10 Tips from the FREQ SQUAD for a Safe Halloween

1. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.

2. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers.

3. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.

4. Always make sure children are accompanied by an adult.

5. Stick to trick-or-treating in well-lit homes in familiar neighborhoods.

Employee Spotlight

Raised in Elmwood Park, Illinois, Barb graduated from Trinity High School and decided early on that she had a plan for her life, her family and she was going to make it work. Armed with an Associate Paralegal Degree from Harper College, Barb found a place at Motorola as an Administrative Service Assistant. Shortly after, she was asked to assist in starting up five Motorola Owned Company Service Centers in Chicagoland; Barb says, "That's where I was educated on radios".

How many of you received a local trade flier indicating “Hi Power Radio, Built for Heavy Duty Use” or  “Feature-Packed, and Promises Uncompromising Performance.” Or maybe you purchased some radios from your Industrial Supply Company who carries them in their catalog. You buy a handful and they suit  your needs. You buy more and then more and then more. Now you have over 70 low cost radios all working against each other and your solution just became your problem. We see it day in and day out. People buy the cheap inexpensive FRS (Family Radio Service) radios for commercial use. It solves an immediate need, but creates a headache in the long term.

Update: Learn about our activities for Customer Service Week 2017 here. 

These past few weeks, we have been busily planning and preparing for Customer Service Week, celebrated October 6^th – 10^th this year. What is Customer Service Week, you ask? In 1992, U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, to be celebrated annually during the first full week in October. It was designed to be an event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service, and to honoring the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.

Employee Spotlight

Owen Lauerman began working at Chicago Communications two years ago. He will be celebrating his 2-year anniversary with the company on September 4^th. (Happy Anniversary, Owen!) But how did the stars align, landing him here at Chicago Communications? In Owen’s case, it’s clearly all about timing.

For most people, a vehicle is a very important tool in everyday life. It is a sizeable investment to own a vehicle and it requires regular care to ensure it performs as intended. When you purchase a vehicle, you therefore typically make sure there is a warranty or an extended service plan on the vehicle in order to minimize the impact of potential, expensive repairs during the time in which you own the vehicle. In addition, you sometimes find that when purchasing the vehicle that a preventative maintenance plan is included in the price of the vehicle for services such as regular oil changes, filter changes, tire rotations, and belt replacements. Did you ever wonder why these services would be included in the price of a vehicle or in an extended service plan?

Research has shown that when vehicles have regular preventative maintenance performed on them, they operate more efficiently, generally have fewer large, costly repairs, and experience almost no breakdowns. Since a vehicle for many people is “mission-critical” to their daily lives and or livelihoods, breakdowns cannot be afforded (and you know they ALWAYS happen at the worst possible time), so having some sort of service plan that includes preventative maintenance as part of it is an absolute must. These plans also kind of “force you” to do the preventative maintenance. Reminders are sent out regarding them, and in some cases the warranty or repair coverage is diminished if the proper maintenance is not occurring at the designated points in time.

When people think of a two-way radio, most think of them being used by police or fire personnel.  But, two-way radios are so versatile that they can be used in many different environments and for many different purposes. Just how versatile are they? Here are just a few examples of where two-way radios are or have been used.

Summer is typically a time for travel and being out and about.  These days, when you travel or when you are out you want to be able to access the Internet, whether it's to check-in on something at work, access a television show you've recorded, or post to one of the many social media sites out there.  More and more we find ourselves lacking good coverage, specifically when we are indoors. Looking for a Wi-Fi sign or symbol to see if we can connect safely at the places we go -- hotels, parks, beaches, coffee shops, restaurants, and airports has become part of the norm. Leveraging the hospitality of the venue we are at creates an experience for us the end user. Imagine sitting down for that cup of coffee only to find you have no coverage to check in with your social websites or to check your mail. The next time you go for that coffee, will you return to that location? It is more than the product you buy, it is the experience you have!

Every day we see it more and more. The term IT Director, CIO, MIS Coordinator are becoming the catchall for ANYTHING electronic. Chicago Communications deals with wireless devices, systems and networks. As we work closer and closer with IT departments to improve both radio, network and cellular coverage, connectivity between buildings was typically left up to the telephone company. Telephone lines and T1’s provisioned between buildings are now being replaced by IP Networks through Microwave and Fiber connections. Problem is, many of the systems in place are still legacy that require plain old telephone lines (POTS).

For as long as I can remember, and it's probably from growing up with a dad who has been in the radio communications business for the past 60 years, I always find myself looking for how businesses, organizations, or volunteers are communicating when I'm out and about. I used to see him do it and now I do it. It has become a force of habit for me now. Are the people in the places I go using radios? (And I of course also look to see if they are Motorola radios.) How are they using them?