Telephone Systems For Small Businesses

The global recession has hit small businesses harder than anyone and thousands of firms have folded, swallowed by mounting debts and low sales. For those that have survived, times are tough and in order to stay afloat, today’s small businesses need to retain a steady cash-flow and avoid spending silly amounts of money on outgoings and overheads such as telephone bills. Enter, VOIP – Voice over Internet Protocol, the latest innovation in telephone systems for small businesses.

Why VOIP Telephone Systems For Small Business?

It cannot be avoided – small businesses need to communicate by phone. It is crucial, especially in the current climate, where clients need to be chased and business needs to be drummed up on a regular basis. Traditional phone lines can be incredibly pricey when they are being used intensively, on a daily basis. However, telephone systems for small businesses have come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years and innovations have appeared that make it much cheaper to make calls. This innovative technology is VOIP which makes it possible to conduct telephone calls over the space of the Internet – all it will cost you to make these calls is the price of your monthly Internet bill. Although it will cost your business money initially in order for a VOIP phone system to be set up in your office, in turns of purchasing the necessary equipment, you will save money in the long run when your once high phone bills have been cut significantly by the benefits of the technology.

VOIP telephone systems for small businesses are enjoying a huge buzz – so much so that many small business owners are jumping in without really understanding the technology and the benefits that it provides. For example, if you have clients and business colleagues in different parts of the world then you are a prime candidate for VOIP as International calls are free, even if your offices are located thousands of miles apart. Additionally, if your company has a number of locations over the country, VOIP is likely to prove extremely beneficial to you. It might be wise, if you are not a technological expert, to consult with a professional to discuss how VOIP telephone systems for small businesses could benefit you and how it would integrate into your office settings.

Choosing a VOIP Provider

Finding a VOIP provider is certainly not difficult, as many telecommunication companies are realising the increasing popularity of the technology and jumping the VOIP bandwagon to provide the telephone systems for small businesses. However, finding a credible and suitable provider is not as easy. Use online search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, to search for the right provider for you. Search for online reviews and customer feedback to establish whether a VOIP company has provided a quality service to previous customers. You could ask colleagues and business associates if they use VOIP and which provider they use for their business communications. VOIP is certainly the future for small business communication – take advantage of the many benefits of the innovative technology today!

Whether we work in a company with three or 3,000 employees, most of us can relate to getting stressed out over the office gift exchange when the holidays arrive every year.

If you are a small business owner, you probably stress out every year about how you are going to have the money to give holiday parties, employee bonuses and gifts. Here are just a few tips on the topic, including the use of invoice factoring, to assist you through this process.

You have heard about secret Santa parties, where employees are allowed to buy only one gift for another employee? Employers usually set a price limit affordable to the lowest-paid employee and then tell everyone the rules.

However, there are sometimes challenges with this practice when it comes to company work groups? If you have work groups, such as sales, marketing or shipping, often these employees like to exchange gifts among their own group along with the office party exchange. Just make sure you ask them to do this privately so the other company employees don’t feel excluded.

No matter who gives friends at work a gift, if at all possible, make sure they carry individual gifts home and open them in private.

What about the boss? Never give a private gift to the boss. This moght be seen as inappropriate and trying to gain favor. Don’t give a gift that might be perceived as an intimate item, but offer gifts that can’t be misinterpreted; at the office. Gifts of food that everyone including your boss can share are much more tasteful, and tasty too.

Today it is often hard to know what to give. The following categories are welcome anytime, anywhere.

– Take up a collection to give to a local charity.
– The gift of thoughtfulness; promise something unique to someone at work: a ride once a week, for example. Lunch once a month for some company. A day at the gym together.
– Be creative and give books, subscriptions, cooking items, restaurant or online gift certificates priced
in the $ 5 to $ 20 range should kebe appropriate.

Due to the recovering economy, what if your your company is having some issues with a budget for the holiday party, end-of-year bonuses or gifts for employees during the holidays? You might want to use invoice factoring this year. Invoice factoring is a great way to pull the funds together quickly, so you can celebrate the holidays.

Factoring is a “use it as you need it” funding option, each invoice purchase is a separate transaction and does not form part of a portfolio lending approach. Factoring is a transaction modeled as a buy-sell transaction.

The factoring company first undertakes a due diligence that typically takes one to two business days. Once completed – you the client – are at liberty to offer invoices to the factoring company for purchase.

Upon the receipt of invoices, the factor checks the credit of the debtor named on the invoice and makes sure that the sale represented has been satisfactorily completed. After this is done the debtor is advised of the purchase by the factoring company and you’ll receive your cash. Now you can have a nice holiday! At the end of the credit period the debtor pays the factor directly – completing the transaction. Happy holidays!