Latest Articles by sharktooth

Choosing an Email Client

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:04:51 -0600

Email client software lets you connect to your email account and download emails. It also lets you compose (or create) emails which you can send later. An email client stores all your emails on your system, allowing you to sort and manage the email messages in the way you want. Many email clients also allow you to personalize your messages using pictures and templates. An email client should do more than simply allow you to send and receive emails. Many email clients have added features that allow you to sort through and manage your emails. You can create folders and subfolders so you can categorize your incoming and outgoing mail. Some email clients allow you to tag certain email addresses so when you receive an email from a particular person, it immediately gets filed into a folder within your inbox. If you receive a large volume of emails in a week, as many people do, you can also set-up your email client to sort messages by date, sender or subject.

Email is notoriously unsecured. Email messages are prone to viruses and are used to spread malware and spyware. Some email clients are more susceptible to viruses than other programs. In general, the more commonly used email interfaces are the ones that are the least secure. This is simply because there are millions of messages being transmitted using these programs each day. The sheer volume of numbers makes using these email clients a greater risk. When looking at which email client to use, make sure the one you choose has a level of security built into the system. This should include things such as firewalls and anti-virus programs.

Another consideration is how an email client deals with spam. Spam is generally referred to as unwanted or unsolicited mail. Much like junk mail used to clog up physical mailboxes, spam clogs up email inboxes. Email is an easy and affordable way to send out bulk mail and unfortunately, too many companies take advantage of this. They collect email addresses and just randomly send out junk mail to everyone on the list. As with viruses, certain email clients are more prone to spam mail than others. When looking around at your different options, make inquiries as to what protection the system has against spam mail. Receiving spam mail is mostly annoying but it can also be harmful to your computer as it could contain spyware or viruses.

Properly selecting the email client you will use on a daily basis will make your work flow more quickly. There are many tasks accomplished by the mail client that are intended to simplify your work. One part of your decision on which client to use will depend on the tasks that you perform most often.

Simply assess the tasks that you perform and rate them in order of frequency. For your email client to aid you in your everyday tasks, you first need to define what those tasks are. If you send pictures or sound files, then look for mail clients that specialize in making it easy to include these in your mail. List the features that each email client offers. These features will be the major source of information to match your needs to the particular mail client. If you need an address book and one or two of the clients don't offer them, then eliminate them from the list of possibilities.

Try out each potential client you're considering for its feel, intuitiveness, and ease of use. Check the particular features you need to see how they function. Decide if the tasks that you perform on a daily basis are easy and quick to accomplish.

Choose the email client that you have determined will meet your needs. Remember that you are never stuck with an email client. You always have the ability to change to another if you find that the one you picked, for some reason, fails to deliver.

Current Trends in Business Communication

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:06:58 -0600

Anyone who has owned or worked for a business knows that the continual advancement of technology goes hand in hand with the advancement of business communication. In the last ten years alone, the tremendous technological advancements that have taken place in communication have changed they way we do business so drastically that we view the communication trends of pre-2000 as 'vintage'. So in a conversation about current trends, be aware that in a few days they will be old trends.

Cloud computing is the latest trend to hit business communication. The most simple way to describe cloud computing is by comparing it to an electricity grid. A 'cloud' of shared servers provides resources such as software and data to a host of other computers - all on demand. In reality cloud computing is the natural evolution of the web-based world of communication. It takes the management of the technological infrastructure out of the hands of the IT professionals, who can now focus on their areas of expertise such as development. The use of cloud computing from a business communication standpoint brings in the discussion of finance. Small to medium size businesses no longer have need to purchase, set up and maintain their own server. Capital expenditure budgets are reduced, possibly entailing a conversion of those dollars to the operations expenditure side of the ledger. Another huge benefit to cloud computing in business is how it lowers the barriers of entry into the market. New businesses can simply supply themselves with the appropriate equipment to manufacture their product, a computer and an internet connection, and be ready to communicate to their customers.

The book reader is one of the latest trends to appear on the business communication horizon, but it is not clear if purveyors of commerce have fully appreciated its potential. The book reader has the ability to scan printed material, recognize the characters and using text-to-speech software, play it on the user's computer or mobile audio player. In other words, you could listen to this article on your ipod. Most business people receive their email on their phone and check, now large volume documents, contracts, training manuals and other printed matter could be downloaded to any device. The affect on business communication is potentially quite significant, but the software is not widely tested or used as yet.

Social media networking has officially crossed over from only being used socially to an important and viable method of customer relationship management (CRM). Using tools like Facebook, blogs, public forums and wiki sites, business can better know how to attract and keep their customers. CRM begins with acquiring new customers through contact management, sales and customer satisfaction. Enhancing CRM occurs through excellent business communication and the use of customer service tools such as product experts and ease of purchasing. Retaining customers occurs through loyalty and reward. CRM software or databases can notify the business owner of long term clients and create the ability to recognize them through promotional measures.

Streamlining every phase of business communication will always be a trend in business. Making it easier for your client to send and receive materials or communication from you is increasingly important. Many companies are choosing to create interactive websites whereby the client can attain a report, invoice or product information whenever they feel the need. This creates a whole new level of service quality, as well as opening up the field of business communication. No longer does the client have to wait for 9 am Monday morning.

PowerPoint presentations have been around for over a decade, but they are still a valuable audiovisual tool in business communication. Dynamic presentations aimed at teaching the client about the product or service are full of impact and have a much clearer result than a one-dimensional oral presentation. Even telephones are being used in a more purposeful way in business communication, and not always for talking. Email, text messaging and internet are readily available and highly useful tools for any business person. Plus book readers (as previously mentioned) will soon allow business related documents to be read on a cell phone.

Technology will continue to advance and new communication devices will emerge. The trick to successful business communication is in keeping up with trends and learning how they can make your business better.

The Importance of Customer Service

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:54:34 -0600

Most anyone will agree that customer service is one of the most important parts of your company's overall strategy to conducting business. Without customers you really don't have a business. If this is the case, why is it mostly everyone as consumers can easily mention examples of poor customer service in their daily lives? Every company either has or thinks it has good customer service. However, if certain steps are not taken to ensure this, the reality of their situation is often far worse than their current perceptions.

In any successful business or organization, the commitment to customer service always begins at the top, the company's leaders must buy into the fact that they not only need to meet their customer's expectations, they must strive to exceed them. They must develop a company culture that understands, embraces and executes this concept. In today's world, business competition is tougher than ever. If you can't provide goods or services when somebody wants or needs them, there are often four or five other companies immediately ready to fill this void. You only get one chance to make a good first impression. If the company's leaders do not accept this fact, or are not willing to provide the necessary resources to meet their customer's needs, they will soon find themselves scrambling for business.

Proper training is one way to develop a company culture that embraces excellent customer service. Every employee must understand implicitly what is expected of them when interacting with customers. Is there an established, uniform way to answer the phone? Are there set procedures in place for instances when a customer has a question or problem? Is there an established chain of command to make sure that issues are handled in a timely fashion? And most importantly is everyone trained to carry out these company procedures? How you handle the problem is far more important than the problem itself. A customer must always be made to feel as though their best interests are being given serious consideration, even when you can't give in to their demands. It is far better to say 'no' with a smile, than 'yes' with an attitude.

Customer feedback is an excellent way to track and measure your level of service. You should not only benchmark your company against your competition, but also against the goals you set for yourself. Once again, you must remember you are trying to not only meet, but exceed your customer's expectations. Written surveys are one way to gage customer satisfaction. This can be useful to obtain feedback on a wide variety of company functions. Always allow for written comments, as these usually will help shed light on problem areas. Management's interaction with customers is an excellent way to not only measure overall efforts, but to also show the level of commitment the company has towards their needs. A manager who does not spend anytime with customers is likely to be detached and unaware of what their employees do and what their customers want. You always feel better if you have the chance to talk to someone who actually sets policy, not just someone paid to carry it out.

In today's world of bigger, faster, better you need to be the company that gets it right the first time, and if you don't, you must quickly rectify your mistakes. If you consistently make this part of how you conduct business, your customer's loyalty will continue to grow. The surest way to continued success and future growth is to not only meet your customers expectations, but to exceed them at every possible turn.

Good customer service is the foundation of any business. It provides a platform for continued growth and helps to build your businesses reputation. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won't be profitable for long.

Good customer service is also about sending them away happy - happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves, in their turn becoming repeat customers.

Benefiting from Cloud Computing for your Business

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:58:57 -0600

Have you heard about Cloud Computing?

It's a term that's starting to show up more and more in business and social products, but much like the word "cloud" it doesn't immediately speak of how it can benefit your business. It would be prudent for you to read on and learn just how significant an impact it can make for you and your business.

Cloud Computing? What does this mean.

Cloud Computing is a newer technology and application framework that is rapidly making changes on internet connected devices and services worldwide. Whereas the current model of business computing requires having a computer or work station that holds all your files, is updated to the latest software, contains the required hardware, this new concept moves all the files, advanced hardware onto servers that you connect to with your own computer via the network, and do all your computing "in the cloud". The term "In the cloud" is used because the practical management of the hardware that contains the files is abstracted, and they are only ever present on your computer when specifically downloaded.

Why would I do my computing in the cloud?

Think of all the times you've been away from your computer and needed to review a file, or wished to resume work on a project, or build on prior work when inspiration strikes. Time is always an issue, and inspiration needs to be captured as soon as possible, and by having your work in the cloud, you start or resume work using any internet connected computer. Be it an internet cafe, a smart phone, an international computer lab, a potential new clients conference room or a simple notebook. Computing in the cloud severs the tether's to the brick and mortar workstation and provides you with flexibility, fluidity and mobility.

How does it work

Networks of servers host the files, and in turn, technicians manage these servers, and you login to your account and access the resources and files, working on them and running software also hosted on those serves. The power of the computer or device being used to access and works on these files becomes redundant as long as it can successfully provide an interface for you to access your files from anywhere. Imagine you're traveling and simply by using your everyday smart phone to access massive amounts of data beyond thousands of gigabytes, and run advanced software on this data, connecting to to an international team also working on the data.

What other benefits are there?

Increasing the amount of work that can be done while mobile relieves tension and stress when dealing with deadlines. Work can be completed with more smaller segments which are easier to manage as opposed to a few large development pushes. Shorter arcs of work reduce fatigue and increase the quality and care put into the work.

When working as part of a team, cloud managed applications are guaranteed to always run the same version of software which enhances compatibility and shifts time usually spent on file converters and compatibility into time spent actually working on the project and making progress. Reliability is improved if multiple redundant sites are used, which makes well designed cloud computing suitable for business continuity and disaster recovery.

As for the management of the hardware and software, that necessity is solely in the hands of the technicians caring for the servers by installing in a timely manner new features, applying updates, maintaining security precautions which means the health and up time are maintained to an industry standard of 99.9%. This also removes the budgetary needs to employ full-time IT staff as part of your own company. By removing the block between your company and advance network communication and work by Computing in the Cloud, newer companies can perform more competitively in markets normally dominated by large businesses with extensive IT budgets.

Who computes in the cloud?

Anyone and any business can. With each day more people adopt practices that are "computing in the cloud" from social aspects sharing written work, music, videos all through an online interface. Businesses are rapidly moving to use the resources available to collaborate on documents, spread sheets, presentations and more. Schools and research have teams around the world working on the same material, technicians and programmers also work on coding, committing their progress to code bases stored in central servers.

When can I start cloud computing?

Right now. If you think about it, you probably already do in some way shape or form, and the progress of developing new ways to manage files and do work from any remote location shows no sign of slowing - some manufacturers have designed laptops that only compute in the cloud. It's very likely that there will come a day that "computing in the cloud" becomes the norm.

Even before that day though, it's very likely you can benefit from doing business in the cloud today.

The Benefits Of Internet Fax Service

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:57:40 -0600

Why Internet Fax?

As our technological limitations decrease, expectations for speedy communication increases. Running a successful business in our modern times, requires keeping up to date with modern technology. While traditional fax machines may play a key role in your business, there are some major advantages to Internet Fax Service. You may want to switch over completely, or simply add online faxing to your existing method. Either way, the benefits just may be that boost in efficiency that your business needs.

I Will Take That Technology To Go, Please

Maybe you are working from home for the day, maybe you are on a business trip, or tending to a few quick work items during a vacation. Wherever you may be, it is away from the office, and away from your fax machine. So what do you do, when faced with that request to fax it over as soon as you can? Connect from anywhere with two key ingredients: a computer, and the Internet. Online faxing gives you freedom to travel and remain in touch wherever your job, or life may take you. An Internet cafe in a sunny beach town may just be your new office for a week, making significant progress and managing the important communications on the big project while steps from the water, in the sun, and on the same page with everyone.

Reduce Costs With a 'Two for One' Deal

Let's talk dollars, for a moment. Chances are, you already have an Internet connection. Sending online faxes allows your cost of faxing to be absorbed by what you already pay for your online connection. So why pay twice? You already pay for the Internet, why shell out for a fax line as well? As well as the cost of the necessary phone line, you are also eliminating the costs of toner, paper, maintenance, possible repairs, and the fax machine itself. Saving on anything, in our demanding economy, can help your business. Reducing communication costs, by using Internet faxing, is an easy way to keep your budget down.

Faster Than the Line-Up For Your Daily Latte

Sending faxes online, much like an email, is faster than a traditional fax. To further hurry things along, you don't need to fill out cover sheets, or wait for each individual page to feed through the machine. Your faxes can be multiple pages, all sent out at one time. All you need to do is hit the send button and get back to your work. Save even more time communicating, by receiving and sending multiple faxes to multiple recipients at the same time. Reaching many recipients at once, allows you to quickly get everyone on the same page. The increase in productivity may leave you wondering what to do with your newly found spare time. If you do happen to get stuck in that latte line-up, you can review your documents from your smart phone, while you wait.

Keep Your 'Fax' Straight

Accessing and organizing documents is more efficient than ever. By filing faxes on the computer, you can access them easily with a quick search. You can share documents, review and revise, or archive for later, all without ever having search through the filing cabinet. You can even collaborate with larger groups, with more in-depth information and visualizations. Each member of a large group of contributors can receive the important images, edits, modifications, or tables of data necessary for successful business transactions. Since you are sending and receiving documents electronically, and many do not need to be printed, you are reducing paper waste and clutter. A picture is worth a thousand words - sometimes more - thus the streamlined, speedy, readily available method of getting everyone on the same page has enduring positive benefits on the manner of doing business.

Not Just For Surfing Anymore

Enabling your business with an Online Fax service allows you to save money, time and energy on communicating. Faster, more efficient communication, is an easy way to boost your productivity. Saving money doesn't hurt either. You will also drastically decrease paper waste, simplify your work day, and be surprised at the ease in which you can be organized and efficient. Using the Internet to your advantage is a great way to maximize your potential for a successful business.

Ways to Simplify the Payment Process on Your e-Commerce Site

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 04:59:15 -0600

On an e-commerce site, the payment process is the one part of your website that can make or break the success of your business. Customers are getting so used to fast responses and efficient service that they have come to expect that from every website that is selling online. Most e-commerce sites take payment via credit cards. This is a convenient way for customers to pay and a good way for merchants to ensure that they get the money from the clients. Security is also an important concern. Because of this, many websites over-complicate the payment process. The result is a lengthy process that is frustrating for the customer to work through. Let's look at this is some more detail.

Why Do You Want to Simplify Your Payment Process?

The short answer to that question is to keep your customers happy and to grow your business. In business, the three things that should always be at the forefront of your mind are:
What do my customers want?
What will make their lives easier?
How will my product or service help or benefit my customers?

If you keep these three things in mind when designing your payment process, you will be on the path to success. To answer the first question, your customers want convenience and efficiency. This means that your payment process should follow a simple and logical order. It should be efficient in that it responds quickly when information is captured and should not time out halfway through the process. Make your customers' lives easier by making the process easy to use. When this is the case, you will have satisfied customers who will return to your website again to purchase. A simple and efficient payment process is one of the most valuable tools you can use on your e-commerce site to help you grow your business.

What Does the Payment Process Say About Your Business?

It is not difficult to get an efficient payment process in place but it does require some careful thought and investment. Too often businesses drop the ball and think they only need to promote their products and services effectively in order to grow. The difference is that in an online environment, it is exceptionally easy for a customer to leave your website and shop elsewhere. It doesn't take much time or effort. When you have gone to all the effort of capturing the customer's attention, you don't want them walking away just because your payment process bombs out. When you sign up for your credit card merchant account, you should have the option to purchase an e-commerce solution. This is a good choice because it comes with years of expertise and design that incorporates the important aspects of the payment process. An efficient payment process shows your customers that you value service. It shows them you understand that they want simplicity and efficiency, and that you are willing to put in the effort to make that happen.

What Are the Most Important Steps in the Payment Process?

Any payment process has several basic steps that need to be completed. Get these steps right and you will keep the process simple. Most standard e-commerce merchant packages will have these steps set up as defaults. There is usually also the option to modify some of the steps to make things simpler or to tailor the process to suit your specific business.

The payment process starts with the shopping cart. This is where a customer places the items they wish to purchase until they are ready to pay for them. The next step is the checkout. This is where customers can review their shopping cart and proceed to payment. Once they have confirmed they want to purchase the items, they will be prompted to enter their credit card details. This step will include capturing the card holder's name, the card number, the expiration date of the card, and the credit card verification number. If you want to add extra security measures, you may ask for the customer's billing address and additional identification verification. This is where you need to keep things simple. Have fields that can be transferred to the delivery information so the customer does not have to fill in the same details twice. Finally, when all the details are captured, the system should get an authorization on the credit card and confirm the transaction. At the end of the transaction, the customer should get a receipt confirming their purchase. All this needs to be completed within a matter of minutes.

Moving Toward Ecommerce Site Design

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:59:08 -0600

Ecommerce has been a major player in the retail market place for more than a decade now. Initially invented in 1979 by Michael Aldridge, a British entrepreneur, the trend only exploded with the widespread popularity of the internet. Industry statistics this year estimate that 44% of consumers will shop online for holiday gifts this year, and as the market share is ever increasing, a number of companies continue to turn to the world of online shopping almost every day. For most companies looking into this type of website, however, there are a number of different concerns that must be addressed before you can ever begin to build a site that attracts customers and promotes sales.

Industries where Ecommerce May be Useful

Before a company ever starts down the path toward online sales, it may be helpful to take a look at which industries get the most out of the process. The answer is a pretty simple one - almost any industry. Take the city of London, for example. Long a mecca of shopping for people around the world, you couldn't visit this city's unique shops without actually visiting the UK. With the popularity of ecommerce, however, everything from famed department stores like Harrods to much smaller venues like Honest Jon's are finding real success in the online marketplace. Whether you market auto parts to do-it-yourselfers or used books, you're likely to find a home in the world of ecommerce.

The Site Design

Designing your site is key to the process of online shopping. That, however, is the case with any online venture. Customers must be able to find exactly what they're looking for. Wandering around the forlorn virtual aisles of your e-store will do little but make them abandon their shopping cart and visit a competitor, leaving you without the online sale that is so essential to your bottom line. Here are just a few of the most important tips necessary to help your customers find the product they want:

Keep the Number of Clicks Required to a Minimum: If your customer has to click eight times to buy a single used book, you have a real problem on your hands. Perhaps one click is the search through the various categories. The next click leads them to a category description. From there, perhaps they have to click on a sub category. The process can get endless and frustrating. The rule of thumb is that more than four clicks to the point where they must provide their personal information is unnecessary and can cause a poor buy rate.

Add to Cart or Buy Buttons Must Be Obvious: It's the first rule of any website design. Your customers have to understand what they are supposed to do, and nowhere is this more true than in an online shopping experience. Your customers should never have to scroll below the fold to find the right button to push to purchase their item from you.

Show the Price: This one may seem like an obvious marker, but many online retailers require more than one click before the potential buyer can look at the price of any given item. If you don't show them what the item costs immediately, you risk losing them right away.

Security Concerns

As essential as site design is with ecommerce, perhaps the most important factor is the security of your customers. You must implement all of the necessary security protocols and scripting requirements during the actual site build for two major reasons. First, online shoppers are savvier than ever these days. They understand the risks of identity theft and poor transmission of information via the internet, and not creating the secure environment necessary to purchase an item from your shop will only lead them somewhere else where they can have the security they need before they make a purchase. The second reason security concerns must be addressed involves your company. Without the right level of security, products could actually disappear from your warehouse without the proper payment from customers, and that could put your entire company at risk.

Choosing the Right Web Design Company

The key in addressing all of the concerns surrounding getting a functional ecommerce site that actually improves your bottom line is working with a web design company experienced with a variety of different platforms that can address the needs of your company. As you choose a web design company that's right for you, you may want to consider the following:

Look carefully at the company's portfolio. Any good company will have many site designs they can point to so you get a feel for their past work. Navigating these sites, and maybe even making a purchase from them, will help you get a better sense of how your final product might look.

Evaluate their services carefully. Great looking products aren't all a web site design company needs to get your business. They also need to have an extensive list of services that meet your shop's needs. Creating the site is only half the battle. Having a site design company that can teach you how to interface with it is another thing entirely, and it must be part of the services if you're going to have a successful experience online.

Read reviews, and talk to other customers. Looking carefully at feedback is the final essential component. Find out if there are other customers you can speak with, and look extensively at the available online reviews to find a company that best meets your needs.

Ecommerce sites are only increasing in popularity as more and more retailers discover the power of online sales to help boost overall numbers. The key, however, is addressing all potential problems before you begin to launch.

What Business Processes Are Essential For Your New Business

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:45:34 -0600

There are two ways to interpret the phrase 'business processes'. We can assume it refers to equipment you use for specific tasks in running your business, such as the telephone, fax machine, computer etc. Or we can interpret it on a more 'global' level, in reference to a group of activities that culminate in the production of your product or service. Here, we will discuss the latter.

There are three kinds of business processes essential for any enterprise, venture or business, regardless of its age: Management Processes, Operational Processes and Supporting Processes. Organizing your business into types of processes, and through a clear schedule of steps, will make success that much easier to attain.

Management Processes

These are the processes which govern the operation of the system. The planning of the business and the control of its performance falls under this heading. How you choose to execute your activities (strategy), project management, and corporate governance all apply here. These are large sub-headings on their own, but their importance and manpower vary according to the size of your venture. In a corporate setting, senior management is responsible for management processes, however in a new business this task may be taken on by a partner or investor.

Operational Processes

This is the core of any business. It generates the most revenue, and has the highest costs. If something falls out of sync here, very often the whole house of cards will fall. Purchasing, manufacturing, advertising, marketing, sales and research are all part of the operations. Market sensing processes usually take place before business activities begin, and should continue at regular intervals from then on. Customer acquisition processes are important operations at every stage of business. Keeping your product or service current and maintaining superior customer services are part of customer acquisition and customer relationship management process.

Supporting Processes

This is usually the last process to fall into place, and the first to go when a business is failing. The supporting processes aid in the core operations and can include services such as accounting, human resources and technical support. In the beginning of a venture, small business owners often try to save capital by performing these duties themselves or have a family member assist them. This can be a great way to save, if the core skills are there. As the business grows, and especially in the case of accounting tasks, it is advisable to have a professional take over. In small business, it is very common to use outside entities for human resource services. In this manner there is a better chance for a good candidate being chosen and the cost is most always reasonable. Consider the cost of hiring, training, and then having to let them go because they were not the right fit will cost much more than just letting a professional help you.

Each of these heading can be broken down into sub-processes which can sometimes become more important than the original heading. As long as the purpose of each process is focused on aiding the consumer, it will be valuable. When you are beginning to design your processes, start with a mission statement such as 'I want my service to evolve with technical trends'. Then you can compose a strategic management plan which is closely linked to an operational management sub-process which will include research. Another example is 'I want my product to have 100% turnover each month'. Your process to accomplish this goal will involve the purchasing and inventory management sub processes under the operational process umbrella.

Starting a new business is exciting and scary all at once. If you have a good business plan, enough capital, and a marketable idea, then you have a good beginning. Those things do not guarantee success, you need to continue on and develop your essential business processes. Then you have a better chance for success.

The Facts About Internet Fax Services

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 03:52:43 -0600

What is Internet fax? It's the twenty-first century version of traditional facsimile technology, which uses a scanner to convert a paper document to digital format, and sends it to a fax machine in another location which translates the digital information and prints another physical copy. Whether via a broadband or dial-up connection, you can send and receive internet faxes whether or not the party to whom you're sending them uses internet fax or not. Even the faxes people with traditional fax machines send to you can be received as virtual faxes. And, likewise, you can send an internet fax to people with traditional fax machines who can still receive it like they would any other fax. When people with regular fax machines call your internet fax number, they will hear a pre-recorded message, either a default message provided by your internet fax service or your own personal message, letting them know that they've reached your virtual fax and that they can proceed to send over their fax as normal.

Internet fax services typically charge you a flat rate for unlimited incoming faxes from anywhere and outgoing faxes to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. International virtual fax rates are typically charged if sending to countries other than those, but they're very inexpensive. Many virtual fax companies will even offer to give you an incoming internet fax number for free, so that you can try out their service risk-free before you decide to sign up fully. If your faxing requirements are minimal, you can as well sign up for a type of service that will entail very small monthly or yearly fees.

By choosing internet faxing as your primary transmission method, one of the main benefits to you will be the savings, both in time and resources. Internet faxing will save you money over time since you will no longer require fax paper rolls, repair and maintenance of the fax machine itself, an additional phone line or toner cartridges (those certainly add up over time). You will no longer need to type out cover pages since you can utilize a standard, customizable cover page template. Additionally, you no longer have to print out each document you wish to send as they can all be added as attachments and sent immediately.

Now lets look at what an Internet Fax Service can provide for you and what you should look for when choosing a service provider.

Price Value

How much service will you receive for the cost? Can you get unlimited incoming and outgoing faxes for a low rate? Or will you get up to 100 incoming and 50 outgoing faxes a month for an exorbitant fee? You should at least be able to get a free trial to send faxes online with established and reliable fax software, (maybe even a free incoming fax number indefinitely), and no set-up fee or other hidden fees on service. Due diligence is your main ally at this point. Try as many trial offers as necessary until you find a good fit.

Reliability

Nothing is more aggravating or disappointing than when you send a fax through traditional methods and it doesn't go through. You are not likely to be any less irritated if you send faxes online and they don't go through either. Some internet fax services offer delivery guarantees on their services - read the fine print and choose what best suits your requirements.

Customer Support

It's the same with internet fax services as it is with every other service-providing business - customer service is paramount. A company is only as good as the customer service it provides. How readily available are trained, knowledgeable, and friendly support staff to help you twenty four hours a day and three hundred and sixty five days per year? And through what selection of methods - local or toll-free phone, email, web form, live web chat? And lastly, what kind of self-support suite does the service offer? Does its user guides, tutorials, knowledgebase, troubleshooters, etc. cover all you need to know to receive and send faxes online using its service? Choose a provider based on most, if not all of these attributes.

Ease of Use

Most of us rely on the software interfaces to guide us through the otherwise intimidating process of communicating our needs to it in a way that produces desired results, in this case: to receive and send faxes online. The best internet fax software will lead you step-by-step through the process to receive and send faxes online.

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5 Steps to Improve Communication With Your Clients

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 03:51:38 -0600

We communicate in so many ways every moment of every day, but in business our communication style is a marker of our integrity and professionalism. So many business owners do not understand why customers fade away, and most often it is due to ineffective or inadequate communication practices. Here we will take a look at ways to make sure your customer knows exactly what you want them to hear.

Listen

The first step in communicating effectively is to listen. Stop talking, sit back and open your ears. Chances are you will hear things from your client that you didn’t expect. Maybe they have questions about your product or service that you though they were already clear on. It is amazing what you can learn if you just stop talking for a moment and pay close attention to someone else. Some people feel easily bulldozed, in other words they will not speak up if the other person appears to be doing all the talking - even if it is important. Just being silent for ten seconds can prompt a usually quiet person to open up and tell you what they are concerned about. Creating a rapport with your customer is so important in keeping them engaged, and that can only happened if you actively listen to them.

Don't Ramble

Everyone's time is valuable, so is communication, so learn to strike a balance between rambling and offering too little information. Get your main points across, without being overly brief, but do not throw in the kitchen sink. Active listening applies well here, once you have said what needs to said, stop and see what the client has to say in response. More is accomplished in less time with this method, plus you won't have to backtrack when you have said too much. Some people tend to ramble when they get nervous. If you do this, just stop and take a deep breath. Not only will you stop talking, but the moment it takes to breathe may allow the client to offer their own input on the subject at hand.

Don't Get Personal

There is a fine line between creating rapport and getting too personal. Even seasoned business people can make the mistake of getting too involved with their clients. Try to keep it professional, create your own boundaries on which subjects you will discuss and which you will not. Remember, this is business communication, not a friend or relative. It is not the time to discuss personal problems or discuss office gossip. If your client chooses to be more personal than they should, listen politely and be empathetic, but steer the conversation back to business matters as soon as politely possible.

Be Nice

Everyone has a bad day once in awhile. No one can be Suzy-Sunshine all the time either. If a client chooses you as their punching bag that day (regardless if it was warranted or not), keep your temper in check. It is easy to get defensive or fight back, but all it will do is shut down communication and probably kill the relationship you worked so hard to foster. Never use your clients as a sounding board either, no matter how understanding they may seem. You never know when you will say too much and the information could be used against you.

It's Not All About You

Each person has their own style of communication. Some are subtle, some are overt and others have difficulty decoding social cues. In addition, we all have our own unique perspective. So if you think you have been crystal clear about an issue, but the client is getting impatient - do not take it personally. Perhaps they had a bad experience with someone that you remind them of and they just cannot hear you. Or maybe they need to learn what active listening is. Just do your best to be clear, ask the advice of colleagues or perhaps use different methods of communication.

How we interact and communicate says everything about how we do business. If there isn’t enough communication, then perhaps we do not service our customers or neglect our product. If we communicate too much, maybe we are pushy and too sales minded. Strike a balance between talking and listening, be nice and don’t take everything personally. Then other businesses and customers will know you are a company with integrity and values.