Six Stepping Stones to Efficient Unified Communication

April 15, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

As we all know, Unified Communication (UC) is an inevitable part of our business and personal lives every day. Given the wide scope of UC, we are able to communicate almost anytime, anywhere using a variety of devices; however, there are some UC blunders that we should avoid to make the most efficient communication.

Six Stepping Stones to Efficient Communication

1.USE APPROPRIATE FORM OF COMMUNICATION

Using the right form of communication could save time and reduce confusions. Here are some suggestions:

Instant Chat: Informal, short things that you need an answer on as soon as possible.
Email: Formal, longer and more complex issues that you would want to check back on.
Video conferencing: Big topics that need a group discussion and brainstorming. See great conference solutions here.

2.PAY ATTENTION TO THE STATUS INDICATORS

Checking the status indicators before reaching out can help you avoid interruption and missed/ ignored messages. Be sure to utilize the presence indicators to make sure the people you are trying to communicate with are available. If they are busy, try email instead of instant messages or calls.

3.BE AS FORMAL AS YOU WOULD BE IN PERSON

Unified communication has made business communication as easy as chatting with a friend; however, if the person on the other end is communicating for business, be sure to have proper attire. A great rule of thumb is to always be as formal as you would be, if you were meeting in person.

4.BE BRIEF

Time is money. Be concise to conquer information overload issues in this Internet era. Always remember that business communication is not personal chatting.

5.TEST BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS

Testing before you initiate a conference is a good way to avoid technical issues. Make sure you have all the equipment you need to have smooth communication such as VoIP phones, headsets, speakerphone.

VoIP Supply Marketplace is the one-stop-shop to pair you with the best VoIP service provider and hardware needs. Contact us today at 800-305-1427 for a free consultation.

6. CLEAR UNRELATED MATERIAL ON SCREEN SHARE

Screen share allows your audience to see the same screen you are looking at simultaneously. Before you share you screen, be sure to close out or hide other UC applications, browser windows and programs so they won’t distract or interrupt the meeting.

Unified Communication is meant to enhance your work productivity and efficiency not to slow you down. Using it responsibly and properly is the key to enjoy the benefits that UC brings.

5 Benefits of VoIP Phone Systems in Schools

April 12, 2016 by Jeff Quinn

5 Benefits

VoIP technology is not just a business phone system application. VoIP service and hardware can be beneficial in schools or university settings. Below you will find 5 reasons and explanations on why a VoIP phone system will bring an added value to the education system.

Reduce costs

With the ability to get rid of your old telephony lines and turn your phone system over to your internet connection, the costs will immediately be reduced. Also with all the collaborative features involved in a VoIP system you may be able to find other software programs or add ons that can be dropped due to your new VoIP phone system.

Interact in multiple ways

With multiple types of communication avenues, it makes it much easier to get the word out. Explore different avenues of communication with VoIP such as:

Quick Phone Calls with 4 digit dialing
Video Calls via personal devices or large conference groups
Messages (email, IM or SMS)
Fax over IP

Connect Easily with Other Classrooms

With a VoIP phone system you can bring all classrooms under one roof. Do you have a foreign language program? You can easily interact with other classrooms around the world using a VoIP phone system. Bring mentor programs into your schools with video conferencing, messaging and audio conference calls.

Within a university setting, there are satellite campuses and certain labs or offices that are not on all campuses. With VoIP you can bring all those rooms and offices into one central location.

No Need for a Separate Bell System

When purchasing a bell system for a building it can become quite pricey and also add another system that you will need to intertwine with your current system. When implementing a VoIP phone system, you have the ability to incorporate a bell system within the feature set of the phone.

If you already have an existing paging system you can connect it to your VoIP system with a snom PA-1. If you’re interested in purchasing a new paging system there are plenty of IP paging products available to you.

Along with a bell system you also have the ability to enhance your emergency notification system. The ability to target where and when certain notifications are broadcast can greatly reduce issues during emergency situations.

Increase Communications with Parents

With access to different types of communications, the relationship between the teacher and parent will grow and increase. As you already understand, having parents more involved in the student’s education will produce better results.

Contact us today with inquiries and questions

Now that you have some more information about the benefits of VoIP in education settings please contact our solution specialists with any and all of your additional questions. They are always up to the challenge of finding a solution for your want or need. You can reach them at 1-800-398-VoIP or [email protected].

10 Considerations for Successful Cultural Shifts

by Ying-Hui Chen

Contact centers are a large source of untapped revenue and future stability. Because they form very specific kinds of cultures, contact centers also present challenges not usually seen elsewhere in the organization.

The proactive management of cultures is often avoided because it is seen as a difficult and even dangerous long-term endeavor. This does not have to be the case. In fact, proper management of a culture increases the likelihood of business success and can have rewarding effects on employee satisfaction and engagement.

Because we often disregard the untapped power inherent in our customer relationships, contact centers are often seen as necessary inconveniences in the ongoing effort to increase sales and growth. In reality, contact centers are the window through which our customers can see, judge and consider a personal relationship with our brand- the holy grail of any business.

Such brand affinity only comes from consistent customer experiences, over tune. This consistency cannot be efficiently managed at the individual CSR level. Instead it must be the product of a “responsive way of being” in the organization. It starts with management’s taking responsibility for the culture, rather than seeing it as something separate from them or beyond their control.

Proactive management of the contact center culture can create the space for a “responsive way of being” culture, to maximize profitability, increase loyalty and repurchase rates while reducing costs in operations. To do that, you have to understand your contact center’s cultural dynamics- and the social norms and cultural qualities that contribute to it. It requires clarity of corporate purpose, as well. And insight into your employee’ strengths and weaknesses.

Effecting a corporate culture shift isn’t easy. But the rewards can be significant. To learn more, click here for a copy of the white paper, 10 Consideration for Successful Corporate Culture Shifts in Contact Centers.

First Look: Yealink W56P Cordless DECT Phone

April 11, 2016 by Jeff Quinn

Yealink is excited to announce it’s second installment of a cordless DECT phone solution with the Yealink W56P. The first generation of DECT phones from Yealink were the W52P and W52H, which were well received in the VoIP community.

Compatible with Yealink W52P Units

Yealink wanted to make sure there was full compatibility with all their products and continued this trend with the addition of the W56P. The W56P handsets are fully compatible with the W52H base stations. What this means if you already have a Yealink W52P with base station configured to your business phone system, the W56P will work seamlessly with your older handsets.

Unprecedented Battery Performance

One big differentiator between the Yealink W52P cordless handset and the W56P is the battery performance. Yealink has tested these phone under conditions that are typical of extensive use throughout the day. Some of the features and functions of the handset and battery are:

Continuous Talk Time: 30 hours

Standby Time: Over 400 hours

Quick charge: 10 min charging equals 2 hour talk time

Charge anywhere, any device with USB port

yealink-w56p-image-small The Yealink W56P is ideal for the user who needs to be reached when they are away from their desk phone. This Wireless DECT phone can be used in such settings as catering facilities and hospitals.

Yealink W56P Availability

The Yealink W56P is set to be formally launched on April 20th with expected ship dates around the same time period.

Mark Your Calendar for Sangoma Technologies Roadshow on April 20th, 2016

April 7, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

Whether you are enterprise users, systems integrators, or resellers, the upcoming 2016 Sangoma Technologies Roadshow is the event that you won’t want to miss! Sangoma Technologies and VoIP Supply are hosting a free training on April 20th. Join our industry experts as they discuss and explore the advantages of the new alliance between FreePBX and Sangoma.

The training will be held on Wednesday April 20th at Holiday Inn and Suites Chicago Downtown from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Free to attend, but space is limited so please register your seats early! Click here for event details.

How Can I Benefit From The Training?

Learn how to leverage the Sangoma Partner Program to increase your bottom line.
Experience Sangoma’s latest and greatest products and technologies, including the recently launched Sangoma s300, s500, and s700 Phones, through live demonstrations.
Get up to speed on the latest developments in our unified communications solutions, including FreePBX, PBXact, SIPStation, FAXStation, and the new Zulu UC.
Connect with Sangoma representatives and share your ideas.
Network with other IT and telephony professionals during a complimentary happy hour with drinks and appetizers.
Have a chance to win a new Sangoma s500 or s700 phone!

Questions?

To have more information about 2016 Sangoma Roadshow, please contact us at 1-800-398-VoIP or email at [email protected]. We will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have.

What Is SIP Proxy Server?

by Ying-Hui Chen

SIP Proxy Server, or sometimes called SIP Proxy or SIP Server, acts like intermediary or facilitator among SIP devices assisting point-to-point communication from picking up to dropping of calls. However, SIP Proxy’s job is more than just a go-between.

To make it easier to understand, we can think of SIP Proxy Server as a phone call manager and security guard. Now, let’s learn what its duty is in each role.

Phone Call Manager

Assist call processing in the SIP network to set up calls between SIP devices and implement provider call-routing policies.
Control call rules such as arranging simultaneous or sequential phone rings and the time length before the call being transferred to another destination like voice mailbox or another extension.
In some circumstance, a SIP Proxy Server even interprets or rewrites certain parts of the request messages before forwarding them.

Security Guard

Grant or deny access to a network resource. A SIP Proxy Server first ensures that a user is the correct person and then based on that, it determines the user’s identity and authorizes the user to access various resources.
Enhance network security. For example: A SIP Proxy Server checks the caller’s identity and credit before the caller can connect to a destination that costs money such as PSTN network or foreign locations.

Two Types of SIP Proxy Servers

Based on how the SIP Proxy Servers handle the information they receive, there are two main types of SIP Proxy Server performing different functions to fit users’ needs in different situations.

Stateless Proxy Server

info Stateless Proxy Servers simply pass along the messages they receive to the assigned destination. They don’t store any information of the call and transaction.

Since they don’t need to spend the extra time and energy to remember the SIP requests and messages that they have forwarded, Stateless Proxy Servers usually work very fast and efficient. Therefore, Stateless Proxy Server works well for network hubs.

Stateful Proxy Server

Stateful Proxy Servers, on the other hand, track everything from SIP requests, messages, to responses. This function allows you to restore the information you need in the future and also retransmit the request if the servers haven’t received a response they were waiting for.

VoIP Supply Fills New Channel Manager Position

April 6, 2016 by Mary Cheney

DON VoIP Supply LLC. North America’s leading provider of VoIP solutions is excited to announce that Don Stefanie has been promoted to the new Channel Manager position.

VoIP Supply wants to ensure that all of their new and existing partners have a dedicated representative to take care of all of their wants and needs. When the opportunity arose, there was no question that Don was the right person for the job.

“He is highly energetic, passionate and knows that ins and outs of the industry,” says Christian Buerk, Sales Manager at VoIP Supply.

Don has over eighteen years of professional sales experience, with the past fourteen years being in the IT Channel. Managing diverse account portfolios consisting of one man operations up to and including publicly traded companies, Don knows what it takes to get the job done. With his customer-first sales approach, he manages to grow market share, exceed sales goals and handles company initiatives. Please help us in congratulating Don and welcoming him into this well-deserved position.

If you are interested in joining the VoIP Supply Partner Program, you can contact Don directly at 716-213-6906 or email him at [email protected].

For more information about VoIP Supply and our team of experts call 1-800-398-8647 or visit our website.

About VoIP Supply Partner Program

Since 2002, VoIP Supply has delivered valuable solutions for over 125,000 customers worldwide. We are committed to using our place in the Marketplace to help our customers and partners grow exponentially. Whether you choose to be a Referral Partner, or a VoIP Partner, we’re here to help you succeed.

About VoIP Supply

VoIP Supply, LLC. (www.voipsupply.com) is your trusted source for everything VoIP; from our large selection of name-brand hardware to our CloudSpan Marketplace. VoIP Supply provides you with a fully staffed inbound call center with licensed, certified and highly trained VoIP experts that can help you with any problem you might have. Whether you are a home user, business, reseller or service provider, VoIP Supply has the products, experiences and expertise to make your deployment a success.

VoIP Supply is a three-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree, listed by Business First as one of WNY’s Most Admired Companies, as well as being consistently ranked one of Western New York’s Best Places to Work. VoIP Supply is also the first Certified B Corporation in Western New York.

Our dedicated Solution Specialists are here to help, so call us today at 1-800-398-VoIP or visit our website at www.voipsupply.com

Does Jabra PRO 920 Work With Polycom VVX300?

by Ying-Hui Chen

Our tech support team at VoIP Supply offers great pre- and post-sales support plus provisioning, consultations, configuration, and installation help. We get a lot of VoIP hardware and software questions and would like to share the solutions with everyone.

In previous Mom’s calling Q&A series, we have discussed: Why Doesn’t My Snom 710 Phone Ring? Today, we have more new real questions and answers from VoIP users just like you.

Does Jabra PRO 920 Work With Polycom VVX300?

Q: I have a Polycom VVX 300 phone and would like to know if Jabra PRO 920 headset can work with that.

A: Yes! Jabra PRO 920 headset works with Polycom VVX300 phone. However, You will need to place the phone in Jabra EHS mode.

Please follow the steps to set up: Menu-> Settings-> Basic-> Preferences-> Headset-> Hookswitch mode-> Jabra EHS. Once the setting is done, your headset should be able to work with the phone.

STAY TUNED

Come back for more VoIP questions and answers next time! If you have VoIP questions to ask us, you could submit a technical support ticket or contact our VoIP experts directly today at (866)- 582-8591 We are here to help and will assist you with any VoIP questions.

Join VoIP Supply at the Chicago Small Business Expo

April 4, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

Last month the Small Business Expo in Miami drew a crowd. VoIP Supply had great time meeting all of you who had stopped by our booth.

Whether you’ve missed the Small Business Expo in Miami or want to network with us again, now it’s your chance! VoIP Supply is exhibiting at the Small Business Expo 2016 in Chicago. We are here to help with any VoIP questions and to customize the best VoIP solution for you. The event will be held at UCI Forum on April 21st from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. VoIP Supply will be at Booth 502. The event is FREE to attend. Register HERE today. Thanks to Patton and Grandstream for sponsoring VoIP Supply booth.

WHAT YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM VISITING VOIP SUPPLY AT THE SMALL BUSINESS EXPO

Learn new VoIP solutions and services that will save you and help your business grow
FREE CloudSpan Marketplace Consultation which includes:
- An evaluation of your current situation
- Pricing, and solution comparisons from multiple providers
- A deep dive into what features are needed to make your business successful
Network and reconnect with VoIP Supply

CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE EXPO IN CHICAGO?

No problem. You still have the chance to meet with us in New York! VoIP Supply will also be attending the Small Business Expo in New York on June 9th 2016. If you have any questions about the expo, please visit Small Business Expo website or contact us today at 866-582-8591 or [email protected]. We hope to see you all in the event!

Fulfillment by VoIP Supply – What Makes Us Stand Out Against the Rest

April 1, 2016 by Mary Cheney

Some of the things that come to mind when thinking about VoIP Fulfillment are timing, space, logistics, branding and trust. With Fulfillment by VoIP Supply we can assure you that your experience will be as seamless as possible.

One of our five core values at VoIP Supply is Mom’s Calling. You’re probably thinking, where are they going with this. Well, it’s a core value for a reason; just like when mom is calling for help, we all jump to take action. At VoIP Supply we put our customer’s right up there with our moms! You can be sure you will be taken care of right away and in a timely manner.

Turnaround Time

TIME We also understand the importance of order timing. With two warehouses (one on each coast) and dedicated staff, we can confidently say that we have the shortest turnaround times in the industry. This is definitely one attribute that sets us apart from the rest.

Logistics & Ordering

In addition to our MarketPlace, which gives you the ability to choose from many of the best providers out there, we also offer our partners blind shipping, giving the illusion of you being a larger business. By utilizing VoIP Supply’s newly designed custom portal and API, you will have real-time access to your projects fulfillment progress and delivery. With the ability to manage your business from any web enabled device, you will always ensure your project is on track, and expectations are being exceeded.

Branding

Our creative marketing department is here to help you brand your business. With the ability to customize almost anything; from faceplates, marketing materials and more, we are here to make your business a success.

Trust

We understand that you have choices when it comes to fulfillment, so why should you choose to work with us? Trust is huge, and we know that you are trusting us to make sure your business operations are not interrupted. We will do whatever it takes to get the job done as close to perfect as possible. We don’t want to brag, but we haven’t been finalist for the Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Awards for just being ethical, we are finalists because our customers trust us to do the right thing for them, at all times.

If you have questions about Fulfillment by VoIP Supply please contact our Director of Sales Christian Buerk at [email protected] or visit VoIP Supply website.

Six Stepping Stones to Efficient Communication

1.USE APPROPRIATE FORM OF COMMUNICATION

2.PAY ATTENTION TO THE STATUS INDICATORS

3.BE AS FORMAL AS YOU WOULD BE IN PERSON

4.BE BRIEF

5.TEST BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS

6. CLEAR UNRELATED MATERIAL ON SCREEN SHARE

Reduce costs

Interact in multiple ways

Connect Easily with Other Classrooms

No Need for a Separate Bell System

Increase Communications with Parents

Contact us today with inquiries and questions

Compatible with Yealink W52P Units

Unprecedented Battery Performance

Yealink W56P Availability

How Can I Benefit From The Training?

Questions?

Phone Call Manager

Security Guard

Two Types of SIP Proxy Servers

Stateless Proxy Server

Stateful Proxy Server

More Questions?

About VoIP Supply Partner Program

About VoIP Supply

Does Jabra PRO 920 Work With Polycom VVX300?

STAY TUNED

WHAT YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM VISITING VOIP SUPPLY AT THE SMALL BUSINESS EXPO

CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE EXPO IN CHICAGO?

Turnaround Time

Logistics & Ordering

Branding

Trust

Featured Posts

Popular Posts

Read Our Feed

Latest

VoIP Post Categories

Archives