Thursday, January 6, 2011

Advantageous Calling Card Features

It would be difficult to choose the right calling card, aside from the fact that there‘s a lot of providers, there are also lots of calling cards with a wide range of features to choose from. A company may choose one over the other due to certain capabilities missing from another calling card. That feature might be like a typical functionality which is not present to the other or it can be a complicated one. Whatever features are necessary, the most important thing is that it can be able to make something available in the business that is used together in a well organized and dependable communication.

The following is a list of some calling card features:
  • No Pin Required – There’s no need for you to remember your pin, it won’t consume your time and effort and offers you the no pin required dialing option.
  • Nationwide access – Stay in touch with your friends and family. With the lowest rates and much connection from anywhere!
  • Automatic recharge – It automatically sets a recharge amount and every time a certain limit drops in your balance, your card will be starting to recharged.
  • Speed Dial – There’s no need for you to  enter the order of digits that represents the destination number. Save the numbers you call the most and, on your phone, when you are asked for the destination number you just have to enter the short order of keys, from *1 to *9.
  • Hot Dial – In your calling card, can use the hot dial feature if you have numbers that you call regularly and want to make your calls connect faster than the usual. This will affiliate an access number, with your PIN and a destination number. And, you have to enter the number you are calling from in order for you to use the no pin required feature. In this way, by the time you dial a certain access number on your phone, you will be easily connected.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Common Sources for Music On-Hold

While most music on-hold system already has a default music samples, some users may be force to find other sources due to certain issues such as format and compatibility. This is important because some on-hold music systems run on a server that is not capable of converting the music sample to a compatible format.
Fortunately, most providers allow the use of other sources to use for the music on hold:

CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory):
Some providers may offer extra music on a CD-ROM which the user can easily upload onto the system. Not only does this CD-ROM contains music but it may also include custom greetings and voice prompts that are designed for use with other phone system feature like the automated attendant. But, be cautious when using CD-ROM as the source for the music on hold feature since this can have licensing issues and it should not be distributed to anyone else. A CD-ROM may also contain other samples like music loops.
 
Multicast and Unicast:
These sources are suitable for use with the phone system’s on hold music since they can conserve the use of system resources. Multiple users can also be supported simultaneously by sharing a single stream of audio via the internet. Unfortunately, making use of these sources requires the management and configuration of different devices, IP addresses and ports. To use multiple audio also requires configuring and incrementing of different IP addresses, and not port numbers, for each source in order to prevent the network from being saturated.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Guide in Choosing Business Voicemail Service

Voicemail is one of the many features of a small business phone system that can be very useful in supporting customer service for business and home office. Voicemail system is capable of storing and recording voice messages that can be retrieved anytime you want for review and future listening. You may categorize all the voice messages that will pass the voicemail box according to its importance; you can tag it as urgent or non-urgent messages. Aside from this, voicemail system can boost up professional image of your small business. So, in order for you to get the best voicemail you need to consider the few tips provided here:
  • Consider the impact of voicemail to your customers. As much as possible keep a business voicemail that maintains a pleasant environment for your customers as well as to the users.
  • Look for a phone system provider that proposed a voicemail service and automated attendant at the same time. This feature tandem will ensure that your phone system can forward calls from one extension to another. Best voicemail service can detect call progress. This call detection service will give you no difficulty in terms of integrating the service to another phone features. 
  • Consider also how many calls your voicemail can handle. If necessary get a multi line voicemail that will accept several calls at a time. What's more, it is advisable to acquire a dynamic port voicemail system if you have an auto-attendant service.
Modern voicemail like the internet voicemail service will even allow you to receive online fax, create group lists and establish a guest voicemail box. So, start examining your voicemail requirement now and get a phone system that will back up all your business communication needs.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Information Exchange between Lawyers and Clients

Excellent legal service and competent lawyers is what a successful law firm is made of. But, these are not adequate if there is no proper coordination between lawyers and clients. Day to day process on a law firm usually involves a lot of information exchange and it is important to have a system to quickly access and convey information. It is also crucial to keep information that goes in and out of the firm confidential, organized and secured. All of these can be attained with the use of the following:
  • Call Forwarding – clients can easily reach a lawyer by allowing the office phone system to access all of the phone numbers configured on the call forwarding feature.
  • Internet Fax – one of the reliable tools not only for law firms but also for every business. Transmitting documents the fast and secure way is more probable with this technology rather than utilizing an old fax machine. Law firms can assure a reliable exchange of information between them and their clients since internet faxing does not rely on PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Networks).
  • Voicemail – law firms may not be opened 24 hours a day but their phone system is. Phone calls from clients can be unexpected anytime of the day and even during sleeping hours. But, that does not prevent information from being conveyed since unattended calls are taken care of by allowing callers to leave important messages on the voicemail inbox. Modern phone systems can even notify the user that a new message has arrived via SMS or e-mail alerts.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Choosing the Best Phone System for Small Business

Business phone systems are likely to vary from the smaller end of the scale all the way to the top. Since the phone is often the easiest way to reach clients and customers, it is then one of the essential decisions that businesses can make.   Purchasing a phone system is not that simple. What makes it even more difficult is that phones systems are evolving from time to time and prices are also increasing. That is why it is better to find a provider who can help. But be careful in choosing. Many phone providers do not keep up and continue to recommend too expensive phone system. Although we all know that every company needs an effective, reliable phone.

Here are some tips and information on how to choose a phone system:
  • Voice over IP (VoIP). VoIP is ideal for small businesses. Small offices need only few telephone lines and a basic voicemail. VoIP services require you to have enough bandwidth computer networks and the right equipment to achieve the highest possible call quality. And it can also help you keep connected while keeping your overall costs down.
  • Investing into your phone system. Do not hesitate to invest for your office phone system. Although the internet now plays an important role in the business industry, the phones are still fundamental to business success.
  • PBX (Private Branch eXchange) equipment including switching facilities to route calls between employees and outside lines. Standard PBX systems are usually ideal for medium to large industry, but the new PBX vendors provide services to the small business market with VoIP technology.
  • Virtual PBX (or PBX) systems cost about $ 10 to $ 50 per month, depending on the nature and number of lines your business have.
Now, when choosing the right phone system for your business, realize that you must take into account how many employees will use the computer. This will determine the hardware you will be buying for your small business. Look forward to the expansion, and create a space for future employees, or the purchase of a new hardware that can improve your service.