January 31st, 2012
It is fantastic that companies are trying to go green these days and conference calls offer an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint and increase your productivity. So how do you use conference calls to go green? Some areas may may seem obvious but here are a few of the ways that using conferencing can help your company go green.
- Reduce Car Travel – Naturally the use of travel to attend a meeting is one of the biggest ways to reduce your use of resources through the use of conference calls. Usually if there is a meeting there will also be a number of attendees so the reduction in car travel is compounded by the number of attendees. And not everyone drives a Eco-friendly vehicle so the amount of emissions saved can be astounding.
- Reduce Air Travel – Now take that reduction in car travel and multiply by ten. If you have to travel by plane to a meeting you are not just taking part in the emissions from the air plane but the car resources to get to the airport and then to the meeting and everything in between. Audio conferencing eliminates the need to travel to your meeting.
- Reduce Office Resource Use – Even though the office your business is in is probably open whether you show up or not you won’t be contributing to the use of resources in the office when you are there. Just your body heat requires that much more air conditioning or heating. The lights in your office if you are in a private office can be turned off and so forth.
- Reduce Use of Office Supplies – If you do more meeting remotely you will find yourself doing more electronically. When you do a presentation using web conferencing you can still have hand outs but doing them electronically saves the paper, ink and electricity to print them. In offices there are also a lot of non-renewable waste like a coffee cup you get on the way to the office for instance. If you are home you are apt to use a coffee mug that will simply be washed and reused.
The reality is that conferencing technology has gotten to where you can hold a remote meeting with all of the resources you would use in an in person meeting including a video connection for much less than than the cost of a regular meeting. So if you simply think twice about whether your meeting is necessary to be attended in person or not you can really reduce the resources you use and save money and increase productivity while you do it.
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January 26th, 2012
Audio Conferencing is one of those things that I wonder what we did without it. And not just because I am in the business. Conference calls are so wide spread that I just can’t imagine life without them. Especially if you are a road warrior or even just someone who finds themselves out of the office on a regular basis. After all let’s face it there is a lot of down time when you are on the road and there is no reason you can’t remain productive. Because audio conferencing can really save a road trip. There are any number of ways that conferencing can save the day on the road.
- Attend Regular Meetings – When you are out of the office there is no need to miss the regular meetings that keep you in touch. Simply get an audio conference set up and hold the meeting from the road.
- Impromptu Meetings – You get the email and need to pull a group together but you are hundreds of miles away. No problem, just use audio conferencing to pull together the people you need to discuss whatever situation is thrown at you.
- Handle Emergencies – Every business gets hit with an emergency from time to time and customers know that as well. It is how you handle the emergencies that will distinguish you. Pulling together the people necessary to deal with the emergency and making sure everyone is on the same page will do a lot to contain any issues the emergency will uncover. Audio conferencing allows you to pull together the emergency team in a moments notice no matter where you are at the time.
- Personal Use – Yes, personal use. I bet you have not used a conference call for your personal use before but for all the same reasons it can really help. If there is a personal emergency or even if you just want to congratulate a son or daughter on a big accomplishment why not get everyone on the phone at the same time?
So the next time you are getting ready to go on the road and you are packing make sure you bring along audio conferencing. You never know when you might need it and it can really save your road trip.
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January 18th, 2012
Everyone likes to save money but can you trust low cost conference calls to be high quality? The answer is yes, but you still need to be careful to choose a low cost conference call provider that has taken the steps necessary to provide high quality conference calls. So what are the things you should look for if you are looking for a conference call company? Here are a few of things to look for when you are shopping for a conference call service provider.
Direct Digital Connections – One of the most important areas to ensure a high quality conference call is where the equipment is connected to the telephone network. It may sound like a simple idea but having a direct digital connection to the long distance carrier’s network is not always available or provided depending on the location of the conferencing equipment and the carrier and other factors. Zip Conferencing maintains direct digital connections with its long distance carriers that enables us to provide the clearest connections possible.
New Equipment – Conferencing bridges are the pieces of equipment that make conference calls possible and having the latest equipment ensures that you are getting the best quality and latest features available. Zip Conferencing has the latest conference bridges available and provides its customers more features than most other conferencing companies.
Back Up Systems – A big part of providing high quality low cost conference calls is making sure the service is reliable and available when you need it. After all, no matter how good the service is if it is out of service it is no good. Zip Conferencing maintains back up conferencing equipment that is available without interruption of service in the event of an equipment failure.
Back up Power – Just like the equipment, if there is a power outage your conferencing service will be out of service unless they maintain back up power. Zip Conferencing has battery and generator back up power that ensures the equipment will remain in service indefinitely in the event of a power outage.
Support – Many low cost conference call providers have limited support for their customers which certainly helps maintain low cost but also leaves you in the dark if you need assistance. Zip Conferencing has support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and is even available to join you on your conference call if you need assistance.
Zip Conferencing shows that you can have high quality low cost conference calls. Make sure the conferencing provider you use can say the same thing.
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January 11th, 2012
Conference calls are used by businesses in every industry because they are still the most convenient and cost effective way to meet with people across distances large and small. And because of this conference calls are used by a variety of people. And luckily, people are different and have different tastes in things so why not conference calls too? You should not have to eat the same flavor of conferencing options as everyone else in the world and not even in the same company. So Zip Conferencing has designed a system that allows every conference moderator to customize their calls with a variety of options. Here are just some of the things you can control on your conference calls.
Entry/Exit Tones – The system will play a tone across the conference when a participant joins or exits a call. You can control if the tone plays only when someone joins or only when someone exits are not at all.
Music on Hold – Many times people will want their participants to be able to talk to each other when they join the conference call even if the moderator of the call has not yet joined. But if you would like you can make it so the participants listen to music on hold until the moderator joins the call.
Name Announce – Instead of just playing a tone when someone joins your conference call you can have the system record their names when they join the call and play it across the conference. You can even conduct a roll call when you join the call as the moderator and have all of the names played.
Post Conference Report – Ever wonder how long your conference call was and how many participants were on it? Our system allows you to receive a post conference report by email following your call that details the number of participants, the time they joined the call and even the number they dialed in from.
So why settle for the vanilla of conference calls when you can have any flavor you want? Customize your conference calls today with Zip Conferencing.
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January 3rd, 2012
Happy New Year! I hope you had a good 2011 and you have an even better 2012. It looks like the economy could be on its way for better year which means we will all be that much busier. If you are still on the side lines it is time to use conference call services to help you get the most out of your time in 2012. Let’s face it, the past couple of years have meant downsizing and ultimately more work for those that still have a job. And management expects everyone to do more with less. So if you are looking for ways to save some money and increase productivity for yourself or those around you a quality conference call service is just the ticket for you in 2012. Although there are many benefits to using conference calls for your business there are none more powerful than saving time and money.
Save Money – Conference call services have enjoyed extraordinary growth over the past 15 years partly due to all the money a conference call saves compared to an in person meeting. Even if your meeting is fairly local it still costs money to get everyone together. When you start traveling the cost really adds up. If you are traveling by car there is the gas, tolls and mileage you are going to incur when you go to the meeting. And if the meeting is across the country the costs are even greater with airline, rental car, hotels and restaurants all figured into the mix. And I am sure you have noticed that none of these costs have gone down over the past few years. But remarkably the costs of conference call services have declined over the past few years to all time lows. For a combined cost of just a few dollars a group of people can get together and hold a meeting even if the participants are spread across the country. And if you use a web conference along with the conference call you can have all the same tools at your disposal as if you were in a meeting room.
Save Time – If you are one of the many companies trying to do more with less resources you know how important your productivity is. Wasting time in traffic or airports and airplanes can really cost you. If you never had to travel to a customer again as a salesperson how many more customers could you sell? I am certainly not advocating you never see a customer again but reducing the number of in person meetings increases the time you can spend acquiring new customers or dealing with the ones you already have. A quality conference call service gives you everything you need to meet with people over great distances and be as productive as possible.
So I am sure when you look back on 2011 like me you will wonder where it went. Time flies and there really is no time to waste. So make 2012 the year you embrace conference call services and use our services to your advantage. You will be glad you did.
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December 19th, 2011
If you are looking for a new conference call services provider you should ask for an audio conferencing demo before you choose your provider. After all companies can claim quality and reliability but how do you know what you are buying unless you try it first? Especially if you are going to make a commitment with all of your company’s conference call business. An Audio Conferencing Demo will let you try all of the features that come with audio conferencing so you can decide if the features fit your needs as well. With Zip Conferencing every customer that signs up for a Monthly Minute Plan gets their first 60 minutes FREE so they can try the service out and also access all of their account features. Here are just some of the things that you can do with the Zip Conferencing Audio Conferencing Demo.
- Online Account Access – With every audio conferencing demo you have access to all of your online account management tools. You can access conference options where you are able to control many aspects of the conference call like the entry and exit tones, music on hold and post conference reporting. You can even control your conference call from your PC where you can adjust volume, mute participants and record the conference call.
- Conference Call Features – During the audio conferencing demo itself you can try out the many features available using a touch tone phone. Like the online controls you can also control the volume, muting, conduct sub-conferences and record the conference call using commands on your telephone.
- Conference Call Quality – And probably the most important thing you can experience during your audio conferencing demo is the call quality. The only way to really test a conference call for its quality is to do a call and see for yourself. Join with as many participants as you like and see if you aren’t impressed with the quality of the call.
Zip Conferencing is proud of the network we have built for our conference calls and is happy to provide every Monthly Plan customer with the opportunity to try the service and see for the themselves just how good the call sounds. And the online features available to users means that you will be able to control virtually every aspect of the conference call so you can have it just the way you want it. There is no need to settle for a conference call service that only provides one flavor when you can decide exactly what you want. Try Zip Conferencing’s audio conferencing demo today!
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December 12th, 2011
I remember when large companies that did a lot of conference calls would naturally think about getting a conference call bridge of their own because they could save a lot of money over time instead of using a service. This made a lot of sense 15 years ago when the average rate for a conference call service was 50 cents per minute. Companies that were spending literally millions of dollars a year on a conference call service could buy a conference call bridge for $100,000+ and make up the amount spent in capital dollars rather quickly. But now that the rates have come down for a conference call service does it still make any sense to look for a conference call bridge? Here are a few things to think about if you are shopping for a conference call bridge.
- Cost of the Equipment – The cost of a conference call bridge has also come down just like the rates for conference calls. But as I point out, the cost of the conference call bridge is just the first cost you will need to pay. The cost of the equipment varies greatly as well depending on the type of equipment you get and whether you are going to connect it to an IP connection or regular phone circuits. But even if someone gives you a conference call bridge you may want to think again before you accept it because the cost of the equipment is a one time cost but the other costs will be with you forever.
- Telecommunications Cost- Once you have a conference call bridge you need to conenct it to the network so people can talk to each other. No matter what type of connection you have for the equipment you will need to dedicate circuits to the bridge. The cost of the circuits is a monthly constant and then you need to pay for the usage on the circuits because even with an IP type connection you still have to have telephone numbers come into the circuits and if you want a toll free connection that is another factor.
- Maintenance Cost – The equipment, like any PC or similar piece of equipment will need to be maintained. The company that sold you the equipment may discount the equipment itself but they will always get you with the maintenance. You really can’t let maintenance lapse as you will want support if somethings goes wrong.
- Personnel Cost – Even an automated type conference call bridge is going to eat up personnel resources in your company. Someone needs to maintain the equipment, add users, troubleshoot, etc. So you need to make sure you have someone in your company that is technically savvy enough to deal with all of the elements involved.
As you can see, buying and maintaining your own conference call bridge is not an easy proposition. It is easy to see why the conference call services industry continues to grow. You are generally much better concentrating on what you do best and leaving the conference calls to the experts like Zip Conferencing.
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December 6th, 2011
It is the time of year for holiday parties but today many businesses have remote employees scattered around the country so why not include all of your employees with a virtual holiday party using a conference call service? For most businesses it is just too costly to bring all of your employees in for a holiday party but there is no reason not to include them in the festivities. Using a conference call service you can connect all of your remote employees into the party and have them still participate and interact with the rest of your employees. Today you can host a virtual party easily using conference call services like audio conferencing and web conferencing. The technology today allows you to share the audio, any presentation materials you may use and even video of the event while it is taking place. And the cost of the event will not break your budget.
Audio Conferencing – The simplest way to connect your remote participants to your virtual holiday party using a conference call service is by using a conference call. You certainly may not keep a conference call up for the full duration of the party but usually management likes to take a minute in the beginning or end of the vent to thank and recognize employees for the past year’s accomplishments. So if you establish a conference call for the beginning of the party you can include the remote participants easily in the festivities. After announcements you can end the conference call portion and continue with the party but at least your remote employees were included at the beginning.
Web Conferencing – With Web Conferencing you can provide a visual aspect to your virtual holiday party. If you do any employee recognition you can provide a presentation that includes the names and their achievements and a picture of the recipient so all participants can be included. Most conference call services that provide web conferencing have desktop video included as well. So if you have a desktop video camera you can have the remote employees see the venue and be seen as well. If you want to get real elaborate you can have your A/V source provide a large screen to enhance this interaction. The remote participants can also interact using web conferencing tools so they feel like a part of the party.
Zip Conferencing is a conference call service provider that has all the tools you need to do virtual meetings for any event including your virtual holiday party. Speak to a representative today who can assist you in planning your next remote event.
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December 1st, 2011
I have been in the teleconferencing industry since 1995 and since then there have been technologies come along that were going to eliminate audio conferencing several times. But every time the new technology has helped augment audio conferencing but never really threatened to eliminate what is still the most cost effective and easiest way to meet with a group of people. That is why when I started Zip Conferencing I decided to make sure I built the best audio conferencing company first. After that whether it is web conferencing or video conferencing or whatever the latest technology is the company would have the foundation of being a really great audio conferencing company and could easily adopt and layer other technologies on top of that. Over the years the two technologies that were going to replace audio conferencing but instead have only helped grow audio conferencing usage are web conferencing and video conferencing. Here are some reasons why these are complimentary services and will never eliminate the need for audio conferencing.
- Video Conferencing – Video conferencing has been around for along time and in my 16 years in the industry I have heard lots of reasons why this technology has not been widely adopted. I have also seen efforts over the years to “fix” these problems with video conferencing only to see the adoption rate remain sluggish at best. At first it was very expensive so it was not widely available. Only very large companies had access to the technology necessary to conduct an effective video conference. Today you can conduct a video conference from your desktop for very little money. The technology and network bandwidth is basically universally available. But people simply do not use video conferencing all that much except maybe for personal use to speak to loved ones from great distances. I think the biggest hurdle to wide adoption of this technology is the aversion of the participants to being in front of the camera. Most people I know do not like being in front of a video camera and looking at their own image on a screen. As an audio conferencing company this is music to my ears.
- Web Conferencing – Web conferencing has seen tremendous growth since its introduction in the late 1990s because it has become easy to use, inexpensive and it mimics the way we meet with others. You can literally do anything on a web conference today that you can do in a conference room. It even has video conferencing built in if you want it but most people simply want to share their desktop or do a remote presentation. And the audio portion of the call is still done over a conference call system through an audio conferencing company. This means that the audio quality is just as good as a normal conference call. And as an audio conferencing company I am happy because we can provide both services and people tend to meet longer because they can have more effective meetings.
So, first and foremost, Zip Conferencing will always be an audio conferencing company first.
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November 17th, 2011
Okay, I am going to date myself a little with this post but what the heck. I spoke to someone the other day and he mentioned how he used to work for MShow and it brought back lots of fond memories. MShow was one of the first web conferencing providers and like the others at the time the way it all worked was with web conferencing software. You see back then, sounds like a long time ago but it was only the late 1990s, the Internet was still in its infancy and everyone didn’t have a broadband connection. Many of the things we now take for granted just did not exist. And in this environment someone had the brilliant idea that it would be great if people could share their computer screens across a network or do presentations and so web conferencing software was invented. And MShow was one of the leaders.
The way web conferencing software worked back then was every computer that you wanted to do a web conference with had to have the software installed prior to the conference call. And at the time downloading software on the Internet was not commonplace either. So you literally had to have the CD ahead of time and install web conferencing software. Once you had the web conferencing software installed you still needed a little help doing a web conference with more than one other computer. The company I worked for at the time actually built one of the first web conferencing bridges we had ever heard about. We rigged up a computer with a network hub attached to it because you literally needed a network connection for each participant. Pretty laughable now but we were able to get 5 computers on a web conference at a time, amazing! MShow ended up being acquired by a large conferencing service provider and Webex came along and the rest as they say is history.
Today, conferencing service providers like Zip Conferencing provide web conferencing services that accomodate over 100 participants and there is not even a need to download any web conferencing software. Zip Conferencing uses Flash which is already installed in everyone’s PC to enable the web conference. Everyone has a broadband connection to the Internet and it is easier than ever to do a web conference where you can share your computer screen, do a presentation and even share video from your desktop. Amazing. Like I said I am going to date myself a little bit but it was only 14 years ago that we were trying to figure out how to get 5 computers on a web conference at the same time. I wonder what the next 14 years will hold.
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November 15th, 2011
Most people use the basics audio conference call and never access any of the features available. It could just be that people are busy and learning anything new is more of a chore than they would like to deal with when they are simply trying to do a conference call. I certainly understand that. Every time I get a new cell phone it takes until I am ready to turn it in for a new one to learn all of the things you can do with it. But the audio conference call features that Zip Conferencing offers can make your life easier in the end. So instead of making you go somewhere to learn the audio conference call features yourself I thought I would list a few here and explain how they work. All of these features are accessible during the conference call by using commands on your telephone keypad.
- Volume Control – How many times have you been on a conference call and had a hard time hearing a participant? Our audio conference call features enable you to increase and decrease the volume of the conference call. You can also control the volume of your line into the conference call. That way if you are too loud or soft you can also adjust the volume of your line.
- Mute Control – As leader of the audio conference call you can mute all participants. This is especially helpful if you have a large number of participants and you need to make a presentation or announcement. You can also un-mute all participants to allow them to provide feedback. Also, you and your participants can mute and un-mute yourselves during the conference call.
- Dial Out Capability – Did someone forget to dial in to the conference call? Instead of calling them and reminding them to join the audio conference call you can simply dial out to them and add them to the call.
- Sub-Conferences – Many times during the conference call you may want to have a side conversation with one or more participants. You can quickly and easily establish a sub-conference and have a private conversation with one or more participants and then rejoin the conference call.
- Conference Call Recording – If you would like to retain a copy of your conference call or have a participant who missed the call be able to dial in later to listen to it you can easily record the call. You can start and stop the recording during the conference call as well.
You may not use the audio conference call features all the time but it is good to know they are there if you need them.
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November 8th, 2011
If you have been shopping for an audio conference calling service you may think that the only difference is price. But there are actually some big differences between audio conference calling service companies. And if you are not careful you may not get what you thought you were getting. Here are some of the things you should think about when you are looking for audio conference calling services.
- Quality – The most important aspect of a audio conference calling service is the quality. What good is a cheap conference call service if you have static on the line or can’t even get your parties on the call? The best conference call service companies have direct connections to the telecommunications network and use the latest in conference call equipment. It is difficult, however, to know what companies do this. Thankfully, there is one way to tell if the call quality is good. Do a test call. Any conference call company out there should be willing to give a trial to see if the quality is good before you hire them. Zip Conferencing uses direct digital connections and the latest equipment and also offers a free trial of its service to prove the quality of the conference calls.
- Reliability- Some of the reliability of an audio conference calling service is the telecommunications connection and quality of the equipment used. But one major area that matters is power availability. Without back up power the network and equipment will not work. So a conference call service company should have adequate back up power systems that can run indefinitely to support their systems. Another thing that can be done is having back up conference call equipment available in case of a failure. Many companies do not take this step because it is costly to have back up systems sitting around. Zip Conferencing has taken every step possible including back up systems on standby to insure our audio conference calling services are available.
- Features – If you look closely you will see that the features offered by conference call companies are not the same. If you hire a full feature service you will never miss some of the features that enhance your conference call experience. Zip Conferencing is a full feature provider that also offers some capabilities like customizable conference calls that other companies do not offer.
- Support- Another area that some conference call companies will shortcut is in the area of support. Some companies only offer support during certain times of the day or by email only. Zip Conferencing offers support 24/7/365 and will even provide support on your conference call if you like to assist with features or issues.
So look closely and you will see that all audio conference calling services are not the same.
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November 3rd, 2011
If you are looking at getting a conference call service provider for your business and you have looked at some of the long distance carriers and other providers that still charge 10 cents or more a minute you may be a little skeptical of discounted conference calling services. But just because the service is less expensive does not necessarily mean that the service is of a lower quality or less reliable. You do still need to be careful as some of the conference call providers have not taken the same steps to ensure quality and reliability like Zip Conferencing has done. Here are some of the areas that any discounted conference calling services company needs to pay attention to in order to maintain high quality and reliability.
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- Back Up Power - All of the equipment for conference calling services should be connected to to battery and generator back up power. This makes sure that no matter what power outages are experienced at their place of business your conference calls will not be impacted. Zip Conferencing uses back up power systems on all of its equipment and can maintain power to these systems for an indefinite amount of time.
- Back Up Systems – A key component for conference calling services is the conference call bridge. This is the equipment that creates the conference calls from independent callers into the system. It is an expensive proposition to maintain back up equipment so many discounted conference calling services companies do not take this step. But if something happens to this equipment your conference call will be affected. Zip Conferencing has designed their conference calling services with back up conference call bridges so that if there is ever an issue the traffic can be redirected to the back up system.
- Telecommunications Redundancy – What happens if the long distance carrier used by the discounted conference calling services company has an outage? If they do not have another carrier as back up you will not be able to get to your conference call. Zip Conferencing uses multiple telecommunications carriers that insures that if one of the carriers experiences a disastrous outage they can still perform your conference call.
- Support – One of the areas that discounted conference calling services will differ is with support. You may not need support very often but when you do you need it to be there for you. Zip Conferencing offers conference calling services with an award winning support team. Our operators are monitoring our conference calling services 24/7 and can even join on your conference call if you need assistance. No mater what time of day you can access support and get the help you need.
So, discounted conference calling services can be reliable but you need to investigate and make sure that discounted doesn’t mean your conference call quality or reliability will suffer.
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November 1st, 2011
Web Conferencing Services have helped companies save millions of dollars and are here to stay. The use of web conferencing services is expected to continue to grow rapidly over the next 5 years as more and more people adopt them for their own use. And the inclination of many of the web conferencing services providers is to add more and more features to try and attract customers. But the one thing that you really need to have in your web conferencing services is their ease of use. Zip Conferencing has gone to great lengths to create a web conferencing service that is powerful and yet easy to use. Here are some of the features that make our web conferencing service one of the easiest to use services in the market.
- Outlook Integrated Invitations- One of the complications of getting a web conference meeting going is inviting your participants. Different web conferencing services do this in a variety of ways but all offer some type of email confirmation or a web page you can send your participants to in order to join the meeting. These methods certainly work but why should you have to cut and paste and try to pull together the information for your participants. With Zip Conferencing you can use our Outlook scheduling tool and integrate your web conference details right within Outlook. That way you are able to put out a meeting request just like you would any other meeting, from within Outlook. Invite participants and have them accept the meeting and have the meeting appear on your calendar all using the same steps you would take to schedule any meeting. Now that is Easy!
- Intuitive Control Panel – The actual functionality of a web conference is not that different across providers but what is different is that way that you access the functions from within the service. With all of the different features now packed within the web conferencing services out there you sometimes have to navigate a maze of controls to find what you are looking for. Zip Conferencing has put the most widely used features front and center using intuitive controls available with the touch of a button.
- No Software Downloads – One of the hardest things to overcome with a web conference is getting on the meeting. Many times participants who have not used the web conferencing services before will have to download software in order to join the meeting. Many times adding software to a computer is prohibited by companies and participants are unable to join. With Zip Conferencing there are no software downloads for the participants. Our web conference service uses Flash which is already widely installed on people’s computers so there is no waiting for participants to download software.
If it isn’t easy to use you probably won’t use it. So if you are just starting out doing web meetings or you have struggled in the past to have a successful web conference give Zip Conferencing a try.
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October 27th, 2011
Conference call services all look very similar to one another these days. They all provide a dial in number and a pass code and allow you to access the service without a reservation. So how do you distinguish between different providers? You will find, maybe the hard way, that with a Conference Call Provider Service makes all the difference. With a conference call provider service means the quality and reliability of the conference call itself as well as the kind of support they offer their customers. Here are some of the areas where conference call provider services are different.
- Conference Call Quality – The quality of the conference call provider service is determined by a number of factors. First the connection to the worldwide telephone network should be as direct as possible. Where the conference call provider is located helps determine the kind of connection they can get to these networks. And the telecommunication providers they utilize will also determine the quality of the conference call. With Zip Conferencing we use only top tier telecommunications providers and use direct digital connections to their networks to ensure the highest quality connections possible. The second factor is the type of conference call equipment being used by the conference call provider service. If the equipment is older or of inferior quality it will impact the quality of the conference call. Zip Conferencing uses the latest conference call equipment to help ensure the highest quality of the conference calls.
- Conference Call Reliability – The reliability of the conference call provider service is determined by the steps the provider has taken to provide back ups to its conference call network. Has the provider gone to the expense necessary to back up all of their systems in the case of an outage or emergency? Zip Conferencing has battery and generator power back ups on all of its systems to ensure consistent power availability. We have also installed back up conference call equipment that can be immediately deployed in the case of an outage. We also use more than one telecommunications provider so that our services will remain available even in the event that the telecommunications provider has an outage. These steps add up to our ability to have our conference call systems available over 99.9% of the time.
- Conference Call Support- If you need support from your conference call provider will they be able to deliver? Zip Conferencing has support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We even provide support while you are on your conference call by pressing *0 on your telephone while in the call. Conference call support is not something you may need all the time but when you need it you will want it to be available.
So if you are looking for a conference call provider service is what makes all the difference.
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October 25th, 2011
So here you are searching for a conference call service provider and there are companies advertising a free telephone conference call service. Free is good, right? Why shouldn’t you use a free telephone conference call ervice? Let’s examine how a free telephone conference call service works and see if you are still interested in trusting your business to a free conference call service.
- A Free telephone conference call service is not really Free – The Free conference call service companies are advertising on the internet and other places so if they are truly free how are they making money? These companies make money by working out a deal with a local phone company to terminate calls within their equipment. That’s because the local phone company makes money when a long distance call terminates on their equipment. It doesn’t pay a lot but when you consider the volume of calls that can be generated it does add up to enough money to pay for the equipment over time. The problem is they don’t make enough to provide all of the services a regular conference call service provider does and they are usually a little thin in other areas of their business as well. The main problem is that you are the one paying the bill. Because you and your participants are dialing a long distance number to join the conference call. So it appears free until you get your long distance bill or cell bill and see all the minutes on it. And if the local number connection was so good why do all of the “Free” conference call companies offer toll free access?
- Quality – A Free telephone conference call service is not concerned with providing a reliable and quality service to its customers. It doesn’t have to because it is free. It is hard to argue with free so people put up with capacity issues, unavailability and noisy connections. Do you want to trust your important business calls to a free service where quality and reliability are not assured? Also you will find that many of the features you expect to have on a conference call service are not there on a free telephone conference call service. They can’t afford the best equipment with the latest features.
- Support – Lastly, probably the biggest hole in the services for a free telephone conference call service is the support you will receive. You will find that support is given to their customers that pay for the upgrade to toll free service but little is provided to the free conference call customers. Its free so who can complain.
If you will look at the free telephone conference call service companies you will see they all offer a toll free service option but at rates higher than Zip Conferencing. So why fool around with a service that will cost you anyway when you can get a toll free service that is highly reliable and high quality from the start for less money?
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October 21st, 2011
There is a reason that everyone doesn’t drive the same car and audio conference calling services are no different. Different people like different options, colors and equipment no matter what you are talking about. So why do so many people put up with the same audio conference calling service options? Even in the same company why would the President of the company want to have the same options for their audio conference calling services as everyone else in the company? With Zip Conferencing we allow you to customize the options within your audio conference calling so it is just the way you like it. Here are some of the audio conference calling options that you can control with Zip Conferencing.
- Entry and Exit Tones – One of the main things people like to alter with our audio conference calling services are the entry and exit tones in the conference call. With most conference call service providers you either get entry and exit tones, which are the tones that sound when participants enter and exit the conference call, or you do not. With Zip Conferencing you decide if you want a tone to sound when a participant joins the conference call or when they exit. You can also have their name announced when they enter the conference call.
- Music on Hold – With our audio conference calling services you can allow participants to speak to each other before the Moderator or Host of the conference call joins or you can make it so the participants listen to music on hold until the Host joins the call.
- PIN number entry – For additional security with our audio conference calling services you can require participants to enter a PIN, Personal Identification Number, when they join the conference call. This will also identify for you who has joined the call.
- Record Name/Roll Call – As Host of the conference call you can require participants to record their name when they join the conference call. As Host of the call you can then listen to a roll call of participants when you join the call or have their names announced when they enter and exit the conference call.
- End conference when Moderator exits – As a Host of our audio conference calling services you are also in control of when the conference call ends. You can let the participants keep talking, enter a command on your phone to end the call or set the call up ahead of time to end when you exit the call.
- Post Conference Report – As host of the conference call you can also get a post conference report that shows the detail of the call via email. On the report you will see the participants, the number they dialed in from and the duration they were on the call as well as the total duration of the conference call.
In addition to the options listed here, as a Host, you also have commands you can access while on a conference call. You can mute lines, control volume and even record the conference call by using touch tone commands on your telephone. So why settle for whatever the conference call provider wants to give you when flexible conference calling services are so much better.
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October 10th, 2011
Happy Columbus Day! If you are like me and don’t work for the government or a bank or one of the other establishments that has today off you are working. But your kids are off so whether your company is off or not you might be home anyway. But thanks to technology working from home is now more the norm and you can still attend those meetings with Columbus Day conference calls. A conference call service for your business allows you to continue to have meetings no matter what comes your way, including holidays that require your business to keep on going.
Columbus Day is one of the holidays where you just might find yourself working from home and you still need to attend meetings with co-workers and customers. Conference calls mean you can attend those meetings no matter where you are and when the calls take place. Conference calling is taken for granted by many businesses because it ultimately saves them time and money. But there are still a lot of companies out there that have not incorporated conference calls into there standard way of doing business. And no better time to kick off using a conference call service than on a holiday or other time when you find yourself out of the office but you still need to attend meetings with co-workers like you are still in the office.
Conference calls not only help your business save time and money but they allow you to still participate in work meetings without being at work. Time with family, vacations and commitments at home can be saved with the use of conference calls. And with Zip Conferencing you can have a conference call service with no cost until you use the service. So there is no excuse not to sign up for conference calls with Zip Conferencing because sign up is free and you will pay nothing until you use the service. That way you can have the conference call service information at your disposal for those times when you need it.
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October 4th, 2011
Anyone who has been on a conference call has experienced interruptions during the call. I am going to provide some recommendations to keeping these interruptions to a minimum so you can have the most productive meeting possible. Here are some of the ways that conference calls suffer interruptions and the ways to avoid those interruptions.
- Sounds when people enter/exit the call – There is a feature used by most conference call service providers that has a tone play when a participant enters or exits the conference call. Some people like this feature because they are able to know when a new person has joined a conference call. But if you are less concerned about keeping track of people joining then you are about the noise this introduces into the call with Zip Conferencing you can turn these tones off. In fact with our customizable conference options you can have a tone play only when participants enter the call or when they exit the call or none at all. You can even have their name play instead of just a tone.
- Background noise from participants- Many times people will multi-task when they are on a conference call. The sound of typing is a very common noise heard on conference calls as participants do work while they listen to a call. And today many people work from home and introduce all the sounds of their home into the conference call as well. Kids, dogs and doorbells are all noises you are likely to hear on a conference call. And then there is the cell phone which can make it easy to participate in a conference call from anywhere but introduce the noises from anywhere onto the call. The best way to combat all of the exterior noises is to make sure all of the participants use the mute feature whenever they are not speaking. With Zip Conferencing it is a simple *6 command on your telephone to mute and unmute yourself. So as the Host simply make people aware at the start of the call to use mute whenever they are not adding anything to the discussion and you will save yourself a lot of noise interruptions.
- Unidentified speakers- You may find yourself on a call with a number of people you are not completely familiar with so when someone speaks you may not recognize their voice. It is good conference call etiquette to introduce yourself when you are speaking. A simple introduction will avoid any mistaken identity issues and keep everyone on the same page. With Zip Conferencing you can also log into the conference call using your PC and see who is speaking by observing the talk icon on the screen.
- Participants joining late – As a host it is important to start conference calls on time so people get used to the fact that your meetings will start on time. As a further enforcement you can lock the conference call after you start your call so that no one else can join. The *94 command will lock the call and not allow additional participants. This may be a bit harsh but people will remember to join on time the next time.
Zip Conferencing has a number of tools to assist you with keeping the noise on a conference call to a dull roar.
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September 28th, 2011
A conference call has been a good option for businesses for many years because of the expense savings and increased productivity. And as time has gone on the lowly conference call just keeps making more sense than ever. In fact I can not think of a time since I have been in the business that a conference call has made more sense than right now. Here are just a few thoughts on why a conference call should be the preferred method of communication for any business.
- Travel Costs – Okay, so you have to meet with a customer or internally and they are in Texas and you are in New Jersey. The natural reaction is to schedule a trip to Texas for the meeting. Have you seen the cost of air travel these days? If you book 30 days in advance you might be able to get there for less than $500 but if it is in the next 2 weeks it will cost you over $1,000. And that doesn’t include all the crazy fees they charge these days. Once you get to Texas you will need a car, a room, dinners…you get the idea. It is so expensive to travel these days you can save enough in travel costs to hold a conference call every day with the participants and still save money.
- Travel Hassle – On top of the costs to go to Texas you get to put up with all the convenience of air travel these days. Travel to and from the airport, the security lines, baggage checks and on and on. I have had more fun on days I was sick than what they are putting you through these days.
- Lost Productivity – How many hours of useful work are you going to lose by travelling to Texas. The flight time is only a few hours but you need to get to the airport and then to the office on the other end. And what are the chances the plane takes off and lands on time. That conference call keeps getting more and more attractive.
I know you can’t do away with all in person meetings for conference calls. It is just not possible. But if I were you I would think long and hard about using conference call services whenever you can. You will be happier and so will your budget.
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September 8th, 2011
If you live in the Northeast you can certainly relate to the title of my blog today. I have barely been out of the house it seems in the past two weeks as I have been on conference calls dodging the rain drops. A hurricane followed by a tropical storm have spurred people to contemplate building an Ark. My home and our conference call service offices have been spared any damage but many people have not. And to them I send my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery from what is some of the worst flooding ever. Especially my friends and customers in Vermont who really had no warning for some of the worst damage the storms could impart.
As devastating as the weather has been over the past couple of weeks, our customers have had the advantage of continuous communications throughout with our conference call service. I have suggested many times on this blog to have conference call information at the ready in case of emergency and it has certainly come in handy for our customers. We have customers in Vermont who literally could not get to their place of business if they wanted to and were ostensibly cut off. But conference calls with their employees enabled them to maintain lines of communication and continue their businesses without interruption. And with the Zip Conferencing Pay As You Go service there isn’t even any cost unless you use the service so there is no excuse not to have conference call information in case of emergency.
And the hurricane season is not over. Another named storm is brewing in the Atlantic and could once again threaten the East coast with wind and rain. We were lucky that Irene did not have the damaging winds that were possible but the rain certainly did its damage. Next time we may not be so lucky so be prepared. Also, when the hurricane season ends the next thing we get to deal with is the snow. And if last year was any indication we can’t wait for global warming to get us out of trouble any time soon. Several times in the Northeast last year we were paralyzed and could not get to office buildings. Our business was not affecting thanks to careful planning, is yours? Make sure you have a back up communication plan in place with conference calls and web conferencing just in case you need them.
So anyway, rain, rain, go away and help poor Texas anyway.
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September 6th, 2011
If you are like most companies you are trying to get more done with fewer resources than ever before. It is simply the nature of business these days. There is no easier more cost effective way to increase your productivity than by using conference calls as part of your company’s communications plan. Here are some ideas on how conference calls increase your productivity.
- Save Travel Time – One of the biggest wastes of time for anyone in business is travel time. Going to and from meetings can eat up a large amount of time. Even when the meeting is in your own office you still have to get to a conference room and wait for the meeting to start and then get back to your desk when the meeting is over. With conference calls you can sit at your desk and continue to be productive until the meeting starts and then get right back to the work at end when the conference call is over.
- Multi-Task – Depending on your role in the meeting you may be able to get other work done during the meeting while on a conference call. As long as you put your phone on mute you can continue to work on other things without disturbing the meeting. Many people who host meeting don’t like this about conference calls but the fact is you get more participation from attendees that don’t have the time to attend an in person meeting and all you have to do is engage people when necessary and you can have a productive meeting.
- Collaborate – Certainly one of the benefits of conference calls is the same with an in person meeting. You get people to collaborate on a project. Ultimately bringing additional participants into the process will help move the project along and improve over all communications.
And in case you aren’t sure what activities you can do with conference calls here are a few common applications that you can easily do with a conference call.
- Sales Meetings – Sales teams are famous for getting together on conference calls. Many times the sales team is spread over a great distance and it would not only cost a great deal to pull everyone together but think of all the lost productivity. It is just not practical to get together physically so a conference call is a natural.
- Company Announcements – If you need to make a company announcement you can easily do it on a conference call without having to pull everyone off their jobs to do it. Depending on your business you are also saving any travel involved and at the same time making sure everyone gets the message timely and first hand.
- Project updates – Project management would be difficult without conference calls. Keeping vendors and employees up to date on a project and making sure dates are met can only be done with regular communication and many times would be impossible without conference calls.
With the low cost of conference calls these days there is no excuse not to incorporate conference calls into your communications plan and you will find your productivity increase along the way.
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August 26th, 2011
As I sit here in New Jersey and wait for the arrival of Hurricane Irene I am inundated with news reports on how to prepare for a hurricane. You are supposed to get batteries, water, gas for your car and non-perishable food among other items. But for a business the most important thing you should make sure you get in place is a good communication plan in the event of a disaster that includes a conference call service. If you don’t have a conference call service yet now would be a great time to get a service and be ready to conduct business remotely. If you can’t travel the roads and get to the office you can still do a conference call and keep your business going. These days most businesses are national if not global in nature and your customers don’t really care if your office is in harms way. If you are supposed to have a meeting on Monday they expect you to have the meeting. A conference call service can give you the tool you need to continue to have meetings without leaving your home. Here are some of the reasons to line up a conference call service.
- Natural Disaster – Like Hurricane Irene you just don’t know when a natural disaster is going to prevent you from getting to your office or your customers as well. Having a conference call service as part of your business communications will allow you to schedule meetings and be able to attend the meetings no matter what the circumstances. In addition to being able to attend customer meetings you can also have conference calls with your employees to prepare your response to the disaster and continue to plan in its aftermath.
- Technical Issues – If your business experiences technical issues and needs to hold emergency meetings you can have a conference call at the ready and participants informed in an instant. Everyone gets the same message and your technical issues are dealt with more expeditiously.
- Company Announcements – If you need to communicate with your entire employee base all at once you can use a conference call. Our conference calls hold up to 300 participants so capacity is not an issue. You can instantly communicate with everyone at the same time to inform them of personnel changes, acquisitions and any other issues that may arise.
- Planning – And if you know that the disaster is coming , like hurricane Irene, you can plan for it with groups of people who are otherwise separated my geography.
So if you have a conference call service in your tool box you can simply pull it out and plan or respond to a disaster. With Zip Conferencing’s Pay As You Go service there are no charges unless you use the service so why not be prepared all the time?
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August 23rd, 2011
I was on a conference call the other day and the first topic of conversation was the fact that it is the middle of August and where did the summer go. It is hard to believe it is the last two weeks of unofficial summer! Amazing. I can still vividly remember being stuck in last winter and all the bad weather and long periods of cold. I could not wait until the spring and so looked forward to the summer. And don’t get me wrong I have really enjoyed this summer. I think we have had pretty good weather here in New Jersey and I have no complaints. But where does the time go?
The conference calls have kept going as people try to maintain their businesses during the summer but I can already sense the conference call traffic growing in anticipation of people gearing up for after labor day. Kids get back to school and people get back to business. The fall is a time to catch up from the vacations and gear up for the end of the year. I have mentioned before that conference calls are a good economic indicator and I think the economy is definitely doing better. I have seen existing customers doing more conference calls and many new customers signing up and getting positioned to move forward in this economy. Certainly nothing like it was in the fall of 2008 when there was a lot of contraction in the economy.
Anyway, the title of this blog was Enjoy Summer While you Can and that is what I would like to end this with. There are basically two weeks left to summer before we have to really get back to business. And before you know it we are in the throes of the holidays and the year is over. So sit back and enjoy these last two weeks. I hope you have nice weather where you are located and get a chance to enjoy it. Life is short and you need to take advantage of every chance you get to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
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August 18th, 2011
I have been in the teleconferencing industry since 1995 and have seen the services availability grow from a boutique industry to where it is today. Teleconferencing services are virtually everywhere. Here is a quick take on the different services and where you can find them.
- Audio Conferencing – Teleconferencing services leading type of service is audio conferencing. Since audio conferencing became an automated service that was so easy to use it has grown exponentially. It is hard to find anyone in business these days that has not been on a conference call using a dial in number and pass code. Audio conferencing still has other types of calls but the automated conference call is the most prevalent. Other types of audio teleconferencing services include the operator assisted conference call where an operator greets the participants, gather information and then facilitates the call by assisting the leader and performing a question and answer period. Teleconferencing services like this are primarily used for large calls. One of the most widely used applications for this type of call is the investor relations call used by public companies to speak quarterly to the investment community.
- Video Conferencing – Some people think that teleconferencing is actually referring to video conferencing alone but again it really refers to a number of types of conferencing. Video conferencing has been around for a long time and the industry keeps thinking the latest iteration is the one that is going to crack the code and make this form of teleconferencing services explode. It just doesn’t seem to matter if it is the big room systems, desktop video, home phone video or video on a PDA now it just doesn’t seem to appeal to people as widely as audio conferencing. I think it is more a social issue than a technical issue as most people are simply uncomfortable in front of a camera. Maybe the kids today who are growing up with all of this technology and YouTube will finally find video conferencing comfortable.
- Web Conferencing – Teleconferencing services newest addition is web conferencing. The ability to share your desktop and do presentation remotely has given people the ability to add a visual element to a regular conference call without much effort and has been widely accepted. As more and more people attend these kinds of webinars and be exposed as a participant the more they will become hosts of future web conferences. Web conferencing will continue to grow and become a part of regular phone conference calls.
Teleconferencing services are now widely available and companies like Zip Conferencing offer all types of teleconferencing services at very reasonable rates.
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August 12th, 2011
I would not describe myself as a political activist, but like many people the latest display of ineptitude of our elected officials in Washington, DC I find myself wondering how these people can afford to take a 5 week vacation when their business (our country) is struggling like it is today. Maybe they need some time back in their home states but haven’t they heard of conference calling services? At least make it look like you are attempting to do something about the mess we are in by working a little while you are on vacation like the rest of us. Seems like conference calling services would enable these people to keep things moving and maybe get something done. After all I have never been able to take a 5 week vacation and I don’t know anyone who has in my lifetime. I have been working since I was 14 years old and I have not had 5 weeks off ever. In fact I took a two week vacation once and it felt like I was retired. It was tough to get back into things when I returned and I have not taken a vacation that long since then. Now when I am even out for a few days I use conference calling services to stay in touch with things at work. It helps me to relax to know that things are running smoothly and I won’t be blindsided when I return. If things at work need to be addressed I won’t even go on vacation let alone for 5 weeks!
Conference calling services are one thing but these people work for the government after all and have every means of communication imaginable available to them. They could absolutely work from home and continue to accomplish things. Many businesses now rely on a good portion of their employees working from their homes and it doesn’t slow them down. Conference calling services and web conferencing services allow people to work from anywhere and still hold meetings and collaborate on projects. So how about it Mr Congressman? What do you say? Can you possibly cut your vacation down to 2 – 3 weeks and get back to getting this country put back together? We working stiffs who pay your salaries would surely appreciate it.
Zip Conferencing would be happy to provide conference calling services and web conferencing services to any elected officials who would like to keep working. Drop us an email and we will set you up.
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August 11th, 2011
Web conference software has been around since the beginning of web conferencing. In fact in the beginning everyone needed the same web conference software on their PCs in order to have a web conference. Not really practical when you think about inviting people who are new participants to a web conference. What are you supposed to do send them the software ahead of time? It is easy to see how a service provider that made it easy could gain so much ground in the providing of web conferencing. But even service providers of web conferencing require that you download web conference software in order to use their service. Zip Conferencing has a web conferencing service that requires no web conference software for the participants which makes it easier on everyone. Here are some of the advantages of using a service provider and not using web conference software.
- No Up Front Cost – If you buy web conference software there is going to be the up front cost associated with buying the software. You then need to spend valuable time installing the software on the PCs you intend to conduct your web conferences with as well.
- No Maintenance Cost – In order to keep your web conference software up to date you will need to buy regular maintenance updates on the software.
- Any Participants can Join – If you use a service provider instead of web conference software the participants can join a web conference without having to install software. Participants generally are going to join your web conference last minute and you don’t want any delays while your participants are downloading software.
- Full Support – If you purchase web conference software you are not going to get the kind of support you get with a service provider. With Zip Conferencing you get support 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. You can even get support while in your conference call by simply pressing the star key followed by zero on your telephone.
These days with any number of web conferencing service providers out there that provide services at very reasonable rates you really have no reason to go out and purchase web conference software. And the way that the service works with Zip Conferencing you and your participants don’t even have to download any software. Since our service was built on a Flash platform you just need to have Flash on your PC. These days anyone that surfs the Internet has Flash on their PC. So anyone can join our web conferencing service without having to download any web conference software.
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August 2nd, 2011
I still talk to people all the time that have not hosted a conference call before so it does not come as a shock to know that most people have not tried a web conference yet. Let’s face it, you have to learn a new thing on your PC and who has the time for that? Besides a web conference is hard to do and everyone joining the call has to learn something new too, right? Well I am hear to tell you that I don’t like having to learn new things either but today’s web conference is so easy to use there really isn’t anything to learn. You can literally sign in to the Zip Conferencing web conference for the first time and be up on a web conference with your participants in just a couple of minutes. And as easy as it is for the host of the web conference it is even easier for the participants. There is no software to install and all they have to do is click on a link you send them and they are on the web conference. In case you did not know here are some of the things you can do on a web conference.
- Share Your Desktop – By far the most popular thing that people do on a web conference is share their desktop or an application with their participants. Basically what you are doing is allowing your participants to see whatever you have on your PC. If you want to show your participants a web site your are browsing or a application on your computer you can on a web conference. That way you and your participants are literally on the same page when you are talking on a conference call.
- Collaborate on a Document – Not only can you share an application during a web conference but you can also allow your participants to provide input on a document or spreadsheet by giving them control of an application. If a participant has an idea for updating a formula in Excel, for instance, you can give them control and let them put the new formula in on the spreadsheet on your PC.
- Do a Q&A session – If you are conducting a seminar or training session the hardest thing is keeping your audience engaged. With a web conference you can conduct a Q&A session and poll your audience. You can then share the results with your audience. Interaction like this will keep your audience on their toes and involved in your discussion.
And the best thing is you can try a web conference for free with a FREE demo from Zip Conferencing. That’s right, the first 30 days are free! So what are you waiting for? Try a web conference today!
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July 26th, 2011
A conference calling company takes on a role in your company’s business that you may not realize. When you think about what is discussed on conference calls in your company and who is on the calls you start to understand why the decision on which conference calling company to use is so important. Many times a company’s most important and sensitive discussions are on conference calls. And many times the top executives in a company use conference calling services extensively. So, in today’s environment where there are a lot of conference calling companies and they all seem like they offer the same services how do you choose the right conference calling company? Actually the most important attribute to look for in a conference calling company are hard if not impossible to see. But here are some of things you should look for if you are looking for a high quality, reliable conference calling company.
- Reliable Network – Since you and your participants need to call into any conference calling company to connect to your conference call you should make sure they are connected to a high quality network. Zip Conferencing, for instance, using only top tier long distance providers and has direct connections into their networks. Also, the reason we have multiple carriers is to make sure that if one of the carriers has an outage we have a back up network in place to carry our traffic. The direct connections make sure that we have the highest quality connection possible.
- Back Up Systems – For a conference calling company, back up systems are expensive. But I have been in the teleconferencing industry for over 15 years and I can tell you first hand that occasionally the technology will rear its head and you will have issues. It is inevitable. The only way to avoid an outage is to put back up systems in place that can take over when the primary systems fail. At Zip Conferencing we have back up conference call equipment that is live and ready to handle traffic in the case of an outage. We also have power back up systems to keep all of our equipment powered up in the case of a power outage. If an issue arises our customers will not be affected.
- Full Featured – Some conference calling companies will cut corners on the services that they offer. This makes it easier to manage and the equipment they use does not need to be as sophisticated. But the customer experience is not as good. At Zip Conferencing we use the latest conference calling equipment with all of the features you should expect from a conference calling company. In fact, our equipment and online account management allow you to customize your conference calls unlike most other conference calling companies.
- Support – And when you have an issue you need your partner to be able to support your needs. A conference calling company that takes their partnership in your company seriously will back it up with the kind of support you would expect from such an important service provider for your company. Zip Conferencing offer support 24/7 365 days a year and can even join you on your conference call to assist if you need assistance.
If you are looking for a true partner to provide conference calls to your company you need to look closer than the rates they offer. Once you look “under the hood” you will see that Zip Conferencing is the best value in conference calls today.
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July 21st, 2011
I have been in the teleconferencing industry for over 15 years and audio conference calling just keeps getting easier and easier. You can’t argue with the fact that audio conference calling is the simplest way to have a meeting whether you are across the hall or around the wall. And no one makes it simpler than Zip Conferencing.
When I first started in this industry it was mostly dial out conference calls. That means that to do audio conference calling an operator would contact you at a pre-designated phone number and connect you to the conference call. Needless to say this was not a very convenient method of getting on a conference call. Especially since most people did not have cell phones back then. The biggest development in audio conference calling came with the invention of the dial in reservationless conference call. This is the type of conference call most people are familiar with at this point. You are given an access number and a pass code. At the time you choose to do audio conference calling you dial the access number and input the pass code. Everyone that does that will end up on the same conference call together. After this audio conference calling boomed. That is because the industry made it super simple to get on a conference call.
As time has gone on there have been many developments in audio conference calling. None of which have had the kind of impact that development has had but things have continued to get easier. And the proliferation of cell phones has helped as well. Now to get on a conference call you can dial in from anywhere there is a signal to your mobile phone. I am sure people have attended a conference call from some pretty bizarre places. And you can too! Because audio conference calling can be done from virtually anywhere.
When you compare audio conference calling to other ways to meet it is easy to understand why conference calling continues to grow faster than any other way to meet. At this point everyone pretty much has been on a conference call. So there is no need to train your participants on how to get on a conference call. And no one needs any special equipment. All you need is a phone and everyone has or has access to a telephone. Dial a number and input a code and you are on your conference call. No need to drive to a meeting. No need to fly to a meeting. Just pick up your telephone.
Zip Conferencing makes audio conference calling as easy as it can be. From the process before the conference call to looking at reports after the call you can not find a simpler way to meet.
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July 18th, 2011
What are the factors that make up conference call quality? After all, isn’t the ability to interact with the other participants like they are in the same room the most important factor in any conference call service? At Zip Conferencing the quality and reliability of the conference call is the top priority. Here are some of the steps we have taken to insure you have a quality conference call.
- Network Quality – The most important factor in determining the quality of a conference call is the network it is connected through. Just like any other long distance call if you have a bad connection it doesn’t matter how good the equipment is on the end of the call. To insure our conference call quality is the best we have direct digital connections to our long distance provider’s networks. Eliminating other switches eliminates additional trouble areas and pieces of equipment that can introduce noise as well. We also only use top tier long distance providers for our conference call services. We may be able to save a little money by using a smaller provider but since their networks are not as large as a top tier provider it introduces other networks to the equation further introduces trouble points. We also use multiple carriers so that our network has a back up in place in the event of a major outage with one of the carriers.
- New Equipment – Since our conference call company is fairly new, we have put the latest equipment in place to process the conference calls. The newer equipment delivers a higher quality conference call and also is less prone to outages itself. In addition, our conference call equipment has the latest features incorporated into it. We also employ back ups of our conference call equipment so that we have full back ups in the case of an outage with the equipment.
- Back Up Systems – Now that we have built out a network that delivers high quality conference calls we have also installed measures to insure the reliability of the network. We have battery and generator back up systems in place to make sure that our network has power in the event of an outage. As mentioned, we have back up long distance provider connections in the event of a major outage at the network level. And we have back up equipment in the vent of an equipment outage.
When you do a conference call you just assume it will work, but as you can see, it is up to the conference call service provider to make sure there is conference call quality.
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July 11th, 2011
I still get people who ask me about the basics of an audio conference so I thought I would spend today describing just how easy and affordable a conference call can be.
- Ease of Use- An audio conference was not always as easy to use as they are today. It used to be that you had to get the names and numbers of the people you wanted on an audio conference to an operator who would schedule the conference call and when the time came call out to all the parties. There was work up front for the moderator to assemble this information and then call a conference call service and relay that information to them so the audio conference could begin. And then for the participants on the conference call you had to be at the phone number you supplied at the time of the call or you were not going to get on the audio conference. Of course this was before cell phones were real prevalent and most people had to stay at their desks a little more than today anyway but still I can tell you that many calls were missing participants because people just were not always where they were supposed to be when the audio conference began. As a conference call service provider we spent a lot of time chasing people down or putting them into the correct conference calls when they called back into our service center. Now it is much easier for everyone. Zip Conferencing provides you with a toll free dial in number that never changes and pass codes for you and your participants that never change. There is no need to schedule your audio conference now. You simply tell your participants when you want to meet and supply them with the toll free dial in number and pass code. At the time of the conference call you and your participants simply dial the access number and put in the pass code and you are joined in the conference call.
- Affordable- Over time just as the audio conference has gotten a lot easier to use it has also become more affordable. The average rate per minute of a toll free conference call in 1995 was $.50 per minute. Today Zip Conferencing has toll free conference call rates as low as $.024 per minute. The combination of ease of use and price has resulted in explosive growth for conference calls. You can meet with a large group of people for a small amount of money and it cost nothing for your participants to join.
An audio conference is the easiest and most affordable way to meet with a group of people.
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July 7th, 2011
When I started Zip Conferencing I formed the company around a strong foundation of offering a high quality, reliable conference call service with outstanding customer service. And the idea of offering a free conference call service just did not match up well with these principals. So why doesn’t Zip Conferencing offer a free conference call service?
- Quality – The first thing to suffer when a company offers a free conference call service is the quality of the conference call. In order to be able to provide a free conference call service the conference call service provider needs to keep their costs way down. That is because they only earn money from the local phone company where their equipment is and the rate they earn is very small. That is because the conference call service provider makes money on a free conference call by getting paid to terminate long distance calls on the local provider’s network. And you and all of your participants are required to dial long distance to get to the conference call bridge. The local phone company is paid by the long distance carriers to terminate calls and they in turn pay the free conference call service company. So, typically the conference call equipment is not the best available and many times it is VOIP based and believe me you will hear the difference. Zip Conferencing uses the latest conference call service equipment directly connected to the long distance carrier networks to insure the highest quality conference calls possible.
- Reliability- Quality and reliability go hand and hand and if you are not using the best equipment you tend to have more issues than if your equipment is top of the line. In addition, to keep costs down the free conference call service companies usually do not have as extensive a back up network in place in case there is an issue. It cost money to have back up equipment on standby and to have back up generators and other systems in place to insure the conference call service is in place when you need it. Zip Conferencing has back up systems and power in place for the highest standard in reliability.
- Cost- Lastly is the cost. But it is Free right? Actually no. A free conference call service makes you call a long distance number to connect to it. So you and all of your participants are going to pay a long distance charge to connect to the conference call. Do you really want your participants to have to pay to get on your conference call? This hidden cost is the main reason to avoid using a free conference call service. With rates for toll free conference calls as low as Zip Conferencing’s why make your participants pay?
So why should Zip Conferencing offer a free confernece call service when it can provide the highest quality, most reliable conference calls at rates that beat even the free conference call service providers?
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June 28th, 2011
The telephone conference call has been around for a long time, but now with the advent of the Internet and phone calls over the Internet what about the online conference call? There are services that promise to be able to give you cheap or even free conference call services online. So, is an online conference call a good thing? Here are some of the things you should consider if you are thinking about trying an online conference call.
Quality- The first thing you need to consider when thinking about an online conference call is the quality. It used to be you would n0t even consider doing a phone call over the Internet let alone a conference call. But the Internet network improved and then people started to get high speed access and the option started to make some sense to people. VOIP (Voice Over IP) technology has come a long way but it is still not of the same quality as a regular telephone call. There are traffic issues with the Internet and the connections to it that cause irregularities that you do not notice when surfing the Internet but will surely notice when you try to make a phone call over it. And with an online conference call you don’t have just one call going on but you will have any number of participants on an online conference call and that uses even more bandwidth.
Reliability- Reliability of an online conference call is much the same as the quality in its issues. Everyone has experienced hits on their Internet connection that cause loss of data and even outages altogether on their Internet connection. It is bothersome if you are on your PC when this happens but if you are on an online conference call when this happens it can be disastrous.
Accessibility – Probably the biggest argument against an online conference call is the issue of accessibility. When you do an online conference call all of the participants need to have access to a PC and an Internet connection. This defeats the whole concept and convenience of a conference call. With a regular conference call you can join the conference call from anywhere you have a telephone. And with mobile phones that is virtually anywhere. And even if everyone is sitting at their desk to attend your online conference call not everyone has the equipment on their PC to be able to participate because you also need a microphone or a headset.
I do believe that someday the network will be ubiquitous and we will be communicating through our PC or similar device but for now the best place for a conference call is on the plain old telephone network.
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June 24th, 2011
If you are shopping for a conference calling provider it can be pretty maddening on trying to tell the difference in the services. Some of that is created by the conference calling providers themselves. When I look at some of the ads that are used to attract new customers and then look into the actual offers it is easy to understand how people can get confused. Here are some of the things you should look for when shopping for a conference calling provider.
- Quality and Reliability – It is funny, but when I talk to customers I rarely get asked about the quality of the conference call service. Maybe conference calling has really become a commodity in customer’s eyes and they simply assume that the service will work no matter which conference calling service provider they choose. Having been in the teleconferencing industry for over 16 years I have intimate knowledge of what goes into making sure that there is quality and reliability in a conference call service. And I can tell you that not every service is the same in respect to quality and reliability. It takes a real commitment on the part of ownership to make sure you do everything to insure the service is available and ready when people need it to be. At Zip Conferencing we have done everything possible to make sure we are delivering the highest quality and reliability available. After all, isn’t this the most important aspect of the conference calling service?
- Toll Free Service- When you look at many of the advertisements of the conference calling service providers out there you will see some pretty low rates and even “free” conference calling services. The last thing you want is to have your participants paying hidden charges to attend your conference call. Imagine inviting prospects to your presentation only to have them paying to get there. It certainly takes something away from your presentation. Nothing beats the convenience and peace of mind that toll free conference call services can provide. And at the low rates they are available today why would you want to do anything else?
- Features- You may not use every conference calling feature that is out there because there are many. But there is also no reason to try to save money by signing up with a service that has only limited features available. Zip Conferencing is a conference calling provider that offers low rates with a full featured service. Many of the features simply make your life easier before and during your conference call and some are essential conference call tools. Why not have them and a great rate too?
- Support – Hopefully a conference calling provider service will not require a whole lot of support because it works and is easily understandable. But if you should need support, especially when you are in the middle of an important conference call, wouldn’t you want it to be there? Zip Conferencing is a conference calling provider that has support available 24/7 and can even join your conference call for assistance if necessary. You may never need it but isn’t it nice to know it is there if you do?
Conference calling services are an important communications piece of your business. Make sure you look closely under the hood before you buy and get a service you will be happy with for years to come.
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June 17th, 2011
Here it comes! Summertime. And we all look forward to spending time doing the things we love and spending time away from the office. So why would I want to talk about conference calls in the summertime? Well, when you thin about it getting on a conference call to stay in touch with things is sometimes a much better option than having to go into the office to meet with people. In fact, summertime conference calls can really save your summer vacation. How can a conference call be a good thing?
- Conference Calls can be attended from Anywhere- I have taken a conference call in some mighty strange places. But that is because I have not let the need to attend a conference call get in the way of a vacation day. But I will never complan if I have to leave my chair at the beach for a few minutes to go to the air conditioned car where it is not windy so I can get on a conference call. The alternative is I can’t go to the beach at all because I have to go to the office for a meeting. So take your conference call wherever you need to as they don’t care if you are at the beach, boat, camp or wherever. If your phone works so will your conference call.
- A Conference Call can happen Anytime – I have also been on a conference call at all times of the day. With people all around the world being able to join a conference call with Zip Conferencing I have been on calls all hours of the day. But wherever I am when the call happens I simply need to get on the telephone and can do that from the comfort of my home and go back to bed if necessary.
- A Web Conference is Just like being There- If you add a web conference to your conference call you can colloborate with others just like you are in the room with them. So if you really need to get some work done all you need is a PC and in internet connection and you can literally do whatever you need to do from a meeting standpoint from anywhere in the world.
So don’t think of a conference call as an interruption on your vacation but as simply a way you can do what needs to be done for work without the need to disrupt your summer. Enjoy the summer!
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June 10th, 2011
Conference Call Service Providers that have web conferencing in their service offering provide the audio component of the web meeting in a couple of ways. So I thought it would be helpful to explain what a web conference call was and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- VOIP conference call – One way to connect with your participants during a web conference call is to have the audio portion of the conference call go through the PC along with the web conferencing component. The advantage to this is there is typically no additional cost to having parties connect using this method. The disadvantages are that some people are not set up to listen through their PC or they are at work and can’t disturb the people around them by playing sound through their PC. And most people do not have the ability to talk through their PC either. That means it will be difficult to have your audience participate in the conference call. Another disadvantage is that you are using up bandwidth by talking over the same Internet connection as the web conference. This can create additional quality issues with the audio portion or web portion of the web conference call.
- Local Access Number – Most web conferencing providers will provide a local access number to connect to the audio portion of the web conference call over a telephone. The advantage to this method is that you are allowing participants to connect using a telephone and they don’t have to be on their PC to hear the conference call. If someone is on the road and can’t access their PC they can still participate. Also, the quality issue is now solved by separating the PC traffic from the voice traffic. The disadvantage is that participants have to dial a local number somewhere and may get charged by their telephone company to connect to your conference call.
- Toll Free Access Number – The toll free access number using a regular telephone conference call that is integrated to the web conference incorporates the advantages of using a regular telephone call with the convenience of a toll free connection. Now you know that your participants will not see any hidden charges when they connect to your web conference call.
So when you are shopping for a web conferencing service provider you may want to pay attention to the web conference call connection methods they provide. Zip Conferencing provides local and toll free access numbers using a regular telephone conference call for the maximum quality and convenience.
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June 8th, 2011
Most people are pretty familiar with running or at least attending a conference call. But what if you have international participants? What is different about an international conference call service? How do participants join your conference call if they are out of the country. Conference call service providers offer a number of ways to connect to a conference call from outside the United States. Zip Conferencing offers a number of international conference call service options for its customers.
- Local Number Dial In Access – This international conference call service option is available from most every conference call provider. Basically when you get a dial in reservation from the conference call service provider they give you a local number here in the United States. And like any other local number you can dial into this number from anywhere in the world. The cost to the Host of the call is usually the same as if someone dialed in from somewhere in the United States. For the participant, however, they will pay whatever toll charges they would normally pay to dial into a local number in the United States. Depending on where in the world they are this can get quite expensive for the participant.
- International Local Access – A few conference call service providers, like Zip Conferencing, have local numbers in countries outside the United States that participants can dial into. The international conference call service company transports the call back to the conference call system in the United States. That way someone in another country can dial a local number but actually conenct to a call int eh United States. They only pay for the call in their country and since it is a local call the cost is usuall minimal for free. The cost to the Host of the call is more than if the participant used the local number in the United States but still less than an international toll free number.
- International Toll Free Access – The most expensive, but certainly most convenient method for international conference call services is the international toll free number. Zip Conferencing has toll free numbers in over 40 countries that terminate into their systems in teh United States. That way the participant dials a toll free number in their country and connect to the conference call in the United States.
The main thing to consider when looking at international conference call service options is whether you want your participant to pay for any portion of the conference call. The next deciding factor is whether they are near one of the local access point around the world. And then depending on your relationship with your participant you may want to make sure they get the most convenient no cost option which is toll free.
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June 6th, 2011
Web Conferencing has come a long way since its invention in the mid 1990′s and today there are a lot of different solutions available. So what is the right web conferencing solution for you? First you need to familiarize yourself with the different features and options available and then look for the right solution. Here are a few of the most popular options available with a web conferencing solution.
- Application Sharing – Most web conferencing solutions offer some type of application sharing. Application sharing is where you have the ability to show what is on your computer to the participants in your web conference. Usually you can choose the application you want to share or just show everyone your entire desktop. Just be careful if you choose your entire desktop all participants will see everything you have open on your computer as you move around.
- Whiteboarding – This is another popular feature for any web conferencing solution. This feature mimics having a white board in your meeting. You have the ability to draw on the white board and so do your participants. So if you want a live interactive white board session you want to look for this feature.
- Video Sharing – Some, but not all web conferencing solutions allow you to share your desktop video with your participants. And some web conferencing solutions enable your participants to share their video with you and other participants as well. Zip Conferencing has full video sharing with the host and participants.
- Q&A and Polling – If you intend to use the web conferencing solution for any training application you may want to make sure it has some form of Q&A and Polling built into it. These features allow you to ask the participants questions and then provide the results real time to the audience. This interactivity helps keep your audience engaged throughout your presentation.
- Chat – A chat function in the web conferencing solution allows you to communicate with people separately from the audio portion of the meeting. That way you can have a private discussion with a participant during the web conference.
The best way to determine which web conferencing solution is right for you is to try them out. Most of the services available offer some type of a free trial so there is no risk in trying out the service. Zip Conferencing is extremely easy to use and offers a 30 day free trial to all users.
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June 1st, 2011
There are a number of conference call service providers out there and all of them provide the same basic service. So what makes Zip Conferencing so special? Our Quality and Dependability are second to none but that is a difficult thing to experience until you have an issue with another provider you may think they are good in that department as well. So, here are some of the features you can experience that help separate Zip Conferencing from all the other conference call service providers.
- Online Account Management – One of the main complaints I hear from prospective new customers with their existing conference call service providers is getting through to a customer service agent to make a minor change. Often times when the customer wants to make these changes it is off hours or the customer service department is busy. With Zip Conferencing you can access your account and make most changes with the click of a button. The online system is easy to use and available 24 hours a day. You can add as many moderators and conferences to your account as you like and you can even give the moderators access to their own portion of the system so they can make changes without having to bother you if you like.
- Customizable Conference Calls – Zip Conferencing has Host Controls available from within the conference call that allow you to mute and unmute participants, control the volume and record the conference call. What we also allow you to do is customize the way the conference call works. For instance, you may like to have tones play when a participant joins a conference call but not when they exit. You can decide whether a tone plays on entry or exit or have the participant’s name announced. Or you can decide whether the participants can talk to each other without the moderator on the conference call.
- Outlook Meeting Toolbar – Zip Conferencing has an Outlook Toolbar add on that integrates your conference call information with Outlook to make it easy to schedule a meeting with participants from within your Outlook Calendar. It stores your conference call information so you don’t need to remember it every time and even will start the meeting at the click of a button.
- International Access – Zip Conferencing makes it easy for international participants to join your conference call. With access point around the globe your participants can join by dialing a local number in their country or by using a toll free number. With over 40 access points and toll free numbers in over 40 countries your participants are covered around the world.
- Easy to Use Web Conferencing – Web Conferencing from most providers is complicated and requires you to speak through your PC in order to hold a meeting. Web Conferencing with Zip Conferencing is easy to use and fully integrated with our audio conferencing. You can control the audio portion of the call from within the application and easily share PowerPoint presentations or anything else on your desktop. You can even share your desktop video with your participants and our service will work with up to 125 participants.
- Support – No provider will support you better than Zip Conferencing. As a customer you will have dedicated Account Manager who will oversee your account’s overall satisfaction. In addition, our customer service representatives are available 24/7 and can even join your conference call to assist you if necessary.
There really is a difference in which conference call service provider you choose. Why not use the company that gives you the most features for your money and the highest quality service available?
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May 26th, 2011
They say that nothing in life is free and I usually agree. But here at Zip Conferencing we truly let you try our conference calls and web conferencing for free. There is no better way to convince you about the quality, service and features we offer for our conference call service than to let you try it yourself. Let me explain how the free trials work and what is included.
Conference Call Free Trial – The conference call free trial provides of 60 minutes of conferencing free to people who sign up for our monthly minute plans. That way since you are making a commitment to use the service regularly you can first try it for free to make sure it suits your needs. When you sign up for the free trial you will have access to the full set of features and options as any regular customer of Zip Conferencing. You can log into your online account and explore the conference options, see how easy it is to add Moderators and conferences and explore the reporting options available online. Then you can conduct a conference call and test out the quality of the service and the see what Host controls are available during the conference call. If you are not completely satisfied with the service you can simply cancel your account and you will not be charged anything.
Web Conferencing Free Trial – The web conferencing free trial is available to all subscribers to the Zip Conferencing service and lets you use the web conferencing service for 30 days for free. When you sign up for the web conferencing free trial you will have access to all of the features we offer including desktop video, chat and application sharing. The web conferencing service is so easy to use you will be amazed at what you can do during a meeting. At the end of the 30 days if you are not completely satisfied you can simply cancel the service and you will not be charged.
Zip Conferencing lets you try our services for free and has no contracts because we are confident that if you try our services you will become a customer like the thousands of loyal customers who already enjoy all of the features, service and value that Zip Conferencing offers.
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May 24th, 2011
I have been in the conference call service industry long enough to see most of the innovations introduced over the years. Every time a new feature is introduced I wonder how much easier you can possibly make a conference call. Ever since the invention of the reservationless conference call it has become pretty easy to hold a conference call. Yet the conference call services industry continues to improve and make holding a conference call easier and easier. The latest innovation, the integration of the invitation process with Microsoft Outlook is no exception. Zip Conferencing now offers the ability to integrate its conference call service into your Outlook with an Outlook Toolbar that can get your conference call going in just a click of the mouse.
The Microsft Outlook Meeting Toolbar from Zip Conferencing has a number of features that make assembling a conference call even easier.
- Outlook Toolbar retains your conference call service information – Once you load the toolbar you never have to try to remember your conference call information again.
- One click to start a meeting - The start a Meeting button means just that, one click and your audio or web and audio meeting begins.
- Connect Me Service – Dial into the meeting as you always have or you can have the Zip Conferencing system dial out to your phone to connect you to the meeting.
- PC Controls – Controls on your PC allow you to control the meeting including volume, muting and recording of the conference call.
- Web Conferencing – From within an audio meeting you can easily switch to a web meeting or start a web meeting as easily as an audio meeting.
- Invite Participants – Since the Toolbar is integrated with your Outlook you can easily invite participants using Outlooks’ scheduling tool. That way you can easily send invitations to participants who are in your Outlook contact list. You can do this for a meeting you want to start right now or one you want to schedule for later.
- Online Account Access – The Toolbar also provides easy access to your online account where you can add Moderators, conference calls and control other options of your conference call service.
Zip Conferencing continues to make improvements to its conference call service that truly make it easier to do conference calls than ever before.
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April 14th, 2011
Since I have been in the conference call business for over 15 years I regularly forget that most people don't understand the conference call service business. Conference calls have become such an integral part of businesses these days it is difficult to find someone who has not been on a conference call. But the fact is that there are a lot of people who have not been on a conference call and an even larger number who have never hosted one. So, for these people I would like to offer some basics about how a conference call works.
- Automated Dial In - The type of conference call that most people are familiar with these days is the automated dial in call. With this type of call you connect to the call by dialing an access number and then entering a passcode on your telephone to enter the conference. Basically anyone who dials the access number and passcode at the same time will be put into the same conference call.
- Reservationless - Another popular feature of conference calls today is called a reservationless conference call because once the conference call company provides you with the information for the call you can use it at any time without having to make a reservation. This feature made conference calls much easier to use and is in big part the reason for the growth of conference calls over the past 15 years.
- Hosting a Conference Call - So, maybe you have been on a reservationless automated dial in conference call but you have never hosted a call. To host a conference call is not much more difficult than joining one as a participant. As Host of the call you simply need to inform your participants when the conference call is going to take place and distribute the information. Usually the Host will simply email their participants with the date, time and dial in information. As Host you also simply need to dial in at the same time and enter a passcode to join the conference call. That's it.
- Host Controls - With Zip Conferencing, the Host is supplied with a different passcode than the participants. The Host passcode enables the Host to access special features that the participants cannot access. Host controls include the ability to mute/unmute all participants, control volume and record the conference call. The Host is also able to control a number of aspects of the conference call through their online account management system. Those options will be discussed in other posts here.
If you have never hosted a conference call have no fear as it is just as easy as joining one hosted by someone else.
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April 6th, 2011
The worldwide marketplace has really opened up with the Internet and many small businesses are finding themselves with the prospect of being able to sell their goods and services internationally. But many of these businesses hesitate because of the expense of trying to sell to companies overseas. With an International Conference Call you begin to forge relationships with companies overseas without ever leaving your office. An international conference call can bring you together with customers and prospects around the world at a minimal cost. Zip Conferencing offers several ways to have your international participants connect to your international conference call. You can choose the method based on where your participants are located and the cost of the connection.
- US Local Number - The least costly way for you to have participants connect to your international conference call is to have them dial the local number here in the United States that comes with your conference call reservation. The local number is reachable from anywhere in the world. The only drawback to this method is that your participants will have to pay for the long distance call to reach the number here in the United States.
- International Local Number- The next best option from a price perspective for your international conference call is to give your participants a phone number located in their country. Zip Conferencing has local access numbers in over 40 countries around the world. Participants in Paris, France, fro instance, would dial a number in Paris and be connected to your international conference call here in the United States. Your participant will only pay whatever it costs them to dial a local number in their country.
- International Toll Free Number – The most convenient way for international participants to connect to your international conference call is to dial a toll free number in their country. That way they do not incur any charges associated with your conference call. This is also the most expensive way to connect to your international conference call. Zip Conferencing has toll free access numbers in over 40 countries around the world.
With Zip Conferencing’s International Conference Call service you can take your company global without much expense to you or your customers. So what are you waiting for? Go global with an international conference call.
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March 30th, 2011
Conference calls have gone the way of long distance with ever decreasing prices and a seemingly endless list of providers. But there is a lot more to a conference call than you think and the right conference call company can make a big difference in the quality of the call and the features available that can greatly enhance your experience. Zip Conferencing has taken great care in creating a network that can deliver the highest quality conference calls to its customers and built a platform that provides an extraordinary amount of features that make our conference call service easy to use but feature rich. Here are a few of the things we have done to ensure that we are the best conference call company in the industry.
- Reliable Network – Like the foundation of a building, a conference call company needs to build their business on a network that can support the traffic they generate and be able to avoid outages at all costs. But not all conference call companies have taken all of the steps that Zip Conferencing has because a solid network can be expensive. Zip Conferencing has multiple telecommunications carriers installed in cae one of the companies has an outage. We only will accept companies that can provide a direct digital connection to their network so we can have the clearest connections possible. Our equipment is powered by a back up battery and generator supported power grid to avoid any power outages.
- State of the Art Equipment – Our conference call company uses the latest conference call equipment that is more reliable than older equipment. It also offers features many conference call companies don’t have because their equipment is out of date. We also have spare conference call equipment that is powered up and connected to the network available to take the place of any piece of equipment that experiences any issues. Most conference call companies don’t do this because it is expensive.
- Feature Rich Services – Our conference call company has built features that enable our customers and make it easier to do business with us. As a customer of Zip Conferencing you have access to your account online that enables you to access your account and see usage, add/edit moderators and conferences and order additional services. But we also give you the ability to customize your conference call experience by being able to control many aspects of the conference call. For instance, you can decide whether a tone should play when a participant joins or exits the conference call.
- Superior Customer Support – If there is one area many conference call companies will try to save money it is in the area of customer service. Our conference call company still provides personal service to its customers 24/7 and you can even get support while on a conference call by hitting *0 on your telephone.
A conference call is not just a telephone call and many times the conference calls your company does are some of the most important communications you will have. So, shouldn’t you deal with a conference call company that takes their role in your business communications seriously?
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March 24th, 2011
For anyone who has done a conference call you probably just think that there is nothing much to it. You dial an access number to get tot he conference call and then put in a passcode and you are in the meeting. Don’t get me wrong, a conference call doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the reason conference calls are so popular is the fact that they are affordable and easy to use. But that doesn’t mean that having conference call features needs to be complicated or cumbersome either. Once you try some of the conference call features out there you may not know how you lived without them. Here is a list of just some of the conference call features available with Zip Conferencing.
- Mute/UnMute Lines – If you are the moderator of the conference call you can mute all of the participants in the meeting. This is especially helpful if you are having a large conference call. If you have 50 people in the conference call there would be too much noise if all their lines were open. You and your participants can also mute and unmute their own line which helps if you are on a cell phone in your car for instance and you would impart noise into the conference call.
- Volume Control – You and you participants can control the volume of the conference call coming into your phone and also the volume of your line into the conference call. So if you find yourself in a situation where participants are having a hard time hearing you then you can turn up the volume of your line.
- Roll Call – You can have participants record their name when they enter the conference call and then if you are the moderator you can play back a roll call when you join the conference call and hear everyone who is on the call. That way you know exactly who is on the conference call without having to take a live conference call after you join the meeting.
- SubConferencing - If you have something you want to discuss with some of the people on the conference call but not all then you can have a subconference with those participants and then rejoin the conference call. This is used extensively by the legal community when they need to have a discussion with a client during a conference call between both sides of a case.
- Conference Call Introduction – You can personalize your conference call by recording an introduction. That way participants will hear your personal greeting when they join the conference call.
- Post Conference Call Report – Would you like to know how many people were on your conference call? When did they join the call? How many minutes did the conference call generate? You can receive an email containing all of the essential information of the conference call when it has ended.
All of these conference call features are free and part of the service at Zip Conferencing. So why just have a conference call when you can have a fabulous conference call?
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March 17th, 2011
First of all, all of us at Zip Conferencing want to convey to all of our friends in Japan our sympathies over the recent disaster in your country and our thoughts and prayers are with you. It has made all of us think again about how prepared or in many cases unprepared for a similar disaster we are here in the United States. The key to surviving any disaster is preparedness and having audio conferencing services in your disaster kit will help you communicate quickly and effectively. And the fact is that many of us may never experience a disaster on the scale that the Japanese people are going through right now. But having audio conferencing services for even a small disaster will really help you in any situation.
- Earthquakes – Audio Conferencing Services come in handy in the case of a large natural disaster like an earthquake because you can quickly assemble a team of people and communicate the same message all at once. If you have a location in the disaster zone and you have prearranged audio conferencing services people would know to call in and you can quickly assess the situation. Instructions can be given to multiple people at once and discussions can be made on the best course of action.
- Flooding – Flooding can occur at any time in many places in the country and audio conferencing services allow people to communicate that are unable to get to your office for instance. Here in New Jersey the recent flooding prevented a customer from getting to their office building. Audio conferencing services allowed the company to communicate an effective approach to the situation and keep their business going.
- Storm Damage – Whether it is a large snow storm or wind damage that affects power or worse yet a tornado having audio conferencing services will allow you to meet with a group of people even if your building is without power or you are somehow unable to get to that location.
- Technical Outages – Even without external damage from weather or other natural disasters having audio conferencing services and a plan to meet with a team ahead of time can shorten a major technical issue affecting your business. Your technical staff may be scattered across the country or around the globe and audio conferencing services will allow you to meet at a moments notice from anywhere to resolve the issue.
A conference call is convenient because you can meet from any phone anywhere in the world. Audio conferencing services are also inexpensive in that you do not need an equipment or even pay for anything. You can simply have an account with Zip Conferencing and use the service whenever you need it. No need to schedule ahead of time or pay for a service you are not using. Setting up an account for audio conferencing services is free and you will not be charged for our Pay As You Go service unless you use it. So get set up with audio conferencing services now just in case you ever need it.
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February 24th, 2011
Toll free conference calling has been around for a long time and hands down the most popular method of conference calling. The reason has always been pretty simple. No one hosting a conference call wants to subject their participants to having to pay to get on to their conference call. Toll free conference calling means there are no charges to dial into the conference call from your long distance provider. The only person that incurs any cost is the host of the conference call. So, the participants can dial into the conference call from anywhere and not worry about how much it costs. Who wants to think about where people are dialing in from? Here are the alternatives to toll free conference calling and their disadvantages explained.
- Free Conference Calls – Free conference calls are not really free like toll free conference calling to the participants. If you do a free conference call you will be given an access number somewhere in the country where you have to dial a long distance number to get to it. That is you and your participants. Depending on your calling plan the free conference call could easily end up costing you more than toll free conference calling. The reason that companies can offer you a free conference call is because they get paid by the local phone company to terminate your long distance call in their facility. And that is because you and your participants are paying someone for the ability to make that long distance phone call to connect to the conference call. With toll free conference calling you are paying the conference call service provider to transport you and your participants to the conference call. There is no mystery to who is paying for the call and the charges are not hidden somewhere.
- Toll Conference Calls - Toll conference calls are similar to free conference calls only on top of paying to get to the conference call you are also paying the conference call service company. If you are going to pay for the conference call why not pay for toll free conference calling? A toll conference call means you are going to get a phone number somewhere in the country to dial into to access the conference call and you will have to pay long distance charges to get to the call and for the duration of the call. Toll free conference calling means no one pays any long distance charges to participate in your conference call. And you might think that since some people use a cell phone to dial into the conference call that they are not paying for long distance anyway. But they are paying for long distance. It is figured in their monthly plan which also has a certain number of minutes included. Do you want your participants to have to use up their airtime minutes on your conference call? With toll free conference calling the participants can dial in from a land line and not worry about long distance charges.
Toll free conference calling is still better for everyone because there are no hidden charges for people. I am sure you would not want your participants to have to pay to get on your conference call and since toll free conference calling is so inexpensive why not give them an easy, toll free way to access the call?
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February 2nd, 2011
The phone conference call has been around for quite some time. And over the past 15 years that I have been in the industry there have been a lot of changes in technology but the phone conference call continues to thrive. Why is that? Certainly there must be a new phone app or PC program that would make a phone conference call disappear. I mean today you can have a video conference on your cell phone with another person. You can hook your PC up and use the Internet to call thousands of miles for nothing more than the price of your Internet connection. So a plain old phone conference call? Really? Let’s look at some of the competing technologies that have come about in the past 15 and some of the reasons they have not had the same success as the plain old phone conference call.
- Video Conferencing – The phone conference call has survived 15 years of advancements in video conferencing. The equipment you need to do a video conference call used to be very expensive and require a huge amount of bandwidth. So the telecommunications expense to have the ability to do a video conference was also huge. The video conference now can be done at home using your Internet connection and equipment that can be purchased just about anywhere. Businesses can purchase a small video conference system and have it installed on existing telecommunications infrastructure. So video conferencing is now easy and cheap. Why isn’t everyone talking to each other on a video phone like the Jetsons? A number of reasons have slowed the growth of video conferencing while the phone conference call continues to grow. You must go to where the system is and that means you need to be in the office. The home systems are not really business capable and the mobile application is not there yet either and universally available as you need a certain type of phone. A phone conference call can be done from anywhere and today business people are very mobile so having to be in a central location to do all your conference calls is not really practical. And the biggest reason I think is that people are just not comfortable with themselves on TV. Maybe the next generation, the YouTube generation will be more comfortable with it but most people I know do not like being in front of a video camera.
- VOIP Conferencing – Everyone now has a good Internet connection so why aren’t we talking to our PCs yet? One reason is you need to be in front of your PC in order to talk through it and again people are now mobile. Quality is much better than it used to be but VOIP quality is still only as good as the connection and some people still have bandwidth issues. And a lot of people don’t even have a microphone connected to their PC. It is just not what we are used to doing. A phone conference call only requires the same device everyone is familiar with, the phone.
- In House Systems – Over the years every phone system manufacturer has developed a way to do a phone conference call through their system. But the quality of the connection is limited and so are the number of people you can connect to the conference call. And it also requires the moderator to dial out to people and connect them to the conference call. The in-house conference call systems you can buy are hard to justify from an expense point of view and require someone to maintain. A conference call service can do the job better and cheaper than an in-house system.
So, you can see that a phone conference call continues to grow because none of the other options are as universally known, easy to use and inexpensive.
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January 31st, 2011
Not sure where you are, but here in the frozen Northeast having an audio conferencing service is saving an otherwise dreadful winter. We just can’t seem to catch a break with the winter weather and getting to work has become downright impossible on at least one day a week. But with an audio conferencing service, businesses are able to continue to hold meetings and remain productive throughout the winter. An audio conferencing service can really save the day in case of an emergency or like we have seen lately, a snow day.
The Zip Conferencing audio conferencing service is easy to use, reliable and offers features you will not find everywhere. And within a few minutes after signing up for the service you can be holding your first conference call. Here are some of the features that the Zip Conferencing audio conferencing service offers.
- Up to 300 Participants- Our audio conferencing service allows you to have up to 300 participants on a conference call at any time. Many other audio conferencing service providers limit the number of participants you can have on the conference call to a just a few. And you may think you will never need 300 participants on a call but isn’t it nice that it is there if yoiu need it?
- No Reservations Needed – Our audio conferencing service does not require any reservations. Whenever you need to hold a conference call you simply provide your participants with the dial in access number and pass code. There is no need to reserve time for your call.
- Host Controls- As host or moderator you will have access to a number of controls within the conference call with our audio conferencing service. You can mute and unmute all participants, adjust the volume of the conference call and your line into the call, record the conference call, conduct a subconference and lock the conference to new participants. In order to personalize your conference call you can also record your own conference introduction that will be heard by your participants when they join the conference call.
- Customized Options – Our audio conferencing service also provides the administrator the ability to change a number of options for the conference call so that you can truly customize the way the conference call works. You can decide whether you would like to have tones in the conference call when participants enter and exit. You can also control whether the participants can speak to each other before you join the conference call and after you leave. You can have them listen to music on hold and wait for you to join the conference call and then have the call breakdown when you leave the call. You can even make it so that the participants on the conference call are required to record their name in order to join the call. This recording can be used to announce their entry into the conference call and to provide you with a roll call of participants after you join.
So don’t let a snow day slow you down. Our audio conferencing service can turn an otherwise unproductive day into a productive one quickly and easily.
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