Blog, Insights, and Announcements from Carolina Digital Phone

6 Reasons Why a Digital Phone App for Business is Now ESSENTIAL

Over the last couple of years, the word “essential” has been used quite a bit. We’ve heard about essential workers, essential industries, and essential services. Well, now we need to add something new to the list of essentials: a digital phone app. Here are 6 reasons why: 1. Business Caller ID Many employers have a bring your own device (BYOD) policy, which allows employees to use their personal mobile devices for work-related purposes. This is cost effective for employers, and convenient for employees. That’s the good news. The bad news is that when making work-related calls, employees who are using

Nicky Smith August 11, 2022

6 Questions You MUST Ask a Potential UCaaS Provider

When it comes to reaping the transformative benefits and advantages of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), you must focus on more than features and functions. You also need to choose the right UCaaS provider. To help you achieve this goal, here are six questions to ask a potential UCaaS provider: 1. Do you have in-depth experience designing, implementing, and supporting UCaaS systems? As the old — but absolutely 100% valid — saying goes: there is no substitute for experience! If a UCaaS provider has less than a decade of experience (but obviously more is better), then cross them off

Nicky Smith July 26, 2022

Upgrading to UCaaS? Follow These 7 Best Practices

If you are thinking about upgrading to UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service), then let us start with this: good move! Over the last few years, a growing number of organizations have said goodbye to a limited, inflexible, and excessively costly legacy phone system, and hello to an agile, cost-effective, feature-rich, and future-proofed UCaaS solution. In a moment, we highlight seven best practices for upgrading to UCaaS. First, let us answer a basic yet important question: just what is UCaaS, anyway? About UCaaS While the technology that drives UCaaS is complex, understanding the essence is simple. One of the best

Nicky Smith July 19, 2022

woman using a VoIP hosted PBX while working from home

3 Ways that a VoIP Hosted PBX Drives Hybrid Work

Now that the worst of COVID-19 is finally behind us, many organizations are deploying a hybrid work model. This allows employees spend part of the week in their home office, and the rest of the time in the corporate office. The good news is that a hybrid work model can be significantly beneficial for both organizations and employees. But the bad news is that “old world technologies” like a conventional landline phone system (PBX) can turn what should be a win-win strategy into a lose-lose fiasco. Fortunately, that is where a VoIP hosted PBX enters the picture and makes all

Nicky Smith July 8, 2022

VoIP Setup: 20 Questions To Get Prepared

Thousands of organizations across all sectors have already made the switch from an expensive, restrictive, and inflexible conventional landline phone system, to an agile, scaleable, feature-rich, future-proofed, and cost-effective VoIP phone system. If your organization has wisely decided to upgrade to VoIP (or you are considering it), then naturally you want the installation and implementation process to be smooth and straightforward, and that you take the shortest path to value. To ensure that you get prepared and hit the ground running from day one, here are 20 VoIP setup-related questions: VoIP Setup-Related Questions About Your Organization’s Goals These questions will

Nicky Smith June 28, 2022

woman searching "business phone providers near me"

Looking for Business Phone Providers Near Me? 3 Questions You MUST Ask

When you ask Google to find “business phone providers near me,” then you will get plenty of options (possibly including one that brought you to this article!). Obviously, Google is helpful here — but there is MUCH more to the story that you need to know. Why? Because while Google (which is by far the most popular search engine on the planet) can list some “business providers near me,” it cannot go deeper and tell you which specific providers are trustworthy and credible — and which are not. In other words: just being in close proximity to a business phone

Nicky Smith June 21, 2022

hosted voip phone systems people jumping in the air

Why Your IT Staff Will Jump for Joy When You Switch to Hosted Cloud

Why Your IT Department Will Jump for Joy When You Switch to Hosted VoIP Your IT department is a vital part of your business. So, the fewer small fires they have to tend to, the more time they have to spend on those raging infernos that can bring any business big or small to a screeching halt. Imagine how unproductive your day would be if you had to troubleshoot issues for all of your co-workers. Unfortunately, this can be the rule rather than the exception for your IT department. They have to be responsible for keeping your company’s computer infrastructure

Neil Matson June 15, 2022

What is an IP PBX?

An IP PBX is a private branch exchange (i.e. a telephone switching system within an organization), which allows calls to be placed and received over the internet. It uses an IP-based architecture to convert analog voice signals into digital, and routes calls to a VoIP Solutions Provider that is responsible for initiating and terminating each call. Key Benefits of an IP PBX There are seven key reasons why a growing number of organizations across all sectors — health care, manufacturing, legal, financial services, IT, retail, logistics, etc. — have made the switch from a conventional on-premises PBX to an IP

Nicky Smith June 13, 2022

From Our CEO: What Are You Doing this Memorial Day?

Everyone who knows me is aware that I love having fun with family, friends, colleagues, and customers. Heck, I love having fun with total strangers (that guy who is being super friendly to everyone in the airport waiting area during the flight delay — yup, that’s me!). And so, given my fondness for fun, it’s easy to understand why I also love holidays. When you’re a kid, you take holidays for granted. When you’re an adult, you learn to appreciate them more. But make no mistake: to me Memorial Day has never been a conventional holiday. Now, don’t get me

Nicky Smith May 26, 2022

4 Ways that a VoIP Phone System Unifies Your School District Communications

School districts across the country are facing serious financial hurdles in the months and years ahead. Declining enrollment rates, mounting staff retirement costs, and widespread teacher shortages have added a whole new (and wholly unwelcome) meaning to the phrase “doing more with less”. Fortunately, there is a proven and cost-effective way for school districts to unify school district communications: upgrade from a conventional landline phone system to a VoIP phone system. Here are four key reasons why an all-in-one VoIP phone system enables school districts to tie their school communications together: A VoIP Phone System Connects All Staff Members and

Nicky Smith May 24, 2022

teacher talking about the best phone system for schools

5 Reasons Why Carolina Digital Phone Delivers the Best Phone System for Schools

Your school (or school district) has decided to upgrade from a costly and inflexible landline phone system to an agile, feature-rich, affordable, and future-proofed VoIP phone system. Smart move. Or, as your students might say: “it’s a no-brainer!” Now, you need to carefully choose a vendor that is going to make your experience straightforward, safe, and successful. From initial implementation to ongoing support. Well, here is another no-brainer: that vendor is Carolina Digital Phone! Here are 5 reasons why we deliver the best phone system for schools: 1. We have in-depth experience serving schools. Unlike most other vendors, we deeply

Nicky Smith May 16, 2022

Softphones

In the fast-paced and ever-changing world of technology we live in, it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends in technology, but we’re here to help.. So, let’s take a look at one very useful tool for business communications – the softphone. What is a Softphone? First, a bit of history. Softphones have been around for a while and are more commonplace than they were even a few years ago. As the name implies, a softphone is a means of communicating via a device other than a traditional desk phone. A software-based app that includes a variety

Neil Matson May 11, 2022

7 Reasons Why Using Google Voice for Your Business is a Bad Idea

For many things “Google is your friend” is good advice. But there are exceptions. And as many businesses have unhappily discovered, using Google Voice is on the list. Here are 7 reasons why: No Calls to Emergency Services Shockingly, Google Voice does not support calls to emergency services. This enormous limitation alone should make it a non-starter as a business phone system. Picture this nightmare headline: “Business Fails to Call Fire Department Right Away Because Its Phone System Won’t Dial Emergency Services”. No Business Caller ID When making calls with Google Voice, a business’s regular phone number does not appear

Nicky Smith May 10, 2022

VoIP Explained

A conventional on-premise PBX phone system uses landlines and local hardware to connect to a phone network. Alternatively, virtual PBX uses the internet to connect to an off-site PBX host. The solutions provider houses and maintains this. There are several major benefits to this solution.

Neil Matson April 29, 2022

How to Avoid Having Your Calls Flagged for Potential Spam

Since trusted telephone providers like Carolina Digital Phone have put into place STIR/SHAKEN, the number of unwanted and spoofed phone calls is slowly being reduced. The procedure tells phone customers that the caller ID data they get is valid for the calling party. The idea is to allow consumers to be more confident that a call they receive is not a SPAM or robocall. Unfortunately, STIR/SHAKEN has only slowed the growth of SPAM. According to YouMail, robocalls were on their way down, until recently. You’ve heard the old saying – “When one door closes, another opens.” Just because there is

Nicky Smith April 28, 2022

10 Reasons Why VoIP is the BEST Multi-Location Phone System for Your Business

If you are planning on adding locations now or in the future, then here are 10 reasons why VoIP is — by far — the BEST multi-location phone system for your business. Getting The Best Multi-Location Phone System You’ll dramatically reduce your telecommunications costs. There is no expensive on-site phone system to purchase and maintain, and domestic long-distance calls are always free. Your phone bill will be predictable. No more fluctuating from one month to the next, which helps you with budget management and financial forecasting. You can connect multiple locations on a single, centralized system. Yet at the same

Nicky Smith April 25, 2022

Carolina Digital Phone Supports the “988” Suicide Prevention Hotline

We have spent the last couple of years talking virtually non-stop about the pandemic. But there is another pandemic that has been in place for decades, and unlike COVID-19 it is not waning — on the contrary, it is intensifying: the mental health pandemic that, each day, causes untold suffering and contributes to catastrophic and fatal outcomes. Consider the following statistics per the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): At Carolina Digital Phone, we strive to be part of the solution. That is why we are proud to be an early adopter and vocal supporter of the recently-established mandate to

Neil Matson April 22, 2022

Carolina Digital Phone Company in the triad

3 Reasons Why Businesses in the Triad Choose Carolina Digital Phone

For people who have no idea what Tar Heel Blue is, have never experienced the refreshing bliss of Cheerwine on a hot summer day, and who fail to grasp that Bull Durham is one of the greatest movies of all time, then “the Triad” is simply a trio of people or things — like musical notes or siblings. But for folks who are intimately familiar with Tar Heel Blue, Cheerwine, and Bull Durham, then “the Triad” is, of course, a unique region in north-central North Carolina anchored by Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. It’s also home to some of North

Nicky Smith April 18, 2022

3 Must-Have Small Business Benefits of a Web-Based Softphone

For stockbrokers — and day traders whose multi-monitor home office setup rivals NASA Mission Control — the mantra for success is: “buy low, sell high.” For real estate investors, it’s: “location, location, location.” And what about small business owners? Well, their key to success is: “DO MORE WITH LESS!” And one of the simplest and smartest ways to achieve this goal is with a web-based softphone. Below, we highlight 3 must-have small business benefits of a web-based softphone: 1. Support Remote and Hybrid Workers The pandemic dramatically accelerated the number of people working remotely full-time and hybrid (i.e. switching between

Nicky Smith April 11, 2022

men using a laptop for unified communication benefits

3 Unified Communication Benefits for Your Business

“Doing more with less” has always been a mantra on the business landscape. However, in the aftermath of COVID-19, it is not just a piece of good advice: it is a mandatory requirement. Simply put, businesses that find innovative and sustainable ways to do more with less will thrive in the months and years ahead, while those that don’t will struggle — and eventually, disappear. What does this have to do with unified communications benefits? In a word: everything! The Basics of Unified Communications Unified communications (UC) refers to the integration of voice, data, and video communications on a single

Nicky Smith March 23, 2022

Hosted PBX: 3 Eye-Opening Facts You Need to Know

If you’re searching for a smart and safe way to improve your business — which means a bigger bottom line, more productive employees, and happier customers — then here are three eye-opening facts about a hosted PBX phone system that you need to know: 1. Hosted PBX costs far less than a conventional landline phone system. Hosted PBX offers enormous cost savings for three reasons: There is no need to purchase and install an expensive physical telephone network at your location. You do not have to buy a separate maintenance and support agreement . Your hosted PBX solution should include these

Nicky Smith March 18, 2022

people discussing Business VoIP Buyer’s Guide

Business VoIP Buyer’s Guide: 4 Stages to a Smart, Safe & Successful Investment

When it comes to purchasing a VoIP phone system for your business, the last thing that you want to do is “roll the dice” or “hope for the best.” You want to KNOW that your investment and experience will be rewarding instead of regrettable. To ensure this happens, we have prepared the following business VoIP buyer’s guide, which covers four stages in the process: Discover, Evaluate, Demonstrate, and Select. Business VoIP Buyer’s Guide Stage 1: Discover Basically, there are three different types of VoIP vendors in the marketplace: “Do-it-Yourself” Mass Market Firms, Carrier Service Providers, and Dedicated Solution Providers. “Do-it-Yourself”

Mitchell Smith March 14, 2022

Is VoIP Reliable? Here’s Why the Answer is YES!

At Carolina Digital Phone, we have been proudly serving customers for more than two decades. And one of the most frequent things we hear from our prospective customers goes something like this: “We are really impressed by various aspects of your VoIP phone system, such as the cost savings, off-site system management, scalability, flexibility, and features. But we aren’t 100% sure about dependability, because we aren’t familiar with VoIP in our environment. So tell us, is VoIP reliable?” For Carolina Digital Phone customers, the answer to this pivotal question is an unqualified YES. Here are the 5 reasons why: 1.

Matthew Hutton March 1, 2022

A Message from Our CEO Nicky Smith on the Conflict in Ukraine

It has been said that business leaders should never comment on politics - not because it’s the wrong thing to do, but because it usually isn’t good for business. Well, I’ll level with you: the second last thing I want to do is anything that would damage my business. For more than 20 years, I have put my heart and soul into Carolina Digital Phone. But the VERY LAST thing I want to do is sit by and stay silent when I firmly believe that standing up and speaking out is the RIGHT thing to do. And so, here I go: For

Nicky Smith February 26, 2022

people using unified communications and collaboration tools

8 Must-Have Unified Communications and Collaboration Tools in a VoIP Phone System

It is widely understood that a VoIP phone system (a.k.a. cloud phone system) is much more cost-effective than a conventional landline phone system — potentially saving tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in overall telecommunication costs. However, there is another key reason why organizations in all sectors are upgrading to VoIP. They want to access a range of must-have unified communications and collaboration tools, including: Unified Communications and Collaboration Tool #1: Video Conferencing During the pandemic, many employees went from never having experienced a video conference, to experiencing a few video conferences a week (or sometimes

Eric Lyon February 22, 2022

Why Virtual PBX is the Future of Business Telecommunications

It does not take long for some technologies to go from optional to essential. And, for the question to shift from “should we be using this technology in our organization?” to “how can we afford NOT to use this in our organization?”. Think of social media platforms. When they first hit the scene most corporations ignored these platforms. Now 97% of Fortune 500 companies use social media. Even cloud-based apps were initially treated with skepticism. Now 94% of enterprises use these apps across the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhTewwVCVWE What is the next technology to make the shift from optional to essential? Without

Mitchell Smith February 14, 2022

Embrace A Remote Work Model

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many businesses having no choice but to work from home. For some companies, this may be a relatively easy switch. Others might well be panicking about how to (quickly) deploy a remote operation. The good news is it isn’t too late to equip yourself with the right tools, practices, and attitudes to thrive as a remote business. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsbY5o2sOeU 1 . Communicate with your team When you are working remotely, it’s more important than ever to establish communication solutions for you and your team. Working remotely does not mean that communication should decrease, in fact, it’s

Nicky Smith February 10, 2022

Recognizing National Boy Scout Day

Today, February 8th, is National Boy Scout Day. The Scouting movement in America began in 1909 when a Chicago publisher by the name of William Dickson Boyce became lost in the London fog and was assisted by a young boy to find his way. As a proud Eagle Scout, I have incorporated the values I learned from my scouting days into my everyday life as well as my business. Scouting gave me many lifetime values that I still practice today. I consider myself in good company – there is a long list of Boy Scouts who have gone on to

Nicky Smith February 8, 2022

7 Reasons Why A VoIP Phone System From Carolina Digital Phone is EXTREMELY RELIABLE

At Carolina Digital Phone, we have been installing and supporting VoIP phone systems for more than two decades. And while our customers come from a variety of industries and sectors, they all ask the same key question: is a VoIP phone system reliable? The answer to this relevant and essential question is an unqualified YES. After all, you do not survive for two decades — and earn hundreds of 5-star reviews — if you sell an inferior product. Eventually, the truth comes out and there is nowhere to hide. Of course, we do not expect our customers to accept that

Matthew Hutton February 4, 2022

If You Build It, They Will Come – Welcome Boom Supersonic

Patience, it turns out – along with a heavy dose of planning, ingenuity, and negotiation – is a virtue. The Triad’s patience and hard work are coming together in the form of many new and noteworthy projects. In December of 2021, Toyota announced it will invest $1.3 billion to build an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant at the Greensboro-Randolph mega-site. 2025 is when this plant is expected to come online. The plant is also expected to create 1,750 new jobs. Welcome Boom Supersonic This week, Governor Roy Cooper welcomed Boom Supersonic, based in Denver, Colorado, to Greensboro’s Piedmont Triad International

Neil Matson January 28, 2022

teacher thinking about VoIP solution for schools

How to Get the Best VoIP Solution for Schools

The lingering effect of the pandemic is putting unprecedented pressure on schools to “do more with less” — while at the same time supporting and engaging teachers, administrators, and other staff. And that is why a growing number of schools – both public and private – are adopting a VoIP (a.k.a. cloud-based) phone system. Below we highlight 7 key questions to help Superintendents, IT Directors, School Board Members, and other key stakeholders evaluate and choose the best VoIP solution for schools: 1. Will it deliver significant cost savings? The best VoIP solution for schools delivers significant and ongoing cost savings.

Joan Wilkerson January 26, 2022

What are the Benefits of Live Call Monitoring with a Hosted Cloud Phone System?

If you ask employees what they love about their hosted cloud phone system, you’ll get a similar answer. The wide variety of features is always at the top of the list. Whether they’re getting voicemails and faxes delivered directly to their inbox, using video conferencing to connect with colleagues, creating customized auto-attendant to streamline things — or any of the hundreds of features available — the biggest complaint you will hear from employees is why didn’t we get these phones sooner?!? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxlTKuB3mBg In fact, you’ll find some of the biggest supporters of cloud-based phone systems are supervisors. They love features

Nicky Smith January 25, 2022

7 Key VoIP Features for Schools

There are many important reasons why school boards across the country have switched from an expensive and inflexible old-fashioned landline phone system to a cost-effective and future-proofed VoIP phone system. However, when it comes to using a VoIP phone system on a day-to-day basis, what teachers, administrators, executives, and all other staff love the most are features, features, and yet more features! Below, we highlight 7 key VoIP features for schools that have staff saying “wow, this is amazing — how in the world did we manage before this?”: Key VoIP Features for Schools: Auto Attendant Auto Attendant is an

Mitchell Smith January 18, 2022

5 Reasons to INSIST on Local Tech Support for Your VoIP Phone System

If your organization is evaluating various VoIP (a.k.a. cloud-based) phone systems, then naturally you will focus on factors like total cost of ownership, scalability, functionality, features, integrations, and security. All of these aspects are vital and need to be on your checklist. But there is another piece of the puzzle that will ultimately determine whether your investment is rewarding and profitable, or regrettable and costly: local tech support. Below, we highlight five reasons why you should INSIST on local tech support for your VoIP phone system: 1. Local Tech Support Gives You On-Site Coverage Ideally, many of your support-related issues

Nicky Smith January 13, 2022

Tips About Can The Internet Handle All The New Traffic? From An Industry Expert

The world has changed rapidly over the last month or so. COVID-19 has changed how we work and where we work, and one of the side effects of that change is heavier pressure on the internet. After all, we’re now all working from home, communicating via video calls, and sending more emails than ever before. When you take into account how many millions of people around the world are changing their working habits in these ways, it’s clear that the internet will be under greater strain than ever before. So, can the internet handle all this new traffic and how

Nicky Smith January 8, 2022

Happy New Year from Nicky Smith, President of Carolina Digital Phone

Here we are at the beginning of a brand new year full of possibilities. It’s a fresh start, a clean slate, and an opportunity to turn an ordinary year into an extraordinary one. And of course, this is also when we make New Year’s Resolutions. And so, on behalf of everyone at Carolina Digital Phone, in 2022 we resolve: To continue delivering the industry’s BEST LOCAL CUSTOMER SERVICE. Some companies merely “go an extra mile.” We go an extra marathon! To ALWAYS have US-based Customer Service Specialists. We never wavered from this pledge, and we never will. To stay on

Nicky Smith December 29, 2021

Business Phone Hidden Fees & over-charge

Are You Being Over-Charged For Your Business Phone System?

Are you being over-charged for your business phone system? When receiving your monthly phone bill, don’t you hate seeing taxes and fees that you don’t understand? Even when given an explanation of the fees it still doesn’t make sense why they fluctuate on your bill every month. This makes it very difficult to budget monthly expenses when your bill isn’t consistent and you’re being over-charged. Although this is very aggravating, are you sure you’re not being dinged over and over again by your business phone system provider? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pu_0H3nIt8 This can make it difficult to understand and compare multiple business phone provider

Chris Villa December 22, 2021

Nicky Smith with a special holiday message

A Special Holiday Message from Nicky Smith, President of Carolina Digital Phone

Our world is getting more and more complicated. Consider this: it is estimated that until 1900, human knowledge doubled once every 100 years. Then by 1945, it doubled every 25 years. And by 1982, it doubled every year. Now, experts are saying that knowledge doubles EVERY 12 HOURS. Why do I bring this up? Because as the holidays quickly approach, I urge you to take a break from the complexity and “noise” out there, and reflect on the SIMPLE and TRUE things that make life such a joyful journey. I am reminded of the lyrics to the classic song Happy

Nicky Smith December 21, 2021

4 Ways to Improve Your School Communications

While effective communication is important in all industries and organizations, it is especially crucial in the education sector, which continues to face unprecedented challenges and pressures in the age of coronavirus. Below, we highlight four ways to dramatically yet cost-effectively improve your school communications: #1: Improve School Communications with a Cloud Phone System A cloud phone system is vastly superior to a conventional landline phone system. Key advantages include: Significant cost savings: minimal up-front CapEx costs, no ongoing maintenance or technical support expenses, no domestic long-distance fees, and no need to replace the phone system every few years. Mobile apps

Nicky Smith December 17, 2021

teacher using video conferencing for schools

Video Conferencing for Schools: 7 Key Things to Look For

The pandemic has shifted remote working, remote communications, and remote learning from the sidelines into the mainstream. As a result, stakeholders in the educational sector — such as Superintendents, Principals, IT Directors, Board Members, and Teachers — are looking for guidance regarding video conferencing for schools. To help decision-makers identify the right solution for their current and future needs, below we list seven key things to look for when choosing video conferencing for schools: 1. 100% Browser-Based With browser-based solutions, hosts and participants do not have to download and install software — which can be a real headache and hassle

Nicky Smith December 7, 2021

A Guide to Managing Your Remote Workers

In the current times, many businesses and institutions have implemented remote working. Although many companies already offered the opportunity to their employees to work remotely from their homes before the virus, now more people are having to do it with the international lockdown. But by separating remote workers and having to deal with the challenges of working remotely from home, how are businesses keeping up? Fortunately, there are steps that business owners, managers, and other senior staff can make. Ensuring that engagement and productivity are still at the core of each employee’s everyday routine, guarantees that there is little to

Nicky Smith December 6, 2021

Business Messaging: 5 Powerful Reasons Why it’s Essential vs. Optional

Business messaging through text, MMS and SMS is no longer an optional nice-to-have option. It is now an essential requirement. Here are 5 powerful reasons why: 1. Customers Are VERY Open to Receiving Business Messaging A whopping 97% of Americans own at least one smartphone, and on average they check their device 96 times a day. What’s more, 91% of customers said they have or are interested in signing up for text messages from a business, and text message open rates are nearly 100%. On the other end of the spectrum, 90% of customers won’t answer their phone when a

Nicky Smith December 2, 2021

5 Ways that SMS Alerts Improve School Communications

Anyone who has worked “behind the scenes” in a school environment knows that efficient and effective communications are vital. Below we highlight 5 ways that SMS alerts (a.k.a. text messages) greatly improve school communications, and make things substantially better for students, staff, and parents alike. 1. Using SMS Alerts During Emergencies The number one priority for schools is to ensure safety. SMS alerts instantly notify key individuals or groups — such as school leadership, staff, and/or parents — of hazardous or potentially hazardous scenarios (e.g. outbreak of E. coli in the cafeteria, inclement weather, unauthorized intruder on school grounds, etc.).

Nicky Smith November 30, 2021

Thanksgiving Message from Nicky Smith, President of Carolina Digital Phone

To say that the last couple of years has been difficult for many people across our great country, and around the world, is an enormous understatement. And sometimes, it can be quite difficult to focus on the good vs. getting overwhelmed by the bad. But it has been my experience that these are precisely the times when we need to dig deeper, and truly appreciate all that we have to be thankful for. To put this another way: when everything is going fine, it is easy to be grateful. But when times are tough, being grateful takes effort and character.

Nicky Smith November 24, 2021

7 Reasons Why Your Customers Want Text Messages

Years ago, the jingle for a popular ad campaign from Bell Telephone urged people to: “Reach out and touch someone.” Fast-forward a few decades, and this recommendation no longer applies because today’s customers don’t want phone calls. They want text messages! Research has found that U.S. customers far prefer texting to other communication channels, including phone and email. 63% said they would switch to a company that offered text messages. Why is text messaging so popular with customers in both the B2C and B2B spaces? Below, we highlight 7 key reasons why businesses of all sizes should make it a

Nicky Smith November 22, 2021

Hosted Phone System: Features, Benefits, Pros & Cons

When a business grows, so too will its requirements for infrastructure like telephone systems. The traditional way to provide phone services in an office environment, for example, is with a traditional PBX (private branch exchange) setup. Such setups are usually very expensive, inflexible, and complicated to install and administer. These days, a better solution is to use a hosted phone system (sometimes known as a virtual PBX). If you’re new to a hosted phone system, the following will explain more about them and how your organization could benefit: What Is a Hosted Phone System? A hosted phone system is a

Nicky Smith November 18, 2021

7 Text Messaging Benefits in the Healthcare Industry

A growing number of clinics, hospitals, and health networks are embracing text messaging (SMS/MMS) as a vital communication channel. Below, we highlight seven text messaging benefits in the healthcare industry: Text Messaging Benefits in Healthcare #1: Texting Closes the Provider-Patient Gap A recent survey found that 4 in 10 Americans are afraid of visiting their doctor’s office during the pandemic. Text messaging helps re-establish the vital — and in some cases life-saving — connection between patients and physicians (as well as all other healthcare providers). Text Messaging Benefits in Healthcare #2: Texting Improves Staff Efficiency & Productivity Generally, texting is

Nicky Smith November 16, 2021

A Salute to Our Heroes this Veterans Day

The big thing in movies and TV shows these days is heroes who have special powers like flying, spinning webs, changing shape, and so on. Sure, this kind of escapism is entertaining. But the real heroes among us do not wear capes or “leap tall buildings in a single bound.” They are brave and patriotic men and women whose love for our country has inspired them to serve in the Armed Forces. Whether they are stationed at home or abroad, these individuals are putting their lives on the line — because if our country is threatened or experiences an attack,

Nicky Smith November 11, 2021

10 Key Benefits of Digital Faxing

Digital faxing (a.k.a. e-faxing and cloud faxing) is not just alive and well, but it is growing in popularity — particularly in the healthcare, legal, government, telecommunication, and education fields where hand-written initials and signatures are still the norm. What is behind the surge in digital faxing? These 10 key benefits: 1. Affordability Digital faxing is much more affordable than conventional faxing. Getting rid of an old copper line reduces costs by $20-$30 a month (and in some cases more). Plus, purchasing a business-grade fax machine can easily cost around $300, and on top of this, there are ongoing toner/inkjet,

Eric Lyon November 9, 2021

5 Game-Changing Benefits of VoIP Phone Service

There are some solutions on the business landscape that are not just beneficial, but they are fundamentally transformative — and switching to VoIP phone service is definitely on this list! Below we highlight 5 game-changing benefits of VoIP phone service: 1. VoIP Phone Service Unleashes Total Mobility With a conventional landline phone system, employees need to juggle multiple phones – each with a different number: the corporate office phone, their home office phone, and their personally-owned smartphone (and in some cases, a corporately-supplied smartphone as well). Not only is this tedious, but it leads to frustrated colleagues and angry customers who

Nicky Smith November 8, 2021

7 Key Benefits of Text Marketing — and How We Can Help!

If your business is not taking full advantage of text marketing — SMS and MMS marketing — then you are missing out. This is a massive opportunity to drive customer engagement, acquisition, and sales. Consider these eye-opening statistics: 69% of customers want the ability to contact a business through text messaging. Customers are 4.5x more likely to reply to text messages than emails. 12.9% of customers are more likely to support businesses that offer text-back capabilities. And just in case you think that “texting is obsolete” — think again. 50% of people sent more texts during the pandemic. Additionally, due

Nicky Smith October 28, 2021

5 Reasons Why a Cloud Phone System is an All-in-One Remote Work Solution

As we emerge from the pandemic, we can see that some things are never going to be the same again. But that doesn’t mean they will be worse. On the contrary, they will be BETTER! And if you ask employees and employers across the country about the “pandemic’s silver linings,” you’ll hear the same thing over and over: the rise of a remote work solution. Indeed, employees love remote working because they avoid a tedious and costly commute, and have more time to achieve work-life balance. And employers love remote working because it reduces overhead costs, and lets them recruit

Nicky Smith October 25, 2021

Want Easy Video Conferencing in Your Business? Then Get a Browser-Based Solution!

Video conferencing has been steadily growing in popularity for years, but the pandemic massively accelerated adoption across all sectors and industries. Consider these statistics: The size of the video conferencing market surged 500% in the first two months of the pandemic. (Source: TrustRadius) The global video conferencing market is projected to grow from $6.28 billion in 2021 to $12.99 billion in 2028 — which is a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 10.9% during the forecast period. (Source: Fortune Business Insights) 79% of workers believe that video conferencing is at the same level, or is more productive, than in-person meetings.

Nicky Smith October 13, 2021

3 Powerful Reasons to Switch to a Cloud-Based Phone System

If your organization is exploring the possibility of switching to a cloud-based phone system, then we cannot give you a single powerful reason to do so. Instead, we can give you THREE powerful reasons: Reason #1: You Will Reach a Whole New Level of Mobility & Agility Thanks to a Cloud-Based Phone System We all hope that we never have to see another lockdown. However, there is a realistic possibility that we may face them again — in one form or another — sooner rather than later. And even if we avoid that risk, there are other, more traditional reasons

Nicky Smith October 5, 2021

Video Conferencing Solution: 7 Undeniable Reasons Why Your Business Needs One

Before the term “COVID-19” entered the vocabulary, a video conferencing solution was largely viewed as a nice-to-have. But now, as we shift into the post-pandemic world that is dominated by remote working, a video conferencing solution is no longer optional. It is essential for ALL businesses, including mid-sized firms and SMBs that aim to thrive in the new normal. The video conferencing market increased by 500% in the first two months of the pandemic. The overall size of the video conferencing market is expected to surpass a whopping $50 billion by 2026. Below, we highlight 7 undeniable reasons why your

Nicky Smith September 30, 2021

empty office - is your office phone prepared

Is Your Office Phone System Prepared for Another Lockdown?

The latest dispatch from the pandemic front brings some good news, and some bad news. The good news is that despite yet another surge of cases and hospitalizations — this time driven by the Delta variant — there is no official plan to enter into another lockdown. But the bad news is that the White House recently stated that “in all probability” there will be guidelines and restrictions issued in the weeks and months ahead. Unfortunately, we all know from experience that “in all probability” is political-speak for “it’s going to happen.” This begs a vital question for business owners

Nicky Smith September 28, 2021

urgent - fcc emergency connectivity fund

Claim Your Share of the FCC’s $7.17 Billion Emergency Connectivity Fund

The Federal Communications Commission recently announced the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund Program generating an overwhelming response. That demand, combined with the recent spike in coronavirus cases, has prompted them to announce a second application filing window. The funds are being made available to schools and libraries to request funding for connected devices and broadband connections for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons for the current 2021-22 school year. “The Emergency Connectivity Fund is the single largest effort to bring connectivity and devices to students who lack them.” according to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “The need is

Neil Matson September 23, 2021

people working on their workplace communication

Workplace Communication: 5 Best Practices that Lead to Dramatic Improvements

Saying that effective workplace communication is important is like saying water is wet, fire is hot, or that people with small children will repeatedly, and painfully, step on Legos many, many times. These are all blatantly self-evident (especially the Lego one). However, just because everyone knows that effective workplace communication is important, does NOT mean that it’s happening everywhere. Consider these statistics:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kHkr5HrG-A 28% of employees cite ineffective communication as the number one reason why they cannot deliver work on time. 86% of employees and executives believe that ineffective communication is the core reason for workplace failures. Ineffective communication costs large

Nicky Smith September 21, 2021

3 Essential Rules to Get Hybrid Work Right

Across the country, organizations from small businesses to large enterprises are experiencing hybrid work for the first time. And just like experiments in a laboratory, sometimes the results are amazing. Other times they are disappointing (and occasionally, they are flat-out disasters). The first thing we should note is that hybrid work — which is when workers spend part of the week in their home office, and part of the week in the corporate office — is here to stay. Now that workers have shown that it is not just viable but a positive change for many, a survey has found

Nicky Smith September 14, 2021

The Dangers of Accepting “The New Normal”

The Dangers of Accepting the “New Normal” January 2020 seems like a lifetime ago for many of us. For business owners, it may feel like a good deal longer. But that’s the last time many of us can remember operating under normal parameters before COVID-19 changed everything. For months we’ve had to cope with crippling uncertainty and ulcer-inducing anxiety. They’ve had to adjust to a state of affairs that’s terrifyingly referred to as “The New Normal”. A state of affairs that’s anathema to the tireless entrepreneur. Business owners from all walks of life have had to make sweeping operational changes

Neil Matson September 4, 2021

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