Should You Create Your Company's Front Office Using Virtual PBX Services?

Needless to say, starting any company or business in any economic climate, can be a daunting task, especially when you consider all the infrastructure you have to set up - even for a small home business. Setting up such a venture can be very expensive, that's one of the main reasons many of these savvy individuals and companies, are thinking "outside of the box" when it comes to creating their front office.

If they go the traditional route, they will probably have to install hardware and equipment (phone lines, desks, office space... and hire a receptionist) in order to create their front office. All this can be quite expensive, especially for a company just starting up when funds will, no doubt, be very limited. However, many companies are ignoring this traditional route and opting for a virtual alternative instead.

We are talking about Virtual PBX services, as the name suggest, these phone services are hosted on a third party site - sometimes far removed from your company's actual location. Yes, this is a form of "out-sourcing" and "cloud computing" where all your business messages/communications are handled via your computers and the Internet. It's the modern way of doing things.

As you probably already know, PBX means "Private Branch Exchange" and in this case, our branch exchange is handled virtually. These modern services are very robust - covering everything from voice mail, message forwarding, call waiting, fax to email... and in some cases even a virtual receptionist is supplied to handle your incoming messages.

Now there are many reasons why these virtual PBX services have grown rapidly in popularity. Besides the cheaper rates or prices, one of the main reasons has to be pure convenience. You can set up a PBX system within minutes since everything is handled through the web and your computer. As mentioned before, there is no hardware to install or equipment to buy, this saves your company both time and money.

Next, you have to realize, almost all current businesses are solidly connected to the Internet and computers. Going with a virtual system automatically streamlines your company into this whole mix. Your clients and potential customers, now have an instant way to contact your business, one that is very professional in every sense of the word.

You also have to remember, all these web based services are completely mobile and portable, which means all your communications and business transactions can be done anytime, anywhere - as long as one has access to the net. Given the nature of today's world, going this mobile route, can make one's company very competitive when it comes to acquiring leads and sales or just communicating with clients.

Another reason many companies go the virtual route, these online PBX services are completely scalable to meet your company's growing needs. If you need more services (extra lines or numbers... ) your virtual service can be quickly upgraded to incorporate these extra additions.

Overall, going with a virtual PBX system when starting up a home business or a small company, can be seen as a wise move. Not only because of the cheaper costs, but because you will have a modern, mobile system which can be quickly adjusted to meet your business needs and help keep your company competitive in these trying economic times. When setting up any company, one should always consider going with a virtual PBX service, the benefits are well worth it.

...
For more information on acquiring a virtual PBX service click here: http://www.onlinefaxguide.com/virtual_pbx.htm.

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Should You Create Your Company's Front Office Using Virtual PBX Services?

Needless to say, starting any company or business in any economic climate, can be a daunting task, especially when you consider all the infrastructure you have to set up - even for a small home business. Setting up such a venture can be very expensive, that's one of the main reasons many of these savvy individuals and companies, are thinking "outside of the box" when it comes to creating their front office.

If they go the traditional route, they will probably have to install hardware and equipment (phone lines, desks, office space... and hire a receptionist) in order to create their front office. All this can be quite expensive, especially for a company just starting up when funds will, no doubt, be very limited. However, many companies are ignoring this traditional route and opting for a virtual alternative instead.

We are talking about Virtual PBX services, as the name suggest, these phone services are hosted on a third party site - sometimes far removed from your company's actual location. Yes, this is a form of "out-sourcing" and "cloud computing" where all your business messages/communications are handled via your computers and the Internet. It's the modern way of doing things.

As you probably already know, PBX means "Private Branch Exchange" and in this case, our branch exchange is handled virtually. These modern services are very robust - covering everything from voice mail, message forwarding, call waiting, fax to email... and in some cases even a virtual receptionist is supplied to handle your incoming messages.

Now there are many reasons why these virtual PBX services have grown rapidly in popularity. Besides the cheaper rates or prices, one of the main reasons has to be pure convenience. You can set up a PBX system within minutes since everything is handled through the web and your computer. As mentioned before, there is no hardware to install or equipment to buy, this saves your company both time and money.

Next, you have to realize, almost all current businesses are solidly connected to the Internet and computers. Going with a virtual system automatically streamlines your company into this whole mix. Your clients and potential customers, now have an instant way to contact your business, one that is very professional in every sense of the word.

You also have to remember, all these web based services are completely mobile and portable, which means all your communications and business transactions can be done anytime, anywhere - as long as one has access to the net. Given the nature of today's world, going this mobile route, can make one's company very competitive when it comes to acquiring leads and sales or just communicating with clients.

Another reason many companies go the virtual route, these online PBX services are completely scalable to meet your company's growing needs. If you need more services (extra lines or numbers... ) your virtual service can be quickly upgraded to incorporate these extra additions.

Overall, going with a virtual PBX system when starting up a home business or a small company, can be seen as a wise move. Not only because of the cheaper costs, but because you will have a modern, mobile system which can be quickly adjusted to meet your business needs and help keep your company competitive in these trying economic times. When setting up any company, one should always consider going with a virtual PBX service, the benefits are well worth it.

...
For more information on acquiring a virtual PBX service click here: http://www.onlinefaxguide.com/virtual_pbx.htm.

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Should I Replace My Telephone Systems?

A telephone system is a major expense for any business but it is necessary for handling incoming and outgoing calls efficiently. There are a large number of telephone systems to choose from. They all have a set of features that are very similar. These features are upgraded and improved over time but the original features usually remain. I am referring to things like WATS lines or least cost routing. These features were required when telephone service was based on distance and time on a call. Features such as hold, Park, conference, transfer, intercom, and messaging are essential to any phone system. Most of us are familiar with these features and are used to using them on any system.

One holdover, of old phone systems, that I have found in my travels, are the large number of copper lines coming into the systems that have never been reviewed. Many times there are lines and numbers that nobody knew existed, but still appeared on the telephone bill. Usually these bills are so complex that it is difficult to find these extra lines. This brings me to a major difference in the new telephone systems. Most of the new systems are IP-based with the ability to plug copper lines into them. What this means is that the majority of the phone lines that come into the system are Internet-based and don't require a pair of copper wires. It is possible to increase or decrease the number of line appearances that are available simply by logging into a website. It is only necessary to have one phone number for customers to call into. The only reason for additional numbers is to direct calls to a particular individual. This is accomplished with direct inward dial or DID numbers, which are simply program numbers and are not associated with any particular pair of wires.

When we evaluate the viability of the company replacing the telephone system, one major consideration is what they're currently paying on the telephone bill. Many times the savings can more than pay for the new system. I usually recommend that they keep one or two copper lines and supply the rest of their phone service via the Internet. This makes it much easier for them to control their costs and adjust their lines depending on the business. Even though today's business Internet service is almost as reliable as copper telephone lines, this will guarantee that they still have telephone service in the event that their Internet service is down. Adding VoIP telephone service simply involves going to a website, signing up, and entering a username and password into the phone system programming. It is possible to increase incoming capacity temporarily to handle an advertising campaign.

Some of these VoIP providers have a per line monthly charge of $8-$25. With this you get a certain number of minutes of call from 500 to unlimited. Other providers have no monthly charge and simply bill by the minute. Which service you use depends on the types of calls you make. One of the big advantages is that we are no longer tied to two or three providers. There are literally hundreds of telephone VoIP providers on the Internet. Considering that you can port any telephone number to any provider, it makes it very easy to switch providers when your needs change. If you are running a special or an advertising campaign, it is easy to add additional channels for incoming calls. It is just as easy to eliminate those channels once the campaign is over.

Another major advantage of the IP telephone systems over the traditional telephone systems is the way they are set up and connected. The traditional systems have a wire running from each telephone back to the central unit and closet. There are a number of punch down blocks and many wires in a rats nest. Moving an extension usually involves either reprogramming the telephone system or swapping the wires. Adding additional telephones usually involves adding new cards to the system and additional wires, as does any new incoming lines. An IP telephone system simply plugs into the router and the two backup copper lines. All of the telephones can plug in anywhere there is a network jack. If you move to another office, simply take your phone with you and plug it into the network jack in that office. In fact, if you take the telephone home, you can plug it into the network jack at home and it appears as if you are still in your office. This is a tremendous advantage in the event of a snowstorm or if you are not feeling well.

To carry this concept one step further, if you are a small business and you would like to have people in different locations working for you, it is possible to place telephones in each of these locations and have it appear, to customers, that everyone is in the same office. If you have more than one office with multiple people in each office is also very easy to put a system in each office location and simply program them to talk to each other. Unlike in the past, requiring you to have a pair of wires that you paid by the mile, you can be in any part of the world with an Internet connection and have the same access to all employees as if there were in one location, with no additional monthly charges. You can call an employee in another part of the world by dialing their extension as if they were in the next cubicle. I have even seen companies with important customers in another country simply ship them a telephone and tell them they can talk to their sales representative for free anytime they like.

I think it would be advantageous for anyone who has had their telephone system for more than a few years to take the time to investigate the cost of replacement and the many advantages of the new systems. Not only will the savings in telephone service end up paying for the telephone system, but the many additional advantages will make your business more efficient and accessible to customers. Following are a few examples of the many features that are included with these IP telephone systems.

IP Telephone systems built-in feature list:

· call assistant

· mobile connectivity

· VPN

· conference center

· automatic call distribution

· TAPI driver

· dual language support

· multisite support

· unified messaging

· VoIP phone service

· full PBX and key system

· presence management

· remote telephones

· routing management

· voicemail

John Umina is president of ProDesign Corporation, a provider of commercial technology including networking, telephone, conference room set up and automation. ProDesign can assess your business needs and can provide, install and maintain all of your electronic systems.
For more information call 866-592-9856 or check http://www.prodesign.com/

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Telecommunications Companies Should Make An Investment In Managed File Transfer

Managed file transfer (MFT) is an investment that telecommunications companies should consider very seriously, whether they are a new niche operation with just one or two exchanges or a large, established one with thousands.

Making sure you have a robust, fully privacy-compliant file transfer system to allow for everything from metering and charging down to customer service and installation will create significant money-savings and time-savings.

These days, it's easy for consumers to switch from one phone service provider to another - and that goes for the business clients too. Managed file transfer can support telecoms companies in the important area of gaining new business and then the follow-up installation. One streamlined process of ordering and installation is often achieved through MFT simply because it allows functions that provide you with streamlined file creation, automated solutions and allows sharing and saving of data with confidence. It can also enable groups to share one of many different aspects of the files, from basic customer data, to data for financial processing.

By offering superior data encryption and decryption processes, MFT creates a highly secure environment which allows teams to work with one another effectively and without the distraction of missing files or incurring problems with opening or saving them. Taking on new clients is also easily supported by the exchange of referrals from third parties, and this is where managed file transfer really shines. With uploads that can be scheduled and other support for products and services that can create and support the future growth of any business, this allows staff and colleagues alike to share information and support clients in one single operation.

The sharing of key information between various parts of the business can be helped effortlessly, allowing customers to feel confident in the knowledge that their best interests are being looked after and their customer data is protected. While databases can manage day-to-day information, in the case of complaints or complex products, being able to make files and provide data may give your company a competitive edge when supporting customers. Billing can also be supported and managed through managed file transfer easily, by uploading files for processing with encryption and decryption support. This puts logging systems in place and gives easy compliance support.

Technical support and maintenance can also be achieved by the managed transfer of files, with key files being uploaded and sent to a network of maintenance staff, allowing operators to prepare worksheets quickly and easily.

It's very important to understand that managed file transfer allows the distribution of files prepared yourself, rather than runs that may not extract the exact information needed, as this is often frustrating for both the engineers and clients alike. MFT allows teams to control the information being distributed in both a detailed and attributable way.

Helen Adams is Marketing Manager at HANDD Business Solutions - Independent, Managed File Transfer specialists who provide award-winning solutions to some of the largest public and private sector companies across Europe. HANDD provide file transfer solutions from leading MFT software vendors including IPSWITCH, GlobalSCAPE, Linoma, South River Technologies, SSH and Attachmate.

Helen Adams is Marketing Manager at HANDD Business Solutions for File Transfer

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