subject: Critical Strategies For Building The Right Conferencing Service [print this page] Conference calling can do wonders for your business in more ways than one and those that utilize this useful tool find that the benefits are worth the time it takes to find a good conference calling solution. Not just any conference calling solution will do, though, and the many providers offering the service are not all created equal.
If you want conference calling to do for you what it has done for so many other diligent business owners then you have to choose the right conference calling solution for you, your business, and your business associates. By now you are probably wondering what factors are involved in making a conference calling solution a good one.
The fact is there are a number of factors involved and each of them should be taken into consideration and weighed equally when making a decision as to which conference calling provider to give your business to. Five factors in particular are especially important if you want your conference calling to be successful and work to improve your business like it has for so many others.
1.Identify the cost
Obviously one of the most important factors in any business decision is the cost of the solution as it must be worth the price you pay for it to your business. In many cases conference calling solutions are free to those business customers that pay a long distance rate.
For those businesses that have a 1-800 number, on the other hand, conference calling may get pricey if you intend on using the feature often. If you do not have a long distance plan yet it may be beneficial to sign up for one before you begin using conference calling.
2. On Demand Calls
Another important feature to have with your conference calling service is the ability to hold on demand calls. Some services and/or plans will only offer advanced scheduled conference calling services but it is important to also be able to hold a call with little or no notice as problem solving may require you to do so. You should be sure that your conference calling solution offers both of these features.
3. Think about the medium
Another choice you must make when choosing a conference calling service is what medium you would like to use. Many businesses choose to conduct audio conference calling but others may conduct a conference strictly online with dialogue being conducted through an instant messenger.
4. In other cases you can use a mixture of both mediums by allowing those that do not have audio to download the audio between other members of the call. The choice you make depends on many things including what type of business you plan to conduct on your conference calls.
5. Concurrency
Another important aspect of choosing a conference calling solution is determining how many callers it can support concurrently. What type of capabilities you need will depend on the size of your business and client base. Obviously larger businesses should choose a service and plan that can support many callers at the same time.
6. International access
Finally, it is important to determine whether or not international users will be able to dial into the same number that domestic users dial into. In cases when the same number is used it causes less confusion and may be less expensive for those international callers.
Having the capability to hold conference calls between your employees, clients, and associates can mean changing the fate of your business completely. Choosing a good conference calling solution is important if you want conference calling to provide you with the multiple benefits it has provided so many others.
