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Like most other services available to business owners and consumers, conference call services come in a few varieties with different price points.
Whether you work for a company and have been charged with finding a conference call service, or you're a small business owner and need to find a way to serve your clients, one of your primary concerns is going to be saving money.
You want to use the service that's going to provide you with the best value, and you want the best service for the best price.
But those aren't necessarily going to be the same thing, or refer to the same service.
The three main types of conference call services are free, long distance, and toll free.
Before you can choose the one that's right for your business, you must first understand what each entails.
Who doesn't like things that are free? Free is a wonderful word, that immediately attracts attention.
How can something that's free possibly be bad for you? Not so fast. When it comes to interacting with your customers, a free conferencing service may not be the way to go.
Nothing is ever really free, right? A company can't provide a free service without somehow making a profit.
When you use a free conferencing service, neither you nor your clients will pay any fees, but you may have to listen to ads on the line while waiting for your call to connect.
If your clients aren't familiar with how free conferencing services work, they may become confused and think you're directing ads at them. Even if they do understand the process, using a service that puts ads in front of a captive audience doesn't give the most professional impression of you and your business.
Still, a free service does have its advantages. You'll receive a dedicated phone number, and most likely won't have to make any reservations. In fact, you'll probably have access to your line as soon as you set up an account.
Some free services also offer features such as conference call recording, playback, and download capabilities. Just remember that a free service may not provide any customer service if something goes wrong during your call.
You may use a free service when you're starting out in order to save money, but it's probably not something you want to stick with. As a manager or business owner, you want your clients to view your company as professional, and able to handle their needs.
If you're skimping on an important business tool like a conference call service, what else are you skimping on? Don't give your clients the wrong impression about how serious you take their business, and them. The next step above a free conferencing service is a long distance service, also called a flat rate service.
As the second name suggests, your company would pay a flat fee to secure a conference call line, usually billed on a monthly basis. A flat rate service will most likely offer the same features as a free service, with a few extras. For example, more callers may be able to participate at one time.
The reason why it's also referred to as a long distance service is that the calls to join the conference are not free. They're placed as regular long distance calls. This may not be a concern to a client who has an unlimited calling plan, but using this type of service can still be construed as poor business etiquette.
You already charge your clients for whatever service you provide. To also push some of the cost of doing business onto them can make your company seem cheap and unprofessional. Consider carefully the image you want to present to your clients before choosing this option.
Many business owners will agree that toll free conferencing is the way to go. With this option, the entire cost of hosting the conference call falls on you and your company. You may be billed on a monthly basis, or on a per call, per caller basis.
Participants are given a toll free number to call to join the conference, so your clients don't have to worry about being charged anything to communicate with you. Toll free conferencing also usually allows the highest number of callers to participate, making it the most flexible conference call option.
When choosing a conferencing service, remember that often what's best for your clients is also what's best for your business.
Related topic: Low Cost Conference Calling Choices
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