(Long Island, NY) As technology has progressed at a fast and faster pace over the years, the world in many ways has become a smaller and smaller place; advances in communication have put resources half a planet away within the palm of your hand, and this phenomenon only growing more effective and efficient with the advent of VoIP.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. In layman’s terms, this basically means that you are placing a call over the internet as opposed to the call going over copper wires. Coming to prominence in the mid-2000’s with the widespread use of broadband Internet access, VoIP technology struggled initially but has quickly matured into a major boon to the wireless communication market, according to Eric Goodstein, Director of Sales for VoIPX International, Inc., a leading firm in the field.

Eric Goodstein. Photo Credit: VoIPX International, Inc.

“In its infancy VoIP did not have the best call quality.  Like every new technology there was an adjustment period where bugs and kinks were worked out,” he said. “Now call quality on VoIP tends to be very clear.  In fact most people don’t know it but almost every call they make in the United States is VoIP at one point or another.  Calls don’t always go from Eric to Dan, they might go from Eric to John’s Switch board to Joe’s switchboard to Dan.  At some point along the way the call will be converted to VoIP.”

As far as its business applications go, Goodstein noted that VoIP has a number of advantages over TDM (Time Division Multiplexing), an aging phone technology used primarily by corporate phone networks, and these advantages can be summed up with one very clear word.

“Features! Features! Features!” he said. “You can do so much more with VoIP services than you can do with your traditional phone system. “

VoIPX International has laid out six specific areas where VoIP services leapfrogs over the abilities of current TDM systems to provide a cutting-edge communication experience for businesses the world over:

• Click To Call: The ability to click any phone number on a web browser and have the phone dial that number
• CRM Integration: The ability to integrate Customer Relationship Management (CRM)software functions into the phone system; users can automatically record when calls are made and received, save recordings to the CRM, and much more.
• E-Fax: Many services include or offer E-Fax as a solution; send faxes straight from your email browser, and receive faxes in your email as opposed to having to use that pesky fax machine.
• Call Accounting: The ability to create an on-demand report about the amount of time that you were on the phone with certain customers based on an account or case number; great for lawyers, accountants or anyone else who bills based on time.
• No need for costly roll over numbers: VoIP lets you use one phone number, and there can be unlimited calls in bound or outbound; the customer will never get a busy tone again.
• Multi-location capabilities: The ability to interconnect multiple offices cheaply and easily. Dial extension to extension between offices…you can even take a phone home with you, plug it into your internet router, and it will just work.

PBX, or Private Branch Exchange, is a private telephone network used within a company. Users of the PBX phone system share a number of outside lines for making external phone calls. According to Goodstein, there are two types – hosted or cloud PBX, and on-premises PBX – and each holds distinct differences, and business owners should weigh the pros and cons of each to see which works best for their situation.

“On-premises PBX is when the PBX physically resides on the customer’s site. Basically the customer has a PBX in a server room / closet.  This is in addition to the phones on their desks,” he said. “Hosted or cloud PBX is when the PBX and the telephone service that operates it is hosted in the cloud; basically, there is no equipment required on-site. The customer simply has a phone on their desk.  It is then plugged into power and the internet (cable coming from their router).  There is no need for a server room or equipment on site; the equipment is hosted in the provider’s data center.”

Goodstein notes that, with so many communication options out there these days, it can be difficult for a company to nail down just which one is the best overall fit for their varied and complex needs; he notes that a number of factors must go into making any such decision, but there should be one unifying thread binding those factors together – the power and versatility that only VoIP services can offer.

“The best option for a modern company is something that is VoIP enabled for sure; it is usually cheaper and increases functionalities. But that said, there are premise-based options and cloud/hosted options. Which option is better really depends upon the company?” he said. “Premise based options are a much bigger investment up front.  Typically this is a cap-ex expense. Hosted options are usually an op-ex expense with a monthly recurring fee.  For larger companies with an in-house IT staff, a premise-based solution might make sense.”

“For companies without an IT staff, cloud-based is probably more economical as if they had an on-premise system they would have to hire an IT consultant to help them with it, if they need to make advanced changes or updates,” Goodstein continued. “Hosted Cloud options also often provide disaster recovery because even if you lose power in a storm, a good hosted provider won’t and calls can still be answered and sent to alternative phones if you have a power outage in your office.”

Staying at the forefront of technological developments can make or break any company attempting to secure a foothold in today’s highly competitive worldwide business market; a reliable, versatile, and effective communications network can be a key factor for any business – large or small – looking to succeed;  VoIP, by all accounts, is the mean to that end for discerning professionals looking to take their companies to the next level.

VoIPX International, Inc. is a 100% U.S. based company established in 2009, and dedicated to small, medium and enterprise businesses that are focused on cost savings and time management when it comes to their telecom needs. VoIPX has at its fingertips a conglomerate of engineers, developers and entrepreneurs to support the needs and growth of its enterprise customers. Fanatical about the customer experience and led by industry veterans, VoIPX International, Inc. is changing the way businesses communicate by combining the best voice and video communications technologies, while integrating applications that companies need and use every day.

Should You Write an eBook to Promote Your Business?

(Long Island, N.Y.) The Internet is rich with “information products.” Back in the days before social media and Web 2.0, we called them “books.” So today’s information products aren’t “books” in the sense that they are made of paper — they’re eBooks to read on your iPad, smartphone Kindle or your computer. And the category of information product actually comprises CDs, MP3s, DVDs and streaming video, too.

Back in the day when the majority of books were still printed on paper and sold at places like Barnes & Noble and Borders (and even before that, sold and traded at local bookstores like Annie’s Bookstop in Port Jefferson) a very small percentage of business owners promoted themselves as experts by writing a book. The cream-of-the-crop did. You’d find books by names like Donald Trump and Lee Iacocca and a handful of “no money down” real estate gurus. But most people who published books were authors by trade.

Today, with the use of self-publishing sites and easy-to-use software, everyone, it seems, is publishing an eBook to promote themselves and their business. Some business owners give the books away free as a way to build their mailing list, while other business owners add their information products to their company’s offerings, creating yet another revenue stream. Both ways work, both ways help to establish you as an expert in your field, and both are perfectly legitimate ways to promote your business.

Here are four surprising reasons it might be a good idea for you to write an eBook to promote your business.

1. It establishes you as an expert. When you can call yourself an author, people take notice. You could be a multimillionaire entrepreneur, the owner of multiple chains of stores, but when people find out you wrote (and published) a book, their ears perk up a little. I don’t know why this is. As a writer, the only thing people want to know about me is, “Have you written a book?” If you’re wondering, too, the answer to that is, “Not yet.” But I’m working on it.

Let’s get back to you and your business, though. Everyone wants to work with and hire the best in their given field. So when you establish yourself as an expert through eBooks and other information products, people want to work with you.

2. It can be an additional revenue stream. This is a no-brainer. You can sell your eBook many times over. Every business owner knows passive income is the best kind. Write a book once, and receive money from its sale for many years.

3. It can help with promotions. Maybe you’ve decided not to sell your book. Perhaps you’d rather give it away in exchange for an email address. You’ve found a very low-cost way to build your mailing list with highly-qualified prospects. After all, they want your book. They’re interested in learning what you know.

But that’s not the only way eBooks and other information products can help you promote your business. After you’ve written a book, you can now book public speaking appearances or host webinars where you talk about the topics you cover in your book. Once again, you’re building your mailing list, but you’re also filling a room with people interested in what you have to say. Once again, you have a captive audience of highly-qualified prospects.

Finally, don’t forget to use the contents of your book itself to (subtly) promote your business. Make sure to include your contact information and website on the last page. If your book is a how-to, include subtle reminders throughout that people can always hire an expert (that would be you!) to help them. You’re already helping them with the information you’re sharing in your book — chances are, they will trust you to take them to the next level, too.

5. You’ve always wanted to write a book. – Writing, publishing and distributing an eBook is so easy, (really, it is!) that there’s no reason not to fulfill your dream of writing a book. Forget ROI. Just take a few hours each night for however long it takes and enjoy the process. If you’re a business owner who’s achieved success in your field, but you’ve always wanted to hold that prestigious title of “author” — just sit down and do it.

Southampton building designed to educate and inspire.

(Long Island, N.Y.) Eco-savvy Long Islanders may be flocking to the Hamptons this weekend, but it may not be for the beaches, clubs and restaurants. SUNation Solar System, Inc., a Long Island-based provider of solar electric and solar hot water systems, is opening its second location at 2 Montauk Highway in Southampton. The completely renovated building is being hailed as the “first Eco-friendly Showroom in the Long Island area.”

Grand Opening and Solar Car Wash
SUNation holds the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 AM Saturday morning, July 17. The event will be open to the public and will include a solar hot water car wash from 10 AM to 2 PM. Proceeds from the car wash will benefit the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.

Making a Difference on Long Island
Owner Mike Bailis tells a short history of the company and how the eco-friendly showroom came to be. “We’ve been doing design and installation for solar hot water and solar electric systems for homeowners, residences, businesses, and municipals here on Long Island for the past seven years. For whatever reason, we used to do a lot of business out east. We needed to reclaim the East End as a business model.”

When the opportunity presented itself to open a second showroom, Bailis and his partner, SUNation President Scott Maskin, chose to lease a dilapidated building on Montauk Highway in Southampton. “Terrible building, great location,” Bailis says, adding that the entire structure needed to be gutted.

That’s when the idea came to them: “Why not make this not just a showroom for solar, but a true showcase of all the good things you can do when you remodel a building, in terms of HVAC, insulation, heating … even home automation?”

SUNation brought on partners in a variety of fields, and The Eco-friendly Showroom was born. The space employs a heat pump system for radiant heating, energy management and control systems, multiple forms of insulation, and, of course, solar electric panels and a solar hot water heating system.

During the grand opening of the Eco-friendly Showroom, visitors will enjoy a tour of the space, which is patterned after a typical Long Island home, on a slightly smaller scale, with a living room, kitchen area, dining room, and even a fireplace. But instead of sheet rock and carpeting, plexiglas on the walls floor and ceiling showcase the systems in use within the house.

A Home for Today
Bailis calls it a home of the future, but quickly corrects himself. “That implies the technology is coming. But this is technology that’s available today. It works, it’s been proven to work, but it’s right on the cutting edge of what’s available.”

In a press release issued yesterday, Maskin noted, “Our Eco-Friendly Showroom is another way to expose people to viable alternative energy solutions that are available to them today. Many homeowners are unaware of the many ways to reduce costs with sustainable product solutions. Our goal is to spread our expertise and knowledge of sustainable products and alternative energy solutions to Long Island homeowners and help them reduce energy costs now and into the future.”

You can stop by the grand opening between 10AM and 2 PM, where your Business & Tech writer for Long Island Exchange will be on hand to find out more about this intriguing building. Be sure to Check our Facebook Fan Page for photos after the event.

Long Island’s Main Streets Represent Our Heritage and Future!

(Long Island, N.Y.) Walking through Main Street/Montauk Highway in Babylon Village the other day with my husband, we stopped at Sweet Sensations ice cream shop for vanilla shakes so thick they barely made it through the straw. Then I drooled over the toddler dresses at Bubble and we wrapped it up by picking up some organic macaroni & cheese from Shari’s Healthy Gourmet and heading home.

What does my relaxing evening have to do with business? It got me thinking about the importance of towns like Babylon Village across Long Island. During our walk, we counted seven closed businesses with “For Sale” or “For Lease” signs on storefronts. Babylon Village is a thriving Long Island community — one of the more economically healthier towns along the south shore.

Main Street and the American Dream

Our country was founded on the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For many Americans, that pursuit of happiness involves owning their own business. Entrepreneurs like myself simply can’t be happy working for someone else — many of us have tried. That’s not to say I don’t answer to other people. As a freelance writer, I joke that I don’t just have one boss, I have about 10 — and they change from month to month.

I get to choose, almost daily, who I work for, what I do and — most importantly — when and how often I work. That’s why I was out for ice cream at 4 PM on a Friday afternoon last week.

Main Street: A Part of Long Island Heritage

It was inspirational to walk down Main Street and see so many businesses (those seven storefronts aside) that represent other people living their dream, too.

Many people already think of Long Island as one giant strip mall or “cookie-cutter” shopping center after another, with suburban houses on 1/10-acre lots in between. If we lose our Main Streets, we’re one step closer to proving that perception right.

Our Main Streets, our beaches, our parks — these places give Long Island character. Memories are formed there. (How many of you reading this had your prom pictures at Argyle Park? Or went bar-hopping in Port Jeff or Huntington Village? Took clients for lunch at your favorite sushi place “in town?”) If we don’t support local businesses, we will lose a rich part of our heritage.

It makes sense as a business owner to shop around for the best deals. We’re all busy, and it’s easier to hop on Rte. 110 to visit a warehouse club, a superstore, and get all our shopping done in a few stops, saving money while we’re at it. Or even place an order on the Internet and have it delivered.

But understand the implications of your actions and every once in a while, patronize local businesses. So often, the service and quality is better in local shops, even if the prices may be slightly higher. (And you’d be surprised at how often they’re comparable to big box stores!) You’ll meet interesting people who care about their work, make connections for your own business and, most of all, know that you’re doing something good for this Island we all love.

Support Local Businesses this Fourth of July

In the mid-90s, I wrote for a local paper called the Bay Shore Independent. Bay Shore’s Main Street was thriving and you couldn’t find an empty spot of real estate in Babylon Village. The Internet boom had just started; blogs were strange things techies who lived in their parents’ basement wrote for to bemoan the cancellation of the latest Star Trek series.

One of the newspaper’s editorial visions was to promote and support small businesses. Maybe that’s where I got this passion. Or perhaps it began with trips to the local candy store in Brentwood near the IGA when I was just a child, where we bought balsa wood airplanes to fly in our backyard. That candy store is gone — along with so many other businesses — but others remain, reminding us of that time (before I was born, but my parents always talked about it…) when the Long Island Expressway only went as far as Exit 54 and there were no Wal-marts.

If you hear patriotic music playing in the background as you read this, maybe I’ve crossed a line into sentimentality. But if I’m going to get sentimental, I can’t think of a better cause than supporting our local economy.

This Fourth of July, make a point to celebrate one of the things that makes this country great: small business owners and entrepreneurship. Shop at a locally-owned store, even if it’s just to buy snacks on your way to the beach. Happy Fourth of July!