Simply put, VoIP is “voice over internet protocol”, a type of internet telephone that can have some major advantages over traditional, land-based phones in terms of use and price.  There are some requirements to using VoIP and some equipment considerations to make, however, it can equal huge cost savings in the long run and is at least worth a strong look.  Your managed services provider can give you the basic rundown of what it is, how it works and how much it costs in terms of the initial investment and …

Ethernet is a branded, computer networking standard that uses different types of wiring schemes to connect a local area network (LAN).  The most common standard connection is the use of twisted pair wiring coupled with fiber optics as the backbone.  Since its introduction in the 1980’s, Ethernet has largely replaced other local area network standards in most applications. 
Twisted pair Ethernet is also referred to as twisted copper and makes use of the existing telephone lines in many commercial buildings.  With Ethernet in place, a company can reduce the costs of …

INTERNET MARKETING: SUCCESS AND FAILURE
Internet marketing consists of many different types and styles even different strategies.  Depending on your business and your goals your approach to marketing online will vary.  Some will choose Social Media, while other businesses find video marketing or pay per click to be the optimal strategy.  At the base of all these marketing types is SEO.  This one we probably hear the most about, yet unfortunately know the least of.  Yes it is true, most of the techniques and SEO strategies are gathered from a lot …

The world of business can be confusing – there are reps at each of the telecommunications providers who would just love to sit and tell you how great their services are, how much money you will save over their leading competitor and how fast and reliable you will find them to be.  What they do not tell you is that you are talking to one of many people who are sitting in a room and reading from a script.  If they feel that they are going to make an actual …

 
I recently posted a question on Linkedin regarding using managed service providers versus owning equipment and managing it in-house and received some interesting responses.  I had thought that most of the responders would be passionately sharing all the reasons why they felt it was better to own and manage equipment in-house but instead, it seems, many of them are more in favor of hosted solutions.  My question and the responses I receive are posted below. 
“What are the best reasons and benefits to managing your own equipment onsite versus using a …

Outbound IVR for Service Companies and Utility Providers (Part 1 of a series)
Service organizations such as air conditioning companies and pest control companies and utility providers are finding Outbound IVR an invaluable business solution.  They have found that Outbound IVR can help them increase their customer contact rates, proactively communicate with customers which reduces inbound traffic to their customer service centers, increase sales, and improve results in their collections departments.  Outbound IVR solutions with the ability to conduct interactive customer satisfaction surveys lets service companies know if customers are not …

Every day in business you are faced with countless decisions. Do you say no to the latest merger offer? Should you offer your latest product in flaming red or stick to basic black? Everything that you decide may expand your business or damage it in some way. Every aspect of your business is influenced and impacted by the decisions that you make every day. One of the biggest areas that you will be dealing with is in the realm of telecommunications. If you have never dealt with new telecom contracts …

         
 Choosing which of these platforms as a place to create your company brand and presence on the internet can be a critical factor in its success.  Ideally having both would bring the most benefit but as funds are limited and marketing dollars are on a “as they come” basis, doing one or the other is a more feasible option for many. When deciding on the type of platform for your website it is important keep in mind your overall goals in promoting your business on the internet such as:
 

  Are you …

When discussing SIP, you have to consider whether or not it is the right service for you and whether it is an option that is made available by your current telecommunications provider.  If you are interested in switching, there are several other considerations that you should keep in mind as well.  You should ask yourself and your managed service provider whether or not your company is technology and telecommunications ready, whether it will be beneficial to change or not and whether the cost is absorbable.
SIP, or signaling protocol, has the …

Everyone at some time in their lives has dialed a toll free number. You do it to complain or to compliment. You do it to order a product or service, ask for a refund, ask a question or make a statement. You may even do so simply as part of a promotional gimmick, hoping to win a prize. You rarely think of where you are actually calling. You rarely think of who might be answering the phone. And, unless you are a business person, you rarely think of what the …