Audio conferencing has grown in popularity with businesses. If your business is considering adopting this useful tool, you need to be able to evaluate the benefits of each conferencing provider and weigh it against the costs. With the following tips, you will increase your chances of finding the right audio conferencing company to meet your business’s needs without spending too much money.
A Web-Enabled Provider
It is extremely important for you to have administration abilities for the conference online; before and during your conference. As you are looking at the available providers, make sure you have the ability to add and delete users, as well as schedule conferences and send out invitations to those you would like to attend. If you prefer to handle everything through your Outlook calendar, look for a conferencing provider that integrates with Outlook. In addition to looking for these features, you can also benefit from audio controls, allowing you to mute users, lock the conference for security and record for later use.
What Are You Paying for?
No one wants to pay more for their services. Sometimes, an audio conferencing provider entices you with low rates for their conferences. Once you receive the bill, though, you will notice several fees you weren’t aware of when you signed up with the provider. To avoid this, make sure you ask upfront about the fees the company charges. If possible, choose a provider that offers a flat rate for your conferences, allowing you to understand exactly what you are paying for.
Evaluate Your Coverage Needs
Every business has different needs when it comes to coverage. Ask yourself where your attendees will be located, such as whether everyone will be in the same building, the same city, the same state or even the same country. Knowing who your target audience is will ensure you choose a conferencing provider that will be able to meet your needs, allowing you to keep control of your rates based on where everyone is located.
Ease of Use
You need your audio conferencing to be easy for everyone to use. People expect to dial in and be connected. Those who set up the conference want it to be easy to set up and invite others to attend. Make sure you evaluate how easy each solution you are considering is for everyone to use. If it isn’t easy enough to use, no one is going to take advantage of it. The goal is to make the entire process simple.
Usage Reports
Being able to evaluate how well a solution is working for you is essential. When you choose an audio conferencing provider that allows you to easily pull usage reports, you will be able to see how the audio conferencing solution is being used by your employees and make adjustments as necessary. For instance, when international calls are increasing in volume, you may need to consider switching to an international plan. Or perhaps some of the calls can be held over your internal phone system instead of the conferencing solution.
Be Critical
Finding the right conferencing provider is critical to your success. Therefore, you need to make sure you evaluate each one carefully. Make sure you choose a provider that is upfront with their pricing, offers the coverage you need and provides customer service available to you 24/7 so you never have to worry about experiencing problems. By meeting the aforementioned criteria, you can feel more assured that the audio conferencing company of your choosing, will be able to meet your needs in an efficient and timely manner.
Stay Updated
When it comes to technology, it is important to choose an audio conferencing company that offers the latest in technology and innovation. Finding a company that can offer you useful tools, such as screen sharing, screen annotation tools and other collaboration tools will make it easier for everyone to work together and make the most of the conference calls you hold.
