That connectivity must help these small businesses improve not only their communication with these groups, but also help them keep building upon those relationships that keep their doors open.

To keep those lines of communication open, though, requires small businesses to have the right tools and services available to them. As one of the most popular business communication tools, conference call services can be a helpful solution.

With conference calls, groups of people can easily meet over the phone all at the same time. For businesses, no matter their size, this can help bridge distance gaps and solve availability issues when teams of employees need to meet or a business must communicate with providers or other partners. For some businesses, being able to speak with large groups of customers may also be useful.

However, not all conference call services are the same, with some being better than others. There are also specific features that are useful to small businesses. But how do you choose which conference call service is right for your team?

Let’s take a look.

Your business doesn’t have to pay for a conference call service

Successful business people are all familiar with the phrase “you get what you pay for.” In some cases, it’s true. But that’s not the case with conferencing solutions.

You can find a free conference call provider that is just as good as - if not better than - some of the expensive paid services that exist. That’s good news for small businesses, which are always looking for ways to manage overhead and keep it low.

It is important to note, though, that not all free conferencing services measure up equally, especially when they are being compared to the paid services.

Determining which service is best boils down to finding a conference call provider with the right features without charging for them as premium or add-on features. Free should in fact mean free.

Large call capability

When comparing the free conferencing services, one of the first things to be on the lookout for is how some of those providers may try to limit users in some way in order to keep their service free - or as a way to offer some sort of premium level.

Placing a cap on the number of callers that are allowed in a single phone call is one of the most common way some of the free providers might do this.

That’s why it’s important to do a little more research when trying to select which provider to use. Find out exactly how many people are allowed on a call at a time. You might be surprised that some services actually allow quite a few.

For example, with Conference Town, you can invite up to 5,000 participants on a call. For many, that is virtually limitless. Our competitors, on the other hand, do not even come close.

Call recording

The ability to record a conference call can often be one of the most important. Whether it is for the purpose of keeping a record of conversations and decisions, or the recording is needed to share with those who could not attend the meeting. Either way, having a recording of the conversation readily available is vital to some as they search for the best provider.

But some of the free conference call services out there charge you if you want to record your phone call. So make sure to check the list of features available to you before you select a service.

When taking a closer look, compare exactly what you are able to do with each service’s recording feature. Can you record just a portion of the call if you want to? How long is the recording available after the meeting concludes? Can you download the audio? Can others access the recording without having to download it to one of their devices?

These are all questions that should be answered to know that you have found the best free conference call service for your small business.

Find a service that is mobile-friendly

If the employees of your small business or the business partners you work with are like most of today’s workforce, then they are likely very mobile. They may not always be at a location with a landline phone on hand.

With that in mind, you need a conference call service that participants can access via their mobile phones and other devices. Not being mobile friendly simply isn’t an option anymore. So, look for a mobile app version of the service. If it does not, then does the service work in a mobile browser.

These are all necessary factors that must go into any search for a conferencing solution in today’s world that relies so heavily on mobility.

Includes other popular features - also free

As we’ve mentioned above, some of the free conference call services out there hold back some of the most wanted features for premium or paid users. With so many free conferencing options out there, there’s no need to bother with those services that try to make a few bucks that way.

What all is included in the services you are comparing. Try to find a features list and take note of the features you need, want and those that would be nice but aren’t necessary for your team.

Look for excellent customer service, reviews

Finally, as customers of your small business expect from you and your employees, look for a conferencing solution that does not only provide a good product, but also backs up that product with excellent customer service.

How can you determine whether a provider has good customer service? One way is to look for customer testimonials. What are the customers saying? That should give you a lot of insight.

You can also look at how much contact information is available on the service’s website and how responsive they are to questions on social media.

Ready to enjoy a better conference call?

If you are looking for a free conference call provider that offers a ton of features - all for free - then look no further than Conference Town.

Sign up today or simply start an instant conference to experience a better conference call for you and your team.