Tag: Insight

Reactive VS Proactive IT Support: What are they and Which One to Choose?

IT departments are under considerable financial pressure.  Nothing new, but the events of the last couple of years have forced many businesses to reduce or fix their IT budget while at the same time implementing new strategies. IT Support costs have been increasingly under scrutiny.

Many Businesses now have a significant online presence having adopted e-commerce to replace bricks and mortar outlets. Even if e-commerce isn’t significant, IT infrastructure supports all business processes, and loss of IT services can have a serious effect on business operations including lower productivity, increased operational costs, and frustrated staff.Continue reading

7 Most Common VoIP Issues and How to Fix Them

Many organisations have implemented VoIP Solutions as part of their move to an Integrated  Communications Strategy. Usually, the rationale includes the financial benefits of toll-free long-distance and International calling, improved customer relations, and better performance and productivity in the workplace.

However, if the VoIP Solution is not properly implemented and managed, problems can arise over time. Without becoming too technical, here are some of the more common

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5 Easy Ways on How to Get a Business Phone Number

Most people nowadays use website contact details to  get in touch with a Business.  They usually have email addresses and Business Phone Numbers plus other information like address details and contact names.

Why Do you Need the Number?

One reason might be that a company you deal with has changed its contact details since you last dealt with them.  They could have been taken over, moved, or simply gone out of business.  The details you have are out of date and you are having difficulty in contacting them.

If the number you have is a cell number, it could be different for a number of reasons.  One reason is that If a prepaid number is not used or recharged for a period of time, say six months, it is reclaimed by the cell company (“Churned”) and reissued to another client.

There are however, from time to time, darker reasons.

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How can VoIP Help Organisations in this Era of Work from Home

The last two years have seen a major shift in IT towards Working from Home and remote access to systems. Because of lockdowns, and the closure of physical outlets, the pandemic has closed some businesses and forced others to move to e-commerce.

Two major disadvantages of Working from Home include the increased communications costs with the staff member, and a feeling of remoteness and isolation when they don’t interact with team members and other members of staff regularly in person.

Many businesses have already installed VoIP to take advantage of the cost and operational benefits of a Unified Communications platform. If the company has a high-speed and stable Internet connection, and most with e-commerce will, it is easy to use the corporate VoIP system to extend communications to staff Working from Home to overcome these problems.Continue reading

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of VoIP?

Most businesses have installed a VoIp for Business system. The digital revolution has enabled most to replace their existing PSTN based systems with VoIP because of the benefits in cost management and customer service.

They might have justifiable concerns over call quality, and that they will need disaster planning measures so they don’t lose their phone service if they lose power. Recent advances in technology and the use of standby power can dispel these concerns. Bottom line, the advantages of VoIP for Business to the business far outweigh any potential drawbacks.

Integrating VoIP for Business in an integrated communications environment including video conferencing, instant messaging and Social Media integration brings the business firmly into the 21st century and at the leading edge of communications.

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5 Tips to Make Your Virtual Meetings More Productive

One effect of the pandemic has been a quantum increase in remote working. In some cases, lockdown and travel restrictions have forced a move to work from home. Adopting e-commerce as a business platform has meant interacting digitally with customers and suppliers.

In remote working the need to communicate remains, and is even more important to maintain team morale. Virtual meetings using applications like Zoom, NetMeeting, and Skype have become the norm.

For many, remote working and remote meetings are very new and they are wary of the technology and unsure of how they should interact with other meeting attendees. Sometimes the first few meetings are less productive than the face-to-face equivalent as people find their feet and create a new working culture.

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How VoIP Can Help in Remote Working

Working from home is rapidly becoming the new normal worldwide.  Businesses are quickly modifying their strategies and operations to accommodate it.    Ome area of particular interest is that of integrating VoIP for Business into the remote working scenario.

There has, admittedly, been a slow move towards remote working as the digital infrastructure spreads and improves in recent years.  Internet access through WiFi has become common in public spaces like hotels and malls and through fiber connections to homes.

The pandemic has accelerated this process, mainly through companies forced to have locked-down workers working from home.  A second driver has been the effect on bricks and mortar retail outlets.  Foot traffic has plummeted, retail shops are closing, and the malls they operate in are closing,  some never to reopen.   Retailers are forced into an e-commerce environment.   It’s no longer developmental but survival strategies.Continue reading

7 Reasons Why Many Businesses are Choosing Cloud PBX

One of the major benefits of the digital revolution for business has been the emergence of computer-based PBX systems offering advanced features. in the past, these were limited to larger companies but the emergence of cloud-based technologies has seen the emergence of the Cloud PBX which allows small companies the benefits of voice over IP but at a vastly reduced cost.

Here are 7 benefits which will come to a business if they implement a Cloud PBX solution:Continue reading

Can You Keep Your Voip Working During a Power Failure

Can You Keep Your VoIP Working During a Power Failure

The impact of digital convergence and improvements in technology have generated widespread adoption of VoIP phone systems by businesses and individuals.   Businesses use them to substantially improve their business profile and improve communications efficiencies.  All users use VoIP to substantially reduce their communications costs, particularly for long-distance and international calls.

There is one major difference between the traditional PSTN phone systems and digitally hosted VoIP phone systems. That relates to performance during a power outage.  Power to PSTN systems is provided by the PSTN supplier and PSTN phone systems, therefore, they continue to work during a power outage.Continue reading

5 Ideas to Monitor the Quality of Your VoIP Network

5 Ideas to Monitor the Quality of Your VoIP Network

The increasing effect of digital convergence and the undoubted cost and other benefits of VoIP networks has led to their widespread adoption in all sizes and types of business.   However, as with all things, there are two sides to the coin, and maintenance of an acceptable level of service for your VoIP system is of paramount importance. 

Before looking at monitoring techniques it is important to see what we are looking for.

Typical complaints and their cause  include:Continue reading