Finally, emerging technologies have advanced to the point that real people actually answer phones – even the people you are calling, no less. Imagine that!

      And if you’re really lucky, you work for a company that has installed an Internet Protocol (IP) voice communication system. You no longer start your work day by picking up the office phone to check for messages, then dialing an access number, punching in a mail box number and password, and listening to voice messages drone on and on. You simply check your computer for a list of voice mail that you can either play over speakers or a handset. Sip your coffee and then, with a simple mouse click, pull up your caller’s account information and, with another click, return their call.

      Those are only two of a myriad of situations that enticed John Garrett and Wesley Clark to add IP phone systems to their expanding menu of consultative services they offer though their company, Computer Network Power, LLC (CNP), a full-service network integration company.

      “My partner Wesley Clark and I have been involved in technology all of our careers,”  says Garrett. “My family had been in banking and finance and I earned my MBA in finance and information systems. In the meantime, Wes was working in tech sales for such companies as AT&T, Unisys and Gateway. We met in 1997 when we both went to work for IBM. Through Wes’ contacts, we learned about a company that was for sale – Computer Network Power – an Internet/network service provider. At that time, the Internet was becoming widely used by businesses that also needed help building the infrastructure to integrate their computer networks. We saw a great opportunity to serve small to mid-size companies with out-sourced technical services. It was a perfect fit for the skills we had developed over the previous seven years.”

      “We bought the company in 2000,” Clark continued. “We had about 25 core customers and two employees – John and me.” Over the last three years, CNP has grown beyond expectations. The company now has approximately 120 core customers including healthcare providers, NASCAR teams (who need their company network service available when at the race track), residential and commercial real estate firms, law firms, community banks, executive search firms, manufacturing companies, non-profit agencies, CPA firms and many more. Sales, service and support is provided by 15 full-time employees, including four salespersons and eight network engineers who provide 24-hour support, seven days a week.

     When Garrett and Clark bought CNP the company had already earned a reputation for providing excellent project and ongoing support for its network customers. Now, under the guidance of Garret and Clark, the company provides a full range of technical services, including technology consulting; LAN/WAN design, installation and support; voice communications consulting; Voice over IP (VoIP) installation and support; managed network services; information security services; and network documentation services.

     To provide a complete line of technology products, CNP is a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider, Citrix Solution Provider, Hewlett-Packard/Compaq Authorized Reseller, Dell Business Partner, Cisco Authorized Reseller, Shoreline Partner, Checkpoint Authorized Reseller, Liebert Partner, SonicWall Seller, and Elron Authorized Reseller.

      “Our market is the small to medium-sized business with anywhere from two to 500 computer users, most often within 150 miles of Charlotte, although we have a few customers outside that range. There is a great need for technical support in this market because many medium-sized companies don’t have an in-house technical engineer. If they do, we often work with that person,”  says Garrett. “When companies grow, adding multiple locations, we are often asked to integrate all technologies to work together from a central network location. This includes access to data, Internet and phone/voice services.”

     “Basically,” Clark explains, “we have become three businesses under one roof. We can plan, design and implement a new IT system; we can work on projects for clients and do upgrades to their existing systems; and we are able to integrate voice into traditional data communications networks.”

     For new or existing locations, CNP can help businesses plan for growth and change by installing and implementing “thin-client/server technology,”  an innovative computing option for centralized management, remote access and cost reduction. After installation, CNP provides ongoing support for network operations and comprehensive network security. In addition, CNP trains client personnel throughout all phases of the project at all locations.

     “We can work for clients on a project basis, as well,” Clark continues. “This often entails analyzing their existing technology, enhancing the infrastructure where necessary, and then integrating all of the technologies to work together at one or more locations. Then, we can provide service on an as needed basis.”

     “We are always looking for new services and products, driven by our customers’ needs,” continues Garrett. “That’s what led us to combining phone and voice technology with our Internet network products. That’s the hottest technology on the market.”

     Indeed it is. CNP recently became a partner with Shoreline Communications, a leading developer of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Shoreline was designated a “Hot” Startup of 1998 by Data Communications magazine based on their innovative IP voice communication system technology and won “Best of Show” in the IP Video and Telephony Applications category at Networld+ Interop 2000 trade show in Las Vegas.

     Muzak, a global deliverer of music and messaging and designer of sound systems, chose CNP to install one seamless Shoreline IP Network at its corporate headquarters and at more than 20 of its 50 locations thus far. Over the next year, Shoreline will be installed throughout the entire Muzak organization and will allow extension dialing between all offices and the sharing of a common voicemail system throughout the organization.

     This leading-edge technology allows a business to get rid of the clunky PBX. Between equipment cost, long distance charges and ease of setup and maintenance, the savings can be surprising. For example, phone calls among the company’s facilities are free. Similarly, long-distance calls from branch offices can be routed through major offices where rates are lower because of high volume. Simply put, if a customer calls in for a salesperson, that call can be routed to wherever the salesperson may be – in a branch office or out in the field. The call gets answered without layers of menus. That may impact whether a company gets the business or not. “We’re all looking for ways to improve customer service,”  says Clark.

     Garrett adds, “The new VoIP technology has given us an opportunity to grow our business by combining it with network design and implementation. This sets us apart from our competitors.”

     American Community Bank used CNP to create a single source for all of its voice and data needs in order to satisfy the increasing demands to speed communications and deliver information within a growing network of branches. CNP’s solution was to implement the Shoreline IP Telephony system, tying the headquarters and all branch locations together as if they were a single phone system. The Shoreline system allows American Community Bank to easily transfer calls that come into branches to the appropriate department at headquarters so customers can receive the services they need on the first call. Then, to improve customer service and reduce lines at the teller windows, CNP upgraded the bank’s wide area network and implemented ‘thin-client’ technology. These improvements provided more speed and responsiveness to all customer transactions.

      Further, the bank is now prepared for expansion. “The efficiency and convenience of having a single provider of voice and data services made CNP an excellent choice for supporting our growing branch franchise,” says Dan Ellis, CFO of American Community Bank.

     CNP has also worked with McColl Partners as an outsource provider. McColl Partners, a fast growing investment banking firm, needed a proactive network integrator to upgrade their network and support their growing business. Speed and consistency was needed from its network for research, information sharing and proposal generation. According to Leslie Wickham, CFO of McColl Partners, “CNP’s depth of technical resources and responsive services has made them a great choice for understanding our IT needs. We now have a network and support service that we can depend on at all times.”

     CNP has also helped a number of clients with specific needs. A commercial real estate firm needed to provide its partners with remote access so they could work from home or from development projects. The solution was to implement Terminal Services to provide access to company applications from various locations.

      A large parochial school organization needed a wide-area network that would include administrative offices and nine private school locations. The goal was to provide secure Internet access to the organization along with Internet content filtering that could be managed from a single location. CNP helped select a telecommunications provider and implemented the wide-area network, firewall and content filtering servers.

     In another situation, CNP assisted a large medical practice that was moving to a new location and needed an IT partner to plan and execute the move in a way that would minimize disruption to the business. CNP worked with internal staff to design a move strategy to achieve just that. The move was planned and executed in a way that remote system users did not experience any downtime and the business inconvenience was minimal. CNP also worked with a large hospital to provide Virtual Private Network connectivity for a medical practice to allow sharing of billing information.

     The cost savings? By implementing “thin-client” applications, a business of any size has only one central server for quick trouble-shooting of the entire system. Also, it’s now possible to have only one receptionist handle multiple sites. At a glance, the receptionist can tell if a user is on the phone or has calls forwarded, whether they are in the next office or the next state.

     Professional services firms with multiple locations can significantly reduce operational costs. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars can be saved in least-cost routing and phone system management alone,” says Garrett. “And adding or moving an employee used to be a nightmare, with a day’s wait or more, and a hefty charge from a service technician. Now, our staff can easily and quickly do all the work needed to add a new employee or even a new office.”

     “We pride ourselves on being proactive for our clients,” adds Clark. We monitor our clients’ needs and as new technology becomes available that would make their network integration work better for them, we are in a position to make recommendations.”