Choosing the Right Conference Call Provider
Conference Call services are not just a great convenience in the working world today – they’re essential for operating an efficient, effective business model. If you’re not moving quickly in business nowadays, you’re falling behind.
Conference Call services allow you to initiate and participate in on-demand meetings, manage complex projects quickly and confidently, hold team meetings even if staff are in separate locations, and conduct brainstorming and collaboration sessions when required at a moment’s notice. The Conference Call services from Primus allows you to connect with up to 125 people at the same time, no matter where they happen to be located in the world.
Business communications can be negatively impacted if you’re using a subpar service. By utilizing the right Conference Call service, a business can more effectively conduct the internal operations of their business and avoid miscommunications or delayed deliverables. Multiple facets of your business in multiple locations can
Request a Trial
Most Conference Call providers offer trials so you can test their services before you commit to a contract. It’s a good idea to take advantage of these trials to see how well the service works for your company. During these trials, look for things like: issues with connectivity, static, and speed. If you’re struggling with the trial, chances are you’ll experience similar problems with the subscription, even if you’re assured otherwise. Look for a service that is fast with clear call quality.
Primus Call Conferencing is a pay-as-you-go service. This means you can sign up quickly and easily, make a couple of essential calls, and pay very little for the privilege. If you decide the service isn’t right for your business for whatever reason, you can stop using it whenever you like and incur no penalty charge.
Check Out Their Customer ServiceEven the best technology will experience problems from time to time. It’s important to choose a Conference Call provider with a good customer service team. A minor downtime or other issue isn’t catastrophic if you can quickly reach someone to resolve the issue. Find out how many options you have for reaching a customer service professional. Can you call, email, and use live chat? Is there a 24/7 service available or do you have to wait for a weekday? Is customer service available during your regular business hours?
You should also look for the availability of valuable resources on their website or customer portals such as online guides and tutorials. With the right information handy, you can often resolve minor problems yourself.
Evaluate Your Usage Needs
A thorough evaluation of your business needs will help you narrow down your options in terms of the best Conference Call provider for your company. If you’re currently using another free or hosted service, keep records of your calls, including the duration and frequency of each call. If you’re not using a Conference Call service yet, have each department draft its projected schedule for daily, weekly, and monthly Conference Calls. Recording how many people are on each call will also be necessary because most providers base their charge on the number of participants and the length of time they are on the call.
Conference Calling is a “virtual” service that is available nationally; there are no regional limitations. However, the dial-in phone numbers the service has should be considered. If people will be calling in from the US, Mexico, China or the UK, does the service provider have toll-free numbers for those countries? You’ll need to evaluate where your participants are calling from before you decide on a provider.
Check Out Available Features
Depending on how you utilize your conference call services, you may want a provider that offers additional features. Recording capabilities and transcription services are great benefits if you want to refer back to your meetings later. While added features can offer improved functionality, consider your choices carefully. You can often save money by eliminating unneeded features.
Some of the features Primus Conference Call services include are:
- Entry/Exit Tones: These let call participants know when different parties enter or leave the conference call.
- Name Announce: Participants' names are played into the call as they join or leave.
- Operator Assistance: By dialing *0, Primus Business operators are available 24/7 to provide help at any time, whether you need it during, before or after your conference call.
- Moderator Dial-Out: This allows the moderator to call and invite different participants into the call by dialing out from within the conference.
- Security Code: Select a different security code for each call.
Compare Price Points
Once you’ve evaluated the various conference call services, you are ready to compare price points. Keep in mind that the cheapest option is not always best suited to your small business. Take all aspects of the service into consideration. An outstanding customer service department is worth paying extra for, while you might feel like a package that has too many obligatory features isn’t worth the investment.
Finally, look for something that can scale with you. What is the maximum number of people who can be on the call? Are there extra costs if you have multiple people hosting a call? It is important to choose business services that are equipped to handle your continued growth seamlessly. This way, you won’t have to worry about finding a new provider when your needs change. The best choice is a company that can meet your needs both now and in the future.
The right Conference Call services can dramatically improve your business communications with everyone, from clients to remote employees. Settling for a poor conference connection can cause unnecessary delays and frustration for your business operations so do your research, carefully compare the options and invest in the right provider.
