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Communication News

January 2012

Small Business Conference Call Services: Saving Time and Money

Submitted by lees on Tue, 2012-01-10 17:31

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Conference calling for small businesses is rapidly growing in popularity for several reasons, not the least of which is the growing mobility of small business owners and managers.  With everyone within reach of a cell or smartphone, conferencing calling enables small business colleagues, associates and collaborators to meet wherever they are to discuss the latest business.
 
Small business operators have several choices of audio conferencing services that are both convenient and cost effective.  Business owners and managers should choose a conferencing service based on three factors:  Reliability, Customer Service and Affordable Rates.
 
Here are the top three (based on the number of users) programs small businesses use to conduct their conference calling:
 
Unlimited Flat Rate Conference service:  This provides untimed service, so you can use it whenever and as long as you want, paying just a monthly fixed rate. Obviously, flat rate service has tremendous advantages regarding cost savings and that's why it is so popular.  However, the downside is that it is NOT toll free, and conference participants must dial a long distance number to access the conference service.  For many, that isn't an issue, since they get free long distance on their cell phones or bundled with their local service.
 
Discounted Toll Free (pre-paid) Conference service:  This toll free service is modeled after cell phone plans that offer a certain number of minutes per month.  This is ideal for those who have a good idea of how many conference minutes they use every month because they can pre-pay for those minutes at a substantial discount.  But be careful, if you don't use the minutes, you still have to pay for them.  If you go over your allotment, you just pay the regular pay-as-you-so rate.
 
Pay As You Go Conference service:  This conference service bills you for what you use when you use it -- no more or less.  It's perfect for small businesses that have sporadic and unpredictable conferencing needs and don't to commit to a certain number of minutes every month.  The rates are extremely affordable and can save small business owners a substantial sum over what they would normally pay the brand name providers.
 
All in all, the vitality of small businesses is said to be a leading indicator of our general economy.  Most of the new jobs in the future will be created by the entrepreneurial visions that fuel small business and the naton, and world, look to small businesses to lead the recovery.  Because small business is more flexible and nimble in the marketplace, and owners can make decisions with being fettered by bureaucratic committees, the idea of adding conference calling to the small business culture is, as they say, a "slam dunk."  It's probably the easiest and most effective way to improve productivity immediately by cutting down on physical face-to-face meetings which can drain the life blood out of small organizations efforts to boost the bottom line.
 
Conference calls for retail, manufacturing, non-profit, or professional offices such as engineering, legal, consultancies, or medical offices, have proven to be the gold standard when it comes to moving projects forward.  If you aren't conferencing, you're not communicating, and if you aren't communicating, your small business is at a standstill.  Call us today at 877-254-2424 and let us know how we can help.
 

 

Non-Profit Conference Call Services: Low Cost Conferencing for Non-Profits and Associations

Submitted by lees on Sun, 2012-01-08 22:25

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Non-profits and associations can benefit greatly by using conference call services designed to improve productivity and cut expenses.
 
(NOTE:  Our most popular service for non-profits is our Pay-As-You-Go conference service because there is no set up fee, no monthly minimum, no reservations -- it's available 24/7 -- and you pay after your call, not before.)
 
Over the years we've been able to save non-profits a considerable amount of money because they generally don't scrutinize or review their conference call expenses closely and seldom shop around for better rates.  "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," is a usual refrain.  However, many non-profits have been using brand name services for years, never thinking that telecommunication costs have been cut substantially because of competition and overcapacity.  When non-profits look at the current rates offered in the conferencing world, sometimes they are shocked at how much they can save -- usually they can cut their conferencing expenses in half, or more.
 
That's why it's always a good practice to review the conference rates you are paying now and look for bids or quotes from other providers.  Moreover, there are additional conferncing services available today that didn't exist several years ago. 
 
There is one more important aspect that needs to be mentioned -- the time and efforts of your volunteers.  Physical face-to-face meetings can kill a morning, afternoon, or evening for your volunteers.  Yes, the mission is important, but they donating services away from their businesses and families.  One of simple things you can do to make their lives easier is to have more conference calls that can accomplish the same results in a fraction of the time.  Your volunteers will thank you for valuing their time and make their jobs more convenient.
 
Overall, conference call services are a key component in managing a successful non-profit organization or association.  Big or small, conferencing can achieve results with your board, volunteers, sponsors, supporters or clients.  Take a look at our varied conferencing services across the top of the page and choose the one that works best for your organization.  We're here to help you so give us a call anytime -- there is no set-up fee and you can have your first conference call today.
 

Conference Calling Without Entering Passcodes or PIN Codes

Submitted by lees on Wed, 2012-01-04 15:12

Author: Lee Simonson

 

It's not always necessary to enter a passcode to get into a conference call.  In fact, our Direct Dial service allows you and your participants immediate access to the conference bridge without the need to enter passcodes.  Nothing can be more convenient and your conference guests don't have to remember the codes.  They just dial the number and you're in!
 
Direct Dial conferencing is billed at our everyday-low rates, plus a $30 per month fee to provide you with your own unique dial-in number.  So for example, you can get unlimited usage with our Direct Dial flat rate service for 10 lines for $29 per month.  If you want to include Drect Dial with that, the cost would be an additional $30 per month.  In summary, for $59 per month you can get a conference bridge service that will give you unlimited usage for 10 people with no passwords or passcodes required.
 
Want a toll free number for everyone?  No problem!  Our pay-as-you-go toll free rate is just 7.9 cents per minute, per person, and you can enjoy the same Direct Dial, no passcode required, service anytime 24/7.
 
Give us a call and let us help you design a program that best suits your conferencing needs.  Chances are, we can not only improve the quality of your service, but save you time and money as well.