The Auto-renew or Evergreen clause is often a hot-button topic of conversation across many industries. In our industry, service providers, typically ISPs (Internet Service Providers) & Voice/Data Carriers are the contractor while you, the customer are the contractee. The ISP considers the contract a subscription that auto-renews by default to ensure you don't lose access to paid features at your next renewal date. You, like many others, may have a different impression of this sometimes controversial clause.

Why are we surprised when a favorite product or technology reaches its "End-of-Life" or is "Discontinued"?  We should know by now that all good things come to an end. Where technology is concerned, that end seems to come even quicker.  But we move on and sacrifice our present-day certainty and comfort for future efficiencies and improvements.

Most of us are paddling the same canoe when it comes to customer service at our ISP/Phone Company. We dread the process of calling the 800 number because we get a different rep from the last time, explain the reason for our call and then start the process over each time we are transferred. Personally, I would consider paying a little extra each month to have access to a dedicated CSR and avoid this process entirely. Imagine the time saved and value gained from this. 

This valued CSR could:

• Provide detailed account information
• Handle service requests and trouble reports
• Provide valuable feedback and updates on existing tickets
• Help add or delete services
• Facilitate an office move
• Answer general questions
• Provide rate adjustments
• Re-term contracts

If we could look into the future there is no question that the decisions we make today would yield better results. Unfortunately there is no crystal ball or time machine with regards to our voice and data service plans. Tip #3 of The 30 Tips to Saving Money using Business Technology will focus on the promotions and pricing plans offered by our local and national Internet and Voice Service Providers.

                                                                                                        Hurricane Harvey has left a path of destruction along the southern parts of the Texas and Louisiana coasts and there are currently major fires ongoing in the majority of the northwestern states and California that are devastating thousands of acres along with many towns. Projections for Hurricane Irma indicate similar devastation for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Florida and the Southeast. To assist our customers, NEC is implementing the 2017 Emergency Assistance and Relief Program.

Every Houstonian has been affected in some way by the flood waters that Hurricane Harvey delivered last weekend. If you were not directly affected by the flooding I am sure that you know someone who was. While many Houstonians are working to restore their homes and neighborhoods we have been fielding calls from clients seeking help to restore their businesses. The torrential rains and rising water have left numerous businesses without power or with damaged equipment. Businesses must be able to receive and place calls in order to operate and assist others so our focus has been restoring service to these businesses as quickly as possible.

The package deal is always enticing to us as consumers. We bundle our insurance services, our cable television services and our software packages (see Microsoft Office). We even bundle our fast food orders. Would you like fries with that? It may seem obvious to some but surprisingly we have found that many clients neglect to bundle their phone and internet services.