Service companies competing in the phone conference call field are now offering a variety of different models and rate structures that provide more options to clients who are intent on saving money. During the recession, organizations found success in cutting travel and meeting costs by converting to phone and web conferencing. After they made the switch, then they began to examine their choices and determined what type of plan best suits their particular needs .
As an example, heavy users of conferencing have found the popular option of flat rate teleconferencing which relatively new and includes unlimited service that is available 24/7. Companies and non-profits prefer unlimited service for one fixed rate per month because they can conference as much as they want, anytime they want, and have a predictable and even expense that doesn’t spike.
A more traditional model is pay-as-you-go conferencing, which is offered on a per minute basis. This is the type of conferencing that was prevalent 20 years ago and was quite costly. However, because of the intense competition in the market, rates have dropped dramatically. Back in the day, MaBell would charge 60 cents per minute, per person, for conferencing. But today, those rates are in the 4-9 cents range, depending on the level of service. These pay-as-you-go per-minute conferencing services are best suited for business and organizations who use conferencing on a limited or basis. There are two primary pay-as-you-go conference services.
First, toll free conference service where everyone participating in the conference call, including the hosts, dial a toll free access number and then types in a passcode. Everyone is then immediately placed into the conference call session. Toll free service is preferred when customers or prospects are being engaged and provides more of a convenience and professional approach, especially with sales calls.
And second, non-toll free conference service where everyone dials a long distance number. This is ideal for internal company calls or situations where having a toll free number is not crucial. Needless to say , toll free costs slightly more than non-toll free. So, one of the things you need to determine before getting a conference service is to determine if you want toll free, or non-toll free. Unlike operator assisted conference calls, most pay as you go plans require no operator or help to set up. No operators are necessary, and you don’t have to make reservations — your conference lines are open at anytime and you can conduct a conference 24/7.
You can keep the same passcodes and use them continuously, or if you want, change them on a regular basis. The big advantage to this type of service is that you only pay for what you use, versus flat rate teleconferencing where you pay a set rate whether you use it or not.
Operator conference calls are on the high end and thought of as the “creme da la creme” of conferencing services. They cost more but provide a higher level of professionalism and convenience. Users just let the conferencing service know what time the call is scheduled for, and then give the conferencing service the names and phone numbers of those individuals who are going to be on the call. At the specified time, the trained operators will “dial-out” and call each person and patch them into the conference call. If needed, the operator can stay on the line and help the moderators with the call. For example, for company earnings calls with analysts and investors, the operators can queue the questioners and help in the Q&A process.
Companies, both large and small, now have a number of new options to choose from. Most plans come without any long term contracts or commitments and you can discontinue the service at any time without obligation. Fortunately, there are no set up fees and you can set up an account to use immediately, or at a later date, at no cost.
How do you find the best phone conference call company that offers the most attractive rates? Find one that is straight forward with their rates and avoid those with hidden fees. With both flat rate service and pay as you go conferencing, you can save as much as 60% on your usual cost of conferencing.
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