So what’s great about video conferencing, and how can it help small businesses?

Video conferencing is an interactive real-time communication tool used by many companies, businesses, entrepreneurs, teachers, students and other individuals to communicate. They do this by way of high quality audio and video computer technology all across the globe. Parties communicate in real time using a video monitor and a camera with speakers.

Video conferencing technology has made it easier to conduct business on a world-wide scale. But what makes this communication medium so desirable?

Productivity is increased.

Video conferencing gives people the ability to share information as if the other person were just in the same room. It cuts down waiting time and meeting time. With VC, you can easily get together to discuss important matters and make presentations. It used to be that this technology was used by big businesses only. Today, even small-scale enterprises are able to conduct remote meetings, trainings and all types of webinars with their customers, partners, affiliates and clients. This is particularly effective with IT outsourcing, as you will be able to communicate overseas with the team that is handling your IT support services. Small businesses today can leverage the power of video conferencing to be more productive and to get more things done in any given period of time. Because of the speed of VC, decisions can be made faster, and tasks can be delegated and done quicker.

Money is saved.

With the use of video conferencing technology, a small business IT staff can definitely save money. This is because travel costs and expenditures are reduced greatly. With VC, there is no need to schedule a meeting in another city or across the globe and be concerned with airfare and accommodation. If you’re a business owner and you’re not on the road as much because you can talk in real time using your computer, the things that you want done can still get done without having to spend a cent more than what it costs to get VC set up.

It’s A Time-Saver.

We’ve all heard the expression, “time is money”. Well, with video conferencing, you as a business owner will have plenty of time to do what you have to. There will be no need to waste a minute with video conferencing because you are in the safety of your office, and you can accomplish even more things without worrying about travel time.

With video conferencing, as a small business owner, you don’t have to use a lot of time getting to your locations for meetings, conferences or trainings. You don’t have to make arrangements to travel, either.

Imagine this: You have a group of people in your business and you want to meet with all of them. Now think about the travel and time expenses you could incur if you had to travel to meet all of them. With video conferencing technology, you can simply schedule suitable meeting times and do business face-to-face, without any unnecessary travel expenses. You can also easily send out a notification of meeting schedules, allowing you to conduct your meeting or training sessions without too much fuss. Plus, you get to stay in touch with your people on a more personal level, keeping your customers, clients and partners interested in your business.

It’s Good For The Environment.

Did you know that video conferencing is considered ‘green technology?’ Because it does away with traveling, you and the people you transact business with leave a smaller carbon footprint compared to those who actually travel and contribute to traffic congestion and pollution.

Needless to say, when you take advantage of all the benefits of video conferencing, you not only can enjoy increased profits – you also help lessen your impact on the environment.

Since you’re obviously in business to make money, you need to take advantage of every technology that can help you get ahead of your competition. Video conferencing technology is definitely a small business must-have. For more information around IT strategy or how All Covered can help you with your technology needs, contact us at All Covered or 866-446-1133.

The Internet has significantly changed the way we do things; companies conduct business at an accelerated rate, information has become widely accessible and remote communication has become ubiquitous. All these benefits have significantly impacted the bottom line of businesses, allowing them to become flexible in many ways.

Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is arguably one of today’s most important advancements in communication. This revolutionary communication technology offers way more than just convenience; it also offers a host of other reasons why businesses should do away with the traditional phone systems. Perhaps most attractive among the benefits that VoIP offers is the way it saves companies on communication costs.

Getting more for less

With VoIP, businesses can get more value for less expenditure. Because businesses typically get sufficient bandwidth with their high-speed Internet connection, they can easily switch to VoIP using their existing network for a very nominal fee that is far cheaper than maintaining a traditional phone line.

A VoIP system lets your business conveniently get a company phone number at a fraction of a landline’s cost. If your company is looking to cut costs on local and long distance calls, using a VoIP is the way to go. One reason why VoIP costs a lot less than traditional phone systems is that there are quite a number of VoIP carriers out in the market. Thus, there are no monopolies, such as can be the norm in traditional phone services. Another good reason why VoIP is cheap is that the system uses your existing Internet connection. With sufficient bandwidth, you can plug in a VoIP system to your existing network connection that offers virtually the same quality that you get from traditional phone lines, but with much more features.

As an added value for businesses, most VoIP carriers offer features for a very low monthly fee or for free such as speed dialing, call forwarding, voicemail, caller ID, caller ID block, automatic redial, and conference calling. Other convenient features that most VoIP carriers offer that are not available with a traditional phone service include sending data versions of voicemail messages, forwarding of voicemail to email, and managing address books and contacts from your computer.

Most VoIP providers also offer unlimited calls to major countries. Skype, for example, offers unlimited call to landlines and mobile phones in select countries. For only EUR 8.95 per month, you can make unlimited calls to landline and mobile phones in the US, Germany, Canada, Australia, the UK, Singapore and more from your computer. Or from the US, you can get calling rates by minute as well and save.

Less wires, more savings

Another attractive benefit that VoIP offers is that if your business has not been pre-wired to accommodate traditional phone lines, you don’t have to have it done. No additional wires and other hardware are necessary in order to set up a VoIP for your business. This offers additional savings for your communication needs, as additional wires and hardware needed to configure a traditional phone service can be very expensive.

The power of portability

With traditional phone lines, your company’s phone number is fixed in a single physical location. With this setup, you can’t bring your phone wherever you go. But with VoIP, you can bring your phone number along with you, whether you are in the office, at the beach or in some hotel in Italy.

Increased professionalism

Businesses need to be as professional as they can be, whether dealing with customers in-person or through phone. With a VoIP in place, your business can easily set up a professional IVR system that walks your clients through the different numbers that correspond to various departments. A good VoIP system will also route customer calls directly to the department they intended to call.

To learn more about how you can get more our of your technology contact the IT consulting experts, visit All Covered or call 886-446-1133.

Making and taking phone calls hasn’t changed a bit since the advent of the telephone. What has changed is the technology behind it. If you are in the market to update your phone system, consider the new, economical, and efficient alternative to the status quo. Take advantage of technology and switch your phone service to a Hosted VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system. A Hosted VoIP system, also known as Hosted Voice, uses the internet for phone calls instead of traditional phone lines. Hosted Voice phones are inexpensive, user friendly, and feature rich. Not only are they are easy to set up, especially if you choose an integrated technology provider, they are customizable and sure to meet any small business’s needs.

A Hosted VoIP System Requires the Following:

• A hosted VoIP provider such as M5 Networks
• A router for the phone system
• A network switch
• IP phones that are compatible with the service provider’s system
• A T1 or business-class broadband connection (which can often be provided by the company “Hosting” your phones)

Hosted VoIP Saves Time Because:

• You don’t need to learn a complex phone system.
• You can easily add or remove phone users through a secure online website.
• Users can manage personal settings like call forwarding, voice mail, and out of office messages without assistance.

Hosted VoIP Saves Money:

• Because long distance phone calls are very inexpensive and cost the same, regardless of time of day.
• By removing the need for onsite service calls to make changes to the phone system.
• When your company has multiple offices, because you won’t need to purchase separate phone systems.

Hosted VoIP Also Gives Your Small Business Fortune 500 Features such as:

• Auto-attendant. This feature is similar to a standard call directory but also offers integrated voice recognition.
• Hunt groups. This feature will distribute phone calls from a single number to a group of phone lines.
• Voicemail to email. This feature will convert voicemails into sound files that are automatically sent to email.

When you choose to replace your expensive, high-maintenance telephone system with Hosted Voice, you make the smart choice to save time and money while gaining a feature rich phone system. You can count on an affordable monthly bill and a stable phone system that always works, even in the event of a disaster—that’s because, on top of all the other benefits of Hosted Voice, business continuity is another guaranteed benefit of choosing Hosted Voice. To learn more, please contact All Covered and ask how your small business will benefit by making the switch to Hosted Voice.

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