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Category: Learn

Why is VoIP Geo-Redundancy a Top Business Priority?

30th March 2022 blog
An image of VoIP Geo Redundancy.

We live in a highly-connected and online-obsessed economy, leading to the expectation that individuals and businesses should always be available. So what happens when your business suffers an outage or …Read More »

9 Themes and Takeaways from Enterprise Connect 2022

25th March 2022 blog
Enterprise Connect 2022 Themes and Takeaways

Enterprise Connect (EC) 2022 just took place from March 21-24, 2022. This year’s expo was fantastic with a wonderfully decorated floor plan, an absolutely stacked speaker panel, and cutting-edge technologies …Read More »

What is VoIP Termination and Why Do You Need it?

24th March 2022 blog
An image of how VoIP calls get connected and terminated.

Dropped calls, inaccessibility, and high calling costs are unacceptable when it comes to enterprise communications. Without high-quality voice, your business will have a hard time connecting with essential customers and …Read More »

Inbound vs Outbound Call Center: Definition, Features, Differences

21st March 2022 blog
This image shows inbound vs outbound call centers.

When you’re running a call center, managing calls effectively is of the utmost importance. But, to successfully manage calls, you need to determine the type of call center you are …Read More »

9 E-Commerce Marketing Strategies

15th March 2022 blog
This image shows how to create an ecommerce marketing strategy.

E-commerce businesses are more accessible than ever before. They’ve spread to a wide variety of platforms and even modified themselves to different devices. If you have an online business of …Read More »

What is Intelligent Call Routing?

14th March 2022 blog, Call Management
An image of intelligent call routing being used.

Simple call routing strategies are a thing of the past in successful business phone networks. These strategies have become outdated as they often generated long wait times, multiple transfers, and …Read More »

7 Ways to Keep Employees Motivated

21st December 2017 How To's, Learn, Tips

Did you know that 3 million employees in the U.S. quit their job voluntarily every single month?

It’s not too surprising when you think about it. Many employers are unaware, or too busy to notice there are often company-wide bad habits that drive good employees to their competitor’s front door.

When workers don’t feel comfortable in a certain setting or are unhappy with their position, costly mistakes are more likely to happen. Instead, the focus needs to be placed on motivating employees at all levels, from interns to middle management and beyond. A truly successful enterprise is one that recognizes the importance of their workers and actively works to keep them. Not just for their talents and hard work, but their personal health and happiness.

Here are 7 different opportunities you can take advantage of to motivate your people in a positive work environment.

  1. Rewards and Incentives

If your workers have accomplished something worthy of a “job well done,” then say so with a reward. Recognition is one of the best ways to keep employees satisfied with their job. This is especially true if they’re recognized in front of coworkers. Here are some ideas of things you can reward them with to get started:

  • Gift cards to a nearby restaurant or coffee shop
  • Catered lunch for your team
  • VIP parking spot for a week
  • A “work from home” day
  • A trophy or framed certificate
  1. Recognize and Address Problems

When employees speak up about a certain issue, it’s best to listen. This has to do with good communication. If your company communicates well, then workers feel listened to and cared for.

For instance, let’s say that one of your teams is asking for more training or tools to help them with tasks. Instead of saying “we don’t have a budget for this,” schedule a meeting with everyone involved to come up with an alternative solution. While it may be difficult to resolve every single problem they face, you must at least recognize their concern.

This is because even “small” problems can snowball into bigger ones in the future, so try not to ignore them for too long. This could result in a top employee leaving your company.

  1. Get Their Input

According to a 2005 study, “84% of highly engaged employees believe they can positively impact the quality of their company’s products.”

Have you ever gotten an employee’s opinion on a process? When workers are more involved and offer input, they are naturally motivated to see a project succeed.

So create a culture where employees are encouraged to participate. Ask them how they feel about certain policies and how things can be improved. You would be surprised how many of them have smart ideas already. Try to set up a monthly meeting where everyone can get together and spitball ideas.

Remember, be sure to do more than just listen. Support their ideas, allow them to implement them and have ownership of them as well.

  1. Create a “Trust” Environment

How often have you worked in an office where, if something went wrong, everyone would start pointing fingers? This is a direct reflection of upper management. When employees make a mistake, they become anxious about getting reprimanded and are less likely to be open about it.

Instead, hire managers and team leaders who are willing to foster trust. They should encourage values such as respect, honesty, and teamwork on a regular basis. This way, when a mistake is made, workers can feel confident about going to their leaders for support. They can also work together on a plan for preventing that mistake in the future.

  1. Give Them Room to Grow

When a person walks into a company interview, chances are you are going to ask the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Well, how are you helping them get there?

Most people enter the workforce with a goal. Complacent or “bored” employees have short attention spans and are more likely to leave if their goals aren’t met. Regular training, new challenges, and bigger projects are just a few of the ways to support employees professionally.

Offer top workers a chance at real development in your company. Send them to a career fair or conference where they can grow their skills. Have a quarterly review where they can make their own recommendations for how they will grow over the next few months. As they develop into their roles, you are more likely to retain them.

  1. Celebrate With Them

This is more than just a birthday cake in the conference room. Recognize the importance of personal and professional achievement from upper management and C-level executives. Here are a few reasons to celebrate with your employees:

  • A glowing customer review on your website as a result of service well done
  • A new and successful product release
  • Promotions and new hires
  • Professional milestones, such as years of service

Additionally, acknowledging personal and professional milestones can be enhanced by offering thoughtful employee gratitude gift ideas, turning routine recognitions into memorable moments.

According to the TINYpulse Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture Report, “Nearly two-thirds of all employees report working at organizations that lack a strong work culture.” Being able to sit regularly with workers in a casual setting will go a long way in developing a culture they enjoy.

Not only that, celebrations enable employees to want to reach new milestones on their own.

  1. Be Flexible

Offices will have many strict rules about when employees can take breaks, how many days they can have off, and may even dictate acceptable times to use the restroom.

While having office “rules” to a certain extent is actually very healthy, workers should never have to feel worried or anxious about when they can leave their desk. This kind of burden does not offer them a chance to attend to their personal lives. And as a result, they end up quitting. Instead, work with them and put into place a flexible work schedule that meets their needs.

For example, you can explain that if certain deadlines are met, a team can work from home every other Friday. According to studies, “Companies that support remote employees“ have 25 percent lower employee turnover than companies that don’t.”

Why Team Building Exercises Work

21st December 2017 Learn, Tips

Time and again you read about the many benefits of team building and why it matters in the modern workplace. These may seem like frivolous activities, but there is actual data to prove otherwise. In fact, when team building exercises are regularly incorporated into an office environment, especially ones that include problem-solving, communication, and decision making, you create truly engaged employees and teams who find purpose in their work.

These are the employees who contribute to your ultimate success and end up boosting employers’ bottom line. And this isn’t just because they’re more productive. From a recent Gallup poll, “Teams that work together well (teams in the top 25%) incur lower healthcare costs.” This is likely connected with other studies that show how sitting in a chair for more than 8 hours a day has a direct negative impact on health.

Instead, separating long working hours with team building exercises can give employees a chance to take the breaks they need and “refresh.” If you want to reap some of these amazing benefits for your team, here’s how to get started with team building exercises at work.

When (and How) to Start

When: We’ll start by saying that every employee has their own work schedule and personal priorities. It’s best if you, as a manager, try to work around their time and not cause unneeded interruptions in workflow. That being said, try to get a majority to agree to a time and day that works best for them, and try to schedule activities in advance so no productivity is lost. For example:

 

  • Every Wednesday during lunch
  • Every other Friday at 1 pm
  • Every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am

 

How: To set up team building exercises, you can assign individuals to groups. Every time the group meets, you can choose to “switch it up” by dividing them a different way. For instance, splitting up groups by department or floor. Switching groups or partners frequently and randomly helps you avoid office “cliques” afterward.  

Finally, make the time enjoyable. Your office space may allow for couches and more comfortable seating than desk chairs. Bring food and beverages. Share a meal or even a small snack. The success of this project is entirely dependant on the participants, and if they’d rather be at their desks working, then everyone is missing the point.

Workplace Clubs and Sponsored Teams

This isn’t so much a team building “exercise” as it is a weekly gathering for discussion. Clubs and teams are a great way to promote team building, however, especially since they are voluntary and all participants want to be there. Employees can choose a club by interest (books, photography, Yoga, knitting, volunteering, etc.) or by sport.

If your company chooses to sponsor a league by paying their registration fee, your brand can be advertised on team t-shirts or sweaters. Popular sports include basketball, bowling, soccer, or running. Partner with local charities for marathons and half marathons to raise money or awareness for a cause they feel close to.

Egg Drop

This is a team competition and a fun icebreaker for groups just getting to know each other. First, you will need at least two teams of people. Each team is given one raw egg and random office supplies to work with.

Office supplies could be anything, including paper, tape, utensils from the break room, straws, pens, or rubber bands. Once the supplies are distributed, start a timer for 20 minutes. The teams have that much time to build a contraption or package that would help protect the egg from an 8-foot drop. When the timer goes off, take all of the packages and one by one, drop them 8 feet from the ground. Teams with unbroken eggs will be declared the winner!

Two Truths and a Lie

This game allows co-workers to know each other better on a more personal level. First, the entire group starts out by sitting in a circle. Each person will take turns telling two true facts about themselves and one lie, in any random order. However, they cannot reveal which is a lie.

After sharing, everyone else must “vote” on which statement they believe is a lie. If they are right, they can have one point. After every person in the circle has had a turn, the person(s) with the highest number of correct guesses, or points, wins.

There is also another version of the game Two Truths and a Lie in which the statements are written down on pieces of paper. Once they are all written down, everyone in the group must “mingle” for 20 minutes while to try to figure out who is lying. Or they can spend time convincing others of their own lie. When the conversations are over, then the voting can begin.

Scavenger Hunt

This can be an individual or team challenge. While it is possible to conduct a scavenger hunt in the office, it’s best to try this outdoors since there may be some running involved. Make a list of tasks for each person or team to complete within a limited time frame. They should remember to bring their smartphones because they must snap a photo of someone from their team completing the task. The tasks could be as silly as you want, such as “Give a stranger a high five!”

Once the list is checked off, everyone can meet back at the office to view the photos if they wish. Points are awarded for each list item, so the more difficult the task, the more likely they are to win.

Drawing Back to Back

This is an interesting game of interpretation. Have two people sitting back to back in their office chairs. One person will be given an image or picture, and the other person will have to draw it with a pencil and paper. They can’t look at the image, though – their teammate in the other chair must describe it for them. Set up a timer to keep the game moving fast. At the end of the round, it’s interesting to see how the picture has been interpreted.

Scammers Buying Phone Numbers for Verifications

14th December 2017 Learn, Tech

Scammers have a history of buying local and 800 phone numbers, using free Google numbers, and pirating phone numbers to conduct fraudulent verifications and other scams. The following article discusses the applicable Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation, telephone verification, two different legal apps for spoofing telephone numbers, a process known as orange boxing, guidance on scams from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and additional information on avoiding scams.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Consumer Guide

Spoofing is the deliberate falsification of information transmitted on caller ID displays. However, blocking a number is not spoofing. The federal regulation governing spoofing is the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, which prohibits the transmission of misleading caller ID information in instances that will:

  • Defraud
  • Cause harm
  • Wrongly obtain anything of value

Illegal spoofing can result in penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation.

Under this regulation, telemarketers are required to transmit or display their telephone numbers or that of the entity on whose behalf they are making the call. Furthermore, if possible, the caller should display the name of the company for which it is selling products or services. They must also display the telephone number that people can call and request the cessation of calls.

FCC Citation for Scamming

In June 2017, the FCC issued a citation to a Miami individual and his associated companies for violating the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009. The proposed fine is $120 million based on 80,000 calls, which the FCC can verify. The FCC alleges that the scammers made 96 million illegally spoofed calls. “Neighborhood Spoofing” was the technique used by the scammers whereby the caller ID displayed the area code and first three digits of the recipients’ telephone numbers. Consequently, the recipients think the calls come from a neighborhood caller.

Telephone Verification

Telephone verification is a process where a website calls a consumer on their phone to verify their identity. Other names for this process are Phone Verification, Automatic Call Back Service, and Verification Service. Here is how it works. When a person makes a request to a website, that site automatically initiates a call or a text to the person’s phone that contains a randomly generated PIN. Upon receiving the PIN, the person enters it on the website, verifying their identity. However, as shown in the next two sections, spammers can use this process to get information from unwary persons.

Account Verification Scam

If an account holder has a phone tied to their account in the event of a forgotten password, and the scammer knows the victim’s email address or credit account number and their phone number, the account verification scam works as follows.

  1. The scammer initiates a password reset on the victim’s account and requests the sending of a verification number to the victim’s phone.
  2. The scammer sends a text to the victim posing as the email or credit provider saying, “We have noticed unauthorized activity on your account. Please respond to this text with the verification number being sent to your phone.”
  3. If the victim responds with the verification number that they subsequently receive, the scammer will have access to their account.

Double-Digit Google Phone Scam

People that have posted classified ads with their phone number should be wary of this scam. Scammers use it to maintain their anonymity with Google Voice numbers. Since Google requires a valid phone number to be associated with new Google Voice numbers, the scammer picks a victim from published ads and sends them a text. The text may say, “I am interested in your ad.” Text back when you’re ready to talk.” When the scammer receives the response, he or she calls Google Voice and specifies the victim’s number as the link to the new number. Google Voice responds with a double-digit verification code. The scammer then texts the victim saying, “I am on a Google Voice line. When you receive a call, enter the double-digit code to connect.” If this happens to you, do not hit the code.

SpoofCard

SpoofCard is a mobile phone app that changes the caller name and phone number that displays on outgoing calls. The SpoofCard website claims that it works on any cell phone. Your identity is anonymous using SpoofCard caller ID spoofing. Users can also get downloadable recordings of their spoofed calls. In addition, calls can go directly to voicemail making receivers think they missed your call. SpoofCard has a feature to change your voice to a man or woman, or it can add background noise to disguise your identity. SpoofCard also sends anonymous text messages. The following table shows rates for SpoofCard packages.

 

Rate $9.95 $19.95 $29.95 $49.95 $99.95
Minutes of Call Time 45 100 160 280 600
Rates for Pay-as-you-go SpoofCard Packages

SpoofTel

SpoofTel is another company that provides spoofing services. Users of the service must first establish a SpoofTel account. Use the spoofing service either through the SpoofTel website, the SpoofTel app, or by calling 1-866-SPOOF-ID (1-866-776-6343). To place a call follow these steps.

  1. Log into your account.
  2. Enter your telephone number in the top field.
  3. Enter the receiving telephone number.
  4. Enter the desired display number on the receiver’s display.

The features provided with the SpoofTel account are as follows.

  • Short Message Service (SMS) Spoofing and SMS history
  • Spoof Fax and Fax History
  • Voice Alteration – use higher pitch for female voice or lower pitch for male voice
  • Answering Machine Feature – If an answering machine answers the call, SpoofTel can send an uploaded message automatically.
  • Auto Redial Option
  • Time Limit for Calls
  • Call Back URL

SpoofTel offers two different apps, a desktop app, and an iPhone app. The iPhone app requires a jailbroken phone or compatible device. Jailbroken refers to the practice of removing restrictions that Apple places on a device’s operating system.

The cost for caller ID spoofing is $0.10 per minute. SMS costs $0.50 per message. Voice changing costs $0.25 per call. Recording a call costs $0.50 per call. The use of soundboards is free.

Orange Boxing

Orange boxing is a term for call ID hacking. An orange box emulates a caller ID signal to spoof the caller ID display. The following three methods accomplish this emulation.

  • A tape recording of a real caller ID signal
  • A software program to generate a caller ID signal
  • A hardware device that generates the caller ID signal

Follow these steps to use the orange box. First, make the call and wait for an answer. Then, send the caller ID signal. The orange box can also send a caller name and falsified date and time. When using an orange box, the answering phone displays the actual caller ID before receiving the spoofing caller ID signal. This limits the usefulness of the orange box.

Better Business Bureau (BBB) Advice for Dealing with Scammers

  1. Do not send money to persons you have never met face-to-face.
  2. Beware of unsolicited emails, and do not open links or attachments in them.
  3. Question everything that you see.
  4. Purchase online using only secure transactions.
  5. Be cautious of people that you meet online.
  6. Refrain from sharing personal ID information such as banking and credit card information, your birthdate, and your social security number.
  7. Avoid acting under pressure.
  8. Make all payments using secure, traceable transactions.
  9. Whenever possible, work with local businesses that have proper identification, licensing, and insurance.
  10. Be cautious when sharing personal information on social media.

Related: How to Prevent Your Numbers from Being Flagged as Spam or Scam Likely

How to Get an Australian Phone Number in 2024

12th December 2017 How To's, Learn
How to get an Australian phone number.
Source: Stockphoto.com O#20443 – ID#100025957115

Both a country and a continent, Australia is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Australian continent is comprised of the Australian mainland, the island of Tasmania, and a number of smaller islands. Australia is the largest country in the region of Oceania and the world’s sixth largest country. The capital is Canberra. Other major cities include Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Australia is a self-governing British Commonwealth country. The government is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. It is divided into the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. The Prime Minister since 2015 has been Malcolm Turnbull. Get an Australian phone number and enter your business in its booming economy.

Buy an Australian Phone Number

To enhance your business prospects in Australia, we cannot stress the importance and the benefits of getting Australian phone numbers. They are affordable and highly convenient. Here are the steps:

  1. Go to our Pricing page.
  2. Select Australia as the country you need a number for.
  3. Then, choose the type of number (choose from toll-free, national, mobile, or geographic).
  4. Click View Rates and Select Plan.
  5. View the results and choose from the options.

Types of Australian Phone Numbers

Global Call Forwarding offers Australia toll-free numbers, local phone numbers, mobile numbers, and national numbers.

Advantages of Buying an Australian Phone Number

You may be surprised to learn how many ways international virtual phone numbers can benefit your business. Here are several examples:

Develop a winning local presence: Don’t struggle to attract customers from beyond your immediate vicinity. Often, customers outside your area may think that you are too far away to deliver a reliable service. But if you have a local virtual number, they will have no idea that you don’t have a local physical presence and they will dial your number rather than your competitor’s.

Establish a market overseas: You may want to expand your business overseas, but you may not have the resources to set up an operation there. A virtual international number allows you to run your business overseas while you are working from your base office or even from home. If your employees have skills in other languages, you can certainly take advantage of their abilities and let them plunge into international relations, without having to make investments abroad.

Boost your image: In the world of business, your image is paramount. With virtual phone numbers, you can give the impression of owning a global empire rather than a small business. This can be particularly beneficial if you are not located in a major city, as it boosts confidence with your partners, suppliers and your customers.

How Australian Phone Numbers Work

Virtual Australian phone numbers work by providing your company with a range of local, Australian 1800 numbers and a forwarding service that reroutes your calls to the number of your choice. The number could be your office, your company call center or even your mobile phone. You can change the number at any time. Each time your Australian clients make a call, they have the ease and confidence in knowing that they are calling a local number and talking to a local company. They never need to know your physical location. They will also be happy not to have to pay long-distance charges or to have the hassle of overseas dialing codes.

Global Call Forwarding offers a cutting-edge service that provides Australian phone numbers as well as virtual numbers in more than 140 other countries. Once you have signed up for an Australian phone number, you can establish business connections and take calls from your customers anywhere in the world. For example, if your company is based in Canada, but you’d like to expand your business to Australia, virtual Australian phone numbers provide a point of contact for you in that part of the world.

Customize the ringtones on your Australian phone number to match the local ringtone. To make sure you never miss a single call, you can have your calls routed to more than one number at the same time. You can also schedule calls to route to different numbers based on the time of day.

Doing Business in Australia

Whether you are starting out with a new business, or looking to expand your current venture, Australia has great business opportunities. The nation’s current economic state makes it very affordable and attractive to foreign investors. When it comes to business, Australia is considered to be the gateway between Asia and the Western world.

Furthermore, Australia has very strong trade relationships with China.

Australia’s Economy

The Australian economy is highly developed and is one of the world’s largest mixed market economies. In terms of wealth per adult, Australia is the world’s second wealthiest nation. The nation’s economy is dominated by the service sector, which comprises 61 percent of the GDP. Some of the country’s largest companies include Woolworths, Caltex Australia, Wesfarmers, Rio Tinto Group, and Telstra. The currency of Australia is the Australian dollar.

Australia’s Six Largest Industries are:

Financial industry: Australia has several valuable assets in the financial world. Its main four banks – ANZ, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, and National Australia Bank – are all ranked in the world’s 50 safest banks. The financial sector is one of Australia’s largest industries.

Metal and mining industries: The mining sector is Australia’s second-largest industry due to the country’s massive array of natural resources. The country is home to many categories of the mining industry including black and brown coal mining, iron ore mining, gas and oil mining, gold ore mining, copper ore mining, and bauxite mining.

Business consulting firms: Many of the world’s major business consulting firms are now based in Australia. Consulting firms fall into four categories: information technology consulting, strategy and general business consulting, sustainability consulting, and human resource consulting.

Energy and utilities: Australia has huge energy assets along with outstanding natural resources such as coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium. The nation also boasts renewable energy resources.

Industrial and material industry: Because this industrial sector garnered some big projects over the past decade, it was able to survive the financial crisis. Growth has maintained in part by the New South Wales $50 billion transport plan.

Healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry: This sector includes biotechnology and medical practice. Australia is currently undergoing a shortage of doctors and nurses, particularly in regional areas.

Using Australian phone numbers for your business allows you and your employees to work from anywhere and reach anywhere in Australia. With virtual call forwarding, the business world is your oyster.

How Well do you Communicate with Others?

12th December 2017 Learn, Tips

We started with grunts, moved onto crude paintings, took the leap into spoken language, then written language was born, and now we speak roughly 6,900 languages. Most of us like to think we are at the pinnacle of sophistication in our ability to communicate with other people. Then Elon Musk proposes the concept of direct brain-to-brain transmission… what can’t this guy do? The purpose of communicating is to share ideas, feelings, emotions, thoughts, etc. Aside from creating differing avenues through which we can communicate (phone calls, texting, emailing), the way we communicate hasn’t changed much since speech first came to be.

And if we think about it, we aren’t always that great at it. Try having an argument with your significant other, or reason with your boss about why their new plan is awful. We aren’t always in touch with exactly how we feel or think, and then when we try to communicate these vague or confusing concepts, we choose which words (sometimes correctly, sometimes not) to convey the message to somebody else. Then, the other person hears those words from their point of view, with their own feelings and thoughts influencing the meaning of these words. And we go back and forth in what we call a conversation.

Musk wants to eliminate the guesswork and bias that goes into communication to allow us to literally wire our thoughts and feelings to another person. Obviously, we aren’t there yet, so it’s worth talking about how we can improve our current methods and modes of communication to eliminate professional mistakes and personal flounders.

Effective Communication is Key to your Success and Happiness

As a highly social species, we rely on relationships for our happiness and survival. Everything from the clothes we wear to the words that come out of our mouth communicates who we are to other people. It’s crucial to our success in business to be able to communicate effectively, and it’s definitely necessary to foster strong relationships.

An excellent communicator is self-aware and can easily identify and label their emotions and motivations. Having the insight required to self-reflect leads to an increased ability to convey how you are feeling, and why you are feeling a certain way. When you can do this, it becomes possible to enlist someone’s help in finding a solution. This is beneficial in both professional and personal settings. When you let emotions exist inside of you without seeking to identify their source or define their purpose, they can have control over you.

For example, it is difficult to act rationally when you are angry. Having the capacity to feel your anger, sit with it for a moment, and then tell your partner why it makes you angry that they constantly leave dishes in the sink will come across much more effectively than yelling at them for the 7th time this week to “PUT YOUR DISHES AWAY!”

Word choice, tone, volume, and body language all serve to help or hinder us in our ability to communicate effectively with another person. Try it now. Think of a sentence, maybe something you’ve been wanting to say but haven’t had the courage to.

First, say it softly and without confidence, then say the same sentence with hand movements and a loud voice. Try it again with an angry tone, then say it with a smile on your face. You’ll be able to see, even without an audience, the different effect the words can have on the meaning and effectiveness of your message. But remember, the first step in communicating well is developing a strong sense of self-awareness and a willingness to be introspective to better understand yourself before you toss words out into the universe.

Communication Made Simple

There is a saying that goes, “I’m sorry for the long email, I didn’t have time to write a short one.” It’s time-consuming and frankly, an art, to convey meaning in fewer words. In our very digital age, the rules of communication are more complex. Much of what we say is sent through text or email, and the spoken word still requires attention to tone and volume. Here are some communication “musts” that will take you far in your business interactions.

Texting

Even though texting has become the go-to for a quick message, the casual tone you use to find out which bar your friends are at does not convey professionalism. Make sure you stick with proper capitalization and punctuation.

Email

Email communication is a large part of business communication, especially if you work remotely. The key here is to put in the extra effort to send a short concise message that gets your message across in as few words as possible. The longer it is, and the more you try to dress it up with big words, the more you risk muddling your message. Try sticking to the Five W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why. This can also be applied to texts and spoken communication.

Danger of Assumptions

Never assume. Don’t assume your reader knows how you feel or where you are coming from. Be direct, clear, and polite about your position. Don’t over-explain, but make sure whoever is reading your email will not be forced to fill in any blanks. It could create an uncomfortable or even expensive situation in the future. If you are unclear, the reader is given the freedom to infer. They may infer incorrectly.

Saying Too Much

Since we’re talking about communication here, for the most part that involves speaking or writing. But sometimes, a well-placed pause is far more powerful than the impact of any statement. Additionally, let the others do all the talking; too much talking can confuse the message. If you can sit in on a meeting and stay out of the gossip and emotional excitement of a passionate debate, so that when you do finally speak, it will carry more weight and value. You will be known as somebody who contributes value instead of just noise.

The Undersea Cables that Power the Internet

12th December 2017 Learn

Undersea cables transmit 99% of all international data. There are currently more than 300 undersea cables, which have a combined length of 550,000 miles, which is long enough to circle the globe 22 times. The longest cable runs from Germany to Korea, has 39 landing points, and is 24,000 miles long. Some undersea cables are positioned as much as 25,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. The process of laying them may take several months to complete and can cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

History

The first commercial cable across the English Channel went into service in 1851. Beginning in 1853, additional commercial cable projects connected Great Britain with Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

The first transatlantic telegraph cable was laid on the ocean floor between Valentia Island in western Ireland to eastern Newfoundland. The project to lay the cable took four years, from 1854 to 1858. Using that cable, transmission of transatlantic messages took only 17 hours as opposed to ten days by ship.

In 1863, a cable to Bombay (now Mumbai) provided a link to Saudi Arabia. By 1870, there was a link from Bombay to London; by 1872, a link to Australia from Bombay via Singapore and China; and by 1876, from the British Empire to New Zealand. From 1850 to 1911, Britain dominated the cable industry in the North Atlantic Ocean, and by 1923, British companies owned and operated two-thirds of the world’s undersea cables.

Listed below are historic dates for undersea cables across the Pacific.

  • In 1902, cables established links from the US mainland to Hawaii, and additional links to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.
  • In 1903, Guam and the Philippines linked to the US Mainland.
  • Japan joined the network in 1906.
  • A Hawaii–Japan connection occurred in 1964.
  • In 1991, the first regenerative (repeated) system directly linked the US Mainland to Japan.
  • Undersea Optical Cable Construction

Undersea optical cable construction varies according to the application, water temperature and depth, and cable manufacturer. The schematic shown below is from a Hexatronic Submarine Catalog. The model number is TOL 404 1051 GJMLTV, 15-ton DAL. This particular cable weighs 15 tons per mile, is used in depths less than or equal to 3,000 meters, and has a capacity of 12 to 96 optical fibers.

Schematic of a Modern Undersea Communications Cable

The schematic shows a double-armored, unitube cable for applications needing high protection due to ocean conditions. The optical fibers are free to move within the hermetically sealed, stainless steel sheath. A thixotropic water-blocking compound surrounds the fibers. The polyethylene sheath protects the stainless steel tube from water incursion. Two layers of galvanized steel wire protect against chafing and corrosion. The inner wire sheathing is made of small wires and the outer sheathing uses heavier wires. Mylar tape or a similar material covers these wire bundles. Finally, a polyethylene yarn wrap, impregnated with an organic material to prevent deterioration, completes the cable.

Cable weights vary from 2.5 to 60 tons per mile. The heavier cables are those that approach the shore because they need more armoring. Such installations use two wraps of galvanized steel wire as shown in the schematic.

Laying Undersea Cables

Before laying an undersea cable, it is important to perform a Desktop Study that encompasses many separate steps as follows.

  • Obtain a route description
  • Get information on landing sites
  • Learn about geopolitical and cultural issues
  • List security concerns
  • Determine geology, meteorology, oceanography, fisheries, and hazards
  • Understand permit requirements

The typical cost of an undersea cable installation is between $100 and $500 million, and the process requires a variety of steps:

  1. Coiling the cable into the installation ship takes three to four weeks.
  2. The end of the cable runs from the first landing station to several miles into the sea.
  3. The ship then begins the laying process.
  4. The cable feeds into a plow, which trenches the ocean floor and lays the cable.

After laying sufficient cable onto the ocean floor, the cable feeds into an open trench from the low water mark to the landing station. The cable enters the landing station through the floor and attaches to its circuitry. Dirt or other material covers the trench so the cable is not exposed.

Operational Considerations

Multiplexing

Pairs of optical fibers work together with each fiber transmitting in only one direction, and most modern cable systems use a transmission speed of 2.5 Gbps (gigabits per second) for each fiber pair. However, it is possible to send signals through fibers at four to eight different wavelengths. This results in capacity of 10 to 20 Gbps per fiber pair. Multiplexing is the process of transmitting signals in this manner.

Repeaters

When the optical signals travel over distances greater than 400 km, they become dispersed or attenuated. Repeaters amplify and reshape the degraded signals before transmission to the landing station.

Repeaters use solid-state amplifiers to process the signals. The repeaters require a direct current of 20 watts to operate. Repeaters are series connected and spaced at intervals along the cable run. Copper sheeting in the cables conducts power for the repeaters. Repeaters cost between $500,000 and $1 million each.

Cable Repairs

When a break occurs, each landing station tests the cable to determine the location of the break. A repair ship then travels to the spot of break and drops a mooring with a buoy attached to mark the location. Next, the ship moves a convenient distance from the break and drags the seafloor with a grapnel to locate the cable. When the grapnel hooks the cable, the ship stops moving forward. Then, picking machinery lifts the cable, secures it to a mooring anchor, and workers cut the cable. They stow the short end of the cable on the ship. Workers test other end of the cable to determine its condition. If it is good, electricians splice it to a length of spare cable aboard the ship. They protect the splice with heavily tarred jute yarn. Next, the ship moves back to the location of the break, paying out cable as it goes. When it reaches the break location, it will then lift and test the other end of the cable. If that end is in proper condition, workers splice the two cable ends together. This splice is also protected with heavily tarred jute yarn, and the cable is laid as close to its original position as possible.

Submarine Cable Map

TeleGeography’s website, https://www.telegeography.com/, has a link to its free Submarine Cable Map. The map shows active and planned submarine cable systems and landing stations. The map is interactive, and one can select a cable from the list and get the cable’s profile, which has the following information.

  • Cable name
  • Ready-for-service date
  • Length
  • Owners
  • Website
  • Landing Points

How to Call 1800 Numbers from Canada

6th December 2017 How To's, Learn, Tips

Are you interested in learning how to call 1800 numbers from Canada? If so, we can offer some assistance. The following article will offer the steps to take to make a 1800 call from Canada. Read on to learn more.

What are Canada 1800 Numbers?

Canada 1800 numbers are just like toll free numbers in the US, or anywhere else. These numbers do not have a specific, location-centric area code. They can be used nationally, or in the case of Canada 1800 numbers, throughout Canada and the US as well. As the name states, these numbers start with the “1800” prefix with seven digits following.

How do Canada 1800 Numbers Work?

They are toll free numbers, which means that the numbers are free for callers to dial. The owner of the number pays for all calls that are received. In the age of mobile and VoIP calling, having a toll free number has a different meaning than in the past, when callers used landlines to make calls. Even though most callers don’t necessarily need calls to be “toll free” because they inherently won’t be charged, toll free numbers are significant because they indicate business establishment. Therefore, when you have one, it indicates to your clients or potential customers that you are a well-established business.

It’s important to note, however, that you typically cannot make calls to toll free numbers outside of the country they are intended for. So for instance, if you are in Australia and you want to call a Canada 1800 toll free number, it will not work. However, if you’re in the US, it will be no different than calling any other toll free number in the US. Similarly, if you want to call the US from Canada, on a standard phone number (not a toll free number) you will just have to dial 1 + the area code, then the phone number.

How to Call 1800 Numbers from Canada

Here are the steps you can follow to make a call to a 1800 number in Canada.

Step 1: Using the dial pad your phone, enter the exact digits of the 1800 Canada number you want to call.
Step 2: Press the “Call” button for the call to be made.
Step 3: Hang up or press “End” when the call is complete.

1800 Toll Free Canada Numbers for Your Business

If your business is considering using toll free numbers to communicate with clients or potential clients in Canada, here is some more info on why they are an excellent option.

    • Professional Appeal: Toll free numbers are great when used in marketing because they are an instant symbol of being an “established” business.
    • Widespread National & Continental Reach: They give your business the ability to be reached by people anywhere in all of Canada (and the US). So, if you’re aiming to create a national or continental presence, an 800 toll free number in Canada will be great for your callers.
    • A Distinct Business Number: If you need to purchase a designated business phone number for your business and you do business in Canada or the US, a 1800 toll free number is ideal. This ensures your customers will know they are dialing a business number. While local numbers are perfect for creating a “local” presence, a toll free number indicates your company is national/ continental.

About Canada 1800 Toll Free Phone Numbers

When you purchase a 1800 number for Canada, it can be used ubiquitously in the US as well. This is because phone numbers for Canada and the United States are determined by the North American Numbering Plan, also known as the NANP, which is the governing body for the assignment of phone numbers in North America. Therefore, toll free numbers in the US and Canada are used the same way.

Conclusion

If you were interested in learning how to call 1800 numbers from Canada, hopefully, this article shed some light on the process. It’s important to remember that if you’re in North America, dialing Canada toll free numbers will be a simple process, however, if you’re elsewhere, they may not work at all. If you would like to get a Canada 1800 number for your business, contact Global Call Forwarding today to do so.

6 Reasons to Get a Virtual Phone System

6th December 2017 Learn, Tech, Tips

Virtual phone systems are becoming increasingly popular for business communications. This is because they present a way to reduce communication costs while allowing you to expand your business’ reach. Learn more about why you should choose a virtual phone system for your enterprise needs below.

Why You Should Get a Virtual Phone System

Virtual phone systems are business phone systems that come equipped with enhanced communication features to help you organize and manage calls better. With virtual or cloud phone systems, you can cut out landlines and expensive hardware upgrades. And, you can make room for global expansion, inexpensive international calling, and extended call forwarding capabilities.

This type of phone system is growing in popularity and takes your business communications to the next level. So why does your business need a virtual phone system?

Related: How to Set Up a Virtual Phone System?

1. Global Coverage

A virtual phone system gives you access to virtual numbers not only for your city and country but for other countries as well. You can get a local or toll free number for a different country and offer customer service to an international clientele.

Additionally, you can work from any place that has a reliable internet connection. This is mainly what separates a virtual system from other options. And since most public places now have easy WiFi access, you don’t have to worry about missing the next big conference call while traveling for work.

Calls can be routed to your smartphone, home office, and more so you can answer calls while on-the-go or while working from home. This kind of flexibility means you can stay completely connected to your network no matter what’s going on, or where you happen to be.

2. Flexibility and Scalability

An ideal phone system is both flexible and scalable, so you can grow as much as you need. A virtual phone system has unlimited capabilities. For example, you can add phone numbers, SIP lines, and update routing information as you go. Virtual phone systems work for small companies just as well as large ones. Therefore, there is no pressure to find a new system for communicating with customers if your company expands overnight.

More than that, many startups and midsize companies don’t necessarily want their clients to know just how small their business is. A virtual phone system gives you the tools that display the appearance of a company with vast resources at your disposal. You will be able to use toll free numbers and vanity numbers to improve professionalism and credibility.

3. Cost-Effective Communication

When your business relies heavily on new revenue, you need to have the right resources to cut down on costs. Cloud phone systems help you cut down on communication costs by reducing your monthly local and international calling bills.

Additionally, everything you need to run the system is online and stored on the cloud. This means you do not need to buy additional software or hardware or worry about its maintenance. Plus, since the system is easy to manage and use, you are also cutting down on training costs. A new employee can get started using a virtual phone system almost right away.

4. Keep Work and Personal Calls Separate

New and solo-business owners often make the mistake of using a personal cell phone or home number when they first set up a line for communications. This can get your work and personal calls mixed up, blurring the line between personal and professional time. For example, you might get interrupted by customer service complaints while spending time with your family.

Instead, a virtual phone system will still allow you to use the same cell phone or landline (device), but offer you different phone numbers, different outgoing messages, and different forwarding rules. For example, a 1-800 toll free number and your local area code number can both be directed to your smartphone. However, you can also control when you receive incoming calls from each. So no matter where you spend your time, you can be free from distractions, keeping work and personal lives separate.

5. Use Automation

Virtual phone systems also come with automation features that help cut down time spent on menial tasks. A common example of telephone automation is an efficient and well-designed IVR system. An interactive voice response system answers incoming calls and interacts with the customer through pre-recorded messages and rules.

With such a system, callers can get answers to simple questions such as business hours or location information without the need of an employee. Advanced IVR technology can even process payments, register complaints, activate accounts, etc., on its own. Instead of having an employee answer the same question multiple times a day, the IVR will explain these points through a pre-recorded menu. This will save time and free your employees up to handle more complicated tasks.

6. Block Spammers

Finally, you can block out potential spam and fraud calls. You are less inclined to answer calls from unfamiliar numbers or area codes. These calls may present new sales opportunities or telemarketing hassles. In other words, one is a valuable opportunity, the other a waste of time.

Virtual phone systems offer call screening and black and white lists for this reason entirely. You can prioritize or block certain numbers. Or, you can automatically redirect a caller to a different number. This feature is also useful if you would rather have sales calls go directly to the sales department instead of your office line. Callers won’t know if they are put on certain lists or being redirected.

Get Your Virtual Phone System Now!

In light of these benefits, if you are in the market to purchase a virtual phone system, we at Global Call Forwarding can help. Speak with our experts or sign up for a virtual number and start building your phone system today.

Options for Sprint Wireline International Toll-Free Number Customers

6th December 2017 Learn, Tech, Tips

In September 2017, Sprint ceased operations of its wireline consumer long-distance service and all the service’s associated features. The discontinuance need not have detrimental results for Sprint customers, because they can easily turn to modern alternatives that will allow for cost effective long distance calling. One solution is to obtain international toll-free numbers from alternative carriers.

What is a Virtual Phone Number?

A virtual number is one that is programmed strictly for the purpose of forwarding calls to another number. Virtual numbers do not require any dedicated hardware. Calls can be forwarded to existing landlines, call centers, mobile phones, or to a voicemail box. Virtual international numbers allow your company to have a virtual presence in many countries throughout the world. Your clients, colleagues, and competitors will not ever need to know that you do not have a local physical presence.

Virtual numbers don’t have to be international. You can even take advantage of them if you are in the United States. For example, let’s say you have a real estate business that is headquartered in New York, but you want to attract customers in Philadelphia. You could get a virtual phone number with a Philly area code. These calls will be transferred instantly and seamlessly to your main business line, without any caller realizing you may not actually be in Philadelphia, enabling you to have a local presence that can propel your business in this new market.

Which Replacement Carrier Should I choose?

You should consider a carrier that provides virtual international toll-free numbers, such as Global Call Forwarding. This type of service has a number of advantages.

  • Cost efficiency: Because regional and international calls to your virtual business numbers can be redirected via toll-free Internet links, the call is answered without any additional cost to the customer.
  • Local business presence: Marketing surveys show that current and potential clients prefer to deal with local customer service providers. Having virtual business numbers allows you to establish a local presence without having to relocate or send staff to a different area. Virtual numbers also permit you to provide more personalized customer service.
  • Business image: Having a professional image is crucial, particularly if you are a start-up or small business. Virtual numbers can enhance your business profile by allowing you to create different business departments, functions or locations, even when you are working out of a non-traditional office space.
  • Consistency: When you sign up for virtual phone numbers, they are never tied to a specific device. In spite of this, your customers can always reach you by dialing the same number, wherever you are working from, without a concern over who is going to answer.
  • Security: When you use the virtual international number you can log all your calls, which enables you to easily keep track of your call costs. You can see who called, where they called from and when they called. You can also block unwanted numbers to set call limits and reduce your costs. Caller IDs can help you blacklist and whitelist numbers or redirect calls, so you don’t waste time or money.
  • Brand continuity: If you are juggling several products or services through different sources, a virtual number can help you maintain the integrity and continuity of your brand. Even if you have already established a client base who use certain numbers, emails and contact names, you can still port each of these channels to your new virtual communications system.

Advanced customizable features: Global Call Forwarding offers a suite of additional features including SMS email forwarding, black and white listing, rollover minutes, time of day routing, customized greeting, local ringback tone, and simultaneous ringing.

How International Toll-Free Numbers Can Help you Track Marketing Effectiveness

Tracking your phone calls can help you learn which of your marketing strategies are effective and which campaigns are not working. Right now, you may mistakenly think that several of your marketing plans are bringing in results. However, the only way to be sure is to actually verify your hunch with data. When you log and track your calls, you will be able to attribute your phone calls, which allows you to trace them directly to their sources.

Not only will this prevent you from wasting money on advertising, but it will also boost your return on investment. By tracking your calls you can see immediately which of your marketing efforts are converting leads to customers. This will help you better understand exactly how your customers are getting to you.

Call tracking also allows you to recapture dead leads and lost clients. You can gear follow-up calls to specific customer concerns. The extra information gleaned from call tracking enables you to know what a customer wants/ needs in order to complete an unfinished transaction.

If you are not able to clearly see what’s working for your company now, how can you make the right decisions for the future? One suggestion we can offer is to use call tracking with your virtual international toll free numbers. This can work in a number of ways to your advantage, and it can help you determine what the most effective marketing channels are. Then, you will be able to focus your efforts, and your budget accordingly to see the best results.

Can I Keep My Current Phone Number

Yes, you can retain your current number if you choose a virtual toll-free number. You also have the option to transfer your existing toll-free numbers to Global Call Forwarding. It’s a very user-friendly process, and you can complete it all in just a few easy steps. If you opt for our Value Service or higher, we will even waive the porting fees.

Do I Have to Add Onto or Replace My Current Phone System?

With Global Call Forwarding, this is not necessary. Virtual regional and international toll-free number services integrate with your existing phone system. They do not require additional equipment or software.

If you were a former Sprint Wireline International Toll-Free Number Customer, there’s no need to worry about this service being decommissioned. You can get everything you had from this service and more from a reliable virtual international call forwarding service such as Global Call Forwarding. This way you will be able to keep your international customers, allow them to call you toll—free wherever you are, and you won’t even have to change your current toll-free numbers. You get to save money, your customers will remain satisfied, and affordable communication will be available for all.