Author: Karl de Vera

Here is a Winter Checklist for Your Telephone System

Karl de Vera

Don’t let the first snow day catch you unprepared. Take a few minutes now to make sure your telephone and voice mail system are ready for this winter season.

Here is a quick checklist:

1. Are your voice mail greetings up to date? If you use a alternate greeting for snow days or holidays are they recorded?

2. Who has administrative rights for your system? We always suggest more than one person has rights. Generally only administrators can change company voice mail greetings.

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3. What is your snow day procedure? A little planning now can eliminate confusion later.

4. If you are using back up batteries now is a good time to test them. Most back up batteries need to be replaced after about two years.

I hope you found this checklist helpful. As ever contact us at 425.481.5493 or service@soundtel.com for additional assistance.

Teresa Muzzuco

teresa@soundtel.com

SoundTel – NEC Phone Tips and Tricks: Using Group Listen

Karl de Vera

SoundTel presents a series of “Tips and Tricks” that will help you better utilize your phone system. For more Tips and Tricks click here to go to our website support page.

Do you train new staff and need them to hear both sides of your phone conversations? Do you ever want an associate to monitor your conversation with a disgruntled caller? Then Group Listen is the feature for you!

Group Listen allows you to play a called or calling party’s voice through your speaker on your phone, even if you are using the handset. This allows a third party to hear both sides of the conversation. Group Listen does not activate your microphone. So the party at the other end will hear only audio transmitted through your handset.

For NEC systems: SV8100, IPK, IPK II

To use Group Listen:

While on a call using your handset press the Speaker key. The other parties’ voice will be played through both the handset and the speaker.

To cancel Group Listen:

Press the Speaker key again. The other parties’ voice will no longer be played through the speaker.

It is as simple as that! We hope you find this tip helpful!

Have a question or want to suggest a topic? Email us at: phonetips@soundtel.com
For all other inquiries contact us at 425-481-5493 or service@soundtel.com

Thank you for being our valued customer. SoundTel is Your Total Communications Solution provider.

Sincerely,
Dale Muzzuco
Email: dale@soundtel.com
Phone: 425.481.5493 or 800.797.3663

Request a Free 20 minute webinar to learn about the latest in telecommunications!

[Tips and Tricks] Using Exclusive Hold on your Telephone System

Karl de Vera

Ever put an important call on hold only to have your associate pick it up by mistake? Master the “Exclusive Hold” feature and this will never happen again!

For NEC systems: SV8100, IPK, IPK II

  • Initiate an external call
  • Press Feature
  • Press Hold
  • Press the line key to pick up the call

For All DBS systems: DBS 824, Large DBS, DBS 576 and DBS 576HD

  • Initiate an external call
  • Press the line key being used (it will be solid green on your phone)
  • Line key will start flashing
  • Press the line key again to pick up the call

It is as simple as that! You press the line key you are on instead of the hold key. Now your call is on Exclusive Hold.

We hope you find this tip helpful!

Request a free 20 minute webinar to learn about the latest in telecommunications!

Have a question or to suggest a topic? Email us at: phonetips@soundtel.com
For all other inquiries contact us at 425-481-5493 or service@soundtel.com

Unified Communications and Healthcare

Karl de Vera

Like many industries, healthcare is increasingly embracing technology to reduce costs and improve services. Today, the healthcare industry is clearly focused on moving towards a paperless and wireless system. This progression naturally leads to the impletmentation of Unified Communication (UC) solutions. Unified communications offers many productivity-enhancing applications to all industries including healthcare. Some of the most common UC applications include integrated mobile communications with single number presence, converging voice and data over a single network and allowing users to receive all messages (voice, fax, email) in one box. These tools are affordable and available for even small single location healthcare offices.

Follow the link below to learn more about Unified Communications and Healthcare –

Unified Communications and Healthcare

SoundTel is a NEC Double Diamond Associate

Karl de Vera

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Look what we just recieved in the office – NEC Double Diamond Associate Reward!

According to NEC Corporation of America, “The Diamond logo is a mark of achievement for NEC authorized dealers. Customers can rest assured that Associates bearing a Diamond logo have gone above and beyond minimum NEC standards for customer satisfaction, training and sales performance.”

Thank you for your support and we will work hard to continue providing our best quality services to our customers!

When it comes to telephone solutions for your business, you can always count on SoundTel!

 

Want to experience our outstanding service?

 

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Annual NEC SV8100 Updates are Here!

Karl de Vera

NEC UNIVERGE SV8100 is a solution-rich platform designed to easily embrace new features and technologies. It is scalable and can be expanded in size and features to meet business’ communication needs now and in the future. To make this powerful and efficient telephone system keep up with the latest technology, NEC releases two software updates each year. Within the eight newest features that NEC just announced, SoundTel has highlighted the two that may be the most beneficial to small and medium size businesses.

Update Highlights:

1. Ecology

This new energy saving feature has two new ways to help you save energy on your phone system.

1) Power Cutting: This function is controlled by the Night Mode. The power of the terminals will be turned off when you turn the night mode on.

2) Power Saving: This function darkens the brightness of all Line Key and Feature Key LED’s on the Multiline Terminal. Any key operation or incoming call will end the power saving mode.

Although the phones use very little power, over long periods of time even small power savings add up!

2. DID (Direct Inward Dial) Enhancement

Direct Inward Dial lets outside callers directly dial system extensions. It also has a function to automatically reroute DID calls depending on how it is programmed. This update adds more flexible schedule settings for your DID lines. You will get DID Call by Day of the Week schedule and increased time patterns in which DID calls can be routed.

 

Want to learn more about the latest updates for NEC SV8100?

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To ensure your telephone system always gets the most updated software:

 

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[Tips & Tricks] How to set up the one-touch key on your NEC and Panasonic telephones.

Karl de Vera

SoundTel presents a series of “Tips and Tricks” that will help you better utilize your phone system. For more Tips and Tricks click here to go to our website support page.

Do you know that you are able to store an extension number or a phone number on your phone? Follow our tips below to set up this feature on your phone today! Your associate or regular customer will be only one-button away.

Steps to set up the one-touch key on your Panasonic phone:

For DBS-824, Large DBS, DBS 576, and DBS 576HD:
1. Press ON/OFF
2. Select Program
3. Press a button to be programmed
4. Enter the extension number or a phone number (DBS 576 and 576HD only)
5. Press Hold
6. Press ON/OFF

 

Steps to set up the one-touch key on your NEC phone:

For IPK I:
1. Press Feature
2. Press Redial
3. Press a button to be programmed
4. Dial 1
5. Enter the extension number (storing a phone number is not available on this system)
6. Press Feature again to end

For IPK II and SV8100:
 1. Press Speaker
2. Dial 751
3. Press a button to be programmed
4. Dial 01 and the screen will display “DSS/ONE TOUCH”
5. Enter the extension number OR 9+ destination phone number
6. Press Hold to save, you should hear a confirmation beep
7. Press Speaker to exit

We hope this series of tips will help you better utilize the functions on your phone system.

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What does Netlink do?

Karl de Vera

What if a company has an office in Bothell and another office in Tacoma? To improve communications between the two offices, the owner is seeking a way to connect the telephone systems together.

With Netlink and a wide area network, you can seamlessly connect the telephone systems at multiple locations.

Netlink allows you to:

  • Share one voice mail system
    This reduces hardware costs and allows you to redirect messages between any users in the organization regardless of the location. You can also send a group message to all users at once.
  • Share calls between receptionists
    Calls to any location can be answered at one or all sites by any receptionist. This is especially useful during lunch breaks or if a receptionist calls in sick.
  • Transfer calls between the locations
    Callers who need to talk to someone at a different location can be easily transferred there without having to be asked to hang up and call a different number.
  • Intercom between locations
    You can call anyone at another location without long distance charges and with all the features normally only available within a single location.

Netlink brings better communication among offices to your business, lowers hardware costs, and increases mobility and transparency within your company.

Do you have multiple locations for your business? Contact us today for more details on Netlink and how you can utilize it with your business!

 

Want to learn more about Netlink and see how it can help your business achieve?

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Hosted vs. Premise Based Business Communication Solutions

Karl de Vera

Too often, initial cost is the most important factor when choosing a communications solution that is best for your company. You should also consider the following when comparing Hosted vs. Premise Based solution for your business.

• Functionality
• Local and long distance tolls
• Maintenance Contracts
• Technical and Administrative Staff Costs

In past years, Premise Based Solutions have been optimal because of low TCO and the higher level of perceived security due to the communications solution being onsite. Today there is a move towards hosted communications solutions because of the low, upfront cost. However, consider these facts when deciding on your communications solution.

Hosted:
• Improvements and Upgrades to your system are performed by the provider according to their schedule, not yours.
• Research your provider and consider their viability as a company to insure they will be around for the long haul. The provider may have you sign a multi-year contract.

Premise:
• Improvements and Upgrades to your system can be performed by your onsite IT staff or via a maintenance contract from your provider.
• The systems are purchased up front or leased and the customer has full ownership of all the hardware.

HOSTED PREMISE
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) High Low
Equipment Ownership No Yes
Monthly Telephone Line Fees Yes Yes
Control of / Access to Equipment No Yes
Technical and Administrative Staff Needed No Yes
Ease of Scalability Moderate Moderate

 

Need professional opinions on your business telephone system?

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What is the Security Code for my Telephone System?

Karl de Vera

FAQ’s:

Why should I change my security code?
Your security code prevents others from using your personal ID to listen to your messages. It also protects your system from outside hackers.

How often should I change my security code?
Change your security code as often as you like. Your security code should be 4 to 10 digits long.

What if I forgot my security code?
If you forget your security code, call your system manager.

How do I change my security code?
To change your security code by computer
1. Access the Mailbox Manager.
2. Click Profile.
3. Click Change Code.
4. In the Change Security Code dialog box, type your old and new
passwords in the corresponding fields.
5. Click OK and then click Save.

To change your security code from your telephone
1. Press MESSAGE key or VMsg soft key
2. If using Softkeys press SETUP, PERS, CODE. Otherwise, enter 7 7 4 to change your security code.
3. Follow the system instructions. Enter 1 for Yes, 2 for No.

 

Still have questions about Security Code or other features on your telephone system?

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