"Improving Office Communication

Gone are the days of simply relying upon the telephone or the post office (now referred to as snail mail) to deliver messages and information.  While these modes of communication still exist, they have been joined by the Internet and the multitude of services and programs that speed the rate of sending a message to your recipient.  Now you can talk with another person in real time and even see them or hear their voice live without picking up a receiver.  All of this while not moving from your current position at the computer.

In the new competitive marketplace, these capabilities allow decisions to be made instantly, meetings to be held just about anywhere, work to be done from home, and collaboration to take place as easy as a click of the mouse.  You don't have to worry about finding a parking spot, making travel arrangements, or  even waiting to add your signature to a contract or agreement (see the Legislation Area for more).  Communication technologies have also expanded into global marketplaces.  Clients on the other side of the world can be as close as the client across the street when it comes to making a business deal. (For more information on doing business internationally, click here.)

How can you keep up with the communication revolution and how do you know which services/software are best for you?  Check out what we have learned and some of our recommendations below.  We hope they help in your own business development process.

Telephony is a common word in the telecommunications vocabulary.  It refers to the combining of telephone and computer systems. You may also see the acronym CT which stands for Computer Telephony.  Don't be confused.  For answers to your questions on this subject, check out the Microsoft page: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4692924/.  At the bottom of the page, you will find links to other resources that should prove helpful to you in your quest to enhance your office communications. 

Our recommendations include:

ICQ (www.icq.com) - this is the software that we use and it is great.  One employee works out of a satellite office two hours away.  This makes regular meetings and ongoing communication a bit challenging.  The options provided by ICQ meet our needs nicely.  Messages are sent immediately and a flashing file appears on the function bar with a sound that says: "uh-oh".  This draws my attention to the incoming message.  If there is a pressing matter that needs to be discussed immediately without interruption, ICQ allows you to request a chat where both parties "talk" in real time.  You can even talk (type) at the same time (a feature not allowed in regular conversation).  Files can be sent as well as greeting cards, e-mails and voice messages (with the appropriate hook-ups).  The best part is that ICQ is free.  To download the latest version, use the link above to access their website.

Microsoft Net Meeting (www.microsoft.com/windows/netmeeting/) - this allows most of the options above with the addition of a video representation (picture) of the person with whom you are communicating.  The reviews of this software have been very positive.  I have encountered some problems accessing Net Meeting, even though it came standard on my computer and with Windows 2000.  Maybe you will have better luck.  The download from the page above appears to be free.

Toll-Free Phone Number - to speed the rate and ease of communication with non-local clients, consider investing in a toll-free phone number for your business.  I contracted mine through AT&T and it cost $5 for set-up.  I pay an additional $5 monthly fee for the service plus incoming calls on the 800 number are charged at higher rates than outgoing calls (which are subject to my regular long-distance rate). Check with your long distance carrier for more information.