Section Content

The Teleconvergence Approach (Not Just solutions – Results!)

The Teleconvergence Approach is both our perspective and our methodology. It takes an existing problem or need and creates results that build toward the future to achieve a client's strategic objectives.

The Teleconvergence Approach To System Selection

This Approach focuses on immediate results and on getting a client from where (s)he is today to some point in the near future in a way that is consistent with the client's strategic objectives. Our management orientation enables us to help our clients avoid the usual pitfalls of problem solving and system selection even in the context of technology and its accompanying complexity.  This is a good overview of our systems process and what we do and why we do it in the sequence we outline. It also  explains why management so frequently slips up and how we can help pave the way for success.

You'll also understand the advantages of our system and be able to decide whether our methods are consistent with your outlook and priorities. Please remember: once retained, a consultant is not a salesperson. He or she sits on the same side of  the desk as you and shares the responsibility (but without the authority) for defining your needs and ensuring that the proposed system satisfies those needs. If you decide to retain us, then when we're sitting next to you, don't you agree that we should also share the same perspective?

Procedural Strip Mining (PSM) — Our Approach To Business Analysis

PSM is our low-end version of business analysis  where we separate work from work-arounds.  We usually perform it at the same time we do our other information gathering, so if we don't find much to work with, we've not wasted much time in the effort.

Conflection Point Planning]

Conflection Point Planning uses our knowledge of a client's capabilities, objectives, and strategic direction to envision a point in the future where the client realizes a sustainable competitive advantage and then steps back toward the present, leaving markers along the way that become the stepping stones to that future. This is largely a marketing exercise that exploits our product development background coupled with our understanding of the technologies underlying business development.

Sometimes, it works in conjunction with our other services so that the client can begin to build to that future relatively quickly.  As the Roman philosopher Seneca said (and we quote this a great deal), "If one doesn't know where the wind is blowing, any direction will do." During a recession, trying to grow or move forward can seem like pushing on a wet noodle.  Sometimes, the answer may be to plan now for your push to begin later, as long as that push shoves your company beyond its current limits. And at such times, Conflection Point Planning may be what's needed.

Methodologies: Our Approaches

As you may have already inferred, the Telecom Consulting Services and Management Consulting Services sections describe what we do; this section describes how we do it.

Our methods are called Strategic Options because they reflect our management (not technical) consulting orientation. They always begin with an understanding of the client's needs, objectives, systems, operations, employee assets, marketing, distribution, and anything else that makes the client unique.  Where the options differ is in their orientation.

The first article, The Teleconvergence Approach, emphasizes our focus on results as opposed to mere problem-solving.  The remaining articles discuss our methodologies, also called Approaches,  in several specific areas.

Our Approaches are shown to the right. You may click on them and read a summary of their contents without ever leaving this page, although they also contain one or more links to the selected section.  As always, you can also look at the sitemap to the left to see where you are and to help you decide what to read.

We suggest you sample from this section by starting with The Teleconvergence Approach, followed by the content of the Approach in which you're most interested, such as The Teleconvergence Approach to System Selection.  Procedural Strip Mining is our approach to system analysis, and it dovetails neatly with our telecom consulting activities. Conflection Point Planning  is strategic in nature and is part of our Strategic Consulting Services.

Note: The Teleconvergence approach to Systems Selection is certainly not limited to telecom systems. That's what we do most, but we've also evaluated and recommended brokerage quotation systems and office automation systems, record management systems, CRM and supply chain software, EMR and PMS systems in the health area, even coffee and toilet paper delivery systems.  As we say elsewhere, not only is a system  - any system -- just a system, but it also doesn't know who's using it or what it's being used for.  From our perspective, that gives us a very large blank slate to prescribe actionable solutions that bring the results our clients retain us to help them achieve.

After you've gone through our Approaches, you might want look over our specific services in the area of your interest. In the example just given, for instance, you'd want to go over to Telecom Consulting Services, read the overview, and then begin with Changing Systems? Relocating?

And before you finish, you should also learn something About Teleconvergence, perhaps even including our FAQ.

And, finally, if you're still undecided after all that, you might want to finish with The Last Step: Deciding if Teleconvergence is Right for You [A Typical Tough Love Discussion].

At any point, when you've read enough to make you want to share your situation with us to see how we can be of help, our phone number is at he bottom of every page.  There's no rush.  It's your decision.  And it's your call.