Some companies are switching their telecommunications systems over to VOIP -- Voice Over Internet Protocol. Instead of using the usual analog voice signals through circuits, VOIP converts those signals into small chunks of data and delivers that data with something called packet switching. While VOIP can be less expensive than traditional phone calls, some technical problems can crop up in conference calls when calling from VOIP connections. That's why if you use VOIP, you want to make sure that you pick a conference call provider, like us, who can direct your VOIP calls to a special conference bridge designed to handle that technology. We have a ThinkEngine conference bridge with 1000 ports that can accommodate VOIP calls. While VOIP technology still has some bugs to work out in the long run, using a conference bridge like this will dramatically improve your ability to offer your associates and clients the best that is available at this time. Moreover, you don't have to worry about how folks are accessing your conference since it can handle both analog and digital calls simultaneously. So give us a call if you are using VOIP and are looking for a reliable phone conference call service.
Lee Simonson: May 2008 Archives
If there is anything that makes us laugh hysterically in the office, it's how the marketing folks describe their businesses. We have no idea who comes up with this stuff and takes it seriously, but we're either living on another planet, or they are. Here is an example of the business jargon that we find quite entertaining.
When we're asked what business we're in, we say, "We're in the phone conference call business."
But some folks in the industry would answer the same question by saying, "We specialize in automated mission critical collaboration processes that enhance enterprise productivity, help integrate project applications, and enable superior efficiencies, while providing communication platforms that service priority constituent groups in the new global economy."
Huh? We don't know if you buy into that kind of "spin," but we're sorry... conference calls are conference calls. Our business qualifications are as good, if not better, than the folks who run the other companies and we're not intimidated. However, we do get a big kick and enjoy seeing how business writers create and use the new buzz words.
Another phrase that's making the rounds these days is "in the cloud" technology. When we first heard it, we didn't know quite what to make of it. Suffice it to say, it's software that you can access on the Internet. In other words, it's "out there" or "in the cloud" somewhere, and not located on your computer's hard drive. We've offered "in the cloud" services for years such as our electronic invoicing and voice broadcasting -- we just didn't know it!
Around here, we enjoy keeping things simple. We enjoy speaking in English. And we enjoy telling people "we're in the conference call business." So far, no matter how big or small, our customers prefer that approach -- and we do too.
The conference call business is one of the most competitive online businesses and here are some inside scoops that may surprise you. Chances are, you found our website by doing a search using some keywords on Google or Yahoo. Appearing in the search results can be very costly. Every time you click on one of the ads, Google is paid a fee by the advertiser. All the conference call companies do the same thing. Interestingly enough, to appear at the top of the search listings can cost upwards of $20 per click. However, if you bid less, you'll appear on the right side of the search results (where our ads are usually located.) Some large conference companies spend over $100,000 per month to advertise on Google and the other search engines. (That's why Google became one of the fastest growing companies in history -- businesses were paying them to get shoppers to their websites!) Well, we view things a little differently than our big competitors. Someone has to pay for those huge ad budgets. Guess who? That's right -- their customers! In contrast, our pay-per-click ad budget is extremely modest. Some months we don't pay more than $500. And because we don't have to generate the income to pay for those big ad budgets, we are able to pass those savings, and low overhead expenses, on to you.
So we may not be the 800-pound gorilla in the room, but we don't want to be. We just want to be a simple conference call service that specializes in great customer service, superior quality, and a management that minimizes costs and maximizes savings for our customers. While our competitors are spending a fortune on advertising, we'll keep relying on our loyal customers to continue making referrals. Word-of-mouth is still the best way to get a new customer! It also happens to be the cheapest!
Ever notice how distracting background noises can be on a conference call? Fire sirens, dogs barking, jack hammers -- everything including flushing toilets -- can infiltrate and ruin a conference call. That's why the the "muting" feature is so important. It's a feature that is included as part of your service and can be used with a touch of a button. If you are hosting the conference call as a moderator, just press *5 (star+5) on your touchtone phone and you will automatically put the conference in "lecture mode", which means that everyone on the call will be muted, except for those folks who called in using the moderator PIN code. Another way to mitigate background noise is to have each participant press *6 (star+6). That will mute that particular individuals line. The way to reverse those commands is just repeat them. In other words, a host can reopen and "unmute" the conference call by pressing *5.
But be careful. Make sure that no one on your conference call has built in background music or announcements when they put their phone on hold. (Remember, it's "mute" you want, NOT "hold.") So you want to avoid the situation of someone walking away during the call, putting their phone on hold, forcing everyone else in the conference to listen to their music.
For all practical purposes, the telecommunications system in the United States has a surplus capacity. In other words, there is more than enough fiber optic, servers and voice of Internet (VOIP) hardware to accommodate today's needs. However, something interesting has happened in the past few years. During the daytime hours, conference calls only use about 25% of the conference bridge capacity in the United States. That's amazing, considering how much conferencing is done by big business. But around 8pm Eastern time, things change dramatically. The conference bridges go from 25% capacity to 100%! The reason? Network marketing leaders have tens of thousands of their distributors and representatives calling from their homes to get the latest news about their businesses. The stampede happens all at once and the conference bridges are working at full tilt. And around 11pm Eastern, the opposite occurs. The calls end as quickly as they started. Because of the temporary crush on the system, we always advise our network marketing customers that one way to insure call quality is to avoid getting caught in the stampede and begin their conference calls at 15 minutes before the hour. For example, 7:45pm, or 8:45pm. That way, the long distance carriers can more comfortably route traffic and deliver the calls to the conference bridges to avoid pile ups and capacity problems.
Are you looking for a new profit center? Interested in getting into a business that gives you an immediate cash flow with virtually no start up costs? Then you'll want to become an independent sales agent and begin selling conference call services! You set the rates, send your customers to us, and we handle billing and customer service. Then you decide what to do with the commission checks we send you every two weeks. It's the perfect business model and provides you with the two most powerful words in the business world: residual income! You make a sale, and you keep getting paid month after month, as long as your customers continue to use the service. You'll find we offer the best conference call agent program available. So if you are interested in expanding your line of offerings, or want to start a full or part time business, you'll want to find out just how agent-friendly we are! Click on the "Agents" link above to learn more.
Like anything else, conference call service providers come in all shapes and sizes. Some are listed on the stock exchange, others are small and specialize in various niches. The advantage we bring to the table is that we have the capacity to service large conference accounts, but we're also small enough to value every single customer and provide individual and personalized service. No one gets lost in the cracks here. The reason: We pride ourselves on staff longevity. Everyone has worked here a long time and is familiar with account histories and customers' special needs and preferences. We don't have to constantly train new staff as to the lay of the land. Our folks already know it and have invested their time and attention in understanding our conference customers. Frankly, that kind of experience is something that money can't buy. But it does separate us from the pack and it's the big reason why our old customers stay with us, and why our new customers find us.
