Primarily aimed at companies that have recently installed IPT systems, the training courses are delivered at the customer's premises, using their own Cisco or Avaya equipment. This hands-on approach ensures that delegates are comfortable with their solution set-up and are confident of how to use it in a live environment. The sessions can be adapted to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, and each course is conducted in small groups, taking no longer than one day to complete.
For network administrators and systems managers supporting Cisco IPT systems, the SAS Group offers training sessions providing the key skills needed to maintain, administer and troubleshoot Cisco Call Manager and Cisco Unity Systems. Courses covering the features and functionality of Cisco Attendant Console are available to systems support staff and telephone operators, whilst Cisco IP telephony handset training is offered for all staff that will be using the system.
For Avaya customers, the SAS Group provides a range of administrator and system management courses covering automated call distribution, call management and the Avaya Communications Manager. These courses are also suitable for call centre supervisors and switchboard operators. The SAS Group can also deliver training sessions for super-users covering the more advanced features of Avaya's handsets, Soft Console and Unified Voicemail systems, and enabling them to provide first-line support. For end-users, basic training is offered on the graphical and telephone user interfaces of these systems when used with Microsoft Office or Lotus Notes.
"By enabling employees to access email, voicemail, video, fax and SMS all from a single inbox on any device and from any location, unified communications can help to streamline business operations and boost productivity. But as with any system, to enjoy its full benefits, you have to know how to use it," said Charles Davis, CEO of the SAS Group. "Offering these courses is a further demonstration of our commitment to providing a superior level of support - from helping businesses to fully understand the capabilities of the systems they are installing, to making sure they continue to get the most out of them after the deployment."
In addition to its IPT training courses, the SAS Group also offers a range of IPT consultancy services which provide large enterprises with the technical expertise to map out their requirements prior to implementation. For example, bespoke IPT workshops can be created to help customers understand and overcome any technical challenges they may encounter when implementing an IPT system. These services are delivered by strategy consultants from the SAS Group, who work as long-term advisors to customers throughout their projects.
The company also provides a range of educational services online, including a series of webcasts on how to specify, install and support IPT systems. Forthcoming webcasts include 'How to support an IP telephony network' and 'Identifying if your existing equipment will work with IPT'. These are available free of charge at the SAS web site.