Insights from VAF Blog

Celebrating Van Ausdall & Farrar's 110th Anniversary: A Legacy of Innovation and Excellence

June 21st, 2024 by admin

In the world of business, longevity is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Few companies have the privilege of reaching a centennial milestone, and even fewer can boast a rich history spanning over a century....

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Posted in: Information

Mitel Customers Migrating to UCaaS are Embracing RingCentral MVP - So Can You

November 22nd, 2022 by Van Ausdall & Farrar

By Karthik Arumugam, SVP, Migrations Office, Mitel, and Shiraz Hasan, Head of GTM Strategy & Strategic Alliances, RingCentral. In November 2021, Mitel and RingCentral surprised the business communications world by forging an exclusive partnership that...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Managed IT Solutions

What Are Business Telephone Systems? Do I Need This Technology?

April 26th, 2022 by Van Ausdall & Farrar

If you are a business owner in the market for a new telephone system, we are sure you have questions. Questions like: Am I providing great customer service? or How do I track my business phone calls? are becoming more and more common among business owners....

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Business Telephones

The Benefits of Unified Communications for Businesses

September 2nd, 2021 by Van Ausdall & Farrar

Efficient and effective communication is the backbone of any successful business. From phone calls, video calls, SMS and chat, your employees must have ways to properly communicate with one another, and most importantly, with your clients. But with so...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications

The Solution to Business Continuity during Coronavirus (COVID-19) Spread

March 11th, 2020 by Kent Lemley

Many organizations are starting to develop strategies that maintain business continuity while taking precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19. Some organizations are forced with making a choice between employee health and on-going operations. Twenty...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications, Cloud Solutions, Data Security & Compliance Solutions, Information, Managed IT Solutions

Van Ausdall & Farrar Attends Mitel Top 40 Summit

November 21st, 2019 by Trent Smith

Van Ausdall & Farrar was honored to attend Mitel’s Top 40 Summit, held last week in Mesa, Arizona. During the jam-packed 3-day event, Mitel leadership outlined Mitel’s road map and strategic vision. Mitel leadership that addressed the leading partners...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications, Business Telephones

How to Make Your AP Processing More Efficient in 2020

October 15th, 2019 by Brian Courtney

As we’re seeing more and more, the science fiction world of robots and artificial intelligence dominating our lives becomes less fiction and more science every day. In the business realm, the efficiencies and cost savings provided by process automation...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Information

Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) – The Power, Flexibility and Resiliency of Cloud Communications

September 17th, 2019 by Trent Smith

Communication. It’s the lifeblood of virtually every organization. We all have different communication patterns. Voice calls, email, text, chat, web conferencing, team collaboration and even fax make up most forms of communication that we all use in varying...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications

3 Steps to Minimize the Impact of Cyber Attacks

May 21st, 2019 by Guillermo Fernandez

Despite the best efforts of IT Directors, 68% of companies fell victim to a cyber attack in the last year according to a report from Sophos1. That’s more than two in three companies world-wide! Cyber-attacks don’t discriminate either: 63% of small businesses...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Data Security & Compliance Solutions, Cybersecurity

Mitel Conferencing - Create Conference within Outlook

March 19th, 2019 by Ashlee Colliver

VAF explains how you can create a video conference within outlook so you can create your meeting and your bridge at the same time. ...

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Posted in: Training

Van Ausdall & Farrar Customer Training Quick Clips Intro

March 19th, 2019 by Ashlee Colliver

VAF's quick clips video series is a collection of videos for VAF customers to learn how to use Mitel Connect Client. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Complete Course

March 19th, 2019 by Ashlee Colliver

Van Ausdall & Fararr shares a video guide on how to use Mitel Connect Client. The video shows you how to navigate through this new system. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Voicemail Integration

March 19th, 2019 by Ashlee Colliver

In this client quick clip, the team at VAF shows you how to use your Mitel Connect Client to integrate your voicemail. ...

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Posted in: Training

Toshiba Phone Systems Now Supported by Mitel

August 16th, 2018 by Ashlee Colliver

It was 26 years ago that I began my career at Van Ausdall & Farrar, fulfilling an entry level sales role in our Business Telephone Systems Division. So many exciting changes have taken place since that time. A new name, Converged Communications Group,...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Business Telephones

Mitel Connect Client - Transferring a Call

April 18th, 2018 by Ashlee Colliver

In this Mitel Connect Client quick clip video from VAF, our team shows you how to transfer a call with the Mitel Connect Client. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Set New Voicemail Password

April 18th, 2018 by Ashlee Colliver

In this Mitel Connect Client quick clip - VAF shows you how to set a new voicemail password for your phone. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Set New Client Password

April 18th, 2018 by Ashlee Colliver

In this Mitel Connect Client quick clip training from VAF, we show you how to set, reset, or change your new client password. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Recents List

April 18th, 2018 by Trent Smith

VAF's quick clips shows you how to use your recents tab in your Mitel Connect Client. This tool can show you if you've missed calls. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Directory & People List

April 18th, 2018 by Trent Smith

This quick clip from VAF shows how to use your Mitel Connect Client directory and populate your people list. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Record Custom Greetings

April 18th, 2018 by Trent Smith

VAF's quick clips show you how to use the Mitel Connect Client custom greeting for when you go on vacation or for the states of your phone. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Answering a Call

April 18th, 2018 by Trent Smith

VAF explains how to answer a call with the Mitel Connect Client. Talk to VAF for business phone solutions. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Add Participant Conference

April 18th, 2018 by Trent Smith

VA&F have a video that explains how to add participants to a conference call using the Mitel Connect Client. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Voicemails

April 18th, 2018 by Trent Smith

VA&F explains how you can check your voicemails using the Mitel Connect Clients. Talk to VA&F today about office phone solutions. ...

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Posted in: Training

Mitel Connect Client - Intro & Basics

April 18th, 2018 by Trent Smith

VAF introduces the basic functions of the Mitel Connect Client. Talk to VAF for business phone solutions today. ...

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Posted in: Training

VA&F Goes EXTREME to Meet Customer Networking Demand

April 18th, 2018 by Kent Lemley

THE CONVERGED COMMUNICATIONS GROUP (CCG) OF VAN AUSDALL & FARRAR IS OFFICIALLY AN AUTHORIZED CHANNEL PARTNER FOR EXTREME NETWORKS. Extreme Networks is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: EXTR) headquartered in San Jose, California and founded in 1996....

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Posted in: Communications

February 8, 2018 - Print Security Event at TopGolf Presented by HP

January 25th, 2018 by admin

In February of 2017 an online hacker named ‘Stackoverflowin’ hacked over 150,000 printers just to prove a point… Unsecured printers are a huge security risk. Each hacked device printed a message informing the end users of the security breach....

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Print

VA&F Makes the Right Connection with 8x8

January 25th, 2018 by Trent Smith

Van Ausdall & Farrar brings cloud-based unified communication solution to market. The Converged Communications Group at Van Ausdall & Farrar is proud to announce our partnership with 8×8. After a thorough evaluation process, VA&F chose to align with...

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Posted in: Cloud Solutions, Data Security & Compliance Solutions

Mitel Acquires ShoreTel and Toshiba

October 10th, 2017 by Trent Smith

Van Ausdall & Farrar has been a valued Toshiba phone system partner for over 25 years. It came to a great shock to us when on March 21, 2017, Toshiba notified its customers and dealers that, as part of its continued global restructuring, it would be winding...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Business Telephones

VAF Wins a New Certification from Ricoh!

October 6th, 2017 by Guillermo Fernandez

We are proud to announce that Van Ausdall & Farrar has been awarded an important new certification from Ricoh! Winning the RFG Circle of Excellence Certification is a very important milestone in our continued commitment toward excellent customer service....

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

WannaCry Ransomware Update from Ricoh

August 3rd, 2017 by Guillermo Fernandez

To continue safe operation of some Ricoh Multifunction Printers, Laser Printers, Production Printers and Printer Controller products which use Microsoft Windows operating system, it is necessary to apply the appropriate Microsoft Windows security patch....

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Van Ausdall & Farrar Receives ShoreTel Gold Status

May 3rd, 2017 by Trent Smith

Van Ausdall & Farrar, Inc. Advances to Gold Level in ShoreTel Champion Partner Program Indianapolis, IN, May 1, 2017 – Van Ausdall & Farrar announced today it has advanced to the Gold level in the ShoreTel® Champion Partner Program. Van Ausdall &...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

What Happens When Ransomware and the Internet of Things Collide?

May 3rd, 2017 by Guillermo Fernandez

In 2016, Ransomware attacks made alarming headlines, affecting every kind of business from hospitals to police stations. Last year, too, hacks of Internet of Things (IoT) devices -home appliances, toys, cars and more, were also making headlines. Many...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Cybersecurity

Is it Time to Switch to a Cloud Phone System?

April 26th, 2017 by Trent Smith

TOP 5 REASONS TO SWITCH TO A CLOUD PHONE SYSTEM A company’s phone system is often an integral tool in the pursuit of business. It, along with other methods of communication, connect the company to its customers. So, it is vital to keep the business phones...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications, Cloud Solutions

3 Practices for VIP Customer Service from Contact Centers

April 20th, 2017 by Trent Smith

“CUSTOMERS WHO EXPERIENCE DISGUST, ANGER, OR A FEELING OF NEGLECT DURING A BRAND INTERACTION ARE ABOUT EIGHT TIMES MORE LIKELY NOT TO FORGIVE THAT COMPANY.” –FORRESTER RESEARCH Today’s savvy business is dedicated to giving every one of their...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Make Case Management Work for You

April 10th, 2017 by Guillermo Fernandez

LEADING YOUR COMPANY TO SUCCESS WITH EFFECTIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS Case management includes everything from the IT help desk to incident tracking to contract management to customer service and more. It’s the kind of work that directly affects your...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Toshiba Announces Operational Changes.

April 10th, 2017 by Trent Smith

TOSHIBA PHONE SYSTEMS MAY BE WINDING DOWN, BUT VA&F IS JUST GETTING STARTED April 7, 2017 — On March 22, 2017, Toshiba America Information Systems announced to their distribution channel and dealer network that they are winding down their marketing, sales...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Business Telephones

OnBase by Hyland Receives Department of Defense Certification

February 15th, 2017 by Guillermo Fernandez

Accreditation reinforces our partnership with Hyland and our shared commitment to offer our customers a validated, secure records management solution. Hyland, creator of the OnBase information platform, recently received the Department of Defense (DoD)...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Data Security & Compliance Solutions

Leverage the Power of Unified Communications with IP Telephony Systems

January 31st, 2017 by Trent Smith

As IP telephony evolves, companies are focusing on the next-generation benefits of unified communications. Companies all over the world are enjoying increased network efficiencies from today’s IP telephony. As this technology evolves, a spotlight is shining...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Cloud Data Protection by Acronis at Van Ausdall & Farrar, Inc.

January 24th, 2017 by admin

Technological innovation, speed and precision are key factors uniting Van Ausdall & Farrar, Inc. and Acronis We are pleased to announce our new partnership with Acronis, a global leader in hybrid cloud data protection. Acronis sets the...

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Posted in: Cloud Solutions, Data Security & Compliance Solutions, Information

Paperless Workflow for Mortgage Bankers with Document Capture Technology

January 17th, 2017 by Guillermo Fernandez

Mortgage bankers today are faced with processing a tremendous volume of paperwork for each mortgage loan they need to consider. With ever-changing regulations and requirements, the size of standard loan paperwork has increased to 700 pages – and it is...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

The Challenge of Big Document Analytics

January 3rd, 2017 by Guillermo Fernandez

The concept of utilizing capture technology for analytics and data discovery is relatively new. “There is a dichotomy in the perceived value of corporate information,” says Tim Dubes, Vice President of Marketing at Ephesoft, Inc., a VAF partner that provides...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Time is Now for Lawyers to Get Savvy about Mobile Speech Productivity

December 26th, 2016 by Greg Moheban

Twenty-sixteen is a big year for lawyers and mobile technology. Statistically speaking, all lawyers now access work email, perform legal research and communicate with clients or colleagues 1) while away from their offices and 2) using smartphones, laptops...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

When Healthcare Professionals Go Mobile

December 19th, 2016 by Guillermo Fernandez

Imagine having secure access to complete patient records anywhere, anytime. As a busy healthcare professional, what if… You could access more complete patient information from your mobile device You could capture images, signatures and...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

5 Requirements of BYOD for Mobile Unified Communications

December 12th, 2016 by Trent Smith

With the introduction of highly-sophisticated smartphones and tablets to the consumer market, a new generation of mobile users has emerged … and they want to enjoy all the advanced capabilities of their new phones at home and at work. The advent of Bring-Your-Own-Device...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Case Management Solutions for the Healthcare Industry

December 6th, 2016 by Guillermo Fernandez

Case management software helps build client relationships and improve patient care. Companies that support healthcare organizations such as nursing homes, retirement communities and long-term care facilities need to employ an effective way to manage these...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Leveraging New Technology for Robust Contact Center Operations

December 3rd, 2016 by Trent Smith

VAF talks with Steve McElderry, director of product management for contact center at ShoreTel, about emerging trends that are revolutionizing contact center operations. Contact centers serve the touch point of connection between a company and its customers....

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Managed IT Solutions, Business Telephones

Success, Threat, and Loss “The Drama of Network Communications”

October 10th, 2016 by Kent Lemley

Despite all of our investments in firewalls, universal threat appliances, anti-virus software, somewhere down the road a critical threat may find its way onto your internal network. Since internal network architecture is generally flat and un-secured,...

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Posted in: Communications, Cybersecurity

Communication, Collaboration, Control; the Keys to an Effective Business Phone System

July 20th, 2016 by Trent Smith

Business phone systems traditionally haven’t been considered much beyond their ability to connect callers. For most businesses, telecom is a line item on an expense budget—no thought is given to how the technology actually can help improve your company’s...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications

ShoreTel Connect Cloud Is More than Just a “Phone System”

July 18th, 2016 by Trent Smith

ShoreTel brings a fundamentally different approach to phone system technology. We focus on your most important assets—your people and their goals—and remove impediments to free flowing communications so your team can focus on relationships, ideas and...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications, Business Telephones

3 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Cloud Communications Provider

July 6th, 2016 by Trent Smith

Smart businesses everywhere have embraced the cloud as a cost-effective alternative to CapEx spending with on-premises hardware and software. For SMBs in particular, the cloud enables enterprise-level functionality without the associated price tag. As...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Information Governance Panel Discussion

June 29th, 2016 by Guillermo Fernandez

Van Ausdall & Farrar in partnership with IDT911 Consulting, Expedient Data Centers, and Access Information Management is pleased to announce an Information Governance panel discussion, taking place Thursday, August 4, 2016 at our Indianapolis corporate...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

3 Best Practices in Using Collaboration Apps

June 29th, 2016 by Trent Smith

Collaboration tools have helped companies expand well beyond the four walls of their office, giving employees free rein to work anywhere and promoting the idea of a virtual workforce. But what companies gain in expanded reach and productivity increases...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Communications

3 Ways to Achieve Enterprise-Grade Collaboration at an SMB Price Point

June 15th, 2016 by Trent Smith

Every business, regardless of size or focus, relies on its communications system. Without a reliable phone system, the critical interaction between employee and customer can’t happen, which means your business won’t grow and thrive. Just as important...

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Posted in: Information

Get the Most from Your Communications, in the Cloud

May 16th, 2016 by Trent Smith

Your employees want to be productive no matter where they are. Cloud communications can help them be more productive, at a price that won’t break your budget. Take a look at how your employees are working—chances are, a good number of them are mobile,...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

What’s New in VMware vSphere 6.0?

April 13th, 2016 by Guillermo Fernandez

VMware vSphere® 6.0, the industry-leading virtualization platform, empowers users to virtualize any application with confidence, redefines availability, and simplifies the virtual data center. The result is a highly available, resilient, on-demand...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog

Van Ausdall & Farrar Hosts Super Event

April 13th, 2016 by Guillermo Fernandez

Customers learn about Internet threat protection and get to see the newly released movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Van Ausdall & Farrar and Barracuda Networks held a joint customer event in Carmel to educate our guests on the complex pitfalls...

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Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog