In today's world, we have almost endless options for communication. Postal mail, email, and videoconferencing are just a few of our choices for keeping in contact with vendors and clients around the globe. Yet the sheer number of choices can lead to confusion. Many options are quite costly, so a balance must be found between function and price.
It is now possible to use a computer as a multi-purpose communications tool, Software applications are available that offer telephone service, faxing, videoconferencing, and internet. Alternatively, dedicated hardware can be used for each of these functions.
Whether or not to use your computer for various forms of communication depends largely on the power of your system. Communications tools are resource-heavy, requiring large amounts of free hard drive space, as well as taking over most of the computer's RAM when in use. Additionally, most programs become resident in your system tray, meaning that they use a portion of your resources even when not actively in use. Powerful new computers can handle this easily, with no loss of usability. However, older or less powerful computers may show a decided decline in performance due to the utilization of virtual memory and hard drive space.
If your computer can handle it, software-based effective communication tools offer a number of significant advantages. One is office space. You will not need to dedicate desk space to separate components. Additionally, many programs, particularly those purchased as part of a package, work seamlessly together. Your computer can answer the phone, and then automatically direct the call to fax or voice as appropriate. You can set up a rather extensive voice mail network, instructing the caller to enter the appropriate code to leave voice mail for varying departments. This feature can actually add authenticity to your company, as even if you are a corporation of one, you will present the illusion of a busy office.
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