How often have you left your office or home to find out having missed an important sales call? If yes, then you must surely have wished for a way to stay connected with everyone at all possible times. While missing an important call can result in or lead to loss at work, there is an immediate need to find a solution. In such a case, you can always start off by merging your telephone and broadband connection through VoIP services. Starting from lowering your overall monthly expenses on telephone bills, the benefits of integrating voice phone systems to your working environment go longer down the road. Read More…
Virtual Phone Systems Articles
Go for Green: Cloudify Your Business
Nowadays, running a business is backed up with responsibilities of minimizing the impact of your business on the environment. This would necessarily mean giving a second thought to your outdated customary business models, and shifting to better and eco-friendly ways of doing business. In order to take a big step in the direction of minimizing wastage, you can always think of cloud computing as the new mantra for coloring your business green. Read More…
Why Your Phone is Still the Best Sales Channel
Phone phobia is still one of the major afflictions among business owners, you might be easily able to relate that to yourself. Now the thing to worry about here is that many small business owners like you are unable to get their hands on expensive separate sales department setups in order to enjoy unremitting profits. Whether you like it or not, phone and sales still come in pairs as far as increasing the revenues and profits are concerned. The phone surely is one of the best mediums for increasing sales, regardless of the new shiny tools available in the 21st century business world.
Better Communication, Better Business
The importance of phones in a small business can never be left unnoticed. You need to remember that your customers will always pick up their phones to reach you for every little inquiry they may have. Whether it is a pre-sales inquiry or after sales support or just a simple follow-up, an unanswered phone call will mean one happy client less. The internal sales department will spread a word about your products and services to the potential market, thereby increasing your sales and ROI.
Phone Sales ROI and VoIP Services
Installing expensive phone systems in your small business organization can definitely be a bank breaking deal. If you have somehow managed to get them installed, you surely must follow some quick tips for improving the sales ROI.
- Improved mental state and frame while making sales calls
- Create impactful communication
- Spend time in cold call training to identify things that can and cannot impact the sales
If, however, you are still wondering about investing in an internal sales department, then availing the benefits of VoIP services would be an ideal option for you. Integrating VoIP services with your existing solutions will not only save a good amount of investment, but will also improve the efficiency and ROI quite easily. With VoIP service providers offering innumerable quality features to the businesses in lieu of affordable charges, reaching a break-even in a matter of 6-8 months and then a better ROI is not a distant dream.
So, if you still haven’t given a thought to having an internal phone sales department, thinking about VoIP integration would be a worthy investment.
Five Cool Virtual Phone System Features You Didn’t Know Of
In contrast to the customary telephone service providers, VoIP firms provide businesses with a wide variety of features in lieu of no extra charges. With certain VoIP companies providing more than 40 features in their entry-level plans, it might become difficult for you to fully understand the function of each and every feature, and make optimum use of them in day-to-day operations.
In light of feature assessment, here are some high-end VoIP features explained in detail for you. Some of them might look like neat gimmicks at first glance, and may very well be your favorite features once you’ve gotten to use them. Read More…
VoIP Solutions and Non-Profits: Swimming with Sharks
After TEVA Canada adopted a network utilizing Microsoft SharePoint, Strategy-Nets and Moxie, they announced an unprecedented 95% order fulfillment rate for 2011. At the same time, IBM announced that they had reduced completion time by 30% and had a 33% reduction in component costs.
But as Bloomberg let on that monitoring trend in online sentiment was leading to accurate stock predictions, even industry giants like Microsoft were suffering the effects of an outdated one-way communication system. Escaping a potentially devastating 62% dissatisfaction rate in customer service provision through the generation of blogs, websites and forums, Microsoft, along with all these other companies, demonstrated the power of streamlining networks. Read More…
Working Remotely with a Cloud VoIP
You may have got used to the concept of going to the office every day, working for a certain fixed number of hours, and heading back home post that. But what if it can be changed? What if you could make use of the full power of the internet and dispense the daily routine by working remotely? Cloud computing has made it possible to work from remote places as efficiently as being in office and, in many cases, even more than that.
Cloud VoIP services help in taking the matter a couple of steps ahead with its whole arsenal of useful features. Imagine using your office telephone number at home or while travelling. Yes, it is possible with full-fledged and feature packed VoIP systems. There are a good number of ways in which you can make use of VoIP services to work efficiently from remote locations or away from office. Read More…
Five Fun Facts About VoIP
Phone service is a basic utility that many of us, especially business owners, cannot do without. But just because it’s necessary, doesn’t mean it is always interesting or exciting, and many business owners may dread the chore of setting up phone service.
But for business owners who are really interested in getting a high quality IP phone service, there is lots of interesting things to know that make the process of buying a new phone system that much more fun. Read More…
What About “Free” Internet Phone Systems?
There has been a lot of advertising on the TV, and radio attempting to entice people to purchase voice over internet phone service. What about a “free” internet phone system are there any that are good? The answer depends on which phone service you choose. A simple search of the internet will produce several companies claiming to have a “free” or “free to try” internet phone service.
Available Free VOIP Services
Skype
Skype has long been a favorite for many internet calling fans. With Skype, phone calls are computer to computer. All a person needs to use the service is internet access and a Skype phone or equivalent. If a person chooses they may instead use a headset and microphone. The advantage of this service is that calling another Skype user is free, the disadvantage is the free service does not include calls to non-Skype users. An individual can purchase time to call other phones. The rate for calls from internet to other phones is significantly less than a regular phone line.
Halloo
Halloo is a phone service that offers quality phone service while using existing phone equipment. On the Halloo.com website, they offer a 30 day free trial. For a monthly fee, Halloo provides high quality business phone service with many standard-calling features including 800-service, caller ID, auto-attendant, call forwarding and voice mail.
Services with Special Required Equipment
Ooma is a “free” internet phone service. The only caveat is the need to purchase a product called a Telo pad. Retailing for around $200.00, and available at many consumer electronic stores online, and brick and mortar stores as well. The site states that there is a 5000-minute per month limitation, for residential service. The advantage to this system is that it uses your existing phones, and it requires nothing more than high-speed internet access. There is no need to have a computer.
It is important to note that free doesn’t really mean free. Many of the phone services offered using VOIP have fees attached to them. The per-minute rates are lower for sure than the landline rates of the local phone company, but high-speed internet access is a requirement.
Virtual Phone Systems Going Mobile
Virtual systems are improving businesses everywhere and benefiting business owners on the go. Having a virtual phone system allows busy company owners to have a mobile office anywhere and at any time. The Phone.com app offers owners many key office features that will allow them to check messages, fax, transfer calls, and even hold music. There are several more features included with the Phone.com app that will help progress an owner's business. With an ever-expanding society and economy, having a virtual phone system for a busy business owner is essential. With a virtual phone system owners can manage their companies from anywhere.
Phone.com's iPhone Web App
Virtual Phone System Comparison: Phone.com vs RingCentral
VERSUS 
When you are thinking about getting a virtual phone system setup for your business, you need to be informed well before you sign up for the first service that you find. Two of the top virtual phone system providers at the moment are Phone.com and RingCentral. Both of which are solid choices but they differ in a few key areas that might make you want to choose the other.
Phone.com vs RingCentral Comparison Chart
[superchart id=0 posts=169,154 width=530px]Phone.com
Phone.com‘s Enterprise plan comes with 6 phone numbers. You can mix and match these phone numbers in any combination of local or toll free; they come with unlimited minutes for both faxing and calling. If six phone numbers aren't enough, then combine that with their four extra free extensions to use as you want. If necessary, you can also purchase their business call IP phones provided by Linksys, Cisco, or Polycom.
Their enterprise plan is abundantly customizable and designed to grow with your business. You can add a phone line for an additional $3.88 a month, or if you need another unlimited minute extension you can get one for an additional $21.88 a month. The service also comes with an iPhone app, so you can have access to your office phone from anywhere, which is pretty handy at times.
RingCentral
RingCentral has an office package that provides both unlimited calling and faxing to anywhere in the US and Canada. You also get a local toll free primary line for your company, another local or toll free fax number, and even a local number for each user on your account. These are a lot of free phone numbers and pretty much all you will need for most businesses. Combine that with their offering of purchasing a business class IP phone provided by Polycom and you literally have everything your business needs. Their services are only available in the US and Canada, so international users might want to go with an international friendly virtual phone system instead. All plans have access to their iPhone app that gives you access to your phones from anywhere you happen to be. This is especially useful for those situations where you can't get to the office. Read More…