NEC is one of the biggest names in the telecom industry. At the beginning of May, they made a huge announcement detailing how they’ll begin phasing out on-premises business phone systems from production.

This announcement is crucial for any business that currently has an NEC phone system. NEC has also announced that it will gradually withdraw from the entire on-premises Unified Communications industry toward a full exit.

NEC currently has about a 16% market share of all business phone system products, so there’s no denying that this decision will worry hundreds of businesses throughout central Ohio that currently utilize NEC systems.

These three NEC on-site phone systems are particularly affected by this announcement:

• NEC SV9100
• NEC SL2100
• NEC 3C

There are also other NEC phone systems that have been end-of-life for several years, including:

• NEC XN120
• NEC Aspire
• NEC SV8100
• NEC SL1100

If your business uses any of the phone systems listed above, you’ll need to start considering your future options. The good news is that there are many tech-savvy alternatives for businesses to consider, such as VoIP phone systems and Cloud-based phone systems that third-party providers like Data Talk specialize in.

Key Dates Associated With NEC’s Phase-Out Announcement

There are many upcoming dates that business leaders need to keep in mind when it comes to NEC’s recent announcement, including:

• End of New Deliveries on 12/31/24: This will be the latest that businesses can order new products for on-site phone system sales.
• End of Shipment on 3/31/25: This is the latest date that NEC will ship hardware products ordered before 12/31/24.
• End of Service on 3/31/26: This is the date that NEC will end its technical assistance for the above-listed NEC phone systems.
• End of Software Assurance Support on 3/31/26: This is the date that NEC will end its software support for the above-listed phone systems.

What Does This Announcement Mean For Your Business?

This announcement from NEC might seem startling for many business leaders who are currently using soon-to-be outdated phone systems, but the truth is that this type of telecom industry transition has been inevitable for several years.

VoIP and Cloud-based technologies have recently seen incredible improvements, and the widespread emergence of remote working has only continued the trend toward the Cloud and away from on-site phone systems.

This means that many businesses throughout central Ohio should take this opportunity to explore their opportunities and upgrade their legacy phone systems to modern-day VoIP alternatives. You’ll inevitably see just how many valuable features are associated with VoIP technology, and businesses will also benefit from cost savings when transitioning to the Cloud.

And if all of this sounds too complicated for you and your team to figure out, you can always turn to the Data Talk specialists to ensure that your upcoming phone system transition is handled by an esteemed telecom company.

Reach Out To The Data Talk Team To Learn More About Transitioning Your On-Site NEC Phone System To The Cloud!

Data Talk is the leading third-party telecom provider for the entire central Ohio region. We’re here to help local businesses transition from their on-site NEC phone systems to more sustainable, tech-savvy options like VoIP and Cloud-based systems.

We fully understand how business leaders might be concerned about NEC’s recent announcement, so reach out to us online or give us a call at 614-784-7100 to speak with our industry specialists today about your best options going forward!

The post NEC Makes Big Announcement Regarding The Future Of Their On-Site Phone Systems appeared first on DataTalk.

If your business team is currently struggling with your VoIP phone system, it could mean that you need to get your system professionally inspected. Even if you have fast and high-quality internet, it’s possible to experience voice quality and other telecom issues.

In this blog, we’re going to be delving deeper into what every Columbus Ohio business should be keeping in mind regarding VoIP QoS (Quality of Service). This means we’ll let you know what this is, why it matters so much for your ongoing success, and how you can begin developing your team’s best practices!

What Exactly is VoIP QoS?

Quality of Service (QoS) is essentially a telecom metric that helps businesses prioritize their network traffic and overall quality control. Your phone system’s traffic is more than likely going through complex routers prior to providing tangible impacts on your calls, and traffic is a major concern for VoIP systems that utilize data packets to make digital calling possible.

VoIP data packets are supposed to arrive efficiently and as intended, and any delivery disruptions can cause issues. Telecom administrators use QoS to help guarantee that a system’s audio quality isn’t negatively impacted by common dilemmas like lagging, voice echoes and dropped calls.

QoS truly is the solution for all sorts of voice quality problems, because it allocates network resources toward key parameters like device type and traffic type.

Why Does VoIP QoS Matter for Ohio Businesses?

 There’s absolutely no denying how VoIP QoS is crucial for helping Ohio businesses develop effective communication strategies and organizational success. VoIP QoS also helps with the following:

• Prioritizing voice traffic, which is a huge necessity due to the recent increase in remote working

• Optimizing bandwidth usage and network efficiency

• Improving phone call clarity and reliability

• Ensuring high-quality calls that are made on time

• Improving Local Area Network (LAN) call quality

• Reducing the overall likelihood of experiencing dropped calls and lackluster call quality

All of these potential issues can seriously impact a company’s brand reputation, because neglecting your call quality can cause your customers to lose trust in your team’s ability to provide your products and services!

What Are The Common Benefits & Drawbacks of VoIP QoS?

There are a few benefits and drawbacks of VoIP QoS that business leaders should know about, including:

Benefits

• Efficiently diagnosing and resolving business phone system issues

• Using minimal bandwidth to prioritize your traffic connections

Drawbacks

• Resolving certain telecom issues might not be guaranteed

• Doesn’t typically impact audio compression

Understanding VoIP QoS Best Practices

There’s are many best practices associated with VoIP QoS, so it’s understandable if you and your team feel a bit overwhelmed by everything that you need to know.

The good news is that the Data Talk team has you covered when it comes to figuring out your VoIP QoS strategies, and below are some of our recommendations:

• Learn the intricate details of your VoIP system (reading our instructions, guides, manuals, etc.)

• Learn about common network benchmarks (latency, network jitter, packet loss, etc.) to better understand the causes of your call issues

• Engage in bandwidth management by prioritizing traffic type, and not your devices

• Use advanced queuing technology and techniques, including Trust Mode

• Select a reliable, credible and trustworthy VoIP provider like Data Talk to help you optimize your network’s efficiency and properly troubleshoot issues as they come up

Reach Out To Data Talk To Learn More About VoIP QoS!

When a company’s VoIP system is experiencing quality issues, it can lead to disastrous effects like irreparable brand image damages and reduced credibility among your valuable clients. VoIP issues can also cost you leads, which can detrimentally impact your growth and bottom line.

QoS is just one of many reasons why the vast majority of businesses in Columbus, Ohio need to place their telecom services into qualified, third-party specialists. Data Talk is one of the leading VoIP providers in Ohio, and our team is here to help you optimize your network and improve your company’s overall VoIP performance.

Our team is always available to answer your questions and point you in the right direction toward long-term, sustainable growth, so contact us online or call us at 614-784-7100 to let us know your VoIP QoS concerns!

The post Everything Columbus Ohio Entrepreneurs Should Know About VoIP QoS! appeared first on DataTalk.

Unified communications strategies offer many incredible benefits, and the Data Talk team has supported countless businesses in transitioning their communications into the Cloud.

Some of the many solutions that are offered by Unified Communications include:

• Using VoIP technology to connect with colleagues working remotely.

• Using video-conferencing features to have face-to-face meetings.

• Using chat applications to quickly communicate with team members.

• Completing business tasks while on the go.

• And A LOT more!

Unified Communications is essentially oriented around streamlining and simplifying a company’s communication strategies, and teaming up with a reputable third-party provider like Data Talk will ensure that your most vital tools are integrated within one comprehensive, easy-to-use platform.

Below are some of the many ways that Unified Communications can increase your company’s overall productivity!

Eliminating Communication Barriers

Unified Communications strategies are known for improving a company’s internal dialogue, and this happens through breaking down many different common barriers.

You’ll no longer have to reach team members through different channels because your messaging apps, emails, and voice calls will all be within a single platform. Instead of playing tag with emails when you need to reach out, your Unified Communications platform will allow you to send quick messages that help ensure that everyone remains on the same page.

Flexible Work Environments

There’s no denying just how fast-paced today’s business world is, and being tied down to an office desk is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Unified Communications solutions give business teams the freedom to work anywhere with an internet connection, but this type of flexibility goes so much further than simply where you work.

Unified Communications also impacts how you work because you can seamlessly switch between your devices without losing anything. This means that you can start a conversation on a laptop, transition it to a phone, and even finish it on a tablet—all without missing a beat!

Incredible Efficiency

Unified Communications solutions will help you streamline your overall workflow to an impeccable degree, partly because you won’t have to toggle between different platforms and apps anymore.

Everything you’ll need on a daily basis will be conveniently located within one place, which goes a long way to save you time and minimize any disruptions.

Improving Team Collaboration

Every company’s success relies upon internal collaboration, and Unified Communications solutions offer helpful features like virtual meeting rooms, document editing, instant messaging, and more to ensure that your team collaborates well.

Unified Communications will make your team’s collaboration much smoother. This means that valuable ideas will flow more freely, and your important projects will move forward more efficiently.

Cost-Effective

Unified Communications aren’t just meant for massive corporations. Nowadays, businesses of all sizes can utilize this cost-effective solution. And when you partner with a third-party provider like Data Talk, all of your maintenance and repair needs are handled by seasoned industry specialists.

Consolidating into one communications platform is also eco-friendly. This means fewer commuting hours, less paper usage, and a reduced carbon footprint for your company.

Data Protection

We all know just how prevalent data breaches and cyber threats are in today’s business world, which is why cybersecurity is a huge priority for every company.

Our Unified Communications solutions are equipped with state-of-the-art security features, which means that your valuable data will be protected with secure logins, end-to-end encryption, authentication processes, and more!

Improving Your Customer Service

Satisfied customers become repeat customers, and your Unified Communications system will play a vital role in ensuring that your customers are happy with your products/services.

Features like instant customer information access and intelligent call routing will help your team provide personalized and swift assistance for every incoming call.

Convenient Data Management

Digitization helped eliminate massive business paper trails, but now you still need to search through document folders to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Unified Communications helps business teams to centralize their data management, which makes it easier to share and access important documents. This will not only improve your team’s organizational efficiency, but it’ll also reduce your overall risk of inadvertently creating data silos.

Reach Out To Data Talk To Learn More About Our Unified Communications Solutions!

Unified Communications will ultimately foster your company’s collaboration, streamline your communications, and ensure your team’s long-term productivity. In today’s fast-paced business world, Unified Communications is essentially a prerequisite for any business to stay ahead and remain relevant within its industry.

Data Talk is one of the leading telecom providers based in Columbus, OH, and we’re here to help you take your communication strategy to a whole new level. Contact us online or call us at 614-784-7100 to learn more about our Unified Communications solutions today!

The post How Unified Communications Can Make Your Company More Productive! appeared first on DataTalk.

Many entrepreneurs don’t fully understand how to scale their small businesses, and this can potentially lead to detrimental issues like missed opportunities, diminished ROIs, stagnation, and competition losses. So, it’s safe to say that gaining knowledge about scaling a business can go a very long way toward ensuring your company’s long-term success!

The Data Talk team offers a wide array of products and services that make your scaling strategies easier and more manageable, and we’re always here to help you develop unique telecom strategies that provide the competitive edge you need.

Below we’ll be delving deeper into the differences between growing and scaling a business, as well as five strategies to make your business more scalable in 2024’s cutthroat marketplace!

Differences Between Growing & Scaling a Business

We often hear business leaders use the terms growing and scaling interchangeably, which is why it’s important to distinguish the differences between them. Although both growing and scaling a business involves expanding its overall reach and profitability, they also involve different methods and goals.

Scaling a business refers to improving your company’s revenue while maintaining or reducing required resources. This doesn’t necessarily involve proportional rises in overhead costs. The typical goal is rapid growth with little to no labor or infrastructure disruptions.

Growing a business refers to expanding your line of products/services, increasing your revenue, and maximizing your presence within your marketplace. This means that growing your business usually involves incremental or proportional increases in your investments. The typical goal is simply to see a rise in sales and profit margins.

Five Strategies To Successfully Scale Your Business

Scaling your business will always require certain prerequisites, such as a skilled team, robust tools, and an ultra-efficient business plan.

Here are five essential strategies to successfully scale your business in 2024:

1. Scaling Your Team

One pitfall that many business leaders fall into while scaling a small company is micromanaging, which often leads to errors and potential burnout. Leaders should mainly focus on high-level supervision, as opposed to managing more menial processes and trivial decisions.

The key to this part of the puzzle is hiring specialists to boost your team’s efficiency and productivity because you’ll then be able to rely on your team members to make their own decisions. Here are some of the skills and capabilities that you should be looking for in your new specialists:

• Registering more online requests/leads through expanding your IT framework.
• Installing new programs and equipment to handle your scaled-up operations.
• Fixing technical dilemmas without operational disruptions.
• Experts in things like project management, business analytics, graphic design, coding, and other valuable niches.
• Soft skills like customer service, communication, time management, team organization, etc.

If hiring a whole team of new specialists seems costly, you can also consider hiring third-party providers like Data Talk to provide you with the products and services you need to scale your business while simultaneously managing your overhead costs!

2. Automated Solutions

It’s challenging for staff and labor-intensive businesses to successfully scale up because you can easily burden your team when your operations expand. This is why it’s generally wiser to invest in automated solutions that can save your staff time and allow them to focus on more important tasks.

Strong automated solutions can help you with the following:

• Boosting revenue, simplifying employee production, and reducing labor hours.

• Reducing errors that lead to lost income and customers.

• Automating things like invoicing, customer service, and marketing.

• Help your team dedicate their time to income-generating and high-value tasks.

• Freeing your staff from administration tasks, and allowing them to capitalize on their skills.

• Personalizing your marketing and advertising toward profitable clients and subsequently boosting your sales.

3. Marketing Strategies

Robust marketing strategies are simply non-negotiable when it comes to successfully scaling your business. Marketing is essentially a never-ending process of attracting new customers to your products and services and refining what you offer based on customer feedback. It builds your brand’s image and lets the world know about what you have to offer.

However, it’s important to understand that marketing in 2024 goes much further than simply launching local promotions or advertising campaigns to attract new leads. In today’s cutthroat marketplace, it’s more important than ever to establish your company as a market leader, which means you’ll have to expand your industry participation through things like workshops and conferences.

Identifying and fully understanding the psyche of your target audience is absolutely crucial for fine-tuning your marketing campaigns, and you can come to these valuable understandings by tracking your progress and consistently refining your marketing strategies as needed.

4. The Right Technology & Tools

Although proven marketing strategies and skilled specialists are critical for your company’s scaling process, these elements will not matter as much if your team does not use the right tools and technology.

Here are some important tools to keep in mind while you’re scaling your business:

• State-of-the-art communication software
• Client Relationship Management (CRM) system
• Workflow automation software

And if all these tech investments seem cluttered and overwhelming, you can choose an all-in-one investment through us!

5. Customer Support Knowledge

There’s no way to successfully scale your business without offering convenient and efficient customer support. This is why it’s so crucial to train your customer support team to be empathetic and proficient because they’ll have to fully understand your client’s needs and quickly offer relevant support.

Customer support knowledge will provide a lot of incredible benefits for your entire business, including:

• Streamlining your business processes
• Strengthening your customer relationships
• Gaining positive referrals
• Understanding customer trends, preferences, and pain points
• Modifying your marketing strategies, product development, and overall business decisions

Reach Out To Data Talk To Make Your Business More Scalable!

Data Talk is a multifaceted VoIP provider that offers a wide variety of features to support your company’s scaling strategies. This includes benefiting your communication, workflow automation and client management needs.

We’ve proven to help build businesses for over 60 years, which is why we’re one of the most trusted telecom teams in central Ohio. Reach out to us online or call us at 614-784-7100 to speak with our experts today about your company’s ongoing scaling strategies!

The post Five Strategies To Make Your Business More Scalable In 2024! appeared first on DataTalk.

Businesses of all sizes heavily rely upon recurring revenue models (i.e., ongoing subscriptions) to drive up their profits.

There’s also no denying how subscription-based companies have been put in a pretty tough spot in recent years as inflation. Additionally, other price hikes have caused consumers to be more cautious with their spending, which is why metrics like customer lifetime value (CLV) are so important for business leaders to understand.

Below we’ll be discussing what CLV is, how it’s calculated, why it matters, and how you can improve yours!

What Exactly is Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)?

Customer lifetime value refers to the net profit that a business receives from its average customer throughout the entirety of the customer relationship. This means it includes initial purchases, as well as repeat purchases like subscriptions.

When a business has good CLV ratings, it’s a solid indication that they’re obtaining great customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How is CLV Calculated?

What’s great about CLV is that it’s relatively easy to calculate when your business maintains access to the right data—which is something our team is always happy to help you with.

Here’s the basic formula for calculating CLV:

CLV = average purchase amount X average number of purchases (per customer)

Three Huge Reasons Why CLV Matters For Your Business

When your CLV metrics are high, it shows that your company is exceeding customer expectations and providing opportunities for customer loyalty. This essentially means that your customers are continuously coming back to your business, as opposed to your competitors.

Taking good care of your CLV rating can pay huge dividends over long periods of time, and below are three important reasons why this metric matters for your business:

1. High CLV Means High Customer Loyalty

Increasing your CLV can substantially boost your company’s profits because just a 5% increase in CLV can likely lead to 25% more profits (or more). Loyal customers tend to spend much more as compared to new customers, and your repeat customers will typically spend their money with you—instead of your competitors.

Loyal customers also typically lead to referrals and other word-of-mouth marketing, as well as great online reviews and social media sharing. All of this can seriously add up when it comes to your company’s recurring revenue!

2. Churning New Customers is Expensive

When your company relies upon a subscription-based business model, customer retention truly is everything for your long-term success.

It costs upwards of seven times more money to acquire new customers as compared to retaining existing clientele, and upsells and cross-sells can also significantly contribute to your revenue when you’re marketing toward loyal customers.

3. Helps You Identify & Find Your Company’s “Best” Clientele

Every industry is becoming increasingly more competitive each year, which is why it has never been more important for companies to understand who their ideal customers are.

Pursuing potential customers who are likely interested in your products/services will go a long way to decrease your acquisition costs and increase your customer lifetime value.

Three Tips To Increase Your Company’s Customer Lifetime Value

The main strategy to keep in mind when it comes to increasing your CLV rating is to continuously make efforts to help your customers tangibly understand the values of their subscriptions.

The following strategies can help:

1. Offering Exclusive Deals To Loyal Customers

Many businesses will offer loyalty perks to their subscription customers, which includes some of their best deals going to existing customers.

It’s always difficult to get a customer back once they’ve decided to move on to one of your competitors, so offering your loyal customers upgrades and attractive discounts can make them feel like they need to maintain their subscriptions.

2. Carefully Listen To Your Customers

It’s also absolutely critical that you listen to what your customers are saying via online reviews and social media platforms. Many businesses don’t monitor these channels enough (or take them seriously), which can be sort of like disregarding a treasure trove of information.

Most people like it when companies respond to their online reviews, and this can be increasingly more important when you receive a negative review. Being polite and courteous to all of your customers can make your loyal customers feel better about staying with you for the long-term future.

3. Meeting Your Clientele’s Changing Needs

There’s no denying how your customers will continuously be changing their needs, and serious businesses need to identify and meet these needs on a regular basis. This also means that you should be keeping tabs on what your competitors are doing when it comes to their customer loyalty strategies as well.

Offering renewal discounts and low-priced options can make all the difference when it comes to retaining or losing customers!

Contact Data Talk To Learn More About Improving Your Customer Lifetime Value!

Data Talk is a leading telecom provider based in Columbus, Ohio. Our team supports businesses of all sizes with their most important telecom strategies, which include maintaining crucial metrics like your customer lifetime value ratings.

Reach out to us online or call us at 614-784-7100 to get in touch with our industry specialists and ask us about improving your company’s CLV!

The post How To Calculate Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) & Why It’s Important For Your Business! appeared first on DataTalk.

Call centers are very fast-paced work environments that require employees to simultaneously juggle multiple tasks, so it’s understandable when call agents struggle to keep up with peak volume demands.

The result of these stressful work environments is often impatient and frustrated customers, who typically hang up before resolving their call. This phenomenon is known as call abandonment, and it’s a crucial metric for every call center to take seriously.

Below we’ll be detailing a comprehensive overview of call abandon rates, and how your call center can improve this vital business metric!

What Exactly Is Call Abandonment & How Is It Calculated?

A call is considered to be abandoned when a caller disconnects prior to getting in touch with a call center agent, so it’s easy to imagine how there are many reasons why a customer might abandon their call.

It’s important to remember that pretty much every call center has at least some abandoned calls, and an acceptable call abandon rate is generally between 5-8% of a center’s daily calls. However, anything above about 8% is an alarming red flag that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

It’s relatively easy to calculate your call center’s abandon rate using this formula: abandoned calls/total number of calls X 100 = call abandon rate.

Main Reasons Why Customers Abandon Their Calls

It’s normal for call center employees to wonder why their customers are abandoning their calls, so here are some of the common culprits:

Long Waiting Times

This is by far the most common reason why people abandon calls, so long wait times to get in touch with a call agent will more than likely lead to high call abandon rates.

Confusing IVR Systems

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems have become increasingly popular among call centers in recent years, and many callers will get frustrated when IVR instructions are too lengthy, complicated or confusing for them. Difficulties navigating through an IVR system will potentially turn a customer off from even wanting to speak with one of your agents.

Inability To Speak With Human Call Agents

This has become an increasingly alarming issue as more call centers have tried to cut their overhead costs by implementing AI call agents. When a customer doesn’t have the ability to speak with an actual human being about the issues they’re dealing with, they’ll often abandon their call and seek out other ways to resolve their dilemma.

Personal Reasons

This is usually out of a call center’s control, because there are many scenarios in which a customer will get distracted by something that’s happening to them and need to hang up.

Five Strategies To Reduce Your Call Center’s Call Abandon Rate

Here are some of our strategies to help you reduce the call abandon rate at your call center:

1. Leverage Your Company’s Real-Time Monitoring

One of the first things you should figure out is when your customers are more likely to abandon their calls. This will require extensive call monitoring for all of your business calls, including the callers who are on hold and their specific wait times. These two metrics are crucial in terms of developing the KPIs that’ll guide your team toward more efficient call handling.

2. Offer Call-Back Options

Although being adequately staffed is undoubtedly a huge factor toward improving your call center’s abandon rate, there are some helpful tech solutions that can help you mitigate your call abandonment issues.

One of the main solutions that you’ll want to implement is a call-back option, because this simple feature will allow your call agents to call customers back when wait times are inconvenient or simply just too long. This helps your customers to continue on with their day, and then receive the services they need when your team is available to handle their query.

You could also consider providing estimated timeframes for when your team can call a customer back, or you could allow customers to establish a specific timeslot that gives them full control of when they can speak with your team.

3. Providing Waiting Times

One of the biggest frustrations that customers have is not knowing when their call will be answered, which is why many customers will hang up when they’re put on hold for too long.

One way to remedy this issue is to let customers know an estimated waiting time by introducing a queuing system. This will let your customers know what place in the queue they’re in, and this feature is often connected to call-back features that allow callers to go on with their day while keeping their spot in line!

4. Evaluating Your Staffing Levels

As mentioned above, inadequate staffing is a huge reason why call centers will experience high call abandon rates. If this is the case for your business, then you’ll likely need to consider hiring more people to answer your calls.

There are many great software tools that help companies better understand when they’re most likely to be busy, and keeping enough people staffed during these important moments can help alleviate the amount of people who hang up on you.

5. Use AI Solutions To Support Your Staff

There are many different technological advancements that support call centers on a daily basis, including AI tools like conversational AI. This includes solutions like virtual assistants and live chat that help customers receive answers in real-time, which can go a very long way to streamline each caller’s overall experience with your team.

Conversational AI has revolutionized itself in recent years, so you can put some faith into it when your call agents are particularly busy!

Reach Out To Data Talk When You Need Help Reducing Your Call Center’s Call Abandon Rate!

Data Talk is a leading telecom provider for the Columbus metro area and beyond, and our team is here to help optimize your call center’s efficiency and reduce harmful metrics like your call abandon rate.

Reach out to us online or call us at 614-784-7100 to speak with our call center specialists today about the issues that your team is currently facing!

The post Strategies To Reduce Your Call Center’s Call Abandon Rate! appeared first on DataTalk.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, working nine hours each day in an office was perfectly normal. But today, remote working has completely revolutionized the professional workplace forever—and it’s looking like there’s no going back.

Many business professionals doubt or even scoff at the concept of remote work, and there are still many myths associated with remote working as it’s become more mainstream.

Below we’ll be debunking four of the most common myths associated with remote working!

Four Common Myths About Remote Working

Although there are many unwarranted myths about remote working, below are some of the most common:

1. “Remote Workers Are Less Productive Than Office Workers”

A lot of people will overlook the contributions and overall productivity of remote workers, and this is simply because this productivity isn’t happening directly in front of one another like it does in offices. Productivity has certainly been at the forefront of the remote working debate in recent years, because many business leaders unfortunately can’t help themselves but thinking the worst of other people when they don’t have direct oversight of them.

The truth is that conventional offices are often more distracting than home offices, and this is because people will get caught up in conversations, will take longer breaks, and will generally get more distracted simply because there are more people to initiate distractions.

Even the Harvard Business Review has conducted studies oriented around the productivity of remote workers, and they found that remote workers were actually about 14% more productive as compared to office workers!

2. “Remote Workers Need Specialized Equipment”

Most business leaders want to minimize their overhead expenses as much as possible, because this is one of the most efficient ways to maximize profit margins. So it’s no surprise how there’s a myth oriented around the perceived costs associated with remote workers, because it plays into the same type of paranoia associated with its ill-perceived productivity.

Due to the advancements of telecom technology like VoIP phone systems, there’s no need for additional tech support or equipment when your employees transition to home offices. When you compare the necessary equipment between office and remote workers, it’s virtually the exact same. Remote workers don’t need much, but they do need unified communications and cloud-based technology.

The vast majority of businesses end up saving a lot of money when they partner up with remote workers. We’re talking thousands of dollars per person that business leaders can save by embracing the remote work trend. And when you don’t need to invest in as much office space and equipment, you can then reallocate these investments into other parts of your company.

3. “Remote Workers Are Out Of Touch”

A lot of business managers question how they can maintain their company culture while simultaneously embracing remote working and a more virtual communication environment. It has raised the question in recent years about how remote workers contribute to corporate culture, and whether or not vital information and knowledge can be shared through screens.

What’s important to remember is that remote workers don’t live in a vacuum, and they’re perfectly capable of communicating with your entire team through digital platforms. And what’s great about this transition is that it isn’t all that unfamiliar for people these days, particularly for those who stay in touch with family and friends through social media and other online outlets.

Although there may be some learning curves for companies as they transition to remote working, these transitions shouldn’t be all that difficult. The main thing that business leaders need to keep in mind when it comes to managing remote workers is that it’s on them to consistently and clearly communicate with their co-workers in order to keep everyone on the same page.

4. “Remote Workers Jeopardize Business Security”

IT security tends to be easy when everyone is working within the same office building, and this can get more complicated when remote workers are logging in through home networks and other digital devices to collaborate and get tasks completed.

The good news is that these types of security concerns can easily be mitigated, and that business leaders largely don’t have to worry about data breaches that indirectly come from their remote workers. Most businesses will outsource their security to telecom providers like Data Talk, and these added security layers essentially negate any risks that remote workers could possibly pose.

So although there may be more security factors to keep in mind when your business team works remotely, having remote workers doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re more susceptible to data breaches.

Data Talk Is Here To Support Your Company’s Unified Communications & Remote Working Strategies!

Data Talk is the leading telecom provider in central Ohio, and we’ve supported hundreds of businesses throughout recent years as they’ve transitioned away from offices and toward remote working.

Reach out to us online or give us a call at 614-784-7100 to speak with our industry specialists today about how we can help your company make the most out of your remote working strategies!

The post Debunking Four Common Myths About Remote Working appeared first on DataTalk.

Relocating is always a significant step for any business, and it’s why a lot of business leaders will reflect on their current telecom systems and consider upgrades during these transitions.

For a lot of business leaders, it’s a moment to recognize how times have changed, and that the telecom industry has increasingly transitioned to the Cloud. No one should feel tied down to their traditional phone system in 2023, because there are countless innovations that are making business practices easier, more efficient, and even more affordable.

All of us at Data Talk are proud to provide our Unite Platform, which is a cloud-based system that’s designed to guarantee that your team remains connected with one another and your customers—regardless of where your employees are located. We’ve even created a mobile app that makes conducting complex business procedures easier and more convenient than ever before!

Some of the most popular features associated with Unite include:

• Video conferencing
• Chat
• Business texting
• File sharing
• Data storage
• And much more!

So there’s absolutely no reason why transitioning businesses should hold themselves back with outdated telecom technology, and below we’ll be explaining more about why our Unite Platform is a great option for you and your company!

What Our Past Customers Are Saying About Unite Cloud Communications

We’ve supported hundreds of relocating businesses in recent years who’ve transitioned from traditional business phone systems to our United Cloud Communications Platform, and the following is what we keep hearing time and time again:

• Their traditional, on-premise system was much less affordable than they originally thought once they considered the costs associated with phone lines, upgrades, and hardware replacements.
• They love the consolidation of their applications that support all of their business communications under one roof, and they’re saving hundreds of dollars per year per employee by using the Unite app.
• Businesses have needed to adjust to changing consumer demands, including being reachable by text during non-business hours.

If you’re concerned about your company’s communication and data storage strategies, then our Unite Platform could be just what you need to maintain productivity and organization while your business is relocating!

When You Should Consider A Switch To A Cloud-Based Phone System

When you’re considering your company’s impending office location switch, you’ll have a good opportunity to reevaluate your essential business systems. Although there are many scenarios in which switching to an Office in the Cloud is a good idea, the following are some solid reasons to make the switch:

Your PBX System Is Over Five Years Old

There have been a ton of technological advancements in the telecom industry throughout recent years, so even if your system is just five years old, it’s likely a good time to make an upgrade. Not only have outdated PBX systems reached the ends of their technological development, but businesses will eventually see a shortage of technical support and replacement parts for these older systems as well.

Switching to a hosted provider like Data Talk can help bring your business out of the dark ages and into the tech-savvy Cloud. And you’ll be surprised by just how affordable these types of investments generally are!

Downtime During Your Relocation Would Be Unaffordable

Traditional phone systems experience all sorts of issues when it comes to relocating, because you’ll need to temporarily forward your phone line in order to be reached.

But with a cloud-based phone system, your relocation process will be seamless. There’s minimal hardware necessary for these system setups, and your phone lines will remain active throughout your move. 

You Want To Implement New Features & Integrations Into Your Telecom Strategies

Moving your phone system to the Cloud will allow you to gain access to all sorts of valuable features, including a unified communications system that allows for things like video calling, voice calls, call recording, HD audio, and so much more.

Voicemail to email and automatic call forwarding are also very valuable features that many transitioning businesses love about Cloud systems. You’ll also be able to integrate crucial business software like CRM platforms that’ll help your team increase business intelligence and overall productivity.

You’re Trying To Future-Proof Your Business Communications

Cloud-based phone systems like our Unite Platform require little from business leaders, because it’ll essentially be on the Data Talk team to ensure that your system is well-equipped with the latest advancements as they’re released. And from a business owner’s standpoint, this makes Cloud transitions an incredible long-term investment that future-proofs your maintenance, upkeep, and upgrades.

Reach Out To Us To Learn More About Our Cloud-Based Unite Platform!

Data Talk is here to help your business during relocations and times of transition, and we’ll be there for you when you feel as though outdated technology is holding you back.

Upgrade your phone system to our Unite Platform today and experience the benefits of a modern, flexible communication system.

Reach out to us online or call us at 614-784-7100 for a free Unite demo!

The post Reasons Why Businesses Should Switch To Our Cloud-Based Unite Platform When Relocating appeared first on DataTalk.

While you evaluate vendors, be sure to refer to the below list of criteria to guide your selection process.

The right voice and data partner should have these qualities:

• Knowledgeable. The best voice and data providers stay up to date on telecom and IT technologies and know how to configure them to fit the specific needs of your business operation.
• System Neutral. The provider you choose should not represent just one telecom system but should provide you with multiple system options — explaining the pros and cons of each so you can make a better (and more informed) decision.
• Budget Sensitive. Your provider should make sure you get the best value for your money.
• Training. Select a voice and data provider who will not only install the new system but also help to train you and your staff so everyone can quickly become productive and efficient using your new system. Your provider should also be willing to step in to train new employees as they are hired.
• Proactive. Your provider should bring you new ideas and opportunities to improve your system and better support the growth and success of your business.

You want not only a voice and data provider but also a partner. Their goal should be your goal — and that is to help make sure you have the voice and data system that best supports your business now and long into the future.

Fortunately, choosing a vendor with confidence is easy if you select a company that is a member of the Ideacom Network. Here’s what our members must do to be accepted in this exclusive network:

• Pass rigorous examinations. As a nationwide association of telecommunication leaders, our members must pass a rigorous examination to be accepted.
• Provide the highest standards of customer service. Each member has demonstrated that they conform to the highest standards of customer service and maintain only the most qualified personnel to assist you.
• Be certified on the latest technological advancements. Each sales and service representative is certified on the very latest technological advancements in our industry.
• Provide a thorough analysis of your needs. Only after a thorough and professional evaluation of your voice and data needs is completed will an Ideacom member recommend a system that will effectively support your business operation.
• Be vendor neutral. Ideacom members sell, install and maintain the industry’s leading manufacturers of voice and data networks and products. As representatives of many different platforms, you can rely on them to be “vendor neutral” and provide a system that that will fit your needs.
• Receive world-class training. Members attend Ideacom University to receive world-class training unavailable elsewhere in the industry. They also undergo extensive training in all phases of the business at annual meetings as well as attend workshops throughout the year.
• Be fully vetted. All Ideacom members are vetted by a third-party service for financial stability, customer satisfaction, technical certifications and more.
• Be chosen based on merit. Not just anyone can join Ideacom. Members are chosen based on a merit system.
• Offer more competitive pricing. The Ideacom Network is part of a purchasing consortium, meaning our members can deliver goods and services at prices that are very competitive.

As a network of independent voice and data resellers, you can find an Ideacom member wherever you may have offices or facilities across the country. The Ideacom Network has been serving the needs of businesses throughout the United States since 1999. Many of our members have been in the industry for 50+ years. To get the high-quality advice, support, pricing — and the pro-active attitude — you want from your telecom partner, you can always select an Ideacom member with complete confidence.

The post Select a Voice and Data Partner with Confidence appeared first on DataTalk.