5 Ways to Make Your Conference Call "Count"

1.  Send Invitations with the Outlook Plug-in
    Download the Outlook Plug-in and send meeting invitations easily!  All you need is the participant's name, email and possibly "blood type". :)
2.  Download Group-e
    Take the "fear" out of conferencing by downloading Group-e, our FREE mobile app!  Store all your meeting info in one location and connect to your conference call in a snap!
3.  Enhance Your Meeting with VideoConferencing
    For those of you who can't see your "reflection", try adding a webcam and video conferencing to your meeting to increase interaction.  The Conference Group has many options to choose from!
4.  Record Your Conference
    Now this is something you can really "sink your teeth into"!  Record your event for easy access to audio conferencing, web conferencing or video conferencing meetings in the future.
5.  Review Attendance Reports & Follow-Up
    Log-in to our Customer Dashboard to view your attendance reports.  Determine who attended and who missed the conference call event.  Even though it may be a "pain in the neck", follow-up with participants after the meeting.  Send .mp3 links of the recording to people who were unable to attend, as well as any notes or action items from the meeting.

"Fang" you very much for your interest in our blog and Happy Halloween!  :)

Check out how we get in the Halloween spirit by following us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+!  Plus, get exclusive access to new products and promotions!

The "New" Agent

I just got back from Austin, TX and the CvxExpo / ITEXPO was great!!   Realizing I am no “techie”, and I just learned what BYOD means, I can say that it was an amazingly educational and fun trip!  With the convergence of IT and telecom, its giving way to a new agent.  There comes a tie that our traditional agents need to understand how to adapt and capitalize on this evolution, especially for the survival of their business.  This is where I fit in.

The show had 3 video conferencing sessions and I was lucky enough to be asked to join one of the panels.  On Thursday, October 4^th, I joined Charles Studt with Intelepeer and Scott Whatron with Vidtel to present a session called “Bridging the Video Conferencing Chasm”.  

A quick excerpt “Companies looking to deploy and use video conferencing services often are forced to muddle their way through platforms, disparate standards and an assortment of devices and rooms systems”….. My first thought was “huh?’… But then I started thinking, “why do we make this so hard?” We often wonder why our agents aren’t selling video and I believe it’s because there is a perception of the traditional video conferencing systems that were extremely expensive and complicated.   The video conferencing services we offer eliminate the need for hardware, integrate with existing video conferencing room systems, and are browser-based.  In my world, Agents want to know 3 simple things… Does it work?  Is it user friendly/easy to use? And Do I get paid on it?  With the Conference Group, the answer to these three questions is YES!!

So, why haven’t you contacted the Conference Group about Video Conferencing?  Starting next week, I will be holding additional video conferencing sessions with all of you.  Have your video camera ready and buckle-up; it’s time to get excited and start selling it!

Contact Caroline Rogers at caroline.rogers@conferencegroup.com 
877-716-8255 x78253  or Cell:  302-530-1666

Here's a "Sneak Peek" of What's New at TCG!

Something new is in the air!!  As our continued commitment to be a “turn-key” solution for you and your clients, the Conference Group will be offering a new and improved Admin Customer Dashboard!  Control all your conference cards and users in one centralized location!  Add, edit and/or delete audio conference cards as well as web conferences.  Manage and update account information, view conference call reports, download conference recordings and more!  

For a demo of our New Admin Dashboard, please contact Caroline Rogers @ caroline.rogers@conferencegroup.com or 877-716-8255  x78253.  You may also follow us on Twitter @TCGChannel for the most up to date information on new products and free stuff!

Reality Check!

Have you had a Reality Check lately??...Find out how our Partners write their own check & play our Reality Check Game!  http://www.conferencegroup.com/realitycheck/email/email.html

It's time!  The Channel Partners Expo is happening Sept 12th-14th in Orlando, Florida.  The Conference Group will be rolling out our new and improved Customer Dashboard.  Our clients will be able to control all their calling cards and their users in one centralized location.  They can add, edit or delete new cards, manage and update account information, download recordings and view conference history.  This improvement furthers our commitment to a true "turn-key" solution.  And it gets better!!  For stopping by booth #209, you can enter to win $500.00!!!

For those of you in Orlando, text "play" to 240-343-4824 or play online at www.conferencegroup.com/realitycheck.  After entering, come
by booth #209 for your ticket!!!   Winner will be announced on @TCGChannel Twitter!We look forward in seeing you all there.

Regards,

Caroline
(877) 716-8255 x78253

Orlando – It’s Not Just For Kids!

What better way to say goodbye to Summer then a conference in Orlando, FL?  Although it is known for it's family attractions and theme parks, it's not just for kids!  We will be there balancing our inner child while conducting some actual business in Orlando.  (As hard as that may sound...) 

The Conference Group will once again have a booth for the Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida.  It will be held Sept 12^th-14^thin the Peabody Orlando Hotel.  As always, we will be giving away some great prizes and free stuff!   Please make sure to subscribe to our blog and/or follow our Social Networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+) for updates on how to win!  Also, watch for our ads in the Channel Partners Magazine, IAgent Network, and Telecom Association website for more ways to win some cold hard CASH!!

Stop by booth #209 to check out our new tools and apps that will be offered to Agents and their clients!  Plus, we will be launching the newest version of our Customer Dashboard which was developed strictly for the use of Agent's clients!  So please come by to see a demo and chat with us!  See you there!!  :) 

China 400 Toll-Free Numbers

Are you tired of having up to three phone numbers for China; one for North China (landline), South China (landline), and a separate one for mobile? Well, scheduling a conference call with China-based participants has never been easier! The Conference Group now offers China 400 numbers to connect all of your participants in China with one toll-free access number! Eliminate the hassle of determining the type of phone your participants use, as well as the area of China they call from and ask about our China 400 numbers today! Our Customer Service Team is available 24/7 to assist you.

Why China 400 Toll-free Numbers?

•ALL participants located in China use the same 400 number

•Includes ALL Provinces of Mainland China

•Works with ANY mobile or landline phone

•Available with ALL TCG audio conferencing solutions

Add your China 400 number to our Outlook Plug-in and send it with every conference invitation!

Recording: 101

Conference recordings are essential to most businesses today. Not only do they help you remember what was said in a meeting, but they allow for participants who were unable to join the meeting to listen to the conference on their own time. Here is a list of our “recording basics” to get you started.

Recording Audio Conferences:

1. Verify recording is available for the audio conferencing service you are using. http://www.conferencegroup.com/audio-conferencing/compare-all-audio

2. Remember…Conferences will NOT automatically record. You must initiate the recording through a star command as the leader. (Unless you are using our Event or Event Answered Services, an operator can perform this function for you if it is requested ahead of time.) Please see our User Guides for specific recording instructions. http://www.conferencegroup.com/support/user-guides

Notification:

Once you have started a recording in your audio conference, all existing and new callers will hear the message, “The conference is now being recorded.”

Accessing Recordings:

Depending on the type of audio conferencing service are you using, you may have to access your recording differently.

• Reservationless recordings can be accessed through our Customer Dashboard. http://www.conferencegroup.com/dashboard
• For more information on our Customer Dashboard, please see our Dashboard User Guide.  https://www.conferencegroup.com/support/user-guides/customer-dashboard.aspx
• Event/Event Answered/Scheduled conference recordings can be accessed through our Conference Recording Center. http://www.conferencegroup.com/cdr/conference

Note: For login credentials, please contact our Customer Support Department. support@conferencegroup.com

Emailing Recordings:

If requested prior to the start of your conference call, you may elect to have your conference recordings emailed to you. The following email options are available:

• In your Attendance Report

• In a Separate Email

Recording Availability:

• .mp3 Recordings are available for 30 days

• To retain your file longer than 30 days, please save your .mp3 recording to your computer.

• There is no limit to the number of .mp3 downloads. However, the link will expire 30 days from the date of the conference call.

Transcription:

The Conference Group also offers transcription services for your recorded conferences. So, should you decide after a call that you need it transcribed, contact our Customer Service Department and they will have it back to you in 48 hours! csr@conferencegroup.com

Don’t Forget! Recording your audio conference is FREE! Make sure to take advantage of this great tool on your next conference call.