1. WIKI
2. Call Shop
3. Basic steps on staring up a Call Shop business

Basic steps on staring up a Call Shop business

The basic idea behind a Call Shop business is to have a place where customers can make local, long distance or international phone calls. The main sources of revenues will come from the minutes customers are going to spend on the phone. So it all depends on the rates that you are going to setup, just make sure that they are lower than the ones offered by the providers of international call services.

First of all you have to organize private and comfortable places where your customer can go and make calls. All the phones and other necessary devices should be kept in order and provide good connection and sound quality. Also it would be wise if you can setup a system in such a way that customers could track the duration of the call and its costs. Some IP phones show it on the display, but if it is not the case than you can use a separate screen for that purpose.
Next thing that you will definitely need is a cashier’s desk with a computer and a ticket printer. The main goal of the cashier/operator will be to set the time, which will be purchased by the customers. As well as to control and keep everything in order.
Most important you need to have Internet connection available with all the necessary equipment like switches, routers, modems etc. You will have to invest in some IP phones, there are many models to choose from, but probably the best would be to have the ones with the screen, allowing you costumers to track the time. Those phones are connected directly to the Internet, and no additional equipment is necessary to make calls. The number of phones you need is relevant to the number of booths you are planning to have. Note: IP phones are more expensive than regular analog phones. Alternatively, devices that are required are the analog adapters or the voice gateways also known as ATA or APA. These ones are similar to routers; have a port connected to the Internet and other port which is connected to analog or regular phone sets. The phone service itself is programmed into a adapter, but the phones are connected to the ports giving the dial tones and allowing to make calls. Take into consideration that some adapters may have several ports, so you can use only one adapter per several phone booths. Using analog phones is more advantageous because they require lower investment and less likely to be stole or damaged by your customers.
Also depending on the phones you are going to use IP or analog, you will have to connect the cables differently. In case you will opt for IP phones you will have to lay the cable from your router to each phone booth, the cable has to be connected directly to a phone. If you chose adapters and analog phones, than you have to use telephones cable and you have to lay it from the adapter to each phone booth. Do not forget to ask for assistance from a professional with the cable laying experience.

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