Being self-employed, I HATE to feel that I have to be at my desk for a prescribed number of hours, or to perform certain tasks. So, when I recently went travelling around Europe in my campervan, I had to find solutions to give me the freedom I wanted to enjoy my trip, but also to remain in control of my businesses, and not take my eye off the ball. I still use ALL of these in the everyday running of my business when I’m not in the office…which seems to be getting quite frequent!

So, how to run a business from your iphone:

1) Firstly, I had to find a way to be able to access my pc for the sole purpose of running the payroll on a Friday…any business is only as good as it’s staff. so there was no way this could go wrong!

I discovered LogMeIn – free remote access to my computer, just as if I was sitting right in front of it. I just needed internet connection, which isn’t difficult to find around Europe. There is a desktop version as well as an iPhone app, but the app isn’t free…definitely worth the 17 though.

2) Being a bit of a control freak, I check my Google Analytics account a few times every day, as I like to know exactly how the site visitors found us.

I discovered Analytics Lite – another free app that I still use all the time as it’s quicker than checking on my desktop!

3) Both of my business websites are created using WordPress, and I needed to make sure that if there was a problem with either site while I was away, I could access it and fix it as soon as possible.

WordPress have a free app. As it happens, I didn’t need it, but it gave me fantastic peace of mind.

4) I was discussing mobile websites with a SEO guy and he laughed when I said that yes I have a mobile website, and it seems to run just fine on my iPhone. I was referring to my original website, which is obviously not what he meant!

I discovered DudaMobile – another free app that will convert your existing website into a mobile website which even gives you an app type favicon on your iPhone or Android home screen

5) I like to cast my beady eye over any legal docs before they leave our office, and I also love to analyse statistics to the nth degree, but I didn’t want to have to use LogMeIn for everything,.

I discovered Google Docs – free ‘MS Office’ type programs that can be accessed as long as you have internet connection, and shared with different users at the same time. This meant my manager could ‘show’ me stats by looking at the same spreadsheet, at the same time, while talking me through it over he phone. We’ve moved our entire document and spreadsheet library over to this!

6) As I wouldn’t be able to take out of hours calls on the hop, I needed to find a way for my prospective clients to communicate with me and get answers to their queries. Email would be too slow. I needed a system that would allow me flexibility, while still offering excellent customer service.

I discovered Comm100 – a FREE ‘Chat Now’ button that I embedded into the header banner of my website. I downloaded the free app to my ihpone, and every time someone wanted to connect out of hours, I had a loud notification from my iPhone. I knew I had a few minutes to react so I’d find a hotel and away to go!

7) There were times when I wanted to check up on the office and make sure it hadn’t burnt down or been burgled…or even the staff doing acrobatics over the desks!

I installed Skype on my iPhone and randomly called my manager for quick chats a few times….I was quite disappointed everyone was so well behaved in the background!

So, I had a great stress-free trip, and I never work Fridays…well not in the office anyway!

Call Catchers have gained so much knowledge over the years, it would be a shame to keep it all to ourselves….so we’ll share what we can, when we can.

Call Catchers telephone answering service, virtual switchboard & order processing….you can’t spend all day answering calls…but we can!

Call Catchers Telephone Answering Service

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

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I was faced with a huge dilemma during the strike because it straddled the end of one month and the beginning of the next, so not only could I get my ‘month end’ statements out, I also couldn’t raise my invoices and post them on the 1st of the month.

The answer to this problem was quite simple…to start emailing invoices and statements at ZERO COST! We use Sage Accounts, so after updating our systems with billing email addresses, the rest was simple. We simply output to email instead of printing everything off, saving us around £5,000 per annum.

A few weeks ago I received a flyer through the post from my opticians, informing me of a ‘2 for 1’ special offer, printed in colour onto plain paper, posted in a branded envelope by 1st class mail.

I was due a check-up, so when I went in to see them, I found that they not only have email addresses for about 90% of their clients, they also have the mobile telephone numbers for a large majority as well.

They invited me to have a quick look at their systems, where I found they only use a few of the modules of their very expensive CRM. 10 minutes later, I’d showed them how to export the email addresses into a file, and created a template for them in readiness for their next marketing campaign.

I also recommended a text messaging service to send text (SMS) appointment reminders directly from their existing database. OK, this carries a cost of 6.5p per text, but this far outweighs the cost of sending a postal reminder at 80p!

We worked out a potential cost saving of about £8,000 per year, so I suggested I get free eye tests and contact lenses for life…if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

As a telephone answering service, the majority of our messages are sent out by SMS to our clients, directly and immediately to their mobile phones.

In my humble opinion, Royal Mail shot themselves in the foot with the strike, and those of us who found alternatives methods definitely came out on top

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Call Catchers pride ourselves on our attention to detail, and often go ‘the extra mile’ in the best interest of our loyal customers. And how do we know what our customers want? Because we ask them…it’s as simple as that!

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The solution is as simple as diverting your landline to your mobile, or onto a telephone answering service.

Have you ever sat down and calculated the cost of every lead you generate? Whether you have paid a commission, or met a prospect at a business exhibition, or advertised in the Yellow Pages, every lead has a cost associated to it. The sad thing is that many small businesses are missing the initial call and first contact from these potential leads, because they just can’t get to the phone on time, or because the phone is in their home or their office and they need to be elsewhere to do what they do best!

Many of us are too busy in our small businesses trying to be the marketing manager and the accountant and the team leader, all at once, to worry about being the receptionist too!

A simple and cost-effective solution is to simply divert your land line calls to your mobile phone, making sure that every single call is answered. Your potential clients will be guaranteed to get hold of you at the first attempt, which will add professionalism and trust to your list of attributes, and your existing clients / customers will appreciate being able to contact you as and when they need to. This certainly helps to build rapport and long-lasting business relationships.

Many visitors to our website are looking for clear instructions on how to divert / undivert their BT or Virgin lines to their mobile phones, so here’s an easy guide:

Firstly, you will need to call BT / Virgin on 150 from your land line, and ask them to activate the Call Divert function. This usually takes a maximum of 24 hours to activate. Then you will need to type one of the following simple codes on your handset:

To divert ALL calls:

*21*the-number-you’re-diverting-to#

To end the divert: #21#

To divert calls that aren’t answered in 15 seconds:

*61*the-number-you’re-diverting-to#

To end the divert: #61#

To divert when your line is engaged:

*67*the-number-you’re-diverting-to#

To end the divert: #67#

To divert when engaged or not answered in 15 seconds:

*66*the-number-you’re-diverting-to#

To end the divert: #66#

This facility isn’t exclusive to diverting just to mobile phones, you can divert to almost any phone, including your mobile, another landline, or onto a telephone answering service. Most telecoms providers also offer a divert facility, but some may take longer than 24 hours to activate.

You need to be aware that you will be charged the cost of forwarding your land line calls by BT / Virgin / etc., but the benefit should far outweigh the cost. However, if you’re finding that you’re on the phone for a substantial amount of time on diverted calls, it might be more cost-effective for you to tell your callers that you’ll call them right back, and then call them from your mobile using your inclusive minutes package.

Don’t miss any more leads that you’ve worked hard for and spent a fortune on….you’ve earned them!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6424515

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Our Pay As You Go (PAYG) answering service is simply just that…..with NO monthly admin charges, FREE set-up, email and text message included, so there will be no extra or hidden charges…..JUST SIMPLY PAY FOR WHAT YOU USE, subject to a minimum bill of £10 per month just to cover our costs!

So if you’re not entirely sure of how many telephone calls you’re likely to receive just yet and don’t want to commit to a monthly plan, why not just pay for what you use on our Pay As You Go service?

• FREE set-up
• Email Included
• Text Message Included
• NO Minimum Call Volumes
• Just £1.50 per call
• No tie-in period

This service is ideal for new, start-up companies, businesses that experience seasonal fluctuations, and those with a small niche client base and therefore expect to receive fewer telephone calls on a monthly basis.

You can give us a ring on 0800 1357 368 right away, and we can be answering your calls on a per call basis and helping you grow your business in a matter of minutes on our pay as you go telephone answering service.

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We manage diaries in the following sectors:

• Oven Cleaning – we check availability and book appointments
• Beauty Training – we book beauticians onto further courses
• Restaurant – we check availability and book tables
• Domestic Cleaning – we check availability and book appointments
• Consultancy – we check availability and patch calls through
• Estate Agency Viewings – we check availability and patch calls through

Call us NOW on 0800 1357 368 to arrange your FREE trial!

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We’ve created our pricing structure in a simple format, to ensure you don’t get any nasty suprises at the end of the month.

There are no hidden charges for text messages or for changing your details with us, everything is included either in your monthly price plan, or your ‘price per call’ if you’re using our pay as you go service.

You are not contracted to any particular price plan, so if your business is seasonal and your expecting less or more calls at any time of year, just give us a call and let us know 30 days in advance, and we’ll put you on the price plan that suits your business best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telephone Answering Service Price Plans

*1 SMS text and up to 2 email messages per call included
** Subject to a minimum charge of £10 per month

Switchboard Services

Pay As You Go charged at £1 plus VAT per call, plus forwarded calls recharged at BT standard rates

Other Office Services

*All prices subject to VAT

Call us NOW on 0800 1357 368 to arrange your FREE trial!

Canolfan Gorseinon, Millers Drive, Gorseinon, Swansea SA4 4QN Tel: 01792 224300

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Marcelle Llewelyn Call Catchers

Pay As You Go or monthly telephone answering service based in South Wales. We act as your overflow or full-time receptionist to make sure every single call is answered, helping your business grow.

Call Catchers, Canolfan Gorseinon, Millers Drive, Swansea, West Glamorgan, SA4 4QN

Secretarial services. Based in Call Catchers, Swansea, SA4 4QN

The Business Network Wales – Success Stories/ Testimonials

Directory

Here we have some typical questions and answers relating to how our service works, including set-up, office hours, message relaying, which calls to divert, etc

Daily Musings from the Creative Minds

Daily Musings from the Creative Minds

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Open Directory – Regional: Europe: United Kingdom: Wales: Swansea County: Gorseinon: Business and Economy

Open Directory – Regional: Europe: United Kingdom: Wales: Swansea County: Gorseinon: Business and Economy

Dragon Accounting Services – Links

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