Budget Phone System Requiring No Rewiring
November 5, 2009
You know me, always trying to be helpful… here’s what I found today that caught my eye. There are a lot of business class telephone systems that are available out there that DO NOT require rewiring of your office. The best business phone system available within a budget in my opinion is good ol’ Panasonic…
The Panasonic KX TG6502B is priced around$269
This is a cordless phone with call waiting, caller ID and an answering system. The system supports four handsets, has conference call capability, intercom, hold, mute, flash and redial buttons. What’s really cool is there’s also a waiting caller ID, so you know who’s calling in next.
I personally tried the Uniden system but found that it did not receive incoming calls while using the direct link system feature and so I had to give up using the feature or I would miss calls. Not cool at all.
Good Strategy For Long Distance Savings
November 4, 2009
Damon Brown wrote a very practical plan to choose the best long distance plan for Inc. Technology. Taking his advice seems fool proof.
“Here are six tips for finding the best phone plan for your business:
Tip #1: Go rate shopping each year
Phone company rates aren’t static. More importantly, the needs of your company will change over time. “It would also be wise to check rates again at least once each year,” says Stephanie Chandler, founder of BusinessInfoGuide.com, a Sacramento, Calif. based newsletter and website for entrepreneurs and start-ups. ”You can potentially save a lot of money by shopping for the best long distance plan on an annual basis.”
Tip #2: Consider a cell phone-based plan
If you have a highly-mobile business or need phones for only a few employees, experts recommend considering cell phones. Furthermore, nearly all cell phone carriers charge the same for local and long-distance calls. “Since cell service gets more reliable every day and most include long distance, this can be a viable option for many small businesses,” Chandler says.
There are a few big disadvantages. One, there are limited minutes during normal business hours, which are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays for most cell phone carriers. Two, a basic phone line may still need to be installed and maintained for Internet and fax usage (though a local-only line can be significantly cheaper). Three, make sure the carrier’s coverage is good in your office.
Tip #3: Consider Internet-based calling
Vonage and other new phone companies now offer long-distance calling via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which allows your business to call people for less by routing communications through the computer. Monthly fees are around $40, and often include a fax line, call forwarding and caller ID. Unfortunately, the service requires a special phone adapter, broadband connection and, most bothersome, no Web surfing while a call is being made (splitting the modem feed would be required).
VoIP is fairly new technology, but AT&T and Qwest are now offering packages. “If you want to tiptoe in, try a company with a money-back guarantee,” recommends Kim Komando, Microsoft Online’s workplace technology expert. “And make sure you understand the terms before taking the plunge.”
Tip #4: Join organizations for group discounts
The Small Business Association, the National Business Association, and other organizations often offer deep discounts on long-distance services. Networking with other businesses is always a good idea, but weigh the potential savings against the cost of membership.
Tip #5: Separate local and long-distance services
While packages can save money, experts say separating local and long-distance services may save additional money. More creative types can use a flat-rate cell phone for long distance and a traditional line for local calls. Also, provided you have the patience to dial some extra numbers, using a phone card will give a cheaper per-minute average. “A prepaid long-distance card can cut costs if you don’t make many long-distance landline calls,” according to Consumer Reports. The publication estimates it can save businesses a few hundred dollars annually.
Tip #6: Ask for estimate based on usage
Measure or calculate your likely call usage. Ask potential providers for a rough estimate of your potential monthly bill. “If they can’t answer this question in advance, then choose another provider,” Chandler says.”
I have always found that shopping around for better prices on things like long distance and insurance have paid off. What perhaps we should do is take a look at them twice a year rather than just once…if you have the time.
VoIP Is The Cost Effective – Smart Choice
November 3, 2009
VoIP is a cheaper option for dialtone both for personal or business use. I know many friends who have already made the switch which was initially because of cost but then they found the features available with the service the reason to stay. For those who are still on the fence, here’s what INC. Technology had to say:
“Small businesses that opt to go with cable firms for their voice service find their monthly bills are about 10 to 15 percent cheaper than with plain old telephone service a/k/a “POTS.” Moreover, few take any issue with the voice quality, especially Mike Arden, principal analyst with ABI Research, of Oyster Bay, N.Y. Arden says that quality is mainly a problem when you contract with third parties. “The really inexpensive services can’t control the quality,” he says.
There are two ways to get VoIP service. One is to get a hosted service. The other is to install a PBX router over a broadband line. Arden says in each case, the grade of voice reception depends on the amount of bandwidth. Arden added that his research showed that small businesses often gravitated to cable-based VoIP so they can get more features for the same price as basic POTS, not necessarily because they wanted to save money.
Such features include things like unified messaging that let employees keep voicemails on their desktop PCs as audio files.”
Save Some Money!!
October 9, 2009
Long Distance Audits Save You Money!
There is an article on Telecom Audit Guide that explains the need for businesses to have a yearly telecom audit. I found this information there and thought it was really impressive:
Telecommunications audits are free, and can end up saving a business a ton of money. The audit that the hospital went through covered 4 areas of telecom; local, long distance, cellular and paging, and came up with $789,335.40 in annual savings.
The hospital’s telecom audit showed that they were spending too much in the following areas:
- Local Phone Service: $26,800.95 per month.
- Long Distance Service: $8,175.54 per month.
- Cell Phone Service: $5750 per month.
- Paging Services: $5197.46 per month.
Every business should have an annual telecom audit of their phone bills, their cell phone bills and their local bills. By doing an audit, the hospital above was able to save $800,000.00 per year, and your business could end up save a substantial amount of money also.
Long Distance for a Healthy Business
June 23, 2009
With the help of the internet, the world has become an amazingly connected place, and businesses are not immune from this fact. After all, if your business isn’t ready and equipped to offer their services or products worldwide, you’re drastically cutting into your potential market. Many companies and businesses have taken this more global approach to business, and as such, something like long distance phone service is a necessity.
Businesses, therefore, should make long distance installation one of their first priorities. There is something powerful, after all, about talking to a client directly on the phone. Especially if something has gone wrong with an order or a potential service, explaining the situation over the phone usually garners much better results than back and forth emails. In this way, having the ability to make a simple phone call can mean the difference between a disgruntled ex-customer and an appeased customer.
