Five Questions with Roland Wolfe

Roland Wolfe
Vice President of Sales, SOURCE Midwest

Roland Wolfe is vice president of sales for SOURCE Midwest, a regional sales office in St. Louis. Wolfe is SOURCE’s go-to expert for sales training. A veteran of the company, his first role with SOURCE was director of training. Over the years, he has developed and implemented numerous innovative training programs for the company’s sales force.

Please describe any updates/news/growth for SOURCE Midwest.

Since opening the Midwest office over three and a half years ago, we have grown rapidly, experiencing near-immediate success. The Midwest office is an extension of SOURCE’s growth, and we look forward to continuing to increase company presence in the communications solutions marketplace.

Recently, SOURCE Midwest has expanded our services to provide multi-site project support to larger enterprises through sales, implementation, software and hardware support.

What are the top three differentiators that make SOURCE stand out from competitors in the marketplace?

First and foremost, our top differentiator is our ability to help companies migrate to new technology, when it makes the most sense for their individual needs. SOURCE provides strategic planning, overseeing all aspects of implementation – engineering, site surveys, equipment tracking, installations, budget, implementation and telecom support, as well as pre- and post-installation reviews.

Secondly, SOURCE is able to supplement telecom/IT departments with as much or as little assistance as needed, through our 24/7 technical assistance center and help desk, alarm monitoring, and on-site and remote support, in addition to system upgrades and new deployments.

Finally, SOURCE has seen it all, and we have adapted to rapidly changing markets for more than 35 years, all while maintaining the same name and ownership.

What are the top three challenges/issues companies face when telecom planning and budgeting?

First, many companies have a difficult time understanding how to deploy technology to their advantage. When faced with telecom planning, it’s best to review and weigh the options to see which best fits your needs as a company.

Second, some companies find themselves without a well-trained staff. It’s imperative for the staff to not only understand the specific installation requirements but also to know where you, as a company, will need professional and technical assistance.

Third, companies face a difficult challenge in finding the money to make it happen. To avoid coming up short in your budget, first define the key areas your company would like to address, and then begin planning your budget around those essential areas.

How can companies save money, but still implement effective, enterprise-wide telecom solutions?

The key to saving money is not working in a continuous vacuum. If you work within the confines of an IT or telecom department, familiarize yourself with the business needs of the other departments within the company. Today’s technology can be very powerful, but it has to be directed and an appropriate fit.  

Changing the way people are doing business can provide enormous cost savings. In the past, that was as easy as using remanufactured telecom equipment, rather than new, to increase efficiencies. Today, in addition, completing a business process evaluation of the entire company can help produce cost savings by deploying the right communication technology.

As executives prepare for 2008 planning meetings, what are some of the questions they should ask themselves about their current telecom network?

The first question to ask is, “Have we considered a back-up or disaster recovery plan?” The estimated cost for your business to be down for a day can be staggering. By having an emergency plan of action, you can avoid tremendous costs, just in case this type of emergency occurs.