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It is widely understood — frankly, it is axiomatic by this point — that good customer service is important. However, the enormous impact and influence of customer service on today’s business landscape is truly eye-opening. Consider the following: 52% of customers have made an additional purchase from a company after a positive customer service experience. (Source: Dimensional Research) 86% of consumers are willing to spend up to 25% extra for better customer service. (Source: Squaretalk) 61% of customers have switched brands due to poor customer service. And nearly 50% have done so within the last year. (Source: Microsoft)   The moral to this statistical story...

These days, the need for businesses to “do more with less” is not just important: it’s essential! And that’s why a growing number of companies — from small firms to large enterprises — are upgrading to cloud (a.k.a. VoIP) office phone systems. Here are the 5 biggest reasons why 1. No PBX Costs With Office Phone Systems Conventional phone systems require an on-site private branch exchange (PBX). These are extremely expensive. While the exact amount depends on the size of the organization, generally the cost is about $1,000 per employee. So, a company with 15 employees would have to spend $15,000...

Right now, tens of millions of people who would otherwise be working in a corporate office are working from home. This is a good thing. If the COVID-19 pandemic happened 20 years ago, remote working would be far less viable of an option. Yes, people had internet at home back then, too. But connectivity speeds were much slower, and many were still using dial-up modem technology. Imagine taking 15 minutes to download a presentation (and even longer to upload one). And as for real-time video conferences: forget about it! However, the fact that millions of people are working remotely right now...

No, nothing is ever really free, even if it might seem that way at first glance. Many businesses today are making the move to cloud-based telephone services, and you might be tempted to do the same. Most cloud-based services run on either SIP trunking or VoIP protocol, basically using virtual connections, instead of wires and cables and using existing internet connection cables to convert audio into data to be transported. This can have many advantages. Landlines are quickly becoming a thing of the past. You might not have one at home at all. But, at work, having a phone is still...

While 2020 was a very challenging year for obvious reasons, there were some bright spots as well. And one of the most encouraging and uplifting stories was North Carolina being named “2020 State of the Year” by Business Facilities Magazine. This is the first time — but certainly will not be the last time — that North Carolina has earned Business Facilities’ top honor. A title that has been bestowed annually since 2007. North Carolina earned top 10 rankings in several key categories for the "2020 State of the Year": Best Business ClimateWorkforce DevelopmentManufacturing EmploymentForeign Direct InvestmentBiotechnologyInstalled Solar PowerUnmanned Aerial SystemsFastest-Growing States...

Building Back A Better America America is a very different place than it was just a couple of weeks ago. When the COVID-19 virus first emerged, we were all told to wash our hands properly and follow typical guidance for stopping the spread of viruses. Now we’re told to stay at home. While there have been many crises over the years, this has changed life as we know it significantly, and all in a short space of time. It’s truly an unbelievable turn of events.But as with any crisis, we will make it through the other side. The lessons learned at...

Why Bigger is Not Always Better Bill Gates once said that “success is a lousy teacher because it seduces people into thinking that they can’t lose.” Well, to this we would add that success is sometimes not just a lousy teacher for people — it can also be a lousy teacher for companies, too. Take for example the consolidation that is happening in the VoIP industry. A growing number of relatively small companies are being acquired by larger organizations. On the surface, this seems like a good thing. After all, bigger is supposed to be better, right? But if we take...

Dear IT Professionals: Let’s start with this: there has been a lot of talk about “essential workers” during the pandemic — and for good reason. But you, Mr. or Ms. IT Professional, are essential ALWAYS. In fact, if you weren't on the job, end-users would experience chaos and customers would get irate. Basically, the entire organization would grind to a halt. Things would get ugly in a hurry.And speaking of ugly…Let’s talk about your other job. You know, the one that you never applied for: serving as the organization’s “Phone System Guru.".You are the go-to person for phone system moves, adds,...