How to Obtain an OC3 for Your Business

For any business venture that will most likely involve more than two collocations, OC3 is exactly an ideal choice to cater your networking needs. One company which is highly known to be an expert in this service is XO Colo though several other master solution providers are competing for the same title. But, whichever among these providers you decide to choose, you are still assured of an excellent technical assistance which is something very essential especially in this kind of product. To acquire OC3, you can also check out Covad, Verizon, AT&T, and Qwest.

The moment you decide to subscribe to either a T1 or T3 line with an OC3 rate of speed, then you have to let your MIS team receive a special training from the provider's technical support staff. Following that is the contract. What is quite interesting is that you can possibly enjoy promo codes which are usually given all year round. You can expect great promotions during Black Friday, Valentine, Memorial, Thanksgiving, and beginning of spring break.

Since there are a number of variations, the master solution provider usually examines the size of your business or maybe the number of branches that you own to determine which type of T1 line is most suitable for your business. As soon as the provider gets done with the assessment, the last mile cable is then installed going to your location. This cable is typically provided free of charge thus helping you save on cost. Another thing is that you can save more when you opt for a cheap business phone service which works effectively on VoIP. Of course, the compatibility of OC3 and VoIP is of no question.

In today's extremely competitive market, you absolutely need a system that works fast and guarantees efficiency. This is precisely the reason why OC3 is a good option to address the standard requirements of a micro enterprise. Plus when you put it together with VoIP, these two are just the perfect match. The systems can simply be installed just about anywhere around the business office where you find it not distracting to the eyes. If you might not know, the installation costs nothing and also the renewal fee for the following year. This is how confident the master solution provider is with OC3 or VoIP services.

With the wide range of benefits that you can get just by choosing OC3, you can surely find no reason at all to regret your decision. Get connected now!

By Pinky C Lu

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Improve the Quality of Your Business Communications---And You'll Improve Your Bottom Line

By Clarice Dankers

All written communications convey a meta message; that is, they broadcast a message that is separate from the literal meaning of the words you use. If your writing is clear, well-organized and accurate, your readers will tend to assume you are competent, conscientious and reliable.

If your writing is badly organized, trite, and full of errors, however, your customers may unconsciously assume your products and services are below par or that you lack the skills to handle the job. At the very least, they will question your lack of attention to detail.

In other words, written communications affect your company’s bottom line

This is why it is well worth the time and effort to ensure that all of your business communications be as well-written as possible. How do you accomplish this? By understanding the four principles of effective business writing--before you place your fingers on the keyboard and begin to type!

The four principles of effective business writing

1. Know who your audience is.

Knowing who your audience is before you begin to write allows you to target your message to your readers. This means you can adjust your vocabulary, style and tone to fit the person, the message, and the circumstances.

For example, at times you will want to write formally by using more complicated sentence structures and technical vocabulary. In this style of writing, which occurs frequently in annual reports, technical articles, and formal proposals, the author refers to herself or himself in the third person. For example, instead of saying “I” or “we,” you would refer to yourself as “the author” or “one.” You would also use "he," "she," "it," and "they" and completely avoid addressing your readers directly as “you.”

In a more informal writing style, writers refer to themselves in first person using “I” and “we.” This happens frequently in business letters, magazine articles and academic journals. In this intermediate level, be very careful about addressing your readers directly using “you.” It may be appropriate to talk directly to your readers; on the other hand, it may be completely inappropriate. Think about how your readers will react before you do so and then use “you” judiciously.

The friendliest, most casual style of writing, such as that used in sales literature, messages between friends, and “how to” articles, definitely does address the reader directly using “you.”

2. Use clear, brief, innovative and accurate language.

When writing for business, be sure that your communications are clear, brief, innovative and accurate. They should convey a logical, unambiguous message using active verbs, normal (as opposed to Latinized or academic) vocabulary, and as few words as possible. For example, choose:

* “The board passed the resolution” instead of “The resolution was passed by the board”
* “I used Burke’s findings in my report” instead of “I utilized Burke’s findings in my report”
* “I changed my approach because he asked me to” instead of “I changed my approach due to the fact that he asked me to”


Also be sure to present your points in an original way rather than relying on jargon and clichés. For example, in recent years companies have used the phrase state-of-the-art so often that it has lost any meaning it once may have had. Avoid it and others of its kind.

Above all, verify that your communications are accurate. Check your facts, check your figures, and check your grammar!

3. Organize your points effectively.

Effective organization guides your readers through your message and helps them understand your purpose and major points. If your readers are confident that you know where you’re going, and you take them there step-by-step, they will be much more willing to absorb your message and draw the same conclusions from it that you do.

If your message is unclear and your ideas are out of order, it will confuse and aggravate your readers, which is not the response you wish to create!

Therefore, take the time to think through your message before you begin to write it down; if your document is particularly long or complicated, consider creating a brief outline first so you know where you want to go and how you’re going to get there.

4. Edit and revise for meaning and accuracy.

Writing is a process that can always be improved upon. Use the first draft of your document to put your ideas down on paper. But don’t stop there. Read through your document, asking yourself if there are better, simpler ways to express your points; if you have answered all of the questions you have raised in your readers’ minds; or if one of your ideas actually belongs in a different paragraph. Then revise your document.

Because business today is so international, your written messages are likely to reach an audience that speaks English with varying degrees of skill. This is why--even when you compose a brief email--it is a good idea to quickly proof it for basic accuracy, grammar and spelling. Always schedule enough time to revise and edit longer documents carefully. And don’t forget to spell check!

The bottom line?

Business communications are crucial tools that help to generate customer goodwill, loyalty and sales. It is well worth your time to do them right or to hire an expert who can.
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Business Communication Etiquette

The idea that people need to have feedback, appreciation and information is a good basis for understanding how and why excellent business communication is important and compelling for success.

In your very best relationship - whether your spouse, best friend, sister, co-worker - you can easily communicate with them in a high value way. You telephone, email, write notes, make plans and generally stay in contact with them because you want a connection and a relationship with them.

In building very good relationships in business, it is absolutely the same. What is different in a business relationship is that you are communicating with colleagues and you don't always know them as well as a dear friend. However, they need the same attention that a good relationship needs.
*Returning a phone call
*Listening intently
*Appreciative communication
*Clear communication with details and directions

Our communication styles and methods are being stretched by email, technology, lack of time and resources that limit our ability to do so much in our day.
But there are rules of common courtesy that have NOT changed since the inception of humans dealing with each other in a high value way. If you want to be a remembered, trusted and respected leader, you will practice these courtesies with every business contact.

• Email - Not only should you be returning emails in a timely way, but you need to set the context each and every time of why the email is important and what information it is that you want to deliver. Spam filters help, but in order to more easily control your email load, you need to be in more control of what you generate yourself. In business, be brief, be informational and be gone.
• Cell phones - The ring tones that are available now are fun outside of the office, networking situations, client lunches etc. Put your cell phone on manner mode or shut it off. Take and make calls when you are with people sparingly. Most people are not interested in listening to your phone conversation no matter how stimulating you think they might be. If you need to take or make a call, excuse yourself and then make it brief.
• Returning phone calls - Whether you think you have time to return the call or not, find out what people need, make sure you are clear on whether you can help them or not and then get back to your own work. People who return phone calls are trusted and respected. You do not need to make the calls long.
• Practice your handshake - Ask a friend to shake hands with you and then give you feedback.
• Body language - 55% of our nonverbal communication is our body.
• Business cards - Get one and have them with you ALL of the time. You should include an address, email, telephone number, full name, what you do and your title. If your company does not provide a business card, get one for you anyway.
• Holding doors - Opening a door for someone is not just a guy thing anymore. Ladies, if you get to the door first, open it.
• Standing and greeting - If you are being introduced, stand, reach out your hand and shake their hand. Women in the workforce can show respect by standing and shaking hands.

7 Steps to Business Communication Success
What is success? The answer to that question is both personal and institutional for those of us who work in the business world. In essence, success is the ability to accomplish the task at hand. Technically, it is "to achieve one's aim to prosper".

You need thriving business relationships to prosper. In fact, we can measure much of our business success in terms of the viability of business relationships. Relationship health is directly affected by the quality of communication. Use the following steps to achieve communication success and to strengthen your critical business relationships.

Step 1: Identify a few communication weaknesses.
Can you think of any communication challenges that you face? It's time to brainstorm and quickly make a written list.
Here are a few questions to get you thinking about your own communication challenges:
* Are your employees happy and satisfied?
* Are your clients glad to provide referrals?
* Are your partners and stakeholders well-informed and confident?
* Do your conversations flow?
As you review the bulleted list above and consider your communication challenges, identify each challenge but don't get bogged down with other details.

Step 2: Decide to address the most bothersome communication weakness.
Many leadership or business management challenges are a result of busy-ness. Leaders don't realize that others need communication that is:
* Professional
* Complete
* Positive
* Concise, and
* Wholly relevant without any irrelevance

If you are a leader or a manager, communication is your job. People expect you to do it and do it well. It would be literally impossible for others to compensate for your poor attention to communication.
In spite of the advice of gurus world-wide, there seems to be a reluctance to buy into this idea. Communication may not come naturally, and you may need to work on it. Communication brings power to your professional and personal life. Critical relationships can thrive with your attention.
To gain an understanding of how to resolve the weakness, you need to look at your communication patterns. You will develop communication that is regular and has flow. Communication, however, is not just about giving out messages. Communication is listening and speaking, receiving messages and conveying messages.

Step 3: Listen to others for a week.
We're not just talking about passive listening either; you will ingeniously create opportunities for listening. Listening must be practiced, and acting on incomplete information may be more harmful than doing nothing.
Consider how long you have been without the power of listening, and realize that a week is a small price to pay. While you are listening, you are reserving judgment and allowing the answers to come to you. Others often already know where the problem lies. They may even have ideas as to how you can fix the problem. Active listening requires practice, so be patient.
This gives others the freedom to develop their thoughts and express them without disagreeing with you. Be sure to take notes on potential solutions.

Step 4: Define success and the benefits in this area.
First, take a moment to define your ideal outcome. This is your defined target. Your attitude affects your motivation and your outcome.
In addition, think about what benefits you hope to achieve. For example, "Our clients know that we value their relationship as well as their business. Every call is answered in a polite manner. Each concern is personally addressed. We listen when they speak. We thank them for their input. We keep them informed of new products and company news. We are considerate in our pricing. We thank them for each purchase. In return, they have no interest in checking out other providers, and they remain loyal in spite of the efforts of our strong competitors. We have steady growth in our revenue."

Step 5: Make your proactive communication plan, being sure to establish checkpoints.
This plan will come out of your definition of success and your listening activities. Some examples of proactive communication would be providing customer service seminars for your employees, taking on a visible role that reaffirms your commitment to personal service, starting a service blog discussing best practices, scheduling individual meetings to check in with employees, or establishing standards of excellence and rewarding employees who excel or improve. Notice that these items are not remedial. You are not resolving past problems, but establishing a firm foundation for the future.

Also notice that you would choose one activity to plan. For example, if you choose to focus on a customer service seminar, you will define the necessary tasks and place those tasks in your planner. Choose your communication activity based upon whether you need a long-term or short-term effort. Also, consider the availability of resources and plan accordingly.
You may have to practice needed skills. For instance, if you are planning to present a customer service seminar yourself instead of outsourcing, you may need to schedule time to develop your presentation skills. If you are nervous about your skills in an area, practice those skills until you become calmly confident.

Step 6: Implement your plan.
Implement your plan, keeping your ideal outcome in mind as you go. Review checkpoints frequently to ensure that you are on track. Once your activity is complete or the communication fix is in place, it's time to take a realistic look at what you've accomplished.

Step 7: Evaluate the results.
Congratulations! If you look at your definition from Step 4, you will be reminded of the gains have you have achieved. You may also note unforeseen obstacles that you overcame. Now you've seen the power of communication at work. Communicating will become easy (or easier) as you go through the 7 Steps to Business Communication Success again. Communication is the key to your success.

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