“At the end of the day, we choose partners the same way our clients choose us. It comes down to trust, responsiveness, and relationships. FluentStream delivers on all three."

Since its founding in 2003, ConsultNet has grown the same way many of its clients have: slowly, intentionally, and built on trust. As a family owned managed IT services provider based in the Chicagoland area, the company has never chased rapid expansion. Instead, ConsultNet has focused on referrals, long-term relationships, and becoming a true extension of each client’s internal IT team.

Today, ConsultNet supports more than 80 businesses, primarily small and mid-sized organizations with an average of 20 to 30 users. Their services span managed IT, cybersecurity, end-user support, vendor coordination, and employee onboarding and offboarding. That steady, relationship-first approach has resulted in remarkable client retention, with some customers still working with ConsultNet decades after the company first opened its doors.

“We’ve never chased aggressive growth,” said Charlie Klemm, who manages sales and vendor relationships at ConsultNet. “We grow steadily, and we still support clients from when we first started. Relationships are everything to us.”

For many years, phone systems were not a core part of ConsultNet’s offering. Legacy on-premise systems were complex, and many cloud based solutions felt impersonal, transactional, or disconnected from the high touch service model ConsultNet prided itself on delivering. Recommending the wrong voice provider could undermine trust the team had spent years building.

That changed when ConsultNet began working with Rob Katzer, FluentStream Sales Manager. 

“We immediately enjoyed working with Rob,” Charlie recalled. “He understood how we operate, how our clients think, and how important responsiveness is to us. When FluentStream came into the picture, the timing couldn’t have been better.”

FluentStream’s focus on small and mid-sized businesses aligned naturally with ConsultNet’s customer base, but it was the personal nature of the partnership that truly stood out.

From the beginning, FluentStream reinforced ConsultNet’s belief that support should feel human. Instead of being routed through layers of automation, both ConsultNet and its clients could speak with real people who understood their environments and priorities.

“Our clients expect real answers from real people,” Charlie explained. “With FluentStream, there’s always someone to talk to. That matters; not just to us, but to our customers.”

FluentStream’s 24/7 U.S. based support complements ConsultNet’s local presence, giving customers confidence that help is always available, whether issues arise during business hours or after hours.

Sales Support That Feels Like a Teammate

A defining aspect of the partnership has been FluentStream’s hands-on sales approach. Rather than disappearing after a deal closes, Rob Katzer remains actively involved throughout the sales and post sale process.

“Rob doesn’t just sell a phone system and disappear,” Charlie said. “He follows up, helps move deals forward, and keeps phones top of mind when we’re busy focusing on cybersecurity or servers. It feels like working with a teammate, not a vendor.”

That personal involvement helps ConsultNet confidently position phone systems as part of a complete IT strategy, something Charlie notes is rare with big name competitors.

“You don’t get that kind of support elsewhere. Most of the time, you’re completely on your own.”

Rob sees the partnership the same way. “ConsultNet treats their clients the way FluentStream treats its partners, with accountability, care, and ownership,” Katzer said. “They stay engaged, advocate for their customers, and make sure the experience is right. That makes them a great partner for us and for the businesses we serve together.”

Onboarding That Builds Confidence, Not Stress

As the partnership matured, FluentStream’s onboarding experience became a major strength. Recent implementations have been smooth, structured, and predictable; an important factor for an MSP that manages dozens of priorities at once.

“The last several onboardings have been excellent,” Charlie said. “The FluentStream onboarding team is organized, responsive, and clearly knows what they’re doing.”

Specialists at FluentStream handle all the details, allowing ConsultNet to focus on its core responsibilities rather than managing phone installations themselves.

“When we know onboarding is covered, it makes us far more confident selling,” Charlie added. “That trust makes a huge difference.”

Delivering Measurable Value to SMB Clients

Beyond support and ease of deployment, the partnership delivers tangible results for ConsultNet’s clients. Many were unknowingly overpaying for outdated phone services and legacy telecom lines.

“Big carriers aren’t calling to tell you there’s a cheaper option,” Charlie noted. “Once we analyze a client’s bill and move them to FluentStream, the savings are real and the functionality is better.”

Clients also gain flexibility, mobility, and modern communication tools that support hybrid work without sacrificing professionalism or accessibility.

Looking Ahead: Growing Together

Looking toward 2026 and beyond, ConsultNet sees FluentStream as a core part of its growth strategy. Standardizing on a single voice platform allows the team to deepen expertise, strengthen client trust, and deliver a more cohesive technology experience.

“At the end of the day, we choose partners the same way our clients choose us,” Charlie said. “It comes down to trust, responsiveness, and relationships. FluentStream delivers on all three.”

For FluentStream, partners like ConsultNet exemplify what the channel should look like. “They care deeply about their clients and want technology to feel human,” Katzer said. “That’s what makes this partnership special.”

Interested in becoming a FluentStream partner?