Michael Buis
As businesses continue to move into the Truckee Meadows region or move from one location to another, one aspect that often gets overlooked is the company’s telecommunications department.
That’s where a company such as Reno-based Pacific States Communications, Inc. comes into the scenario. Pacific States specializes in voice and data cabling, surveillance, phone systems and other telecommunications solutions for clients.
When a business is moving into the market from another location, they will work with a commercial real estate broker to pinpoint around four or five possible addresses with available space.
According to Michael Buis, chief executive officer with Pacific States, the broker will sometimes contact Pacific States to ask what telecommunications services are available.
One problem he says that crops up from time to time around the area is lack of connectivity. He adds that there are certain areas in the Truckee Meadows region where telecommunications service is not available, although service providers are expanding networks as fast as they can. But getting new service to an area could take several months.
“The challenge is when all these services are not available at certain areas. You could look at one address and one neighbor may have high speed Internet from Charter broadband but it may not be available at your suite or your building,” Buis said. “A lot of times a company may move to new a location and assume the same services will be available they had at their old location, but sometimes that is not the case.”
Even when service is readily available, Buis says sometimes there may not be enough Internet bandwidth to support operations.
“Sometimes you have to look at, do you have the broadband in place to support the business?” he said. “For voice download and uploads, speed has to be symmetrical. If you put 10 to 15 calls on enterprise level bandwidth you’re going to get choppiness in phone calls.”
He says it is also not uncommon for companies to move into a space and then realize they need an overhaul of their system because it doesn’t suit their business infrastructure. He adds that such an overhaul can be costly.
“Just because you may have a faceplate with a jack, doesn’t mean it’s the right cable, right stuff to support your business,” Buis said.
Buis said Pacific States has the capability to track where telecommunications services are available in what areas of the region. And it’s constantly being updated.
When problems with connectivity arise or infrastructure is not suited to a company’s needs, Buis says there are Pacific States wireless solutions available to compensate for deficiencies.
Buis said Pacific States will get a detailed understanding of the company’s operations model right off the bat. For instance maybe a company needs to communicate on shipping and receiving, or converse with its headquarters out of state, or how they provide customer support.
“Most owners look at me funny when I ask them who calls you and why. They say, ‘well, my customers call me,’” Buis chuckled. “What we want to know is your actual business flow and how can we can make it better through technology.”
Buis said a company also should consider their acquisition model when acquiring telecommunication service, whether it’s an operating expense or a capital expense. Pacific States has recently added other product lines to its services.
Pacific States has contracted with Interactive Intelligence, a top-rated enterprise-level call center solution firm based out of Indianapolis that was looking to bring their services to northern Nevada. The service can be offered on a month-to-month basis and is beneficial to companies such as retail outlets or ski resorts whose employee count can fluctuate on a seasonal basis. Costs can vary on a monthly basis as businesses can choose from a multitude of features.
“It’s a pretty incredible opportunity for northern Nevada and for us to represent their product. If you have a seasonal business, you expand seats, pay for it as you need and as your season winds down, reducing monthly costs,” Buis said. “You’re only paying for what you need at the time.”
Pacific States also began offering another telecommunication solution, the Nextiva management system, a cloud-based communications and collaboration solution designed to simplify business communication.
Pacific States has been in business for more than 30 years. It employs 20 staff members that services 2,400 customers at its approximately 7,500-square-foot location just off of Rock Boulevard.
