The Stars and Stripes Special

Sell 50 or more Hosted Phone Extensions or sell 13 or more T1, EOC, or PRI circuits and receive a $1000 cash bonus.

Enterprise Broadband, The Speed You Need Now

Accelerate your business with Datavo's Fortune 500 telecom solutions. 

Stop waiting for fiber to be delivered to your office to experience light speed broadband. Datavo can deliver massive broadband to your location without the construction costs. Datavo Ethernet over Copper is an ideal alternative for T1 and bonded T1 customers who are looking to upgrade their bandwidth. Datavo provides EoC products at 6Mb, 10Mb,20Mb, 30Mb and 50Mb. One of the great advantages of Ethernet over Copper is that it is delivered over the existing telephone lines and does not require expensive fiber build outs. Also, Ethernet over Copper is much more reliable than T1s and DS3 circuits because it uses multiple telephone lines; therefore, if a single line were to go down you do not lose connectivity. In addition, our Ethernet over Copper products include one static subnet or four assignable IP addresses.


Enterprise Broadband Service Features and Benefits
• Point-to-point and multipoint service configurations.
• Bandwidth options from 6Mbps to 50Mbps.
• Secure and reliable service, with Service Level Agreement (SLA) goals of 99.9% availability with Quality of Service (QoS) feature.
• Reduce your total cost of ownership by eliminating the need for specialized WAN support expertise.
• Increase flexibility with scalable bandwidth increments allowing you to pay only for what you need.
• Upgrade easily with quick turnaround. Your service will typically be up and running in as little as seven business days after service order is reviewed and accepted.

myDatavo Mobile - Unified Communications on the Go

Now that you have learned a little about our myDatavo product, we want to tell you more about our amazing mobile app that will help your business meet your communication needs head on. 

myDatavo Mobile allows your work phone or portable device to operate in succession with each other. Your business telephone does not have to be tied down to a physical device or location, allowing for you to have complete control over where, when and how you are reached. 

When you have myDatavo Mobile running, any of your devices with the same phone number will assume the features, dialing plans, and outgoing caller ID of their paired couterpart - by far surpassing the functionality of Find-Me-Follow-Me or Sim-Ring.

No matter what type of device you are using - PC, tablet, or mobile phone, you can seamlessly push or pull a call between them without the person on the other end of the phone having the slightest idea.

myDatavo Mobile includes video calling that can be used over your cellular network or Wi-Fi and is available on the iTunes App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices. 

Features include:

• Seamless handover from cellular to Wi-Fi
• Multi-personailty mobile & PC pairing
• High definition voice & video calling
• Fluid multi-screen in-call control
• Superior call quality

For more information on myDatavo please contact Datavo at 888.532.8286. 

12 Inspiring Quotes from Thomas Edison

Here at are a few of Datavo's favorite quotes by Thomas Edison, one of the fathers of the telephone.

• I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

• Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

• Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

• Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

• Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

• Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.

• Maturity is often more absurd than youth and very frequently is most unjust to youth.

• Anything that won't sell, I don't want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.

• Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged.

• The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work.

• Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.

• If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.

7 Reasons to Choose Datavo's Hosted Phone Solution - myDatavo

There are many reasons to choose Datavo's Hosted Phone Solution - myDatavo, but we think the following are the top 7 reasons why.

1. Calls are cheaper - No matter what type of business you run, call costs for on Datavo's Hosted Phone Solution will be significantly cheaper than with an analog telephone line.

2. Phone equipment is cheaper - The only thing necessary to purchase when using our hosted phone solution are VoIP phones, and an internet connection (which we can provide to you as well). This allows business to bypass the large costs associated with purchasing an onsite phone system. We will provide you with an interface to make any changes via your internet connection.

3. Easy to add additional services - If you need to add an additional line all that you need to do is purchase a new VoIP phone, call us for an additional line and plug in the phone.

4. Less maintenance - Any IT support, maintenance or upgrades are handled by us here at Datavo, allowing you to cut costs with your employees. Also if you choose to add an auto-attendant you will not longer need a receptionist.

5. Easy to unify your communications - We make is simple for you to unify your communications by combing your contacts and Voicemails all in one easy to use interface.

6. Perfect for telecommuters - With our call jump feature and mobile smartphone apps, you can now take your work telephone line with you wherever you go on your Andriod or iPhone.

7. Provides innovative features - Auto Attendant, myDatavo Assitant, Call Manager, Visual Voicemail, Call Jump, Phone Remote, Music on Hold and Voicemail Fusion are just a few of the available features available to myDatavo customers.

For more information on myDatavo, visit our website www.datavo.com or contact us at 1.877.7DATAVO.

Why Choose Datavo for you Business Telephone Needs?

Local and long distance phone service is a key pillar to any business, which is why it’s one of our top priorities. Implementing a phone system that’s able to cooperate with your existing processes and respond with the highest-quality performance is the idea we’ve built our business on.

See what puts our phone services a notch above the rest

Safe and reliable: Our phone services run through a dedicated network rather than over the Internet. The result is an uncompressed, clear sound every time you pick up the phone. Safe from tampering, third-party tracing systems and unwanted eavesdroppers, we provide you with the best connection possible.

Seamless integration: Want to use our services but are afraid of losing your established phone numbers? Datavo easily and accurately transitions your information to our phone systems. Keep your numbers and your clients while achieving a new level of communication quality.

Affordable pricing: Through our system, you pay one affordable price for all the voice and data services you need. Forget about confusing bills or complicated payment systems—everything is documented on a single, simplified bill and there’s only one number to call when you have questions.

No risk, guaranteed: Because we’re so sure you’ll love the way we do business, Datavo offers a 60-day satisfaction guarantee on all of our services. If you’re not happy for any reason within that time period, we’ll release you from any contractual obligations with no questions asked.

Great phone features: Enjoy call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding and more with our sophisticated systems. All of our features are geared toward providing you with the best in quality, safety and convenience.

Available Features:

• SimRing
• Call Jump
• Video Calling
• 900/976 Call Blocking
• Anonymous Call Rejection (ACR)
• Automatic Callback
• Call Forward – Busy
• Call Forward – Don’t Answer (No Answer)
• Call Forward – Remote Access
• Call Forward – Select
• Call Forward – Variable
• Call Hold
• Call Pick-up
• Call Return
• Call Trace
• Call Transfer Disconnect
• Call Waiting
• Call Waiting with Caller ID
• Caller ID
• Caller ID Blocking (Calling Number Delivery Blocking)
• Directed Call Pick-up
• Hunting
• International Super Saver
• Long Distance Unlimited
• Priority Call
• Remote Call Forwarding
• Selective Call Rejection
• Speed Calling
• Three-Way Calling
• Voicemail

Please check out our website at www.datavo.com or contact us at 1.877.7DATAVO for more information.

11 Ways to Avoid the Flu at Work

Here at Datavo, we've been watching the news and flu season is in full effect with one of the worse outbreaks in recent history. Some states have called in a state of emergency due to number of people affected by the virus.

Here are some ways that you can avoid getting the flu at work.

• Get a flu vaccination.

• Always cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available especially after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose.

• Keep your hands away from your face especially your nose, eyes and mouth as this is how germs spread easily.

• Make sure to keep commonly touched surfaces sanitized, such as doorknobs, telephones, keyboards, etc.

• Do not use your coworkers phones, offices, desks or other work tools unless necessary. If you must make sure to clean it first.

• If you are sick with flu-like symptoms do not go to work, stay home. Symptoms include cough, sore throat, fever, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. 

• Make sure to maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise, diet and rest.

• Do not share drinks or personal items.

• Stay hydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of water. 

• Take vitamins, especially vitamin C or zinc.

myDatavo Widgets

myDatavo delivers a variety of high-function, portable mini-applications, known as Widgets, which include:

• Voicemail – Message lists, with text transcripts, playback and management (including automatic notification when new messages arrive) 

• Call Lists – All recent call information 

• Dialer – Click-to-Dial, either from a voicemail or call record, or just to a contact in your    myDatavo contact list 

• Conference – integrated conference control to provide real time control over conference calls 

These enable some of the most valuable myDatavo features directly from your homepage or desktop. Access to myDatavo features are seamlessly integrated and Widgets are available for the following environments: 

• Chrome 4 and 5, and Safari 5 and Firefox 3 on a Mac 

• Windows 7 and Windows Vista Sidebar, 32-bit and 64-bit versions 

• Mac OS X Dashboard, Leopard or later version 

• Google homepage 

• Gmail 

• Google Calendar 

Widgets also provide a quick-launch button to open full myDatavo, bypassing the login screen.

For more information please contact Datavo at 1.877.7DATAVO or www.datavo.com

14 Quotes About Positive Thinking

Hope you are having a great day. We love quotes here at Datavo, so we thought we would share some of our favorites about positive attitudes.

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright

Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats. ~Voltaire

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day. ~Author Unknown

The sun shines and warms and lights us and we have no curiosity to know why this is so; but we ask the reason of all evil, of pain, and hunger, and mosquitoes and silly people. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.~Mary Engelbreit

Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~Bill Meyer

To be upset over what you don't have is to waste what you do have. ~Ken S. Keyes, Jr.

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. ~Scott Hamilton

I don't like that man. I must get to know him better. ~Abraham Lincoln

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.~Confucius

I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains. ~Anne Frank

You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf. ~Jon Kabat-Zinn

Change your thoughts and you change your world. ~Norman Vincent Peale

6 Notable Ways to be Likeable

Likability will help you leaps and bounds in your job, business, personal relationships and just life in general. Here at Datavo we decided to put a list of important essentials together for you to incorporate into your work and life to be more likable.

1. Listen

Listening is the foundation of any good communication. Successful business leaders listen to their customers to find what challenges they are facing. They listen to colleagues and employees and accept new ideas. 

2. Team Player

There is no I in team and no matter what size your business is you interact with other people everyday. Encouraging innovation, letting others shine, and following others rules for working in a team will help you become more likable with your employees and coworkers.

3. Adaptability

With technology changing the face of the marketplace faster than anytime previous, leaders must be flexible in all areas of their business. Being stubborn and against change will see you left behind.

4. Authenticity

Be who you say you are. People want authentic people to succeed and are more willing to help them to do so. There used to be a much larger divide between a persons public life and private life but social media has blurred the line. Being authentic makes it much easier to merge your personal and professional life online.

5. Be Grateful

Likable leaders are always grateful for the people that work under them and contribute to their success. Showing appreciation and saying thank you to customers, employees, colleagues, mentors, and others will keep you appreciated, humble and well liked. 

6. Treat Others the Way You Want to be Treated

When you give people the same courtesy and respect that you expect from them, you will receive more respect and admiration from employes, collegues, friends and family. When people feel respected they are more willing to work with you.  

Feel free to leave out any notable ways you know of to be likable.

Why Choose Datavo?

Communication is the cornerstone for all modern businesses, big or small. Whether it’s relaying creative solutions to your clients or broadening the availability of interaction between the different business lines of your company, communication plays a vital role in everyday life. No matter what your industry, who you’re servicing or who’s putting their nose to the grind at your company, these aspects all need to be interconnected. So why live with the restricted communication solutions that traditional telecom companies have to offer?

Datavo understands the importance of being able to relay information across any medium at any time. We specialize in providing competitively priced bandwidth for your web-based information exchange and analog and/or VoIP services for direct phone support. It’s our mission to work cooperatively with your small business, committing ourselves to providing tailored and responsive solutions to your communication needs.

We’ve built our business around making it simple to streamline information, ensuring that it gets from one person to the next—quickly and coherently. Datavo literally helps you send your emails out and keeps the phone calls coming in by providing you with the necessary bandwidth to make your communication model go round. Best of all, none of this comes with the unneeded frills that traditional carriers offer to make their packages seem better than they really are. From Datavo comes a line of services that is customizable and unique to your needs so that you always have an open line of communication for your small business.

For more information feel free to contact us by web at www.datavo.com/quoterequest, by email info@datavo.com or by phone at 1.877.7DATAVO.

Understanding myDatavo's Multiple Appearance Directory Number (MADN)

Do you wish you have control over how and where your telephone line rings? If so, a Multiple Appearance Directory Number from myDatavo is what you need.

A Multiple Appearance Directory Number (MADN) allows an incoming call to ring at multiple locations simultaneously. All devices where MADN is shared can be used to answer an incoming call or originate a call on behalf of the main location, such as in an administrative assistant/executive scenario for instance.

Functionality:

An MADN allows your devices to share the same line appearance, so that these locations all behave as extensions of a single line/user.

One of the locations will be allocated as the primary location while the other locations are called alternate locations. Any type of device can be used for primary and alternate locations.

When a user is idle, an incoming call alerts all the assigned locations. The first location to pick up the call is considered the active location and the others are released.

If one of the users is already busy on a call on one of the locations associated with the MADN, the incoming call will ring only at the active location.

Control:

With the myDatavo web portal you can enable or disable your individual alternate locations through the settings on your own without having to contact your phone company and place an order. Disabling a location will not stop the functionality and only removes the call notifications from that user.

As an administrator you will also have the ability to control if or when your calls are allowed to originate from your alternate locations. 

Feel free to contact Datavo at 1.877.7.DATAVO for more information on MADN's.

Overview of the Cisco SPA303 3-Line IP Phone

The Cisco SPA303 IP Phone is a feature rich VoIP phone that administers voice communication over an IP network that is fully functional with myDatavo. This model phone includes traditional features, such as redial, transferring calls, call forwarding, conference calling, speed dialing, and access to your voicemail. Calls can be handled through the handset, headset or over the speaker option.

IP Phones include specialized features that are not available on traditional phones. The SPA303 phone has an Ethernet port that allows it to be connected directly to the internet and linked to your computer network. It also included an additional port so that your computer can be connected to the network through the IP phone.

Included Features:

• Three voice lines
• Pixel-based display: 128 x 64 monochrome graphical liquid crystal display (LCD)
• Line status: active line indication, name and number
• Menu-driven user interface
• Shared line appearance*
• Speakerphone
• Call hold
• Music on hold*
• Call waiting
• Caller ID name and number
• Outbound caller ID blocking
• Call transfer: attended and blind
• Three-way call conferencing with local mixing
• Multiparty conferencing via external conference bridge
• Automatic redial of last calling and last called numbers
• On-hook dialing
• Call pickup: selective and group*
• Call park and unpark*
• Call swap
• Call back on busy**
• Call blocking: anonymous and selective
• Call forwarding: unconditional, no answer, and on busy
• Hot line and warm line automatic calling
• Call logs (60 entries each): made, answered, and missed calls
• Redial from call logs
• Personal directory with auto-dial (100 entries)
• Do not disturb
• Digits dialed with number auto-completion
• Anonymous caller blocking
• Support for Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) (IP) dialing (vanity numbers)
• On-hook default audio configuration (speakerphone and headset)
• Multiple ring tones with selectable ring tone per line
• Called number with directory name matching
• Ability to call number using name: directory matching or via caller ID
• Subsequent incoming calls show calling name and number
• Date and time with support for intelligent daylight savings
• Call duration and start time stored in call logs
• Call timer
• Name and identity (text) displayed at startup
• Distinctive ringing based on calling and called number
• 10 user-downloadable ring tones
• Speed dialing, eight entries
• Configurable dial/numbering plan support
• Intercom*
• Group paging
• Network Address Translation (NAT) traversal, including Serial Tunnel (STUN) support
• DNS SRV and multiple A records for proxy lookup and proxy redundancy
• Syslog, debug, report generation, and event logging
• Support for highly secure encrypted voice communications
• Built-in web server for administration and configuration with multiple security levels
• Automated remote provisioning, multiple methods; up to 256 bit encryption (HTTP, HTTPS, Trivial File Transfer Protocol [TFTP])
• Option to require administrator password to reset unit to factory defaults

*Feature requires support by call server.
**Feature activated via feature code.

For more information please contact Datavo at 1-877-7-DATAVO.

myDatavo Assistant

The Datavo myDatavo Assistant is a lightweight application toolbar, designed to complement your myDatavo Web Portal. It offers automatic notifications and instant access to regularly used calling features making it a valuable tool for keeping your users connected.

HIGH FUNCTION TOOLBAR

myDatavo Assistant significantly enhances the user experience by enabling your users to access communication services at any time from their desktop. Subscribers can now access their most advanced telephony services from their computers, without having to change applications. 

An intuitive toolbar application, it allows your subscribers to:

• search their myDatavo contact list

• initiate and configure synchronization with Outlook contacts

• search contacts in an external LDAP directory

• initiate click-to-dial outgoing calls

• enable/disable key call services.

This integrated approach even provides extensions that allow your subscribers to initiate click-to-dial outgoing calls directly from Microsoft Outlook.

INTEGRATED NOTIFIER

The myDatavo Assistant Notifier transparently maintains contact with myDatavo Web Portal so that it can alert subscribers whenever calls are incoming, or when a new voicemail is received, via a pop-up notification. The notification displays the name of the caller (pulled automatically from the user’s myDatavo contact lists), their number and the time of the message. In addition, when a user receives an incoming call, the notifier provides options to send the call to voicemail or forward it to another line, at the click of a button. Residing in the Windows system tray, it offers a notification area icon that shows voicemail status and provides a shortcut to myDatavo.

IMMEDIATE STATUS CHANGES

myDatavo Assistant allows users to easily change their status in much the same way they’re already used to doing through their instant message clients. A simple point and click allows users to select:

• Ring my phone – deactivates any other service that might be in effect

• Do not disturb – activates the Do Not Disturb (DND) feature

• Forward calls – to the previous five numbers used for forwarding or to a different number they can input

• Find Me Follow Me – delivers granular control over advanced call routing functionality.

Feel free to contact us at 1.877.7.DATAVO or www.datavo.com for more info.

Smartbiz - A myDatavo Hosted Phone Solution

myDatavo Smartbiz is a VoIP, cloud based, fully featured phone system that lets you manage extensions, view voicemail, faxes and handle inbound or outbound calls to your business lines from the web, through free mobile apps and Windows software. 

With the click of a few buttons you can manipulate call handling rules from anywhere in the world by accessing Datavo’s easy to use portal. Our web portal mobile apps not only give you complete control over your business extensions but convert your team’s smartphones and tablets into a fully featured desk phones; therefore, when your desk line rings, your devices with myDatavo mobile installed will ring at the same time.

With myDatavo SmartBiz you only need a high-speed internet connection and everyone at your business is making calls in no time. Unlike old systems, myDatavo Smartbiz does not have any expensive, bulky hardware and can be set up online in minutes. Your Datavo phones will be sent directly to your office and will arrive Datavo Ring Ready® so there’s no time wasted.

Ultimately, myDatavo SmartBiz delivers the features and services you require to communicate efficiently with customers and colleagues no matter where you are.

Included Features:

• Administration Web Portal
• myDatavo Mobile for iOS and Android
• myDatavo Assistant Toolbar
• myDatavo Communicator Softphone
• Easy Phone Manager
• Easy Call Manager
• Music on Hold
• Visual Voicemail with VM to Email
• Phone Remote
• Unified Contacts
• Voice Mail Fusion
• Call Jump
• Cisco 3 line phone per Extension
• Unlimited local, station-to-station or on-net calling

Premium Options:

• MPLS dedicated T1 Access
• Unlimited Additional Users
• Easy or Premium Auto Attendant
• Unified Fax Messaging
• Incoming Call Manager
• Voicemail Speech to Text
• HD Conferencing
• Installation Services Available

myDatavo Visual Voicemail

myDatavo Visual Voicemail allows you to see a list of the messages in your Voicemail box and choose which of them you want to play or delete, in whatever order you select, right from the your myDatavo Voicemail tab . Visual Voicemail lists your voice mail messages by date and time and also displays relevant information like caller name & callback number.

Visual Voicemail comes free with your myDatavo service and allows you to:

• Listen to your messages in any order you want.
• Swiftly get to your most important messages first.
• Save numbers directly to your contacts list.
• Has an option to receive and email alert when a message is received.
• Instantly call the person back with the click of a button.

The Advantages of myDatavo Call Jump

Have you ever taken a work call on your cell phone from a customer and wished that you could transfer the call to your work phone?

If so, Call Jump is the feature for you. It allows you to transport a call from device to device and location to location seamlessly without any interruption to your conversation.

It allows you to take a call from your home phone, switch to your mobile on your ride to work, and then switch to your desk phone when you arrive at work without the person on the line knowing anything at all.

This feature makes it where you have better reception, greater comfort and total control over your phone calls from all of your providers.

Let Datavo make your life easier with our myDatavo products. For more info contact us at 888.532.8286.

myDatavo - Your Hosted Phone Solution

In this era of the Internet, a lot more workers are telecommuting or working on the go. With technology increasing at such a rapid rate, it's necessary for businesses of all sizes to stay ahead of the curve.  One way for this is myDatavo*. It is a fully hosted phone solution that will revolutionize the way you are able to control and unify your communications.

myDatavo allows you to keep your current numbers and is an added set of services that will enhance your telephone lines. It will integrate your desk phone, cell phone, and computer/laptops/tablet together. The myDatavo Mobile app is available for Apple devices on the Apple App Store and Android devices on Google Play.

The features that come with myDatavo are:

• myDatavo Assistant - makes accessing myDatavo on your computer with a simple toolbar
• myDatavo Communicator - allows you to make phone calls directly from your computer
• Easy Call Manager - allows you to control where and when your lines are forwarded
• Phone Remote - allows your to initiate a call on your desk phone from your cell phone
• Visual Voicemail with Email Forwarding - screen showing your voicemail with an option to get an email alert as well.
• Unified Contacts - allows you to import your contacts and have them all in one place.
• Voicemail Fusion - unifies your voicemail boxes
• myDatavo Mobile - mobile app for up to three devices (iPhone, iPad, and Android supported)
• Call Jump - allows you to seamlessly move a call from one device to another.

*A data connection is required to use the myDatavo phone solution.

For more info on this service contact Datavo at 888.532.8286.

11 Flagrant Sales Mistakes to Avoid

Most people are in sales, whether it’s really part of their job title or description  Even if you don’t sell services or products, marketing yourself and ideas is a must. 

Avoiding these kinds of errors will help you increase sales as well as open additional doorways.

1. Not Knowing Your Product

You must learn the product your are selling inside and out. People will not want to purchase anything you are selling if you are not able to answer the questions they have about it. 

2. Not Listening and Assuming

Make sure you are listening to the customer when they are talking, so that you will understand their wants and be able to supply the product that will fit their needs. Your sales will come much easier by just taking a minute and understanding what the customer is saying.

3. Forgetting to Turn Off Your Mobile Devices

It is best practice to give your potential customers your undivided attention. Your phone going off constantly will cause a distraction and make the customer feel like you are not their main concern.

4. Having a Bad Attitude

No one wants to buy anything for a Debbie Downer or a person that acts like you are hasseling them when you make a request. 

5. Having Poor Communications Skills

Make sure when you are speaking to a potential client you use eye contact, don't mumble or use one word answers. It puts people off.

6. Poor Personal Presentation

Image and first impressions are important to a lot of people especially in the sales world. Make sure your clothes are clean and ironed, your hair is combed, and you smell nice.

7. Breaking Commitments/ Not Following Up

If you promise to do something for a potential client such as calling them back at a certain time, make sure you do it. 

8. Not Being Present

Make sure that you are fully alert and your mind is not elsewhere.

9. Focusing on Price

Having competitive pricing is important in the long run. But using only this as a ploy means nothing if your competitor undercuts you. 

10. Not Closing the Sale

It is very important to have a good rapport and personable relationship with potential clients. You must not let this stop you from why you came to them in the first place. Make sure you are clear that they have agreed to proceed.

11. Not Asking for a Referral

Word of mouth is the best advertising, its free and it comes with from a trusted source. Make sure to ask each of your clients for at least three people that could also benefit from what you have to offer them.

Datavo loves to hear what you think, feel free to leave any sales mistakes you know of in the comments.

6 Google Chrome Apps to Help Your Productivity

Google Chrome is one of those things that amazes people once they find out how much functionality it really has.

My favorite part about it is the apps. There are so many available in the web store and most are free. No matter what you need to do, most likely you can find an app that can help you with it. Today, I want to review six of the ones that will help most with your productivity during the day.

1. Hootsuite - This app allows you to control all of your social media in one simple dashboard. It also allows you to track traffic, schedule messages and monitor conversations using the app.

2. Awesome Screenshot - With this app you can grab a still from any page you are searching in your browser. It is easy to use and is more transferable than notes or copy & paste. (I used this app for the screenshots in this blog)

3. Large Document - This app allows you to share large documents over 10mb that would usually bounce back to you due to size. It is much simpler than any of the external sharing sites such as Dropbox or YouSendIt. It actually converts your file to a url so there is not login info required.

4. Stay Focused - If you are an Internet browsing addict this app is for you. It allows you to set times for certain websites so that you do not spend too much time browsing. You can put a cap on the sites you select so you can limit the amount of time you waste during the day.

5. Docs PDF/PowerPoint Viewer - This allows you to view any PDF or PowerPoint file by just clicking on the link. No need to download large files or launch any other applications to view them.

6. Google Calendar Checker - This apps shows a countdown until your next engagement on our calendar. It is easy to use and you can link any of your calendars together so that you are never late or miss a meeting.

Feel free to leave any apps that you may know of in the comments.

Understanding Cloud

Cloud Computing can be seen as the next step in the evolution of the Internet by supplying a method that everything - such as applications, computing infrastructure, computing power, business processes and personal collaborations - is available to you as a service when and where you need it.

The definition of "cloud" in cloud computing can be described as the set of hardware, storage, services, networks, and interfaces that join together to supply aspects of computing as a service. Cloud services incorporate data storage over the Internet, infrastructure, and delivery of software based on end user demand. 

There are four vital aspects of cloud computing:

1. Flexibility and the capacity for scaling up and down.

2. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

3. Self-support provisioning and mechanized deprovisioning.

4. A pay-as-you-go model for billing and metering of service usage.

Cloud computing is available in multiple forms such as; private clouds, public clouds, and a combination of the two - called a hybrid.

People that use cloud computing services are:

• Cloud service providers who manage IT assets and maintenance.
• Business executives who must be accountable for the management of their services and data being stored on the cloud. Cloud providers must make sure their networks are stable and secure.
• Personal users that are not aware of the behind the scenes technology in place.

Businesses that use cloud computing have found that it can eradicate a large amount of complicated obstacles that traditional computing comes with, including time, space, cost and power - completely changing the way they are using technology to service their clients. But, there is a down side if the company you choose does not have proper security or their servers go down. It may be best to use cloud only as a back-up for redundancy.

10 More Motivational Quotes to Start Your Day

Here at Datavo we know that running a business is hard work and you can sometimes start feeling scared and powerless. So we came up with another list of motivational quotes to help you through your day.

• I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them! – C.J. Walker

Richard Branson

• The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it. – Debbi Fields

• Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming. – Richard Branson

• I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big. – Donald Trump

• Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. – Bill Gates

• I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity. – Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey

• Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations. – Steve Jobs

• Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were. – David Rockefeller

• The enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth-persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. – John F. Kennedy

• In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential. It’s no different in the financial realm. – Suze Orman

For more motivational quotes check out our blog 20 Great Motivational Quotes to Start Your Day. Feel free to leave any of your favorite quotes in the comments.

Quiz: Are you a Professional?

The following quiz has 4 questions that will let you know if you are qualified to be a "professional." Each answer is listed below. Hopefully you can pass!

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator put in the giraffe and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Open the refrigerator put in the elephant and close the refrigerator. Wrong Answer!

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend except one. Which animal does not attend?

Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. This tests your memory.

OK, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.

4. There is a river you must cross. But it is inhabited by crocodiles. How do you manage it?

Correct Answer: You swim across. All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

For more funny business jokes click HERE.

9 Quotes About the Telephone

Take a look at Datavo's favorite quotes on the telephone.

• "Grand telegraphic discovery today ... Transmitted vocal sounds for the first time ... With some further modification I hope we may be enabled to distinguish ... the 'timbre' of the sound. Should this be so, conversation viva voce by telegraph will be a fait accompli." ~ Alexander Graham Bell

• 'Watson, ... if I can get a mechanism which will make a current of electricity vary in its intensity, as the air varies in density when a sound is passing through it, I can telegraph any sound, even the sound of speech.' ~ Alexander Graham Bell

• I have read somewhere that the resistance offered by a wire ... is affected by the tension of the wire. If this is so, a continuous current of electricity passed through a vibrating wire should meet with a varying resistance, and hence a pulsatory action should be induced in the current ... [corresponding] in amplitude, as well as in rate of movement, to the vibrations of the string ... [Thus] the timbre of a sound [a quality essential to intelligible speech] could be transmitted ... [and] the strength of the current can be increased ad libitum without destroying the relative intensities of the vibrations. ~ Alexander Graham Bell

• I then shouted into M [the mouthpiece] the following sentence: 'Mr. Watson-—Come here—I want to see you.' To my delight he came and declared that he had heard and understood what I said. I asked him to repeat the words. He answered 'You said—'Mr. Watson—-come here—I want to see you.' We then changed places and I listened at S [the reed receiver] while Mr. Watson read a few passages from a book into the mouth piece M. It was certainly the case that articulate sounds proceeded from S. The effect was loud but indistinct and muffled. If I had read beforehand the passage given by Mr. Watson I should have recognized every word. As it was I could not make out the sense—but an occasional word here and there was quite distinct. I made out 'to' and 'out' and 'further'; and finally the sentence 'Mr. Bell do you understand what I say? Do—you—un—der—stand—what—I—say' came quite clearly and intelligibly. No sound was audible when the armature S was removed. ~ Alexander Graham Bell

• As to Bell's talking telegraph, it only creates interest in scientific circles, and, as a toy it is beautiful; but ... its commercial value will be limited. ~ Elisha Gray

• TELESCOPE, n. A device having a relation to the eye similar to that of the telephone to the ear, enabling distant objects to plague us with a multitude of needless details. Luckily it is unprovided with a bell summoning us to the sacrifice. ~ Ambrose Bierce

• TELEPHONE, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance. ~ Ambrose Bierce

• Every improvement that is put upon the real estate is the result of an idea in somebody's head. The skyscraper is another idea; the railroad is another; the telephone and all those things are merely symbols which represent ideas. An andiron, a wash-tub, is the result of an idea that did not exist before. ~ Mark Twain

• If you had come to me a hundred years ago, do you think I should have dreamed of the telephone? Why, even now I cannot understand it! I use it every day, I transact half my correspondence by means of it, but I don’t understand it. Thnk of that little stretched disk of iron at the end of a wire repeating in your ear not only sounds, but words—not only words, but all the most delicate and elusive inflections and nuances of tone which separate one human voice from another! Is not that something of a miracle? ~  Sir William Crookes

20 Great Motivational Quotes to Start Your Day

Do you find yourself needing motivation? Datavo has collected a few motivational quotes to get the fire inside you burning so that you can be great. 

Leonardo da Vinci

• “Life is pretty simple: You do some stuff. Most fails. Some works. You do more of what works. If it works big, others quickly copy it. Then you do something else. The trick is the doing something else.” - Leonardo da Vinci

• "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." - T.S. Eliot

• “It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.” - Mark Twain

• "I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' " - Muhammad Ali

• “A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.” - Richard Branson

• “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” - André Gide

• “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” - Winston Churchill

Albert Einstein

• “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” - Albert Einstein

• “We should not teach children the sciences; but give them a taste for them.” - Jean Jacques Rousseau 

• “It matters not the number of years in your life. It is the life in your years.” - Abraham Lincoln 

• “Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.” - Cicero

• “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” - Michael Jordan 

• “No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess” - Newton 

• “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” - Albert Einstein 

Nelson Mandela

• “One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.” - E. M. Forster 

• “When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.” - Nelson Mandela

• “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison

• “When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.” -Larry Ellison 

• “All that counts in life is intention.” - Andrea Bocell

• “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” - Emerson

Feel free to leave any quotes you think we left out in the comments.

24 Important Questions Business Leaders Should Ask Themselves

Datavo knows that in today's market you have to be flexible and ready to move ahead so that your business can continue to be successful. 

If you look at our businesses today, they are all components of an enterprising network of relationships with partners, clients, and suppliers that mold the way we take care of business. With the rising expectations and demands of consumers, small and large business are showing up in all places around the globe. These business conditions can present both pros and cons to an owner.

So when contemplating what methods make your business' run efficiently, make sure these 20 questions are included.

1. What is the purpose for your business existing?
2. Who is your target customer?
3. What are your competitors up to?
4. Has your business adequately changed with the times?
5. Do you have the right leaders employed?
6. How does your business handle change?
7. Are your business practices outdated?
8. Are there better ways to integrate your different business processes, to make them work easier?
9. Are you able to reduce your expenses, without hurting your product?
10. Are you able to automate repetitive actions?
11. Are your systems so slow they are affecting your response time to customers?
12. Do you embrace new technology?
13. Do you ensure that your data is backed daily, in case of a system failure?
14. Is the information on your website current?
15. Are your Customer Service Representatives trained with current business information?
16. If you systems were to go down, do you know how to fix or restart it?
17. Does corporate management share the same goals as the IT department?
18. Are you making the right decisions with the IT and Operations departments?
19. Are you securing your networks properly from outside threats?
20. What part of your budget is for maintenance as opposed to new product development?
21. Do you have the right employees?
22. Are your employees happy?
23. Are you using your employees to the best of their abilities?
24. Do you ask your employees what feedback they are getting from customers on the business?

Feel free to leave any that you think we left off in the comments. 

10 Tips for Better Organizing Your Workspace

Is your desk or office cluttered? Do you have a hard time finding things when you need them? Here at Datavo, we know how important it is to keep your work space organized so that you can maximize your efficiency and become a more productive employee. 

Organizing your office does not have to be a daunting task, it can be done efficiently and in little time. Once your space is organized it can be maintained with minimal upkeep. To get started, just follow these simple tips. 

1. De-clutter. Go through everything in your office and get rid of anything that you do not use. This goes for equipment, furniture, supplies, files, decorations, etc. 

2. Put everything in its place. Go around your office and collect things that are out of place and put them where they go.

3. Keep things you need close. Make sure that things you use frequently are easily accessible and within arms reach. Things that you use less can be put away or in storage.

4. Clear & organize your desk. Remove everything from your desk, only keep items that you must use everyday. Use desktop organizers such as paper trays and paper clip holders to keep things in place.

5. Organize your drawers. Keep like items together. Sticky pads with notepads, stamps with envelopes, etc. Make a separate drawer for your own personal items. 

6. Seperate your inboxes. If you work directly with many people, create a tray, folder or inbox for each.

7. Don't accumulate piles. Once you are fully organized you will hopefully stop having piles of paper sitting around. Go through your existing ones and either file them away or toss them.

8. Read, Sort, Shread. Read all mail the same day it is received; decide whether you will need to act on it, file it, delegate or shread it.

9. Clean your desk. Before you leave each day, do quick clean up of you desk. Put everything back in its place so that you have a clean start each and every day. 

10. File at least once a week. When you let your filing pile up it can become daunting. By setting a specific  time aside each week, it will ensure you stay on top of it. 

Feel free to leave any tips in the comments you think we may have left out.