How To Make The Most Of Your VoIP Service And Improve Communication Quality

Many offices and home businesses have switched over to using a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service for their communication needs and are enjoying the numerous benefits it gives them. VoIP technology offers big savings when it comes to long-distance calling, makes use of rich media services and integrates a number of other applications and provides mobility wherever there is IP connectivity. Even with all of the advantages VoIP has given companies over their competitors that are conducting business communication without it, there have been concerns regarding the service’s reliability and voice quality not being as clear as customers are used to having with their landline devices. In recent years, those kinks have been majorly improved on the service provider’s end, but as with any kind of technology, there are several factors that will contribute to the quality of your VoIP service. Taking a look at these elements could easily amend any troubles you may be experiencing.

Bandwidth

Having an Internet connection with enough bandwidth to support a VoIP service is one of the main considerations if you’re concerned with communication quality. A dial-up connection barely allows people to surf the web anymore, so it can’t really be expected to uphold everything VoIP technology is made to do. Make sure your Internet service provider is optimized for a VoIP phone system, and you may want to look into any business class services that are specifically configured for high volumes of data traffic. Not having enough bandwidth can result in a delay of correspondence or mechanical sounding voices.

Hardware/Router

Splurging on the higher priced equipment may be well worth it if it will save you the headache of interrupted communication. Inadequate equipment can often be the cause of a business’s poor call quality, however, research should definitely be done to determine which type of hardware will meet your requirements before spending the money on something you don’t need. A router can also affect quality if it is being used for phone calls and downloading data at the same time and is not really designed to do so. Sometimes, problems can easily be improved by simply keeping a good amount of distance between the router and phone adapter to avoid interference.

Phone Frequency

The type of VoIP phone you are using and its frequency may be contributing to the poor quality of your calls. Higher frequencies don’t always produce higher quality depending on the connection that you have. You may find that switching to a lower frequency is the solution to your complications.

Weather

Inclement weather is a factor that you can’t exactly control, but it can still be disturbing and frustrating when you’re trying to conduct a call and all you hear is static. Fortunately, a quick reboot by unplugging the hardware and plugging it back in can have you back up and running in no time. Changing to a higher quality cable is a longer term solution, albeit an expensive one, but if you live in an area where this may affect you quite a bit, it might be worth looking into.

VoIP services have the potential to blossom businesses and their communication capabilities, but it’s important to know what all of your options are with the system and how to improve any impending problems so that you may experience its full benefits.

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By Tiffany Olson

Tiffany Olson is a blogger from Northern California who delights in sharing information with the public via social media and guest blogging. She has a passion for telecom, health and wellness, and travel. When she’s not blogging you will usually find her cooking, reading, or hanging out with good friends.

 

Why Cold Calling Has Some B2B Advantages

One of the most effective ways of securing new business is through cold calling – it is a fabulous way of acquiring new leads if you do it right. The unfortunate thing is that many businesses go about their telemarketing the wrong way and are letting potential business just slip through their fingers. Telemarketing can often be an overused tool, so your marketing team should assess when is the right time to start a telemarketing campaign and not just launch one for the sake of it.

The Advantages of B2B Cold Calling

There are four main advantages to running a cold calling or telemarketing campaign, which can be described in the following ways:

• Lead Generation. Telemarketing is a great tool for lead generation. If your business is relying on inbound calls alone for their leads you may find that there are simply not enough to meet your targets. You can’t always be in the position of waiting for business to come to you, there are times when you need to go out and secure that business for yourself.
• Marketplace Education. One of the things that cold calling allows you to do is to get a feel for what is happening in the marketplace. It can give you insight into why the business is not coming to you of its own volition, cold calling provides valuable information about the current marketplace as well as opening up possible sales leads. The act of cold calling puts you in touch with what people actually need, they will tell you what they want and if you don’t have it they will tell you who does! This will give you an insight into possible market trends and the needs of your customer base.
• Business Visibility. During a telemarketing campaign you are throwing the name of your business out into the public domain, raising awareness of your existence and the services that you provide. It could be that one of the reasons you are not receiving as many inbound calls as you would like is the fact that no one knows that you are there.
• Professional Staff. By using experienced cold callers you will find that your telemarketing campaign is more effective than simply utilising your existing staff. Cold calling professions have been doing the job for a long time, they know how to engage the potential client and keep them on the line. They have the knowledge of techniques and strategies for cold calling that you do not, and you should be able to recoup the cost of hiring them through the new leads that they generate for you.

Research

Research is essential before undertaking any marketing campaign. You need to know the names of the purchasing managers, stock controllers and decision makers in the companies that you will be calling. Telemarketing might not be popular with those that are on the receiving end of the calls but by making those you are raising awareness, promoting your business and growing your lead generation figures into a much healthier place.

Mark Adams is an expert author on all aspects of B2B marketing – he regularly visits Sure2Door.co.uk for more details on up and coming marketing strategies.