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Instant Messaging ' A Powerful Communication Tool for Your Business
Many people do it so innocently that it's hard to believe the
dangers that are lurking. Spammers, pfishers, hackers, predators
' they're all poised to wreak havoc on you, your employees and
your business contacts. Yet many people don't even realize that
these dangers exist because, after all, they're just doing their
jobs.
When you're IM'ing, the last thing you probably think about is
who else is out there, watching. But you should be worried and
you should be using protection ' security protection, that is.
When you use your business computers to send instant messages,
your entire company becomes vulnerable. In no time at all, your
business could collapse. This is not some sales-driven scare
tactic; it's real and it happens. If you own a business and you
or your employees conduct business using Instant Messaging, it is
your responsibility to ensure that all business information is
kept out of harm's way.
You need to be able to block incoming and outgoing dangerous IM
traffic such as unsafe scripts, streaming audio and video, buffer
overflow attacks and executable URLs. You need protection from
interactions with potentially dangerous strangers. You've got to
make sure this type of protection is available regardless of the
IM service or the screen names being used. You've got to know who
is doing what and when, so that you can modify your security
measures as necessary.
Didn't realize you had so much to do when all you really wanted
to do was communicate, did you' Before deciding to drop the IM
idea altogether, take a look at IMsecure Pro.
IMsecure Pro handles all of the above security issues the moment
it is installed. For the most protection, you as well as those
with whom you IM need IMsecure Pro installed on their computers.
Think there's no room in your organization for instant messaging'
Think again. There are many benefits in communicating this way
with your clients, vendors and others. Instant messaging creates
a conversation log which you can always refer back to should
there be some disagreement or some other reason to replay a
conversation.
If you use IM to communicate with your customers and prospective
customers, the right IM software will actually analyze these
communications and help you develop a list of frequently asked
questions. FAQ's are great time savers and effective business
tools.
And IM is not impersonal. Use the audio and video chat features
and have a true face to face conversation without leaving the
office! Think of the money you'll save on traveling. Not only can
you see the other party's face, you can see other things such as
new product designs and product demonstrations. If it's viewable,
it can be seen using video chat.
If your business requires you to place international phone calls,
you can save money on your phone bill, too. Adjust the volume,
record and playback, even use chat like you're using a
walkie-talkie so the other party hears only the parts of the
conversation that you choose. Pause, rewind and playback
conversations, bookmark important points in your conversations,
and search through past conversations by keyword or phrase.
Plus you can keep all of your contacts separated into categories
yet contained in one easy to locate place. You can also have
different contact lists under each of your various screen names.
And best of all, you can install IM software on your company
network painlessly. Sharing files, communicating with co-workers,
and knowing what's going on in your office without leaving your
desk is easy.
Trillian Pro connects to AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger and IRC.
And by using plug-ins, it can connect to many different services.
Instant Messaging really is a valuable tool and one that will fit
well into your business. Start chatting today!
About the Author Copyright ' 2005 Cavyl Stewart. Get more software tips, strategies and recommendations by signing up for my Exclusive 100% free, 100% original content ecourses. Visit:
http://www.find-small-business-software.com/free-ecourses.php
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