Online SMS Service The Most Effective Customer Retention Tool for Marketers

From teenagers to the marketing moguls, the power of text message services (popularly known as SMS or short message service) is undeniable. The ease at which you can compose a text message, add the recipients' details and send it makes the SMS service the best choice for instant communication. While sending SMS from mobile is widely popular, the commercial sector is looking for most efficient ways of sending bulk SMS for communication and marketing purposes. One such method of sending large number of messages is Online SMS.

An online SMS is basically a text message sent from the web. You don't need to install any software to send SMS from the web. All you need is an online SMS service provider that can help you set up the web SMS service for your account. Once the setup is done there is no stopping you from communicating with your far reaching customers and associates.

When you send text messages online, you no longer are dependent on your mobile phone for composing text messages, finding contact details and monitoring the length of the SMS. In an online SMS marketing campaign, you can manage your contact details, compose the text message and provide additional features to the message at your own convenience. The evident benefits of online SMS service have convinced marketers to send SMS online. Businesses have been empowered to achieve various goals with the help of web SMS service.

There are a number of ways in which you can use the online SMS service to retain your valuable customers. Some such ways are discussed below-

* Encourage customers to sign up for the SMS alert service and give them exclusive information to the subscribers - This is probably the first step in beginning your online SMS campaign for customer retention. Whenever, an individual purchases any of your service, seek their permission for your online SMS alert service. Those who subscribe with your SMS alert service can enjoy exclusive information about your products and services, avail special discounts by showing the SMS voucher at the time of purchase and enjoy various other liberties.

* Ensure repeated visit by the customers - By keeping a record of the number of visits by your subscribed customers, you can send text messages online to request them for a repeated visit. Such SMS messages make the customers feel special and wanted. You can also offer them a special discount or gift if they return to the store.

* Appreciate their association with your business - You can also use the SMS online service to appreciate the interest of your customers in your business. A small text message of appreciation can do wonders to your relationship with your customers. For their loyalty to your brand, you can again send SMS that works as a discount coupon or gift voucher that can be redeemed at any of your stores.

Thus, one of the best ways for businesses to retain their customers' interest in their brands is by keeping them engaged with the latest inputs about your products and services and send SMS that gives them exclusive information.

Author is an experienced business writer, has been writing in the business world for a long time. The article tells about the features and usage of send sms and send text messages online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Samuels

A Brief Guide Regarding How To Choose And Use An Ethernet Fiber Connector

With the help of an Ethernet fiber converter, it becomes very easy to connect two different networks to each other. This is especially true in the case of any network that is making use of the normal Ethernet cables. When such a network has to be connected to a network that is faster, you will find that the best solution is to use an Ethernet fiber connector.

The aforementioned is also true when there is a need to connect multiple numbers of networks that are making use of a variety of cables to communication among the different components of the network. All that is required in such a case is to use an Ethernet cable which can effectively connect everything together.

Even if you are using a single network in which there are different numbers of computers which are using a variety of technologies or when some of them do not have the ability to make use of fibre optic cables; then again, it pays to make use of an Ethernet fiber connector.

Fiber optic cables have special properties including being much more resistant to electrical interference from other electronic devices and wireless networks and also from mobile phones. These cables are very effective and will not lose their signal when they come into contact with certain kinds of electronic equipment.

This is the main reason why it pays to use fiber optic cables as they, besides being resistant to interference, will also send and receive signals much more rapidly. When you look at various other kinds of connectors you will find that these can only offer ports with one hundred Megabits or even ten Gigabits speed cables. When you attach a converter between 2 cables that are of different types you will find that this results in a slowing down of data transfer speeds.

When you use an Ethernet converter, you will find that there are many different sizes to choose from. Some can be used in a home network while others can be used in an office network. Most of them are simply small units that are made from plastic and whose sole purpose is to change one Ethernet cable to a corresponding fiber optic cable.

It is also possible to make use of larger converters that need to be mounted on racks made of metal and those which can convert twelve or more cables at one go. When using such a converter, you have to make sure that it is placed within a secured network room.

Fiber optic converters must also always be placed in secured locations. This will prevent any possibility of them being tampered with by people and also disturbed by other equipment or machinery.

In case the converter is damaged or broken then the connection between all computers that are hooked to the damaged instrument will be broken. Therefore, you must exercise care that you use the correct network technology and the device must be placed in a location where the temperature can be controlled so that it never heats up too much or becomes too cold as such variations will spoil the material used in the Ethernet fiber converter and render it useless.

Are you looking for more information on Ethernet Fiber services? If you are considering to get Ethernet Fiber connection, review the information here to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Richard

Facts And Information On MPLS Providers

Multiprotocol Label Switching is a mechanism that is utilized in high-performance networks of communication. They serve to direct data between different network nodes in a mechanism that is based on very short path labels. This is usually to prevent any complexities of look-ups in routing tables. MPLS providers are varied, with some providing exceptional services and others falling short of the required standards. The costs incurred also vary depending on either the services provided or the technicians themselves.

Whereas the technology was initially used to enhance the forwarding speed of routers, it is presently majorly used for large scale internet protocol networks. Traffic engineering and virtual private networks are the major applications that technicians make use of Multiprotocol label switching in implementing. The technology is based on its ability to provide efficient means of deployment of IP networks across Wide Area Network backbones.

Selection of the right MPLS providers may be a daunting task given that there are many in the market. There are many services that one ought to look out for in finding the right provider. People are advised not to be fooled by price tags that are low, and which may end up having hidden fees. The services provided may also be poor. It is imperative that one does research on the given firms or individuals prior to going for their services- this will ensure the best services are obtained.

The providers make use of the essence of MPLS which is to generate short labels of fixed length. These act as the shorthand representation of headers of IP packets. This can be compared to the operation of ZIP codes. The IP codes normally have fields in their headers with addresses to which packets are to get routed. These are details that providers make use of in making possible installations of the label switches.

MPLS providers have to be experienced in their field. This involves among other things the ability to detect any shortcomings and solve them. As concerns the terminology in use, they ought to be well conversant. For instance, the routers are usually called Label Switched Routers. The term is derived from the fact that the forwarding of the packets is done by making of decisions depending on labels. This makes possible the separation of forwarding planes from control panels of routing protocols.

Just how does one get the best specialists in this technology? Perhaps the best way is through friends and relatives. These may give recommendations on people or firms they have worked with. On the other hand, they may make use of yellow pages online that have details and contacts of such technicians. The online technique is a very convenient but should be used with a lot of care, lest one bump into unqualified persons.

Qualified MPLS providers should be certified by the relevant authorities. This would serve as proof of their ability to provide high standard services. They also ought to also keep updated on technological advancements.

One major challenge facing the technicians is the competitions that Multiprotocol label switching faces from other techniques. More recent switching technologies in use include Application-Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC, and Content-Addressable Memory, CAM. These have reduced the need for MPLS over time.

Are you looking for more information on MPLS Providers? If you are considering to get MPLS Providers, review the information here to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Richard

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Some Important Facts About T-1 Internet Services

The internet has become a very important platform in the modern world. Almost every business as well as other communication between organizations and institutions as well as individuals takes place on the same platform. For these reasons, it has become quite important to have a reliable source of connectivity to keep you online. T-1 Internet is one version among many.

In order to make a choice between the many options of service providers, there are always factors that one needs to consider. Among these factors include the cost, the speed and of course reliability of the service provider. The platform upon which you connect should also be stable and reliable enough to keep you connected at all times.

Over the past, most people relied mostly on their normal telephone lines for data transmission as well. All they needed was to have a modem to convert the signal received from either analog to digital or to any acceptable medium that can be understood by the end user. This trend has however changed greatly over the recent past with the demand for even faster connection speeds prompting new innovations.

In the face of these new technological innovations, different methods of transmitting data have come up. These new methods have largely replaced the old telephone lines which had limited connection speeds. Fiber optic technology is one such new introduction that has come to play a central role in data transmission and general communication.

It is important to note that T-1 Internet can either be connected using the fiber optic cables or copper. The main advantage of this new method as compared to the old phone line is that it can transmit signals at very high speeds. An ordinary T-1 Internet line can be able to carry up to 24 different voice channels in digital format. This is an equivalent of up to 1.544 megabits within every second.

With these greater capabilities as compared to the old telephone line, it is no doubt the reason behind the changes by many clients from the old system to this new technological innovation. Other advantages include the fact that the installation of this new system may be costly at the initial stages but will greatly reduce the regular maintenance costs that often run into millions for the old telephone lines.

Fault finding and trouble shooting whenever a line is broken or damaged is rather simple thanks to the new technology. This is an additional plus for the new system. Besides these advantages, it is also vital to note that the lines are more reliable and can easily handle both voice and data simultaneously without any difficulties.

This is a major improvement from the old telephone line that could easily drop off whenever both voice and data were transmitted at the same time. Since it can support numerous lines, the T-1 Internet connection services can provide more reliable connectivity especially for businesses and companies that have lots of information and data to process. It records very little down times and can be relied on in critical times of need.

Finding providers for T-1 Internet is not hard when you know where to look for the reliable ones. If you are considering to get T-1 Internet, review the information available here to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Richard

All You Need To Know About Metro E

The Metro E or metro Ethernet is a PC network, which covers metropolitan areas based on Ethernet standards. Usually they are common in metropolitan access networks and connect subscribers and businesses to larger service networks or the internet. Businesses also find them very useful in connecting branches via intranet.

This is very similar to the protocols run on local area networks; however, developers have made it standard and adapted to run on MAN or metropolitan area network. The company behind the standardization is the Metro Ethernet Forum or the MEF. It standardizes the industry and is committed to carrier Ethernet.

There are things that you must know about this network and reasons why it is good for business connectivity. First, they are better suited for modern businesses, which used switched networks other than other Telecom services. Connectivity is insignificant, and Ethernet is what keeps most networks running as a procedure. The connection you get from the service provider is an Ethernet jack, which means, you do not have special conversion tools required to connect to the routers and switches.

Different incumbent telecommunication carriers support Metro E, and many other competitive service providers. Most competitors have their networks built on fiber optic IPs and lines or MPLS core networks. Most of the services are delivered on these networks comfortably which results in competition, which means that their charges will be much lower than the competitors will.

The other big question to consider is whether to use LAN services or line services. This service can be set up to provide connectivity from one point to the next between two business locations. Older technologies are difficult to configure, however Ethernet lines are very easy to configure as two late connections between two LANs, and effectively connects them to make a large LAN.

In addition, ELAN or Ethernet LAN can perform the same duties for multiple locations. This is a cost effective and high performance means for businesses to bring together their factories branch offices warehouses and factories. It also works as well for medical institutions and hospitals and interconnects them within an area.

The other main feature is that it allows network connection access. Internet providers use them as links for last mile connection to bigger MPLS networks for worldwide and national services. They are also useful as dedicated internet broadband connections for medium small and large organizations.

A great advantage with using the services is that they are virtually scalable. Many enter the service at 3Mbps, however, many organizations move up to 10Mps using a basic LAN speed. These services also support other higher speeds including 100Mbps, 1000Mbps, and 10 gigabit. These speeds are apparently popular and many providers offer increased band widths between each of the levels. One can get any bandwidth up to the maximum limit supported by the Ethernet port. The best thing is to begin with what is required now and then upgrade later or as need arises.

One very important thing that you should know about the service is that it is available in most metropolitan areas and rarely available in rural areas. Metro E is a great service for businesses and a perfect way to connect business branches inexpensively form one location to the next.

Finding Metro E Service Provider is not hard when you know where to look for the reliable ones. If you are looking for more information on Metro E, review the information available here to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Richard

When There's an 'E' in the Day - Email It!

Here's three Copywriter's Tips for how you can immediately improve your responses to your emails

Tip 1: Take the time to get your subject line right.

Ben Rothfeld, Director of marketing, Acxiom Digital, called it the "Curse of the low price."

Direct mail was tested ad-nauseum because it was expensive. Email on the other hand is dirt cheap, so testing is often omitted. In fact, the word 'test' doesn't even get considered by many companies when it comes to sending out emails.

But that's a mistake. Big improvements of 10-20% can be gained from simple tests on the Subject Line.

For example, which if these emails would you open?

A: Let me tell you something amazing...
B: It's just amazing!
C: Most people are amazed when I tell them this...

I'm willing to bet you a Mars Bar that the answer you choose is... 'A'

That's because it contains the magic word 'you' in it.

Interestingly, what Email and Ezine marketers are now discovering is what direct marketing copywriters have known for yonks. And this is that the more times you use the word 'You' in the headline (For emails read: subject line) or in the opening paragraph of your sales message the more people will read and retain what you say.

Tip 1. So take your time writing and deciding on your email subject line. Test it on a few people before you finally decide to go ahead and, if possible, always have the word 'you' in your subject line.

Tip 2: Write the copy to fit the time of the year

Chances are that if you pick up a motor magazine in Spring, you will find an article about convertibles in it. Fashion magazines have lots of articles about weddings in May and June. Cookery magazines feature loads of warming and tasty recipes in November.

That's because experience has taught magazine publishers and editors that consumers care about certain subjects at predictable times of the year.

They incorporate this knowledge in their editorial calendars, a monthly running plan of what articles they will feature over the year

Email marketers can learn from this practice by developing an editorial calendar of their own to take advantage of naturally occurring periods of consumer interest. And, like publishers, email marketers can benefit by using this timing to make emails more relevant to consumers.

One group in Ireland that have this 'timing' strategy fine-tuned to a 'E' is the charities, with their Easter Appeals (a time for giving and sharing), Winter appeals (a cold and miserable time), Christmas Appeals (traditional time of giving) and Emergency Appeal (at a time of natural disaster like a tsunami, or a famine or war).

Tip three: Choose your day carefully

The majority of marketers try to ensure their email is not just sitting stagnate in the recipient's inbox first thing in the morning, especially after a holiday. The reason is simple. People tend to have a morning ritual of "cleaning" their inbox from any spam that arrived overnight. You don't want them to see your message when they are in a deleting frenzy, trying to find anything they can "clean up."

Okay... this makes sense, but what are the best days? Your answer is that the best days (in no particular order) are: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays.

Hold it! Wait a minute. What's wrong with the other four days? Well, for most business email, your target audience is generally out of the office on Saturday and Sunday.

On Monday, your recipients are recovering from the weekend and may not be in full business mode yet. More realistically, they may have a number of things to do on this day and are not quite interested in offers or solicitations.

And yes! You've guessed it! On Friday, they are probably more interested in wrapping things up. In any case, if they like what they read from you on a Friday, it may be totally forgotten over the weekend. And don't forget, Monday, the day after the weekend is a bad day too!

So you are left with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the best days.

As a copywriter I always find that Thursday is not a great day... my advice to you is go for Tuesday or Wednesday!

That's right! Write it down... "when there's a 'E' in the day!... Email it!

Robert Hayes-McCoy is one of Ireland's leading marketing copywriters. His direct mail copy and his online copy has won many national and international awards. He has written some of the most successful fundraising letters and appeals every used in Ireland and his book 'Persuasive Marketing - what you say and how you write it' published by Oaktree Press is in constant demand. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Hayes-McCoy

Broadcasting-Journalism Offers a Variety of Jobs

There are many careers in the world of broadcast-journalism. A person has many options to choose from in this realm. It all depends on where their interests are. Every body needs to explore their passions before pursuing a career in this field. Many different careers keep the world of journalism turning. Many people tend to think that in this occupation, broadcasters and reporters are the only opportunities that are available. News channels not only employ news anchors but also other experts who help create the initial show.

The videographer will be in charge of the camera. This includes having the skills and abilities to operate it correctly. In addition, this person will need to ensure that the shot is lined up correctly. Also lighting is always very precise so that the viewer can see the anchor. There cannot be any sort of harsh light that will wash them out; shadows will also need to be eliminated. Graphics operators also have a very important role to maintain in successful productions. They will have the capabilities to provide the graphics on that appear on the screen. This can include the entire screen or just the bottom half. It all depends on what is broadcasted. If they do not perform their job correctly, the viewer will not see the broadcast accurately.

Sound is also a very large component to a simple news broadcast. There are sound specialists to need to ensure the microphones that the anchor uses are working. Also confirm that they are not too loud or quiet. There are also audio clips that need recorded and played at the correct times. The sound manager will confirm that they are all ready. This includes editing different pieces so they are not to long but are also clear. Segment producers are responsible for choosing what stories will be broadcasted. They will research and put together the stories that will be aired for the general public. This can include a variety of topics that will help educate viewers all over the world. Many schools offer programs that are specifically designed for a career in broadcasting.

Students will have opportunities to learn how to operate cutting edge technology used in the large field of journalism. They will be able to obtain a degree and then grow and flourish in a career where they enjoy working. The hard work will most certainly pay off in the end.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ejaz_Ahmad_Satti

Introduction And Benefits Of The T1 Internet Service

Connectivity to the World Wide Web is becoming very important these days. People are now becoming dependent on the web for their daily needs. This is evidenced by more professions popping up and students visiting the library less often. There are tons of ways for an individual or a business to get connected. The best one would be the T1 internet service.

The T1 is very famous among households and corporations alike. It has characteristics that give it a huge advantage over the competition. Let us first discuss what this connection is all about.

This type of connection offers dedicated leased lines between the subscriber and the ISP. This means that a subscriber enjoys the full bandwidth that has been paid for. This T1 line utilizes 24 Digital Signal 0 channels to deliver the data. Each channel is able to transmit and receive 64 Kilobits per second which gives rise to 1.544 Megabits all in all. Thus, a T1 internet service is able to give you an unwavering 1.54 Mbps connection.

It is also important to note that this connection is only available to the United States, Japan and South Korea. Japan has its own version called the J1 that has the same data rate of 1.544 Mbps. Europe also has its counterpart called the E1 line which is slightly faster. Their version can reach speeds of up to 2.048 Mbps due to the 6 extra channels available.

This technology based its roots on the AT&T carrier lines. They were the first ones to implement this kind of technology. The lines were assigned the carrier letter T. Soon, numbers were allocated to distinguish between data rates.

DSL is another option for consumers but is not very trustworthy. If T1 lines give unwavering data rates, DSL lines do the opposite. Consumers are indeed given a leased line but it does not connect directly to the ISP. Instead, it passes through a DSLAM or digital subscriber line access multiplexer. Multiplexing is a method of utilizing a channel such that various users can connect at different intervals. This means that any number of subscribers in a certain area all use up one common bandwidth. The speed you get is only a fraction of the maximum. With numerous competitions in the area, you are lucky if you can even get half of what you paid for.

Aside from the fast data rate, T1 lines are also known to be secure. Since you are connected directly to the ISP, there is no way for somebody to eavesdrop on your connections. The only other option is to tap the wire directly which is not an easy thing to do. Eavesdropping on DSL lines is fairly common because all consumers are part of one common subnet so it is pretty easy to figure out the IP addresses of the others.

T1 internet service is definitely the best option for businesses and individuals. The data rate is never shared and there is maximum privacy as well. Although it is a bit more expensive than the other services, it does make up for with its numerous advantages.

Finding T1 Internet Service is not hard when you know where to look for the reliable ones. If you are considering to get T1 Internet Service, review the information available here to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Richard

How Will Your Business Landlines Be Looked After in the Next 12-18 Months?

There are a range of different business telecoms providers in the UK today, some can provide you innovative solutions and genuine customer focused support that will enable you to have a great relationship with your providers and count on them when it's important.

Ofcom have just provided UK businesses with fantastic news, NO MORE ROLLOVER CONTRACTS!! This is great news for the providers that already do this, but for the telecoms providers out there that count on these kinds of things to tie in customers long term on low rates, with little support along the way, will find this difficult to keep their customers and therefore their profits. It's these kinds of providers you need to watch for, but how do you do it? This is the million doller question...

Often when business telecoms providers offer you low rates it stands to reason that there is no money in it long term to effectively look after the customers, this means the customer experience is affected. So when there is a fault or a problem with your inbound numbers who is looking after your business to get your lines back up and running? Your businesses lines being down for longer than a day has a feasible cost attached to it, some more than others and only you will know how much yours will be, what you need to ask yourself is if I place my business with "TELECOMS COMPANY A" what will happen when a fault arises, even though "TELECOMS COMPANY B" is 0.1ppm more expensive for local calls, they know what they're doing when looking after customers faults. So it's those profits that look after your long term custom. Of course you need to bear in mind that your price needs to be low but spending money on a service that will help you not lose that extra day off the phone is needed! It's a different way in looking for a business landlines provider.

The next thing you need to think about is are these providers that are making less money from my custom and other businesses custom going to be around in 12-18 months? With the recession this country has had and will continue to have in the next 12-18 months some of these providers will fall off, you'll be left with some quality providers that are looking after the long term interests of their customers.

So with these salient points in mind, the next 12-18 months will form successful and quality business landlines providers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Mackarel

Communication: Improving the Patient Experience

Healthcare practices often spend time looking at ways to improve patient satisfaction, but how often do they address communication as it relates to improved patient service? I would have to say, not often enough.

Every aspect of patient care involves communication. Whether it is in person, on the telephone or using technology, what you say is as important as how you say it. It is so easy for a patient to misinterpret what is being conveyed. For this reason, practices should look at their communication as a way of improving "the patient experience."

When a patient is face to face with the front receptionist, does that receptionist look the patient in the eye? Does she address the patient by name and offer her the same respect and consideration that she herself would want? For that matter, every person in the office, from the clinical staff to billing person should treat patients with respect and dignity. Starting with the patient, there is a definite link between a patient's understanding and patient satisfaction. In improving the relationship between the practice and the patient, it is important to: 

• Include the pleasantries. Whether it's greeting a person by name, offering them a seat or shaking hands, pleasantries and greetings are important.
• Create a rapport with the patient. This includes an understanding of the patient's concerns, issues and needs.
• Understand the patient's perspective and what he/she wants out of the visit to the office. This can include areas of scheduling, billing and education as well as the physician visits with the patient.
• Be empathetic and sympathetic to the patient's concerns. They need to know that you care about them as a person. RESPECT and SUPPORT are essential.
• Do not appear rushed even if you are. Let the patient feel that they are important and you are giving them the time they need.
• Keep the conversation on track.
• Listen without interrupting. Look at the patient so they know you are listening. Hear what your patients are saying. If needed, repeat what they said; "if I understand you, you are saying...."
• Involve the patient in his/her care. Whether it's educating the patient of his diagnosis, explaining a bill, or discussing insurance, the patient needs to be aware and understand what is happening. Build on the relationship and make the patient and family members PARTNERS in their care.
• Manage patient expectations. Try coaching your patients as to what reasonable expectations are.

Telephone encounters with the patient need to be equally respectful and considerate. Reaching a live person should be easy and telephone hold time should be kept to a minimum. Staff should try and establish why a patient is calling prior to transferring the call and should share the reason with the person they are transferring the call to. There is nothing more aggravating than having to explain the purpose of your call several times during the encounter.

Communication is more than just the spoken word. It is the little things that we do that remind the patient of their importance to the practice.

Some things a practice may want to consider doing are to: 

• Send all patients a welcome letter
• Make special efforts to meet the patient's needs
• Educate your staff on working with patients
• Listen
• Follow up
• Do the unexpected
• Exceed their expectations.

It is the body language we use to make a point and the gestures we make. It is going above and beyond the expectation of the patient to insure that the patient understands what he is being told and recognizes his value to the practice.

Every encounter we share with a patient, whether on the telephone, in person, on the internet or using advanced technology is a means of communicating. Practices should value all forms of communication and look for ways to improve them. Effective communication is customer service at its best.

© 2011 Efficiency in Practice

Donna Weinstock is a Senior Consultant at InHealth, and the President of Office Management Solution. She consults with healthcare practices to perform workflow analysis, improve processes, and increase profits as well as select and implement electronic health records.

This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Weinstock

Important Things To Consider When Choosing A Dictaphone

These days, more and more people are looking for easier ways to document all the things that they need to, especially when it comes to school projects, meetings, business conferences, and the like. This is most especially true, especially in this fast paced environment that we are living in right now. It is important that you are at par with everyone else, and it is also important that you are not going to be left behind, especially when it comes to the comforts and the ease that technology can bring.

Generally speaking, Dictaphones and digital voice recorders are designed to help make your lives easier. They are designed with making documentation much easier than it usually is. The most important thing that it can do is that it helps you in capturing sounds as well as important information that are needed so that you can make your documentation reliable. They are now commonly used to record voice memos, meetings, conferences, interviews, and even telephone conversations. They are available these days with different specifications as well as quality, and choosing the right one for you should be of utmost consideration.

So, before you go ahead and buy yourself a Dictaphone or a digital voice recorder, you need to know the different types that are available in the market today. You need to also take into consideration the following things before you decide in buying one:

1. Digital Voice Recorder (DVR) or Micro Cassette - these are the two types of recording devices. The latest, of course, is the DVR or the Digital Voice Recorder. The advantage of the Micro Cassette is that it is cheaper. That's all. DVRs, on the other hand, even if they are more expensive than cassette recorders, are more practical to use, especially since most people these days are utilizing the computers to make their lives easier. Those recorded via DVRs can just be transferred easily and shared easily online, eliminating the need to transcribe everything.

2. Make sure that you know whether you need the Dictaphone for short play or for long play. Typically, a sound recording system is available in three (3) levels of recording for sound quality. Each has different recording times. High quality ones usually have shorter play than low quality ones. This should be among the considerations as well.

3. Make sure that you go for something that is highly sensitive, especially when you need to make sure you decipher everything recorded using it to avoid losing any vital information.

All these things should be considered when buying a voice recorder.Among the best quality is the Olympus digital voice recorder. Buying the right one will, in the long run, be the most practical choice.

Dictaphones or digital voice recorders are very useful in making sure you make high quality documentation. Among the best ones is the Olympus digital voice recorder.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bart_Icles

Communication: Improving the Patient Experience

Healthcare practices often spend time looking at ways to improve patient satisfaction, but how often do they address communication as it relates to improved patient service? I would have to say, not often enough.

Every aspect of patient care involves communication. Whether it is in person, on the telephone or using technology, what you say is as important as how you say it. It is so easy for a patient to misinterpret what is being conveyed. For this reason, practices should look at their communication as a way of improving "the patient experience."

When a patient is face to face with the front receptionist, does that receptionist look the patient in the eye? Does she address the patient by name and offer her the same respect and consideration that she herself would want? For that matter, every person in the office, from the clinical staff to billing person should treat patients with respect and dignity. Starting with the patient, there is a definite link between a patient's understanding and patient satisfaction. In improving the relationship between the practice and the patient, it is important to: 

• Include the pleasantries. Whether it's greeting a person by name, offering them a seat or shaking hands, pleasantries and greetings are important.
• Create a rapport with the patient. This includes an understanding of the patient's concerns, issues and needs.
• Understand the patient's perspective and what he/she wants out of the visit to the office. This can include areas of scheduling, billing and education as well as the physician visits with the patient.
• Be empathetic and sympathetic to the patient's concerns. They need to know that you care about them as a person. RESPECT and SUPPORT are essential.
• Do not appear rushed even if you are. Let the patient feel that they are important and you are giving them the time they need.
• Keep the conversation on track.
• Listen without interrupting. Look at the patient so they know you are listening. Hear what your patients are saying. If needed, repeat what they said; "if I understand you, you are saying...."
• Involve the patient in his/her care. Whether it's educating the patient of his diagnosis, explaining a bill, or discussing insurance, the patient needs to be aware and understand what is happening. Build on the relationship and make the patient and family members PARTNERS in their care.
• Manage patient expectations. Try coaching your patients as to what reasonable expectations are.

Telephone encounters with the patient need to be equally respectful and considerate. Reaching a live person should be easy and telephone hold time should be kept to a minimum. Staff should try and establish why a patient is calling prior to transferring the call and should share the reason with the person they are transferring the call to. There is nothing more aggravating than having to explain the purpose of your call several times during the encounter.

Communication is more than just the spoken word. It is the little things that we do that remind the patient of their importance to the practice.

Some things a practice may want to consider doing are to: 

• Send all patients a welcome letter
• Make special efforts to meet the patient's needs
• Educate your staff on working with patients
• Listen
• Follow up
• Do the unexpected
• Exceed their expectations.

It is the body language we use to make a point and the gestures we make. It is going above and beyond the expectation of the patient to insure that the patient understands what he is being told and recognizes his value to the practice.

Every encounter we share with a patient, whether on the telephone, in person, on the internet or using advanced technology is a means of communicating. Practices should value all forms of communication and look for ways to improve them. Effective communication is customer service at its best.

© 2011 Efficiency in Practice

Donna Weinstock is a Senior Consultant at InHealth, and the President of Office Management Solution. She consults with healthcare practices to perform workflow analysis, improve processes, and increase profits as well as select and implement electronic health records. She can be reached at donna.weinstock@inhealthconsulting.com

This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included.

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Why Use a Wireless Router?

The majority of households in the UK, Europe and the US will have a connection to the Internet, and in most cases will have a device known as a Wireless Router to provide that connectivity for at least 1 computer device. In most cases the Wireless Router will be used to connect multiple devices from a local WLAN to the Public Internet.

Before we specifically describe a Wireless Router, it is probably best to describe the role of a Router in a data network. A Router's role is to read the logical IP Address on packets and determine which network or sub network those packets need to be delivered to. A simple way to look at a router is to compare it to a postal sorting office where letters have their post codes or zip codes checked to determine which area of the country the letter is destined for. In the UK, the first part of the postal code determines the general area such as an area of London or Manchester, and the second part determines an actual street or road. An IP Address, when coupled with a network mask does almost the same thing, but instead of a Geographical area, the router is able to determine a specific area of a network.

A local router which is attached to a Local Area Network or Wireless Local Area Network acts as the local postman by determining the physical MAC Address of a device so that it can deliver packets to the correct computer device.

In order to connect to the Internet we normally need a modem that runs the same protocols as the Service Provider Access Network. In most cases we will be using either an ADSL Modem or a Cable modem depending on who our service provider is.

A wireless Router will normally combine the functions of a modem, a router and a wireless access point, and provide not only wired connectivity to local devices by means of an Ethernet cable, but also provide the option of connecting to local devices by means of a wireless technology specified in the IEEE 802.11 Wireless standard. The IEEE 802.11g standard allows for local wireless connectivity at 54Mbps within the 2.4Ghz ISM frequency bands. The IEEE 802.11n standard was ratified in 2009 and provides for enhanced data rates up to 300 or even 600Mbps and incorporates the MIMO ( Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology which requires the use of additional antennas. The channel width is also doubled from 20Mhz wide channels used with previous versions of the standard to 40Mhz. Routers running the 802.11n standard with MIMO are normally a little more expensive due to the cost of the additional antennas.

The home Wireless router will also act as a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Server, so that local IP Addresses can be automatically served up to local computer devices, doing away with the need to manually configure IP parameters on each an every local device. Another protocol running on the wireless router with be NAT (Network Address Translation), which translates locally routable IP Addresses to Globally routable IP Addresses needed on the Internet. This means we can all use the same local IP Addresses on our LAN or WLAN to communicate locally, but use the Global IP Address supplied by our Service Provider when accessing the Internet. The router translates from local to global on the way out and the reverse as packets are routed towards the local network.

Any network needs a degree of security, particularly when connected to the Public Internet, otherwise anyone globally could have access to your network. The router will provide this security by having a built-in Firewall function. Wireless networks have additional security issues because of the fact that anyone within range of your wireless network, who has a wireless access point or device could join the network and therefore eavesdrop on data conversations, or worse still access a computer device and steal or corrupt information. For this reason a number of Wireless security protocols have been developed to protect the WLAN.

The first wireless security protocol was WEP (Wireless Equivalent Privacy) which uses an Authentication and Encryption key normally of 64 or 128 bits in length to protect the data as it traverses the wireless lan. WEP keys can easily be broken by someone determined enough to do it and programs are freely available on the Internet for this purpose. For most home users WEP may be sufficient, but as you don't necessarily know who your neighbours are and their intentions, it is better to protect your local wireless network with a more advanced security protocol. WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) uses much stronger encryption than WEP and should be used in preference to WEP when necessary. It is important to note that mostwireless routers come packaged with wireless security turned off, so it is up to the consumer to determine the level of security required and to configure the parameters when originally setting up your WLAN. If you are not technically minded then find a friend of relative that has some knowledge and choose the strongest protection available on the device, which will normally be WPA.

David Christie is MD at NSTUK Ltd, a Technical Training and Consultancy company based in the Northeast of England. David delivers technical training in the area of Data Communications and Telecoms and also provides consultancy and Training Needs Analysis. The company runs an ecommerce website specialising in the sale of Networking hardware and consumer electronics. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_W_Christie

Choosing Affordable and Durable PA Systems for Vehicles

A PA or a public address system is defined as an electronic amplification system that comprises of a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers used for the purpose of reinforcing a sound source and at the same time distributing the sound all through a venue or building.

Undoubtedly, the demand for PA Systems used for vehicles has been increasing day by day. These days, PA Systems are majorly used in vehicles for making some important announcements. With an increase in the demand and popularity of these systems, more and more companies have come forward to provide customers with an ideal system that suit their requirements and budget perfectly. These companies have been offering quality and professional PA solutions to the customers at very affordable prices. The best part is, products offered by these companies can be easily used for different makes and models of cars, snow cats, trolleys, vans, busses, boats, horse-drawn carriages, etc.

It is very important to do a proper research over internet before finding a particular company for all your vehicle PA system related needs. Some of the significant factors that need to be kept in mind have been listed below:

Experience

The first and the foremost factor that needs to be checked out is the experience of the company in the respective domain. In order to enjoy high quality sound experience, you need to choose a company with a good experience. A new company would not be able to provide you with the same level and quality of products as is provided by an experienced company.

Budget

Budget is the second important factor that needs to be given priority before you choose a PA system manufacturer for your needs. There are some manufacturers that offer advanced and professional PA solutions to the clients at a price that they can easily afford. It is better to go with such a manufacturer to grab quality products at a very affordable rate.

Guaranteed services

Last but not the least is the guarantee factor. Always check out whether the company you are choosing offer guaranteed services to the clients or not. If you hire one such company, you would not have to face any kind of trouble regarding the product purchased. This is because in case any problem arises, the technicians of the company themselves detect and solve it without charging extra amount of money.

A clear picture of all these factors in mind can help you find a company as per your requirements and budget.

Ready2Talk is a primary PA solution manufacturer based in the Vancouver region of British Columbia that provides customers with quality PA systems for vans, Trolleys, Horse Drawn carriages, buses, boats, etc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Adoms

Keep Your Business Meetings Safe With PGi iMeet

Unfortunately, as more and more companies begin to employ communications solutions to improve productivity and cut costs, the threat of cyber crimes also rises. Some reports state that cyber crimes worldwide cost more than $1 trillion and result in hacked customer information, leaked research, and lost assets. That alone is a reason to secure your confidential information, but paired with unforeseen accidents - like a stolen smartphone or lost laptop - ensuring your business's information and solutions are safe and secure at all times quickly becomes a mandatory issue.

PGi knows that conferencing is the lifeblood of today's companies - they give voice to innovation, finalize investment plans, and secure relationships (among many other things). While the globalization of business makes audio, video, and web conferencing an essential component of formulating a business strategy, it is imperative that security measures are put in place in order to provide those companies with the confidence to strategize and collaborate in a secure virtual setting.

Thankfully, PGi's latest innovation, iMeet, offers a virtual meeting experience that combines innovative and comprehensive communication and collaboration tools with enterprise-class security. Unlike the competition, iMeet brings something very unique to the table - customers have the ability to verify all meeting participants with their own eyes and ears.

Unlike other web conferencing services, PGi iMeet establishes individual audio and visual cues for all participants, not just the presenters. Each participant receives his or her own "cube" with a unique identity - even if some participants are only listening in on the meeting - this ensures that no eavesdroppers can listen in without your knowledge.

That's just one of the many ways that iMeet provides safe, secure collaboration and communication, here are a few more:

Secure documents - the presenter/host decided who can download, upload, and even view documents by locking or unlocking those that are stored in their iMeet room's virtual file storage cabinet. Participants that are locked out won't know it - it'll appear as though those documents do not exist.

Presenters/hosts customizes security - the presenter/host determines whether their meeting room is locked to prevent unwanted guests, and has the ability to establish a meeting "room key" for each specific meeting as an added layer of authentication. All meetings are unique; thankfully iMeet security measures are flexible enough to conform to them all.

Secure network - iMeet transmits over a secure, reliable, authentic network, and applies encoded Real Time Messaging Protocol over Secure Socket Layer and Transport Security Layer connections via HTTPS; this offers a fully encrypted, cloud-based solution that safeguards user networks from intruders.

PGi will continue to develop features within iMeet that help our customers glean additional value from their video meetings, while also addressing their evolving security requirements. Stay tuned for new feature enhancements and upgrades next month, in the upcoming iMeet 1.1 Release.

Andy Jacobs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_K_Jacobs

How to Create a Good Voicemail Greeting

How to think of funny voicemail greetings

As people have been using cellphones for quite some time now it seems like most people tend to overlook the fun that a simple voicemail greeting can bring. Most people will just use the standard answering message that comes with the phone and only some people are able to think of a personal funny greeting. Though many people will think that funny voicemail messages are unprofessional, it is a great way to help people cheer up and forget about the stress that they have been going through. Here are a few suggestions to think about when trying to think of funny voicemail greetings.

Be creative

Being creative is of course the most important part of the puzzle as you will have to think of something that will make most people laugh and not just one or two people. Avoid using inside jokes as this will not work well with other people who might understand what you are saying. Make it something unique and you will definitely make people laugh.

Think about quotes

Quotes are great things to mock when making a funny voicemail greeting. Treat it somewhat like a Facebook status and you will definitely start to think of great ideas. Try to stay current and avoid saying something that relates to a trend that was famous a few years ago. Look to change your voicemail greeting at least once a month and keep up with the times.

Think about hiring someone

There are plenty of voice actors who will be able to do your voicemail for a very reasonable price. They will often be able to imitate other voice like celebrities or cartoon characters. This is definitely one of the most unique things to do and is certainly a one of the funnier voicemail messages out there. Focus on trying to find a voice actor that will charge a very reasonable price and simply ask him or her to copy whatever it is you would like.

Avoid being annoying

This is one problem that people have and they should look to keep their funny voicemail messages enjoyable and not annoying. Often times someone will create a greeting that will get on everyone's nerves and simply just makes people not want to call anymore. Take your time with the decision and I am sure you will be able to create a greeting perfect for anyone.

When you are trying to think of funny voicemail greetings, ensure that you are taking your time and do not rush into choosing one right away. Stay creative and definitely avoid copying what your friends or family members have as their voicemail message. Have fun with your funny voicemail greetings and make sure that you are doing it just for fun. Voicemail greetings will usually say a lot about a person so make sure that the brand of humor that you are using is nothing to vulgar or violent as this might make people assume things about you. With just a little patience and motivation you will be able to create a funny voicemail message perfect for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_J_Gunning

Understanding Reverse Phone Lookups

Getting calls from a number that you don't know? Have you found a phone number, maybe on your partner's phone, or on speed dial and want to know who it belongs to? Got a phone number from someone you met and want to make sure you're really calling who you think you're calling? You could type the phone number in to a search engine, but that's not reliable. A reverse phone lookup phone service is more reliable because it provides details about a phone number for land lines (regular phones) and mobile phones.

Reverse phone lookup services are also great for verifying someone's address (great for businesses), can help you research a call that appeared on your phone bill, research missed calls and prank calls. Reverse phone lookup is completely private - the owner of the phone you research won't be notified that you searched their number, nor will anyone else ever know (unless you tell someone yourself).

The information you get when doing a reverse lookup includes the owner of the number, current address, whether the number is for a landline or mobile line, phone company or carrier, approximate map location, and any previous addresses. Many reverse phone lookup services also provide access to millions of public records and offer unlimited reverse phone lookups for millions of publicly listed landline phone numbers, and offer unlimited searches for addresses of publicly listed addresses, household members and numbers.

Some information about mobile numbers comes from private databases. As a result, it's recommended to cross-check the results of a mobile number search using more than one reverse phone lookup service. Reverse phone lookup service providers offer links to other reverse phone lookup services on their own site to help take the guess-work out of finding a reputable, independently reviewed, service provider.

Reverse lookup services are available on a search-by-search basis, where you pay for each search, or on a monthly basis. Monthly subscriptions offer the best value because you can perform an unlimited number of searches for the month - this is great when you need to research several numbers. The best part is that billing is often non-recurring - this means that you'll never be billed for an extra month, or months - your subscription expires at the end of the month and you can decide if you want to renew your subscription. You only pay when you decide to pay - that's great value in tough economic times!

Erik Westermann is an article marketing expert that boosts web sites' search engine ranking with original, well-researched articles, press releases and blog posts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erik_Westermann

An Overview Of Metro Fiber Services

High speed communication is fundamental for all businesses operating in today's digital age. If you are the owner or a manager of a company, it is important to ensure that you keep up to date with the latest technology at all times. A huge amount of business now takes place online, for this reason, a fast broadband connection should be thought of as essential to stay competitive. To help in reducing the costs of using a high speed network, it can be worth exploring the option of using metro fiber.

If you have never heard about metro fiber previously, you may be surprised to discover how attractive this service is. Metro fiber offer a way of linking together businesses in an urban area through the latest optical cables, these cables utilize light pulses to transmit data.

Optical cables such as this are commonly place within the premises of large corporations, but now small businesses are also taking up the technology. If you have come across the term "lit building" when researching this topic, this refers to those office blocks that are connected through metro fiber.

You may not initially appreciate the value of using this service, perhaps you are under the impression that the communication infrastructure you already have in place is adequate. You should be aware that if you do not keep up to date with the latest developments in communication technology, customers and clients may gradually turn elsewhere. Ask yourself whether you would give your custom to a company that is quick to answer queries and questions, or if you would choose a business that is slow to respond and hard to get in contact with.

Providers who offer metro fiber services can offer data transmission speeds of up to 1000 mbps. If you often need to send large files, either in-house or to clients and potential customers, you will find that if you have a 1000 mbps line, there will not be any delay. You can send gigabytes of data with the minimal amount of effort.

If you are not sure whether you have a need for this type of service, ask yourself whether you want to remain competitive, not just today, but also in the next two to five years. As more commerce will be carried out online in the coming years, the value of having the fastest possible internet connection will only continue to grow.

Finding Metro Fiber service provider is not hard when you know where to look for the reliable ones. If you are considering to get Metro Fiber connections, review the information available on our website to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Edware