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Communication News

August 2011

Teleconference Service: Audio Phone Conference Calling

Submitted by lees on Sun, 2011-08-21 19:29

Author: Lee Simonson

 

We offer a wide range of teleconference services for business, non-profits and individuals who want to use audio phone conferencing to collaborate and share information.  Teleconferencing is the most popular and least expensive method to get a number of people together to discuss important issues and projects.  It's also the easiest way to conduct a conference, especially if your parties are in scattered locations.
 
On the top, and top left side, of this webpage, you'll see a number of teleconferencing service and options to choose from -- everything from Pay As You Go (Pay Per Use) per minute plans to Unlimited Flat and Fixed Rate plans.  We also offer you top of the line Operator Conference Calls and Legal Conference Call services.
 
Generally speaking, it is less expensive to outsource teleconference services than it is to install your own conference bridge hardware, software and phone lines.  Unless you are a very heavy user and have the inhouse staff to maintain your own system, it is advisable to outsource.  Lately, even inhouse systems have been seeing less popularity because management is determining that it is more cost effective to focus on core business issues and priorities rather than spending time and money making conferencing a supplementary business within the business.  Outsourcing teleconferencing allows staff people to concentrate on more important issues.
 
Each service has it's advantages.  Here are some examples:
 
Most businesses, large and small, prefer to have a toll free number to access their conference bridge and pay for conferencing on a per minute basis.  (10 people on the conference for 20 minutes equals 200 minutes.)  Businesses are provided the data that shows the time of each conference and the number of participants.  Businesses can get an unlimited number of passcodes to have an unlimited number of conferences going on simultaneously.   Conferences are reservationless and can be accessed on demand, 24/7.
 
Another conference service that has a large share of users offers unlimited conferencing for one low fixed monthly rate.  It is offered on a month-to-month basis with no long term contract, and you can talk as long as you want.  There is no limit and your price is fixed.  What's the catch?  Actually, the only thing that makes it different from other conferencing services is that is does not offer a toll free number -- participants dial a regular long distance number to access the conference bridge.  Considering that most people and businesses have long distance costs bundled with their local service and/or they call from cell phones which offer free long distance to begin with, you can see why many organizations, particularly non-profit groups have cut their conferencing expenses substantially by converting to fixed rate service.
 
There are many other plans that may better suit your purposes and budgets.  Our job is to make sure that you get the right plan and maintain your access to the highest quality teleconference service in the industry.  So far, our growing clientle and our reputation have helped us lead the way in a very competitive business.  We hope you give us a chance to prove that our conference services can meet your specific needs.  Call us today at 877-254-2424.
 

Pay Per Use Conference Call Service: On-Demand Phone Conferencing

Submitted by lees on Wed, 2011-08-17 12:23

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Pay-per-use phone conference call service, also known as pay-as-you-go teleconferencing, is one of the most popular plans used by buinsesses and non-profits for communication and collaboration.
 
Here are the top 10 reasons by why pay-per-use conferencing is so attractive when shopping for a conference service:
 
1)  There are no set-up fees.
2)  You can have your first conference call today.
3)  There are no monthly minimums.
4)  There are no long term contracts.  You can stop using the service at any time.
5)  You are only billed for the time you use, when you use it.
6)  You are only billed AFTER your call.
7)  You have your choice of both toll free and non-toll free access.
8)  You get free features and options like music-on-hold and auto-hang up.
9)  There are no reservations and can use it on-demand 24/7.
10)  There is no need to purchase any hardware or software.
 
Beyond that, you will have access to the highest quality conferencing and technology avaliable. 
 
If you are looking for a reliable phone conference call service, pay-per-use is definitely worth considering.  While there are many other plans and formats, the fact remains, you really can't go wrong with a pay-per-use program.  Both big and small players utilize it as staple in their communications services and its value is unsurpassed in saving organizations thousands of dollars in travel and meeting costs.  You can find out more about pay-per-use conference calling here:  http://24conference.com/payasyougoconference
 

Video Conference: How to Video Conference with Your Webcam

Submitted by lees on Mon, 2011-08-15 21:09

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Getting a video conference service is easy and inexpensive.  There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on sophisticated equipment, when your desktop webcam will perform just as well.  Moreover, there is no need for any software.  With our Start-Video service you can be up and running in minutes and none of your participants will have to download or install any software on their computers.  The entire process is fast, simple and clean.
 
Here are some of the advantages of getting a professional video conferencing service:
 
1)  No start up costs and easy set up.
2)  No hardware or software to purchase or maintain.
3)  Pay on a per-use basis, or get unlimited usage month-to-month.
4)  Immediate 24/7 access with no reservatoins required.
5)  Full-duplex video conference, file sharing, screen sharing, white board, instant messaging, and recording capabilities.
6)  Configure screen format anyway you want to meet your needs.
7)  Easy to use and broadly accepted Flash interface.
8)  Use built in VOIP audio or your regular conference call service.
9)  Windows and/or Mac compatible.
10)  Upload Microsoft Office documents and/or video files.
 
One of the most popular features is called "screen sharing" that will enable you to have your participants see what is on your computer screen.  So, whatever you're seeing on your monitor, they are seeing on their monitor.  You could be looking at anything -- a website, video, slide show, or document.  As you advance your presentation, they will be able to keep right up with you.  You can also use a pointer to show them exactly what to look at.
 
Because video conferencing has become so affordable, and because the technology has brought it to your desktop or laptop, or even iPad and iPhone, you'll see more and more applications for it in business, non-profits and even family use.  Yes, there are free services such as Skype and Yahoo that offer video on a one-to-one basis, but if you are interested in having a few people on your video conference call, you'll need a paid service like the one we offer.
 
Want to see Start-Video in action?  Call us at 877-254-2424 for a free demo and experience all the advantages of a video conference for your associates, customers or prospects.  With the advances in video technology, and with the prices going down, you can assume that you'll be seeing, and using, video conferencing more and more.  
 

Conference Service: Telephone Conference Call Service Rates and Plans

Submitted by lees on Sun, 2011-08-14 11:01

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Using a professional telephone conference call service is not only more convenient, but it is far less costly than attempting to install special conferencing hardware and software.
 
Conference service over the telephone, also known as audio teleconferencing, can be easily obtained with a variety of rates and plans, serving a wide range of business and non-profit needs and budgets.
 
When you outsource your conference service, you avoid any set-up, maintenace and overhead costs and, in addition, you are able to begin conferencing immedately.  95% of all conferencing is outsourced in the United States because the service is convenient and inexpensive.
 
There are several conference service plans to choose from.  Here is a quick review and rundown of the most popular conference services.  For more details you can click on the links below, or you can find the various services on the left hand sidebar or top of the page navigation links.
 
Pay Per Use Conference Service:  This is also known as "pay as you go" conferencing, and provides you 24/7 access.  There is no need to make reservations.  Once you get your call-in number and passcodes, you can use it anytime.  Your credit card is charged only after you use the service.  There is no monthly minimum, so if you don't use it, there is no charge.  A perfect conference solution for occasional users.
 
Per Minute Conference Service:  90% of the conferencing in the United States is done on a per-minute basis.  Minutes are calculated by the number of callers times the number of minutes (i.e. 10 callers on the conference for 10 minutes = 100 minutes.)  You are charged after the call and are only billed for the time you use, no more or less.  You have your choice of a toll free dial number, or a regular long distance number (slightly cheaper.)  
 
Supersaver 800 Conference Service: (pre-paid bundled):  This discounted service, with a toll free dial in number, provides discounted rates and is modeled after your cell phone plan.  You pre-pay for a certain number of minutes each month.  This is a very popular service for businesses and organizations that have predictable usage and know how many conference minutes they generally use every month.  There is no long term contract, and this service goes month to month.  So, if you wanted to purchase a large number of discounted minutes one month, and not the next, that can be easily arranged.
 
Operator Conference Call Service:  Full service conference, including professional operators who call out to each of your parties and place them in the conference.  You can also have an operator on the conference itself to manage Question & Answer sessions or coordinate the muting and lecture modes.  This is the preferred choice for legal and deposition conference calls, or investor relation calls or high-profile or important calls where you are looking to provide top level service.  An ideal solution for landing that big contract.
 
Flat/FIxed Rate Conference Service (pre-paid unlimited use):  Fixed Rate conferencing is ideal for heavy users because you get unlimited usage.  You can conference anytime you want, for as long as you want.  Everyone dials a long distance access number (we have a New York City 212 access number and others in the Mid-West) to get into the conference call.
 
Video Conference Service:  As technology advances, costs for video conferencing have come down substantially.  In fact, the expensive conference rooms with large video screens and television cameras are a thing of the past.  The operative words are "desktop conferencing" where you and your participants use small webcams (cost about $25-50) and can view each other in high quality transmissions.  There are some free services like Yahoo and Skype that offer video conferencing for one-on-one exchanges.  However, for larger calls you'll need an outsourced video conference service.  This also gives you features that will share powerpoint presentations, slide shows, documents, and participants can also see your desktop, so they can follow again and see whatever is on your computer screen.
 

Surveys by Phone: Polling with Automated IVR Gets Faster Results at Less Cost

Submitted by lees on Thu, 2011-08-04 14:56

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Telephone surveys using IVR technology can automate polling campaigns and are becoming the gold standard for gathering data very quickly and inexpensively for companies and political groups interesting in learning the latest trends and developments.
 
Our sister company, Monarch Broadcast Messaging, offers an automated phone survey service, which enables you to get polling results without the need or expense of getting special equipment, software or phone lines for your project.  Monarch Broadcast provides a turn-key service and the infrastruture is already set up and ready to go on demand.  
 
As a Monarch client, you only need to provide the list of phone numbers you want polled, and then a list of questions with multiple choice answers.  As an example, your questions could be formatted as such:  "When it comes to choosing a retirement home, what are you looking for?  For sunny and nice press #1.  For cold and miserable, press #2.  For "I'm never going to retire" press #3.
 
Not only are automated phone surveys easily assembled and executed, but they are a fraction of the cost of using live agents to conduct personal interviews.  Telephone surveys with IVR can also generate more results in much less time.  Actually, there is no comparison on a cost basis since automated "push" or "reach out" technology is dramatically more efficient than utilizing humans to do the same thing.
 
Better yet, companies, non-profits and political organizations, don't have to purchase any expensive software or equipment, or set up expensive phone banks to implement an effective phone survey program.  Phone surveying can be done in the cloud and can be purchased as a service on an as-needed basis.  Set-up costs are very small and campaigns can be implemented within hours with results immediately available in real-time.
 
The most popular application for phone surveying is for compiling instant polling data for political organizations and candidates.  Campaign surveying can provide valuable data that can used immediately to formulate long or short term strategies.  For example, you can determine quickly what the hot button issues are in a campaign, and what the strengths and weaknesses are in the opponent and in your own campaign.  It's important that your campaign can turn on a dime when circumstances and issues change.  Automated phone surveying is the fastest, easiest and least expensive way to accurately judge your campaign's progress.
 
Monarch's professional staff can help you design and implement an effective survey and polling program that will enable you to act on the latest "pulse" from your customers or constituents.  
 
You can call Monarch Broadcast Messaging at 1-888-387-8636 to discuss all your automated surveying options.