| One of the great things about technology is our ability | | | | The only real feature all of these VoIP systems are all |
| to appear as put together and ready as any | | | | missing is a time scheduler. i.e. at 10 pm stop |
| competitor with a great Internet and contact presence. | | | | forwarding to my cell, go directly to voice-mail. I do |
| After all can anyone really tell what your offices look | | | | miss that part of the phone system we used when I |
| like over the Internet or telephone? Unless you spend a | | | | was still paying crazy rent for office and retail space. |
| ton of money and get great photos of your shop like | | | | Within Skype there are a couple of options that I can't |
| my friends at TruSpeed Motorcars, there is no way | | | | recommend strong enough. First, get a local number |
| for someone to know unless they show up. As long | | | | for every area code you do business in. This is clearly |
| as you don't toss up picture of your cat sitting in the | | | | ancient marketing and for some reason still works. No |
| litter box and call it your business website, you are | | | | one calls our toll free numbers anymore and area |
| probably in good shape. | | | | codes are becoming a thing of the past for cell users. |
| Recently I wrote an article about starting a business | | | | In the office, the old school phone systems still care. |
| for less than a grand. That part is easy, it is the | | | | The next must use feature is on your account page, it |
| "doing" that is hard for most folks. A friend of mine | | | | is caller id. No one wants to answer a call from |
| read the article and followed it to the letter, thus | | | | 100012345 on their cell phone, can you blame them? |
| beginning the creation of a new business for him. It | | | | Every telemarketing hack shows up that way. |
| was really cool to see first hand how someone | | | | Separate yourself from this crowd of telemarketing |
| interprets my thinking and how much I take for granted | | | | hacks and look like you are ready to do business. If |
| what people understand. | | | | you are a Skype user you can do this now under the |
| My friend called me to tell me about the adventure | | | | Skype menu, then select account. If you bought an on |
| which showed me were I left some information out. I | | | | line number, you can use that for your caller id. It used |
| left out a couple of important steps in the section on | | | | to be that you could also use your mobile number if |
| how to use Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP to | | | | you connected the accounts, you can't anymore, at |
| look big on a small budget. My office is a hodge podge | | | | least not the business accounts. The caller id isn't |
| of Vonage and Skype. My hands down favorite is | | | | always displayed, but it is worth it for the 80% or so |
| Skype. If you called right now, chances are I would | | | | times it does. |
| take the call on my computer and talk to you over | | | | Finally if you want to go all out, get a great sounding |
| Skype. It doesn't matter if you call my cell number, my | | | | microphone. I use the Blue snowball and everyone |
| Vonage number or my Skype number. I have them all | | | | says it sounds great. Music stores have the best |
| "ringing" or forwarded to my Skype account first, my | | | | selection of USB microphones for reducing echo or |
| cell second, and the Vonage phone third. | | | | sitting on a desk. At $199 the Blue Snowball looks cool |
| The handset phone in the office is used so infrequently | | | | too. Another option is to use a high quality blu-tooth |
| that when my wife got locked out of our house by a | | | | headset like the Plantronics Pro or 521. I have six |
| real estate agent, she sat in my office for an hour | | | | different blu-tooth headsets and these two are what I |
| waiting for someone. Her cell phone was inside the | | | | use when I travel with my laptop. It is really cool to |
| house, she didn't know the password to my computer | | | | jump on a WiFi hot spot and be able to run my |
| and didn't even know there was still one plain old | | | | business and work with customers just about |
| phone hidden next to our large color printer. She was 3 | | | | anywhere. I like my office, but I like the bench in front |
| feet from freedom for an hour and didn't know it. | | | | of Starbucks on Balboa Island a whole lot better. |