AVAD Technologies

Cloud Communications Small Business Benefits

Business VoIP Specialist — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:40:39 +0000

Cloud Communications Offers Flexibility

Business VoIP and PBX phone systems are still relatively new, but they’re something people are becoming more familiar with. As people look for more ways to break free from the chains that are their desk or office, they’re also looking for ways to stay connected. Cloud communications systems can help small and medium-sized businesses meet their communication needs without the worry of going over budget. Flexibility, affordability and improved employee communications are just a few of the benefits your business can experience with a cloud-based phone system.

Simplified Communications

We’re a hyper-connected society. With email, social media, smartphones and tablets, staying connected is easy. Cloud communications based systems can help simplify the communications of your business, especially if you have employees that work outside the office. Teleconferencing from miles away or getting voicemails transcribed are just two of the features that small businesses can benefit from.… Continue Reading

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Call Center Customer Service: Requirements for Home Based Agents

Business VoIP Specialist — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:21:15 +0000

Benefits of home-based call center customer service agents

To run a business in the traditional way from an office can be expensive, as there is rent and bills to consider, including electricity, water, phone and gas. It makes sense for many companies to hire individuals who can work as call center customer service agents from home. However, in order to do this there must be an effective structure in place, if you strive to be the best in the field of call centers.

An instant advantage of training all call center customer services agents to work from home is the reduction in office expenses. These monies can help you buy the latest equipment for your staff. What disappoints many customers about a call center is a hang up. A better telephone system will eradicate preceding problems and help you gain an advantage over your competitors. After all, excellent customer service equals repeat customers and positive feedback, and this is what every company must strive to attain.… Continue Reading

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VoIP: How Green Is Your PBX?

Business VoIP Specialist — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:36:05 +0000

By: Reuben Yonatan – Writer and VoIP enthusiast at GetVoIP.com

One of the frequent potential drawbacks to VoIP cited is that VoIP runs on electricity. But how much electricity do IP Phones and IP PBX boxes use? VoIP is surprisingly green and good for the environment, and frees you up to drive less as well.

The standard for energy measurement is a 100 watt light bulb, which uses 0.1 kilowatt hours (kWh). A laptop uses approx 45 kWh, a large window A/C unit uses 1440, and a modern fridge uses 72. A typical office florescent bulb is 15 or 20 Watts, which work in pairs of two or sets of four. Bearing all that in mind, let’s look at some of the IP phones and how much electricity they use.

Using the standby power as our measurement, the popular Polycom Soundpoint IP 550 uses 4.11 kWh, the Grandstream GXP2020, which runs Android, uses 3.02 kWh, the Cisco IP 7970 uses 5.79 kWh.… Continue Reading

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VoIP Policy in the Coming Year

Business VoIP Specialist — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:17:46 +0000

What to Expect from Your VoIP Provider

It seems so simple: you dial a phone number, the phone rings, and someone on the other end picks up. But simple phone calls are more steeped in regulations, legislation, and policy than you might imagine.

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has regulated traditional phone service since 1934. Regulations and restrictions are meant to protect customers from unfair business practices, but eventually regulations result in extra fees and taxes on the customer’s monthly phone bill. VoIP has been around since 1995, but since the Internet has far fewer restrictions than traditional phone service, VoIP is a cheaper phone service backed by a more fluid industry.

However, there are new proposed regulations of VoIP, as well as new Internet legislation going through the court systems. All of these changing policies and regulations may affect VoIP customers in one way or another.

The Proposed FCC Regulations of VoIP

Phone service regulations have become more complicated in recent years, as phone service providers also offer television service and Internet service, or Internet providers offer phone service or television service, and so on.… Continue Reading

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The FCC and VoIP: How Reduced Regulation Can Open More Customers Up to VoIP

Business VoIP Specialist — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:45:41 +0000

As Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) continues to expand to more and more users, the telecommunications regulatory body known as the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has begun to take notice. They would like to regulate VoIP accordingly, but first they must figure out how to correctly classify the service.

Both AT&T and Verizon recently filed a proposal with the FCC thats asks the commission to re-evaluate their stance on VoIP regulation. Though most users typically associate companies like AT&T and Verizon with traditional phone or mobile services, they also offer VoIP plans as well. Therefore, they have a big stakes in how the FCC decides to regulate VoIP.

All traditional phone service providers, not just AT&T and Verizon, are seeing the writing on the wall: the question is no longer “should I get VoIP?”, but rather “which VoIP?”. However, if the FCC gets too involved, the rapid expansion of VoIP could slow down significantly.… Continue Reading

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Business VoIP Security Risks That Can Ruin Your Company

Business VoIP Specialist — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 01:53:54 +0000

A Hosted VoIP phone system is a great way for businesses of any size to save money, increase office productivity, and get the best technology. However, there are some risks to be aware of.

Businesses can’t risk confidential information, their reputation as a brand with integrity, or losing their clients. If your business is considering investing in a new VoIP solution or has one that it’s looking to make more secure, here are a few thinks to keep in mind with VoIP security.

Business VoIP Security Vulnerabilities

In business, there are a number of risks. Your VoIP connection should be the last of your worries, but it should not be something that is neglected. VoIP users are at risk of having information fall into the wrong hands. There are a number of instances you should take into account when choosing a VoIP provider or looking to boost the security level on your current account.… Continue Reading

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Calling on Call Centers: Choosing the Best Call Center for Your Business

Business VoIP Specialist — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:09:45 +0000

When the phrase “call center” comes to mind, it may automatically conjures up images of rows of employees hooked up to headsets and telephones in a telemarketing environment. While yes, this mental image is an accurate example of a business using call centers, there are countless other shapes and sizes available in call centers, regardless of the business’s industry or size.

Whether it is a startup company or an established enterprise, if your business receives a high number of calls from customers with questions, a call center with business VoIP could greatly improve your company’s customer service.

A VoIP call center is valuable to any business with high phone traffic in that it provides ways to efficiently manage, answer, direct, and forward calls to better serve inbound callers. VoIP call centers offer a variety of calling features, such as call conferencing, auto greeting, and call forwarding, all of which can facilitate your attendants in answering and directing your business’s inbound calls quickly and efficiently

In the past, setting up a call center with traditional phone service for a business was a daunting task with a hefty associated price tag.… Continue Reading

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Kentucky Legislators and the Great Move Towards VoIP

Business VoIP Specialist — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 11:59:46 +0000

According to a recent article in Business First, the state of Kentucky may soon see some significant changes in state telecom laws as a result of an initiative spearheaded by AT&T Kentucky.

AT&T Kentucky wants to change an old law that mandates that all telecom service providers must provide regular copper wireline service in addition to any alternative telephone solutions they may offer.

AT&T Kentucky holds that this policy is outdated and that they should be able to eliminate old wireline services and instead provide only VoIP service which is cheaper than wireline and easier to support. The state of Kentucky has resisted AT&T’s proposals for a few reasons: firstly, there is a general suspicion among many people that wireless phone services are not as reliable as wireline service, and secondly, some Kentuckians are concerned that the less tech-savvy elderly may be unable to successfully implement and use VoIP in their homes.… Continue Reading

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8 Keys To Selecting A Business VoIP Provider

Business VoIP Specialist — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:09:06 +0000

8 Keys To Choosing a Business VoIP Provider

In the US, there are over 100 Business VoIP Providers. While they all offer the same basic product, phone service, there are differences between them that can have a significant financial impact on your organization.

Choosing a Business VoIP Provider is tricky because telephone service is not a physical item. You can’t touch it or see it and it is difficult to test before you commit.

Making the task even more difficult is that most Business VoIP Providers are not physically located in your area and even if a company was in your area, going to their offices to check out their system would not tell you very much. All you could see is a bunch of people working in offices and cubicles. The actual network hardware is located in a data center, which should not be at the Business VoIP Providers offices.… Continue Reading

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How to move a landline number to a cell phone carrier

Business VoIP Specialist — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:30:13 +0000

How to Move my Landline # to a Cell Phone

Guest Blogger: Nicolas DAlleva of Specialty Answering Service (SAS).

With so many people using cell phones for day-to-day communication (91% of all Americans or 245 million people to be exact), landlines are slowly becoming obsolete. For home owners and business owners, it is becoming easier to simply get rid of the landline and use a cell phone for home or office communications. Any why not! It’s cheaper and your cell phone can do way more than any touch tone telephone.

Try to get a recipe on your home phone for Turkey Chili or find out the weather in Albuquerque New Mexico. Okay, you could call your aunt for her famous 5 bean chili recipe or call the national weather service for local weather information but that’s not the point. The only thing holding people back from punting their landline straight into the garbage is the fear of losing the telephone number.… Continue Reading

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