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  Rent Time On Our Telebridge
Rent time on our Telebridge

Benefits of Using a Telephone Bridge

There are many benefits to using a telephone bridge. It's an easy to use system with all sorts of applications. Keep these benefits in mind as you consider how telephone bridges fit into your life and work.

Accessibility. The commercial telephone numbers we use are accessible from anywhere. International callers may also be linked using the telephone bridge system.

Affordability. Telephone bridge calls are substantially less expensive than operator-assisted conference calls. No long-term contracts, deposits, or memberships are required.

Availability. 24/7/365. We're always "on." And you can make arrangements far in advance using our automated calendar system. Reservations can be made anytime, not just during office hours.

Convenience. It's easy to get started with your call right away. No waiting for operators or special clearances. As soon as your participants are on the line, you're productive.

Flexibility. Once you've reserved your bridge time, we give you the special access number to distribute to all your callers. You can use your one-hour time slot in any way you choose. Host two 30-minute calls, one 1-hour call, four 15-minute calls, or whatever you want to do.

Fully Automatic. Once you have your time slot reserved on the bridges, there are no issues to concern you. As soon as two callers have telephoned the assigned bridge number, they'll be connected and others can join as they dial in.

Reliability/Dependability. The technology supporting telephone-bridge calls has proven highly reliable for years. Thousands of teleclasses are held annually using this technology.

Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you are not satisfied in any way, please let us know. The Herman Group wants you to be totally satisfied with this service.

Simplicity. No waiting for operators, no passwords. Dial up, punch in the pin and you're in.

Usability. The system is simple to use. Up to 40 people may participate simultaneously at no additional rental fee. Fees are based on time, not number of participants.

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How You Can Use Telephone Bridges

Here are some suggestions about how you can use a telephone bridge. There need be no limits, as you get people together to communicate. Use your imagination.

  1. Company Training. You can save your company time and money using the bridge. A telephone bridge is a great vehicle to train people in diverse locations, instead of having them leaving their work to travel to some distant point-even if that gathering point is relatively convenient. Everyone hears; everyone can participate. It's like conducting a seminar in the dark.

  2. Committee Meetings. Have a committee that's scattered geographically? Use the bridge for your meetings and get things done efficiently and cost-effectively.

  3. Group Coaching. The bridge is great for sales managers, and others, who must support remote workers in the field or at home.

  4. Share Your Expertise. Teach classes in a virtual school. Provide handouts or other materials to participants by snail mail or e-mail.

  5. Special Interest Groups. If you belong to an association's special interest group, here's an excellent way to stay in touch and share ideas, experiences, and wisdom.

  6. Follow-up on Leadership Development Programs. After a series of face-to-face classes or a retreat, regular communication using the bridge reinforces the learning and gives participants opportunities to ask application questions.

  7. Regular Updates. Do you need to update people on a regular basis, in an environment where people can interact with you and with each other? Information sharing, results reports, problem-solving, motivational chats? They all work on a telephone bridge!

  8. Brain Storming, Consensus Building. A lot of creative ideas can bubble up as people just talk with each other. Hint: combine telephone-bridge brainstorming sessions with our Consensus BuilderTM internet software to generate ideas and assess support for various alternatives. Information about Consensus BuilderTM is available on our web site, www.hermangroup.com.

  9. An Alternative for Instant Messaging. Instant Messaging is becoming more popular, but sometimes it's good to actually talk with each other instead of trading e-mails. So much is said with the voice that the keyboard just doesn't pick up.

  10. Study Groups. Sharing knowledge, ideas, approaches, techniques, and much more with colleagues in a "power group" can be highly effective for all concerned. You can make it happen using a telephone bridge.

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Scheduling your Hour(s)

All Calls Are Scheduled Starting at the Top of the Hour.
To best manage the scheduling of our telephone bridges, all calls are scheduled for just under one hour, always starting at the top of the hour. To close in time for the next user to come on, we recommend planning to use the bridge for 56 minutes. This practice will avoid your being interrupted and overheard by persons unknown.

If you need more time, please schedule subsequent one-hour time blocks. If you need to start your meeting at a time other than the top of the hour (2:30 instead of 2:00), you must still schedule your use of the telephone bridges based on the one hour/top of the hour system.

Scheduling a Series of Calls
If you would like to schedule a series of calls, such as every Tuesday at 8:00, you may do so. Simply make those arrangements through the automatic system on the website. The reservation system can accept all your requests and handle the billing on one credit card.

United States Eastern Time Zone
All times are based on United States Eastern Time Zone.

Number of People Accommodated
Our telephone bridges accommodate 40 people.

Paying by Check or Purchase Order
We prefer to handle all transactions elecronically by credit card. It's most efficient for you and for our staff. If you must pay by check, please call us today at (336) 282-9370, and we will help you with your reservation process. Your reservation will usually not be confirmed on our system until your check is received, so early planning is recommended.

Government purchase orders will be accepted.

24/7 Availability
Our automated system is operational 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Use of the bridges can be scheduled for any hour of the day or night. Wherever you are and whatever your lifestyle or workstyle may be, we're here to serve you.

International Calls
International calls are no problem. The international caller simply dials the United States international access number, 01, and the bridge number you have been assigned. Collect calls cannot be accepted.

Back to top Click here to schedule time on the bridge.

Troubleshooting

Happily, the telephone bridge technology is practically trouble-free. Occasionally, folks encounter minor difficulties, so we will address them for you here.

Inability to Access
If customers are unable to get on the bridge, they will get a busy signal. If your guests continue to dial and get a message that says, "all circuits are busy, please try your call again later" or a fast busy signal, this recorded response is a universal long distance prompt. It means that their local or long distance switch is too full to get people through.

In this case, the problem is not with the bridge, but with the caller's system in attempting to make the call. We have been able to bypass all-circuits-busy problems by simply calling the operator. Their equipment usually bypasses the problem, and we get connected.

No Answer
Sometimes the line will simply continue ringing and never pick up. If that happens, it means that only one person was trying to access the bridge at the appropriate time. We suggest that the individual check the scheduled time and the time zone. Most often the person will discover that s/he was mistaken about the time.

Help-desk Assistance is Available 9am to 5pm
We do not offer 24-hour live customer service. Our system is fully automated, so that you may make reservations and use our bridges at all hours. However, if after trying the system, you are unable to book the hour you want, please call The Herman Group at (336) 282-9370. However, please be advised, if there is no technological problem with the system, a 50% surcharge will be levied for the additional personal service.

Your Satisfaction is Guaranteed
If there is a technical problem, we do not have the capacity to resolve it on the spot. In the unlikely event that your call was affected, we will help you reschedule the call and we will contact the phone company to determine what the problem was.

Someone Else on the Bridge
Occasionally, you may encounter another group on the bridge at a time you have reserved. Two different customers cannot be scheduled on the bridge at the same time, so someone has called in at the wrong time/date. A little common courtesy will usually solve this problem.

First, check your reservation to be sure you are calling at the same time and date you reserved. If not, please hang up and call back at your scheduled time. If, however, you find that you are not in error, ask the other party to check their reservation time. Whoever is not scheduled should yield to the party who is. Remember, all times on the scheduling calendar are Eastern Time.

If somehow, through some sort of human error, both parties have confirmed reservations for the same time, one party should yield, then call to determine where the problem was and reschedule.

Users who refuse to yield time when they should or otherwise abuse the privileges of using the telephone bridges may be refused future service.

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Cost

There are usually only two costs to use a telephone bridge:

Rental Cost. Rental of the telephone bridge itself is $25 per hour, payable to The Herman Group automatically through the reservation system. We accept MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover for your convenience. To keep our operating costs-and your rental fees-reasonable, these charges are non-refundable.

To arrange for payment by check, call Carol at 336-282-9370 during regular business hours in California.

Long-Distance Telephone Charges. Each caller pays the long-distance charges for the time s/he is on the telephone call. Our numbers are located in the 646 area code (New York), so that's where the long-distance charges will be incurred. The actual cost of the call will vary, depending on the long-distance carriers used by participants. It's usually around $5-$6 per hour. That's about 10 cents a minute, considerably less expensive than operator-assisted telephone conference systems. These charges are billed directly to each caller, just like any other telephone call.

Set-up fees. We do not charge set-up fees or accounting fees. Our arrangement is very simple: You are leasing time on our telephone bridges for the reasonable cost of $25 per hour. There are no membership fees, passwords, or extra hidden costs.

New Policy. Our incredibly low fees are based on users making all their own arrangements electronically through our web-based system. For users who desire the extra personal service, our staff is available to handle the bookings for a 50% surcharge. This surcharge will be added to your credit card amount.

Back to top Click here to schedule time on the bridge.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           


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4057 Battleground Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27410
Voice: (336) 282-9370
Fax (714) 994-3628
Toll Free in US & Canada: (800) 227-3566
E-mail: info@hermangroup.com

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