Our objectives will cover our overall brand awareness and communication strategy, customer service, sales channels, sales training and development and current and new revenue opportunities. This plan will not be exhaustive. It will cover the highest priority areas to address in our business practices that can generate rapid returns.

It’s an exciting time for Avatel. We are anticipating growth and preparing for our future. We are well positioned for growth in 2011.Avatel 2012 – The Future is ours!!

 

Avatel Christmas Toy Drive


As we decorated our Avatel Christmas tree and hung all of our beautiful decorations at the beginning of December, we had to stop for just a moment and remember those who do not have this simple luxury of being able to do the things we take for granted every holiday season. This is a joyous time for many of us, but what about those less fortune? What about those who cannot afford a Christmas tree, let alone Christmas presents for the children to put under it.

While some adults suffer through a barren Christmas, nothing is sadder than a child without the toys that other kids enjoy at Christmas. In these tough economic times, more parents are struggling to put gifts under the Christmas tree.  It would be horrible to think that there could be children in our community who might wake up on Christmas morning and not have a present to open, but that could be the sad reality. A prolonged sluggish economy, job losses, foreclosures and a host of “unintended consequences” are leading your neighbors to Metropolitan Ministries doorstep in unprecedented numbers. They are praying for answers, not by choice but by cold, unyielding circumstance.

When we look at our children, we see their smiling faces and think about how much joy we will get from seeing their eyes light up on Christmas morning. Shouldn't every child have that joy? Shouldn't every child have presents to open up on Christmas morning?

                                                              

 

On December 20th, we were so excited to know that we could help answer their prayers by joining together with Metropolitan Ministries to celebrate hope for the children.  I am so grateful to every Avatel family member for supporting our toy drive and giving a holiday of hope for the children! We believe that every child should have something to open on Christmas morning!

                             

 

 

Avatel Thanksgiving

At Avatel, the attitude of gratefulness and mindfulness is one that we all strive to cultivate every day of the year. We believe that every time you think a thankful thought, you connect your life to more abundance. Everything for which you are grateful takes on added value as a result of your gratitude.  And, the sincere appreciation for what we have, adds value to all that we are.

We had a week long motivational theme based on Gratitude, Appreciation and Thankfulness. I wanted each of us to feel how good it is and feel how empowering it is to fill ourselves with gratitude and appreciation. With a thankful heart, we can lovingly and successfully make our world an even better place.

Gratitude

Gratitude is an essential component of a life that’s filled with joy and meaning and richness. Whenever, wherever we choose gratitude, it always makes life better. Being grateful means that everything that happens to us is seen to have a value and gratitude demonstrates the wisdom to respect that insight.

As human beings, we have a natural tendency to unconsciously take things for granted. Practice gratitude, even in the midst of despair, and it will open your eyes to the positive possibilities all around you. As your gratitude grows deeper and more all-encompassing, life’s abundance shines more brilliantly for you. The benefits of practicing daily gratitude helps rewire our minds to focus on the things that we like, the things that make us happy. It keeps us on the path of being present, helps us acknowledge the gifts we have already been blessed with, and cultivates positive thinking.

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation." ~ Brian Tracy

Appreciation

The more you appreciate something or someone, the more real value it takes on. When you sincerely enjoy and appreciate life’s small, simple treasures, the big, impressive achievements will soon be headed your way. Demonstrate, with joy and enthusiasm, your appreciation for something, and you’re likely to get much more of it. Generally, appreciation means some blend of thankfulness, admiration, approval, and gratitude. Anything that appreciates grows in value. With the power of appreciation, you learn to be consistently thankful and approving, and your life will become more valuable—both to yourself and others.

“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary”. ~ Margaret Cousins

The beauty of appreciation is that we can give it to anyone we choose and it costs nothing, except a few moments of our time. The true beauty of appreciation is that it dwells in the mind of the beholder. There are no limits. We are free to use it whenever we like and how often we like. Like love, appreciation knows only the bounds we create for it. Like hope, it opens our sense of possibility. Like compassion, it suggests we always have a positive role to play with our companions on this earth.

Thankfulness

Every thankful thought you think connects you more solidly to life’s magnificent abundance. Don’t postpone your thankfulness until you have something for which to be thankful. Realize that there’s always something to be thankful for, and your thankfulness will enable you to see it. So challenge yourself to be truly thankful for all that is around you, for all that is in you, and for all that happens to you and through you. By so doing, you give richness and value to everything you touch.

Thankfulness brings real abundance out of hiding by raising your expectations in a way that is undeniably genuine. Every day is filled with opportunities to be thankful. You can be thankful for your blessings, for your problems, for the things you know, for the things you’ve yet to learn, and for everything in between. Look for reasons to be thankful. And you will find a treasure of real, lasting value. Be truly, constantly thankful, and there is no end to the level of abundance that you will experience.

“Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.”

The blessings we enjoy are blessings precisely because we see them as such. Be thankful, and draw strength from those blessings. The more you appreciate something, the more valuable it becomes. By being truly and actively thankful, you actually increase and expand the reasons you have for being thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Avatel Family!

 

 

Avatel Halloween Costume contest Winners

  • Annette Duarte (Finance Dept.) ~ Funniest Costume
  • Andrew Cohen (Enterprise Project Manager) ~ Scariest Costume
  • Annette Duarte (Finance Dept.) ~ Best Overall Costume

 

Avatel Customer Service Week Oct. 3 – 7

(See pictures here)

In 1992 Customer Service Week was proclaimed a nationally recognized event, celebrated annually during the first full week in October. Customer Service Week (October 3 – October 7) is an international event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and to honoring the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.

Avatel had a wonderful time while creating companywide awareness of the importance of customer service. We want to thank our service department for their support and remind customers of our commitment to customer satisfaction. The week of celebration at Avatel was filled with a wide-range of activities that capture the spirit of customer service. We focused on recognizing our Service team for their hard work and commitment to service.

The Theme for the week was:

 

  • Reaffirm your commitment to customer satisfaction
  • Realign your priorities to put customers first
  • Recharge your energy and passion for service
  • Reconnect with valued customers and coworkers
  • Rediscover the importance you make in customers’ lives
  • Reflect on the customers and coworkers who make a difference to you
  • Refresh your spirit

We borrowed some great ideas from the Customer Service Week Website: http://www.CSWeek.com, and purchased colorful posters and banners to create a festive environment at Avatel.

We started the week with kick-off breakfast in the service department with team members signing the Customer Service Week pledge and recommitting to their service mission. Our second day was a “Stress Relief Day” with neck and shoulder chair massages for our Service team. The third day we played customer service bingo and served “tasty treats with a message”. The fourth day we enjoyed a “thank you” lunch together and the service group shared their smiles with their co-workers through photographs. The fifth and final day of our fun filled week was a blast; the service team shared their service spirit in a parade with “chair floats” in our call center, throwing out beads to cheering co-workers. All during the week, the team received many tokens of appreciation from the rest of the Avatel staff. At the end of week, the team proudly displayed their Certificate of Participation in a prominent place in the service department to reflect on the special celebration we all shared!

 

 St. Patrick's Day

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! Today, March 17th, 2011, has been a day filled with fun, food and team spirit here at Avatel. This month we are holding a “March Madness Sales Contest”. The contest is based on a points system and consists of two SME sales teams and their “Cheerleaders” from our support departments. The two teams are the Lucky Charms and the Sham-Rockers.

Part of the months challenge was for the teams to come up with the best tasting green food for our St. Patrick’s Day lunch. Along with the wonderful food everyone made, we were entertained by team skits and great team spirit. See video clip on YouTube -

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

While cooperation and hard work will get the teams to their goal, our support department’s team spirit (the Avatel Cheerleaders) has ignited a new level of excitement and has made the efforts fun along the way. We are just over two weeks into the contest and we have seen great results from both teams.

Enthusiasm is contagious and creates an energetic work environment. When employees work together toward a common goal, it's a winning situation for everyone involved! Promoting team spirit with a little healthy competition generates a buzz. See animated movie -

http://goanimate.com/movie/0u5b4wbVimOg?utm_source=linkshare

The teams have been meeting with their Team Captains to share experiences, customer feedback, successes, and disappointments. They learn from their feedback and then share the lessons with the entire team. Team spirit involves sharing a common passion for something greater than the individual. Both teams are High-performing teams that exhibit selflessness and a sense of spirit.

The Avatel Cheerleaders have taken time out of their workday to increase the two team’s overall morale, to increase productivity and true team spirit. When employees work together toward a common goal, it's a winning situation for everyone involved!

 

The sales team with the most points at the end of the month will win a bowling party, One support member (Cheerleader) will be chosen to join in the winning teams reward based on building and maintaining team spirit providing, inspiration, encouragement, motivation and endeavors to remove barriers and obstacles to support the teams toward goal accomplishments. Stay tuned for contest results at the end of the month.

Got Spirit, Let’s hear it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Avatel 2010 Year End Awards Ceremony

Avatel held its 2010 Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, January 28, 2011. Throughout history some of mankind’s greatest achievements have happened in the most challenging times. Avatel approached those challenges as opportunities in 2010 by seizing the initiative and executing on our strategies with single-minded determination.

Armed with Courage and Determination

Our Avatel Champions are models of pure character; they are the kind of people who their will and determination to achieve success is untainted by anything. They are adamant, ambitious and highly disciplined individuals who stop at nothing to reach their intended goal. They only know one direction; forward.

Successful companies like Avatel have a diligent work ethic that is undaunted by the prevailing market conditions or the news of the day, no matter how bleak or depressing it may be. We remained consistent in our business development activities – prospecting for new opportunities by networking, obtaining referrals, and doing something relatively unheard of today – making cold calls.

The most important ingredient required to survive successfully is attitude. Accepting the challenge with a positive attitude has allowed Avatel not only survive, but thrive under difficult circumstances. Armed with courage and determination, Avatel successfully approached challenges as opportunities.

A Look at the Big Picture and Lessons Learned – 2010 Year in Review

Our Awards Ceremony was a great opportunity to take a step back and look at the big picture, notice where we are performing well and what improvements are required. We have to be aware of the internal and external factors that have the potential of having a positive or negative impact on our business efforts.

Avatel has been able to illustrate business flexibility and thought leadership by employing unique tactics to drive growth. By counting the lessons that we have learned along this journey, we developed innovative strategies such as:

  • Balancing growth tactics and communicating strategy clearly
  • Building from the core and playing to existing strengths
  • Innovating with existing products and approach to current market
  • Keeping internal costs under control and using existing reserves to fund growth
  • Optimizing operations and focusing on customers
  • Building partnerships and strengthening relationships

It’s important to keep looking for ways to develop. If we don't, we risk allowing our competitors the room to grow and take market share from us, which could seriously weaken our position.

Avatel feels that listening to what our employees and our customers are saying about our business can be a valuable method of improving our business performance. Avatel feels that feedback is an essential element of any successful business. Without knowledge, we are unable to make educated decisions.

Employee Feedback

I know that listening to our employees and encouraging their involvement can have a positive impact to our business. Late in 2010, Avatel initiated an employee feedback forum for creating a healthy environment which leads to greater productivity and motivation. We asked 3 simple questions to help us gauge and improve upon the health of our business.

  • What went right in 2010?
  • What went wrong in 2010?
  • What would you like to see change in 2011?

The feedback was greatly appreciated and identifies what we are doing well and what we need to improve. The feedback process stimulates discussion and helps us plan for business improvement.

Customer feedback

Getting input from our customers is critical to our success. Our customers, like our employees are the lifeblood of our business. When customers feel that a business truly cares about them and what they think, they may be more likely to be loyal customers. When a business makes changes according to feedback, it shows that they truly listen and respect those opinions.

Our customers are the heart of our operation and we must always strive to be in tune with what they think and how they feel. When a customer expresses frustration with a product or service, this is an opportunity for us to explore deeper and remove the barriers to efficient customer service. Our customer surveys have allowed us to establish measures and disciplines to ensure continuous improvement.

Always Room for Improvement

We acknowledge there is always room for improvement in everything we do. The feedback that we have collected from our customers and employees will determine a plan of action that details the steps needed to increase the businesses effectiveness.
We want to improve the way our organization performs including enhancing customer service, streamlining how work gets done and increasing profitability. We will identify both strengths and areas for improvement within the organization, and use that as a baseline for the business to focus its planning and improvement efforts.


4th Quarter and 2010 Top Performers

The encouraging news is that even in uncertain times, the majority of the Avatel Team has delivered impressive results and was able to grow and prosper. Avatel’s attitude of "possibility" combined with a refusal to abandon our vision, mission and goals was the difference between success and failure in 2010.

Avatel is committed to recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance, and to fostering the success for our employees and our organization. The Avatel Top Performers are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.

Top Performers who have exceeded their monthly targets with outstanding results for 2010 4th Quarter:

Top Sales Oct. 2010 ~ Raymond Kerker
Top Sales Nov. 2010 ~ Raymond Kerker
Top Sales Dec. 2010 ~ Evelyn Guzman
Top Sales 4th Quarter Overall ~ Raymond Kerker

It is a pleasure to recognize key performers at Avatel whose passion has garnered them Top Honors for Sales Success. These top performers display a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and a goal of matching the Avaya product and Avatel solutions best suited for those customers.

 

2010 Top Performers

Overall Top Sales for 2010 ~ Laura Martinez
Top Avaya Product Sales for 2010 ~ Frank Fautas

Above and Beyond 2010 Awards For their tireless effort and selfless determination

Romelio Chirino Jr - Engineer
Brandye Byers – Finance/HR


Thank you for your exceptional accomplishments and outstanding performance in 2010.

Click here for pictures

 

Preparing for our Future

The Avatel entrepreneurial spirit has overcome obstacles and capitalized on opportunities, and our current economic setting is no exception. Businesses striving to stay one step ahead of the trends, develop new strategies and stand out in the crowd are forced to adapt to an ever-changing marketplace.

We will take a serious view of our recent performance. Our analysis will be based on profitability, market share, revenue growth, and customer satisfaction. We will examine our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to prepare us for 2011.

Our business strategy for 2011 will define the direction and scope of our organization over the long-term and will advance our company’s resources to meet market needs.

It is important that our objectives and initiatives for 2011 clearly indicate what is to be achieved. To create appropriate strategic objectives, we need to understand our capabilities as well as our environment. We also need to clarify our purpose or mission with a keen understanding of the history and current performance of our business. We are committed to continuous innovation, taking appropriate risk to search out possibilities to drive performance and growth.

Objectives

  • Customer Focus
  • Training
  • Marketing Initiatives
  • Stability
  • Growth

Customers focus - This is our biggest single driver as we conduct our daily activities. What do our customers need and how do we solve their problems? Avatel’s goal is to continually build strong and sustainable relationship with our customers- The relationship will consist of trust and reliability. A strong relationship is an excellent exit barrier for our customer retention. This relationship ideally will be beyond the immediate gains we can make out of the customer, but a longer term association which builds greater customer loyalty.

Training Initiative - Avatel will make strategic investments in customer service, sales and product and application training. We will expand our training to assist our teams in promoting customer focus in our organization by promoting employee personal development, team development and by providing skills in listening to and interacting with customers.

Marketing Initiative - During these challenging economic times, Avatel will need to find new and creative ways to engage our customers and prospects and drive them to action. We will maximize the effectiveness of our people; improve marketing and ramp up sales activities. Now is not the time to sit idle. Today is about being as aggressive as we can with cost-saving strategies. Marketing strategy defines customers and their requirements; we have to make sure our message is well honed and relevant for our customers, yet different from our competition. These critical marketing elements in turn lead to successful and more consistent revenues.

Stability Initiative - In order to sustain a competitive advantage we must have resources and capabilities superior to our competitors, such as: consistent earnings and earnings growth, consistent high gross margins, consistently carry little or no debt, large installed customer base, good company reputation and product brand awareness.

Growth Initiative - Avatel is well positioned to sustain growth and succeed in today's challenging economy. Avatel will continue to impact the marketplace with its innovative Avaya solutions, our top-notch staff, customer satisfaction and the value we deliver. Avatel will be an organization that can evolve and grow in this economy, which can modify itself as technology, skills, competitors, and the entire business changes. We will identify emerging business opportunities & stay flexible enough to adopt new business models quickly in order to deliver growth through innovation.

Critical Success Factors for 2011

Critical Success Factors are the critical factors or activities required for ensuring the success of our business. In order to sustain a durable competitive advantage we must have resources and capabilities superior to our competitors.

We have to always consider the five key sources of CSFs:

  • Competitive strategy
  • Industry position
  • Environmental factors
  • Temporal factors
  • Managerial position

2011 and Beyond

We have to be able to combat today's fierce market forces and uncertainty. Our competitive advantage needs to be sustainable and able to endure the test of time. Avatel is constantly changing and reinventing ourselves to maintain stability and to stay competitive.

Avatel knows that being successful in business starts with a positive attitude, learning from our mistakes and taking responsibility for our choices. Doing business in tough times requires a tough attitude. With a fresh perspective Avatel will be able to achieve our revenue goals in 2011 while holding true to our principles. To bring success to Avatel in 2011, we must be motivated and prepared and a step ahead of our competition. Perseverance and a clear plan of action are crucial for our success.