We will be adding many exciting new features and services to our conferencing solutions in the coming weeks, and reviewing all of the new material has got me wondering...what is the most important conferencing feature? Is it the ability to record your call? To lock your conference (to prevent unauthorized participants)? Or is it just a clear connection and a good call host?
We already offer two of those, and we'll be adding the third very soon, along with expanded call capacity and much, much more. I'll make a launch announcement as soon as I can, so stay tuned!
Also, the blog carnival is still alive, and submissions are slowly trickling in. I was expecting many more presentation horror stories and lots of advice and opinions, so feel free to submit if you've got any PowerPoint tales to share....
Showing posts with label conferencing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conferencing. Show all posts
Monday, November 5, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
5 Reasons To Love Conference Calls
I read a lot of negative reactions to conference calls each week, usually because the call rambles on or the topic is boring or participants' dogs/children/co-workers are yapping in the background. I think this communication tool deserves a lot more credit, and here are a few reasons why:
1. They're shorter than "real" meetings.
There's only so long a conference call can go on. Even at low rates, the host is usually aware of how much money is ticking away every minute. Even with compelling topics, there's only so much information that one speaker can recite at one time. And even with a lot of people participating, the "Hey, how's it going?" part of the call doesn't include catered luncheons, coffee breaks, fighting for parking, and all the other things that add time to in-person meetings.
2. They're much easier to "read" than email.
All the emoticons in the world can't populate the emotionally blank world of email. It's certainly possible to convey emotions and undertones in writing, but who has time to do that for every email? Phone time is a great way to figure out if that brief email from your remote team lead was because he's miffed at you or because he was rushed.
3. They're much cheaper than "real" meetings.
Cost savings aren't always a reason to go virtual, but conference calls save everyone involved some significant cash. No airfare, no hotels, no happy hours, no weird group tours.... I don't recommend replacing all of your meetings with conference calls, of course, since social experiences are just as important to business as number crunching, but for really big groups (shareholder calls) and repetitive meetings, conference calls are a great option.
4. They're easy to schedule.
Because your participants don't even need to be in the office to participate, conference calls are much easier to schedule than in-person meetings. This can shorten your sales cycle and boost productivity by reducing time bloat. Why wait three weeks to meet when you can set up a conference call on the fly?
5. They work well with "real" meetings.
So your team is split between Los Angeles, London, and New York? No problem - hold the meeting in one location and connect to the other teams with a speakerphone conference call. You'll have to make sure that your off-site groups are included and that you've distributed any necessary visuals beforehand so that everyone can follow along. Everyone can hear and be heard simultaneously - just make sure your speakerphones are up to the task and you've eliminated as much background noise as possible.
Have I won you over yet? I love big get-togethers, but conference calls offer a lot of benefits that are too good to be ignored. Why do you love conference calls? Leave a comment and let me know.
1. They're shorter than "real" meetings.
There's only so long a conference call can go on. Even at low rates, the host is usually aware of how much money is ticking away every minute. Even with compelling topics, there's only so much information that one speaker can recite at one time. And even with a lot of people participating, the "Hey, how's it going?" part of the call doesn't include catered luncheons, coffee breaks, fighting for parking, and all the other things that add time to in-person meetings.
2. They're much easier to "read" than email.
All the emoticons in the world can't populate the emotionally blank world of email. It's certainly possible to convey emotions and undertones in writing, but who has time to do that for every email? Phone time is a great way to figure out if that brief email from your remote team lead was because he's miffed at you or because he was rushed.
3. They're much cheaper than "real" meetings.
Cost savings aren't always a reason to go virtual, but conference calls save everyone involved some significant cash. No airfare, no hotels, no happy hours, no weird group tours.... I don't recommend replacing all of your meetings with conference calls, of course, since social experiences are just as important to business as number crunching, but for really big groups (shareholder calls) and repetitive meetings, conference calls are a great option.
4. They're easy to schedule.
Because your participants don't even need to be in the office to participate, conference calls are much easier to schedule than in-person meetings. This can shorten your sales cycle and boost productivity by reducing time bloat. Why wait three weeks to meet when you can set up a conference call on the fly?
5. They work well with "real" meetings.
So your team is split between Los Angeles, London, and New York? No problem - hold the meeting in one location and connect to the other teams with a speakerphone conference call. You'll have to make sure that your off-site groups are included and that you've distributed any necessary visuals beforehand so that everyone can follow along. Everyone can hear and be heard simultaneously - just make sure your speakerphones are up to the task and you've eliminated as much background noise as possible.
Have I won you over yet? I love big get-togethers, but conference calls offer a lot of benefits that are too good to be ignored. Why do you love conference calls? Leave a comment and let me know.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Blog Action Day: Save Energy with Conferencing (And Other Tactics)
I'm not going to join in the recent chorus of articles that praise the way conferencing reduces travel (and thus reduces the environmental impact of meetings). I hope you understand that by now. Instead, here is a list of other ways that you can use conferencing (among other practices) to reduce the environmental impact of your job. I've personally done everything on this list over the years, so feel free to ask me questions in the comments section.
1. Take public transportation. Or buy a bike. Or, at least, carpool. Or telecommute?
If we want to use less fuel and control our carbon emissions, we have to...use less fuel. Even if you only practice this one or two days a week, the impact is worth it. Better yet, make it a competition at the office to see how often everyone can get to work without driving alone.
If you can swing it, try working from home one or two days per week. What better way to reduce the environmental impact of your commute than not to commute at all?
2. Recycle.
If it's plastic, paper, or aluminum, you can recycle it. If your office won't pay for pickup (and it's not included with your building/lease), take turns dropping the recycling off at a local center each week. It's not that much work - your turn will probably only come up once every quarter.
Check local government websites for organizations in your area that accept used cell phones and old computer equipment for recycling and repurposing - often these groups will even pick up directly from your office.
3. Make less trash
Go out for lunch rather than ordering take-out if you can, and bring any leftovers home in your own (reusable) plastic container. (Personally, I keep a few in my desk just in case.)
If you do order take-out, use your own silverware (again, keep a stash in your desk) and refuse the plastic packets. (They never work that well anyhow.) Individually wrapped things really make a lot of trash.
If you bring your lunch, follow the same reusable packaging rules. It's cheaper to buy a full-size box and portion it yourself than to buy prepackaged units, and you won't be making all of the extra trash.
As a little bonus, I'd like to say that I know tradeshows and conferences are fun, but...really, where do you think your frisbees and footballs and lanyards and spinning giveaway gizmos end up?
4. Go (and stay) Digital
Making a document on a computer uses energy, sure, but not as much as when you add on printing, copying, and mailing. (I recognize that many things still need real signatures so, obviously, use judgment here.)
Presentations really can work well in the digital realm, and everyone is starting to enjoy the convenience of meeting right from the office. Job interviews, too, at least for the first round - most everyone has access to a webcam, so consider saving money on plane fares and hotels in the early stages of your hiring process by interviewing online.
5. Look for the Oddities
At one of my previous jobs, the custodians were trained to empty every trash can, every night, no matter what. My empty trash bag was swapped for a new trash bag every night until I finally worked late enough to notice. There were about 1200 people in that building, so 1200 empty and nearly-empty bags went into the trash every night. 312,000 bags per year. Needless to say, I spoke to my supervisor and pointed out the cost savings.
Could your company order unbleached paper products for the bathroom? Provide recycled office supplies? Supply refillable pens rather than cheap ballpoints? Put a water filter on the sink rather than ordering bottled water service? Buy coffee for the break room that was made without destroying or polluting the land on which it was grown?
There are many small ways to lessen the environmental impact of your job. There are many more than I've listed, and most likely some of what I've recommended won't work at your current position. The most important things to remember: you don't have to be a perfect environmentalist, it doesn't have to be a political issue, and every little bit helps.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Carnival #4: Web Conferencing
Charles H. Green presents When On-message Marketing Makes for Off-trust Sales posted at Trust Matters.
Who knows your customers better - sales or marketing? Or does each department know different faces of the same customer? Mr. Green delivers a reminder to avoid over-branding at the expense of alienating your customers, something especially smart to think about when designing online presentations. You're presenting to people, after all.
Chris Tackett presents 5 Steps To Turn More Leads Into Cash! posted at Direct Marketing News.
Web conferencing can help with at least three of these steps. Key takeaway: prospects are people, and they don't like to be kept waiting.
Chris Russell presents Improve Employee Productivity - Put Your Policy and Procedure Manuals Online posted at Productivity Planner.
Why not record HR presentations and put them online so new hires (and veterans) can view them from their desks? No one likes to hunt for answers to important questions.
edithyeung presents How to Read People and Get Your Point Across? posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..
Design your presentations to work for all learning types - an especially important point when dealing with online audiences who may already be multitasking.
Jay Deragon presents The Reputational Factors posted at A Relationship Economy..... With Whom & What, saying, "How do people establish trust in the virtual world where there is little, if any, physical interaction? The online social networks of human interaction are challenging the accumulated wisdom on how virtual human interactions can occur and subsequently how trust and reputation are established."
Dax Desai presents Google Spreadsheets - Part Deux posted at Dax Desai.
Collaboration isn't just for one-to-many presentations - one-on-one work can benefit, too. Here's an example using the freely available Google Spreadsheet app.
Pete Johnson presents Games remote people can play posted at Nerd Guru, saying, "When you have a team of people who work remotely from one another, conducting traditional teambuilding exercises is next to impossible. This article describes a word game using the Google search engine that can give a group a brief shared experience in 10 minutes and liven up participation in any teleconference by getting people talking.
Pete Johnson
HP.com Chief Architect
http://nerdguru.net"
Madeleine Begun Kane presents Those Unspeakable Meetings posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.
Just some meeting humor, but a good point as well: try to communicate during your meetings, online or in person.
That concludes this edition our our business communications carnival. Submit your blog article to the next edition of business communications using our carnival submission form. The theme for the next carnival is: workplace collaboration. What's working, and what isn't? Does instant messenger help or hurt your productivity? What's the best collaboration tool - email, web conferencing, or plain old face-to-face meetings? Let's hear it all.
Past posts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
International Conferencing for 3.7 cents
We've rolled out 23 new international local access numbers - view the whole list here: http://www.conferencecalls.com/accessnumbers.asp. The international local access rate is just 3.7 cents/minute (USD). Supported countries include Australia, France, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
We still have our same global toll-free access numbers as well, with rates starting at 3.7 cents/minute (USD) as well.
What's the difference between local (toll) access and toll-free?
Local access (toll) calls are free to the caller, as long as the number is within the caller's local calling area. For example, if you live in London and call a London number, you are not assessed additional charges as long as the phone carrier considers the number to be within your local calling area. Local access calls are nearly always cheaper to the host than toll-free calls.
Toll-free calls are generally free to the caller (except for any caller-incurred fees stemming from use of a cell phone, payphone, etc.), but the host pays a higher per-minute rate for this convenience. International toll-free access is complex; in brief, a toll-free number from another country will likely not be a free call (for example, someone calling a French toll-free number from Norway will likely incur fees).
I am happy to try to answer any specific local or toll-free access questions you might have (just leave them in the comments). Enjoy the new access numbers - and the savings! If you're not yet a ConferenceCalls.com customer, you can receive a a free 100 minute trial or open an account instantly and get 100 bonus minutes for each account and sub-account.
We still have our same global toll-free access numbers as well, with rates starting at 3.7 cents/minute (USD) as well.
What's the difference between local (toll) access and toll-free?
Local access (toll) calls are free to the caller, as long as the number is within the caller's local calling area. For example, if you live in London and call a London number, you are not assessed additional charges as long as the phone carrier considers the number to be within your local calling area. Local access calls are nearly always cheaper to the host than toll-free calls.
Toll-free calls are generally free to the caller (except for any caller-incurred fees stemming from use of a cell phone, payphone, etc.), but the host pays a higher per-minute rate for this convenience. International toll-free access is complex; in brief, a toll-free number from another country will likely not be a free call (for example, someone calling a French toll-free number from Norway will likely incur fees).
I am happy to try to answer any specific local or toll-free access questions you might have (just leave them in the comments). Enjoy the new access numbers - and the savings! If you're not yet a ConferenceCalls.com customer, you can receive a a free 100 minute trial or open an account instantly and get 100 bonus minutes for each account and sub-account.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Web Conferencing in Your Industry
I've been seeing a lot recently about telemedicine, web conferencing in senior living facilities, and other unconventional applications of conferencing technology. How is your industry using audio, web, or video conferencing - or how could you benefit from using it?
Today, The Common Scold published a brief piece about Law Firm Inc.'s recent findings on web conferencing use in American law firms. Two exciting highlights :
• 77% of firms are using web conferencing software
So, tell me: how has your business benefited from web or other conferencing?
Today, The Common Scold published a brief piece about Law Firm Inc.'s recent findings on web conferencing use in American law firms. Two exciting highlights :
• 77% of firms are using web conferencing software
• 77% of those using web conferencing cited increased productivity, while 75% cited better client service and 44% saw improved processes.
To me, web conferencing is all about better communication than ever before. Why wait to fax or email a document and discuss changes over the phone when you can chat or talk about a document with the whole team all at once? Asynchronous collaboration can be a real pain, and it takes a lot longer for each person to review changes and information individually than for a team to do it all at once.So, tell me: how has your business benefited from web or other conferencing?
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Promote your Webinar with Eventspan, Slideshare, and Insight24
Note: I am in no way affiliated with Eventspan; I just think it's a good idea.
Have you been to Eventspan.com? The site is still in alpha, but it looks to be fully up and running. Eventspan is (or will eventually be) a database of upcoming webinars. It provides "social media tools and tracking services to optimize the promotion of webcasts and webinars," primarily in the form of web event syndication and slick ad widgets. I'm hoping it will soon blossom into a great networking channel for webcasters, as well as a central clearinghouse for upcoming web presentations.
If your web event has already passed, consider uploading your slide deck to Slideshare so others can view it. If you've got a recording of the entire presentation, you can add it to the growing selection at Insight24. Both of those sites have been described as YouTube for presentations, so you get the idea...they're also great places to find inspiration for your next presentation (or marvel at text-heavy, busy slides).
There are, of course, many ways to promote your web presentations, but these sites seem to have a pretty far reach.
Have you been to Eventspan.com? The site is still in alpha, but it looks to be fully up and running. Eventspan is (or will eventually be) a database of upcoming webinars. It provides "social media tools and tracking services to optimize the promotion of webcasts and webinars," primarily in the form of web event syndication and slick ad widgets. I'm hoping it will soon blossom into a great networking channel for webcasters, as well as a central clearinghouse for upcoming web presentations.
If your web event has already passed, consider uploading your slide deck to Slideshare so others can view it. If you've got a recording of the entire presentation, you can add it to the growing selection at Insight24. Both of those sites have been described as YouTube for presentations, so you get the idea...they're also great places to find inspiration for your next presentation (or marvel at text-heavy, busy slides).
There are, of course, many ways to promote your web presentations, but these sites seem to have a pretty far reach.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
42+ More Audio Conferencing Tips!
In preparation for next week's audio conferencing carnival, I've rounded up some more useful information on improving conference call productivity and quality.
Conference Call Etiquette (14+1 Tips) from Lyndsay Swinton
Ms. Swinton offers many useful tips here, including "Do start the meeting absolutely on time; don’t reward latecomers’ bad behaviour by waiting for them...." and her final note "Do not sit on a leather chair. Ever." Click over to her article to find out what to do with late arrivals or what conferencing dangers are presented by the leather chair
Anna Zelenka's 27 Tips for Teleconferencing at Web Worker Daily
This is one of my all-time favorite posts on teleconferencing. Although her tips are geared toward people working from home, they're applicable to any conferencing setting. High points: 8. Make it a podcast or just record it for your own use. (within legal boundaries, of course) 20. Have a ready-made excuse in case you do get distracted. (her info here is priceless!) 26. Follow up by email. A recommendation that I made as well, but she gives some other compelling reasons to follow up on a conference call.
Power Conference Calls offers a lot of sage advice, including a great story about why you should keep quiet if something has gone wrong with your conference call, as well as a great way NOT to start your conference call (though I hear it happen all the time).
And don't forget my original post on this topic - Seven Simple Ways to Improve Your Conference Calls. I look forward to seeing more tips and best practices in the upcoming audio conferencing carnival!
Conference Call Etiquette (14+1 Tips) from Lyndsay Swinton
Ms. Swinton offers many useful tips here, including "Do start the meeting absolutely on time; don’t reward latecomers’ bad behaviour by waiting for them...." and her final note "Do not sit on a leather chair. Ever." Click over to her article to find out what to do with late arrivals or what conferencing dangers are presented by the leather chair
Anna Zelenka's 27 Tips for Teleconferencing at Web Worker Daily
This is one of my all-time favorite posts on teleconferencing. Although her tips are geared toward people working from home, they're applicable to any conferencing setting. High points: 8. Make it a podcast or just record it for your own use. (within legal boundaries, of course) 20. Have a ready-made excuse in case you do get distracted. (her info here is priceless!) 26. Follow up by email. A recommendation that I made as well, but she gives some other compelling reasons to follow up on a conference call.
Power Conference Calls offers a lot of sage advice, including a great story about why you should keep quiet if something has gone wrong with your conference call, as well as a great way NOT to start your conference call (though I hear it happen all the time).
And don't forget my original post on this topic - Seven Simple Ways to Improve Your Conference Calls. I look forward to seeing more tips and best practices in the upcoming audio conferencing carnival!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The Best Time for a Conference Call
How do you schedule your conference calls? Sometimes scheduling is easy, like when everyone is in the same time zone or only an hour apart. But what about bicoastal or international calls?
If your call just needs to link together offices that span North America, consider 10 or 11 AM PST (1 or 2 PM EST). This makes it a lunchtime call for those on Central Standard Time, but at least everyone can be in the office without worrying about arriving early or running late.
The frequently cited best time for an international conference call is 6 a.m. PST. At this time, the times around the world are:
Any other conference scheduling tips and tricks you'd like to share? Feel free to post them in the comments.
If your call just needs to link together offices that span North America, consider 10 or 11 AM PST (1 or 2 PM EST). This makes it a lunchtime call for those on Central Standard Time, but at least everyone can be in the office without worrying about arriving early or running late.
The frequently cited best time for an international conference call is 6 a.m. PST. At this time, the times around the world are:
- Americas - 6 AM Pacific (Seattle, Los Angeles), 8 AM Central (Chicago, Houston) 9 AM Eastern (New York, DC, Miami)
- Europe - 2 PM GMT
- South Africa - 3 PM
- Middle East - 4 PM (Riyadh)
- India - 6:30 PM
- Singapore - 9 PM
- Japan - 10 PM
- Australia - 11 PM (Canberra)
Any other conference scheduling tips and tricks you'd like to share? Feel free to post them in the comments.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Reservationless or Reserved?
I've been compiling a lot of new information in preparation for our updated company site, which has re-alerted me to a lot frequently asked questions about conferencing and business telecommunications in general. Today's topic: the difference between Reserved and Reservationless conference calls.
Reservationless conference calls can be planned in advance, or they can be launched ad hoc. In other words, the "reservationless" part doesn't have to refer to your planning style - it just has to do with the options and features that are available to you in the call. A reservationless call is connected automatically rather than via operator assistance, so it is usually a substantially cheaper option. In-call features are usually of the IVR variety (press #3 for something, #77 for something else, etc.), which is rarely limiting (especially since most of these features are available in reserved calls anyhow). The biggest deal is that the host of the call has to know what he or she is doing, or at least have a cheat sheet ready to remember the features. Participants will usually need the call's conference code to connect to the call - not a complicated piece of information, but information nonetheless. Also, because everything is connected digitally rather than manually, reservationless calls can only support a certain number of users (which varies between providers, but is usually no more than a few thousand).
Reserved conference calls are used for high-profile calls, calls that are somehow too complicated for the reservationless system to handle, or calls that need to serve large groups (3000+). They are more expensive, but some services even offer call managers (real people, not digital tools) who will take care of all of the technical details so that the host can just talk. Any time that distributing a conference code would be inconvenient, you are hosting a very large call, or you are hosting a call with clients who require the extra touch of operator assistance, reserved calls are the way to go. As their name implies, you must schedule reserved calls in advance.
In sum:
Reservationless calls: quick, cheaper, small to mid-size
Reserved: pre-scheduled, special services, large
Do you have a question about a common conferencing term or technology? Post it in a comment and I'll do my very best to answer it.
Reservationless conference calls can be planned in advance, or they can be launched ad hoc. In other words, the "reservationless" part doesn't have to refer to your planning style - it just has to do with the options and features that are available to you in the call. A reservationless call is connected automatically rather than via operator assistance, so it is usually a substantially cheaper option. In-call features are usually of the IVR variety (press #3 for something, #77 for something else, etc.), which is rarely limiting (especially since most of these features are available in reserved calls anyhow). The biggest deal is that the host of the call has to know what he or she is doing, or at least have a cheat sheet ready to remember the features. Participants will usually need the call's conference code to connect to the call - not a complicated piece of information, but information nonetheless. Also, because everything is connected digitally rather than manually, reservationless calls can only support a certain number of users (which varies between providers, but is usually no more than a few thousand).
Reserved conference calls are used for high-profile calls, calls that are somehow too complicated for the reservationless system to handle, or calls that need to serve large groups (3000+). They are more expensive, but some services even offer call managers (real people, not digital tools) who will take care of all of the technical details so that the host can just talk. Any time that distributing a conference code would be inconvenient, you are hosting a very large call, or you are hosting a call with clients who require the extra touch of operator assistance, reserved calls are the way to go. As their name implies, you must schedule reserved calls in advance.
In sum:
Reservationless calls: quick, cheaper, small to mid-size
Reserved: pre-scheduled, special services, large
Do you have a question about a common conferencing term or technology? Post it in a comment and I'll do my very best to answer it.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Training via Web Conference (Part 1 of 3): Why?
Why train via web conference?
Not all web training programs have to be as in-depth or comprehensive; your own customer support team can likely tell you all you need to know to start developing web training content. Web conferencing is great for internal training too - procedure updates, new product roll-outs, and new hire need-to-knows are just some of the internal needs that are well-suited to online training.
A recap of the benefits:
1. No More Travel Expenses
Travel takes an environmental toll as well as a financial one. With web conferencing, you can provide a classroom-like environment and simultaneous collaboration worldwide for all of your employees or users. No more lost days in travel or expensive meeting space rentals! Plus, you have greater freedom to bring in expert presenters, no matter where they are or how busy their schedules may be.
Training prep schedule and costs (loosely based on personal experience):
Prepare presentation (10-20 hours)
Prepare training docs (2-5 hours)
Manage printing/duplication of training docs (2-4 hours; printing costs)
Coordinate meeting space and catering (2 hours; meeting hall rental, catering expenses)
Send/coordinate email invitations (1-2 hours)
Travel to presentation site (1-8 hours; airfare, hotel, and meal expenses)
Present (variable, usually 6 hours plus lunch)
Follow-up/feedback email (1 hour)
I'm not exaggerating when I say that online training cuts out the bulk of the expense. I'm all for face-to-face contact in certain situations, but wouldn't it be great if trainers could just focus on...training?
2. Hands-On Training
You put a lot of time into your training presentation, but your users/employees still don't get the software or procedure in question? Web conferencing lets you show every step, click by click, on each user's screen. You can share the necessary applications and files with each user, and even "drive" the users' machines individually to help avoid confusion. I'd insert a cliché here about the value of show vs. tell, but you already know it's true.
3. Lots of Trainees
Where would you learn better, in a large auditorium or in front of the computer you use every day? Web conferencing lets each user receive a personalized experience in a familiar environment, without having to feel as if he or she is competing with other users for attention. Features like hand raising and chat provide instant feedback and opportunities for further discussion or assistance. (You can even delegate other presenters to answer chat questions — a great trick for large groups.)
4. Satisfaction - and Smarts
It's likely that your customers or employees will feel more confident after some hands-on training time, and it's even more likely that their perception of your company or product will change for the better. Web training, when implemented well, also ups your "tech-savvy" appearance in a big way. High-tech and people-oriented? Who doesn't want that in their brand identity?
Next up: How to Train via Web Conference...stay tuned.
- You don't want to face travel expenses
- Your users/employees would benefit from a hands-on training environment
- Your have a large user/employee base
- You would like to have satisfied, knowledgeable customers
Not all web training programs have to be as in-depth or comprehensive; your own customer support team can likely tell you all you need to know to start developing web training content. Web conferencing is great for internal training too - procedure updates, new product roll-outs, and new hire need-to-knows are just some of the internal needs that are well-suited to online training.
A recap of the benefits:
1. No More Travel Expenses
Travel takes an environmental toll as well as a financial one. With web conferencing, you can provide a classroom-like environment and simultaneous collaboration worldwide for all of your employees or users. No more lost days in travel or expensive meeting space rentals! Plus, you have greater freedom to bring in expert presenters, no matter where they are or how busy their schedules may be.
Training prep schedule and costs (loosely based on personal experience):
Prepare presentation (10-20 hours)
Prepare training docs (2-5 hours)
Send/coordinate email invitations (1-2 hours)
Present (variable, usually 6 hours plus lunch)
Follow-up/feedback email (1 hour)
I'm not exaggerating when I say that online training cuts out the bulk of the expense. I'm all for face-to-face contact in certain situations, but wouldn't it be great if trainers could just focus on...training?
2. Hands-On Training
You put a lot of time into your training presentation, but your users/employees still don't get the software or procedure in question? Web conferencing lets you show every step, click by click, on each user's screen. You can share the necessary applications and files with each user, and even "drive" the users' machines individually to help avoid confusion. I'd insert a cliché here about the value of show vs. tell, but you already know it's true.
3. Lots of Trainees
Where would you learn better, in a large auditorium or in front of the computer you use every day? Web conferencing lets each user receive a personalized experience in a familiar environment, without having to feel as if he or she is competing with other users for attention. Features like hand raising and chat provide instant feedback and opportunities for further discussion or assistance. (You can even delegate other presenters to answer chat questions — a great trick for large groups.)
4. Satisfaction - and Smarts
It's likely that your customers or employees will feel more confident after some hands-on training time, and it's even more likely that their perception of your company or product will change for the better. Web training, when implemented well, also ups your "tech-savvy" appearance in a big way. High-tech and people-oriented? Who doesn't want that in their brand identity?
Next up: How to Train via Web Conference...stay tuned.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Why Web Conferencing is Better than Email
I know that there are a lot of technofads that crop up daily, but please believe me when I say that web conferencing is not another fly-by-night must-have. Web conferencing really does have the "revolutionary" potential that we've all been waiting for. I say this not just as a rep for a web conferencing provider, but as someone who has been responsible for implementing collaborative practices in business and education for the past five years.
Training, Education, and Demonstrations
Application and document sharing open a world of potential far beyond the training manual, or even a training class. Web conferencing allows for one-on-one interaction in a hands-on, distributed group environment. I've attended some fantastic online product demos/training sessions for graphics software and programming environments; the combination of simultaneous demonstration, practice, and discussion is every trainer's dream. No one had to travel to my office to give the presentation, and team members who were offsite were still able to attend the same session, insuring information parity.
Document Collaboration
Text and graphic creation are key functions of many jobs, and the revision process is frequently a jumble of conflicting criticism and obscure commentary. I was reminded just this morning how no one likes to face a Word document with changes made by 10 different editors, but this is still standard practice. Online doc sharing has long promised better, more flexible collaboration (and some tools like Coventi are getting a lot of coverage for actually delivering), but web conferencing allows participants to modify and discuss the document, website design, or graphics in real time. I've gone sentence-by-sentence through press releases via a 6-person web conference, making full use of the highlighting/marker tools and talking through each step; though the concept might seem arduous, the text was better (and completed sooner) than ever before. Each participant got to give input, but working together in real time eliminated redundancy, conflict, and digressions from our initial purpose.
Web Meetings vs. Email
That press release I just mentioned could have been edited via email. But as we've all experienced, email doesn't always convey the full picture. Email comments can be less complete than those in a discussion; many people don't have the time (or don't enjoy writing enough) to put everything in writing. Likewise, detailed email commentary can provide too much information, and details that were carefully included can get lost; an idea voiced in a live discussion is much harder to ignore or omit. Finally, we've all gotten the seemingly-angry email that was created by someone who's simply a terse writer. Emoticons or no, emotions are still far better conveyed via voice than via text.
This might all come down to the fact that we're still human. We're social creatures, and we haven't yet adapted to a fully-online world. Web conferencing gives us in-person connection with digital accuracy and convenience. A revolution for the workplace? You tell me.
Training, Education, and Demonstrations
Application and document sharing open a world of potential far beyond the training manual, or even a training class. Web conferencing allows for one-on-one interaction in a hands-on, distributed group environment. I've attended some fantastic online product demos/training sessions for graphics software and programming environments; the combination of simultaneous demonstration, practice, and discussion is every trainer's dream. No one had to travel to my office to give the presentation, and team members who were offsite were still able to attend the same session, insuring information parity.
Document Collaboration
Text and graphic creation are key functions of many jobs, and the revision process is frequently a jumble of conflicting criticism and obscure commentary. I was reminded just this morning how no one likes to face a Word document with changes made by 10 different editors, but this is still standard practice. Online doc sharing has long promised better, more flexible collaboration (and some tools like Coventi are getting a lot of coverage for actually delivering), but web conferencing allows participants to modify and discuss the document, website design, or graphics in real time. I've gone sentence-by-sentence through press releases via a 6-person web conference, making full use of the highlighting/marker tools and talking through each step; though the concept might seem arduous, the text was better (and completed sooner) than ever before. Each participant got to give input, but working together in real time eliminated redundancy, conflict, and digressions from our initial purpose.
Web Meetings vs. Email
That press release I just mentioned could have been edited via email. But as we've all experienced, email doesn't always convey the full picture. Email comments can be less complete than those in a discussion; many people don't have the time (or don't enjoy writing enough) to put everything in writing. Likewise, detailed email commentary can provide too much information, and details that were carefully included can get lost; an idea voiced in a live discussion is much harder to ignore or omit. Finally, we've all gotten the seemingly-angry email that was created by someone who's simply a terse writer. Emoticons or no, emotions are still far better conveyed via voice than via text.
This might all come down to the fact that we're still human. We're social creatures, and we haven't yet adapted to a fully-online world. Web conferencing gives us in-person connection with digital accuracy and convenience. A revolution for the workplace? You tell me.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Six Tricks: Web Conferencing Improvements
The best way to improve your Web Conference is to behave as if you are in a face-to-face meeting: come prepared, and don't use this time to surf the Web or catch up on email. Since there is no setup or pre-meeting mingling, Web Conferencing is frequently more efficient and productive than in-person meetings. Here are six ways to help your next web conference run smoothly:
1. Don't Fly Blind
Test your presentation beforehand, and test your Web Conferencing connection and equipment. No one finds web conferencing novel enough these to wait while you fumble with your microphone or realize that there's not enough bandwidth for your 60 MB presentation.
2. Check In Early
If you're hosting, this means at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, and if you're a participant, at least 5 minutes. This allows time for any last-minute technical goofs, browser updates, and pre-meeting small talk. Remember, hosts: most services don't allow anyone to log in until you're present.
3. Engage Your Audience
Keep your content straightforward and your manner as lively as the situation allows. If you are using a PowerPoint presentation, be sure that you are not merely reading your slides to your audience. Try not to narrate any processes that you would not highlight during a face-to-face meeting ("Hang on while I load up this next one...there it goes...oh, an error message...hang on..."). While Web Conferences allow for a greater level of collaboration, they also demand concise content and a well-prepared, knowledgeable presenter.
Ken Molay at The Webinar Blog just posted a great piece about improving your presentations for those of you who feel you need more help in this area.
4. Take Advantage of the Medium
Make use of the available interactive features. You can highlight and add pointers to static slides or documents in order to guide your participants' attention and keep things interesting. Use polls (quizzes) to make sure that your key points are being understood. You can design your polls in advance and offer them as the presentation goes along; you can also create polls to keep track of your participants' interest levels and to encourage participation. Guided questions (e.g. "Is this function of the new widget clear?") are more effective than general questions such as "Are there any questions?" For basic or yes/no questions, participants can simply use the "raise hand" feature to respond.
5. Wrap It Up
Be prepared for Q&A. It is commonplace to set aside a few minutes after a presentation or meeting to address questions that were not answered during the event. Participants can ask questions directly to the host, and the host can choose to keep it one-on-one or broadcast the answer to the whole group.
6. Follow Up
Many of the audio conferencing tips are just as valid for web conferencing, but this one bears repeating. Especially for large web meetings, a follow-up email is critical. I recommend attaching a copy of the presentation and any documents that were used, as well as any notes from the meeting and important Q&A info. This is also a great chance to ask for feedback - even just "How could this web meeting have been better for you?" can alert you to areas of improvement in your presentation or technology.
Web conferencing is moving quickly and growing each day, but these tips will serve you well no matter what your audience or intentions. Stay tuned for specific tips on web conferencing in sales, education, and HR.
1. Don't Fly Blind
Test your presentation beforehand, and test your Web Conferencing connection and equipment. No one finds web conferencing novel enough these to wait while you fumble with your microphone or realize that there's not enough bandwidth for your 60 MB presentation.
2. Check In Early
If you're hosting, this means at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, and if you're a participant, at least 5 minutes. This allows time for any last-minute technical goofs, browser updates, and pre-meeting small talk. Remember, hosts: most services don't allow anyone to log in until you're present.
3. Engage Your Audience
Keep your content straightforward and your manner as lively as the situation allows. If you are using a PowerPoint presentation, be sure that you are not merely reading your slides to your audience. Try not to narrate any processes that you would not highlight during a face-to-face meeting ("Hang on while I load up this next one...there it goes...oh, an error message...hang on..."). While Web Conferences allow for a greater level of collaboration, they also demand concise content and a well-prepared, knowledgeable presenter.
Ken Molay at The Webinar Blog just posted a great piece about improving your presentations for those of you who feel you need more help in this area.
4. Take Advantage of the Medium
Make use of the available interactive features. You can highlight and add pointers to static slides or documents in order to guide your participants' attention and keep things interesting. Use polls (quizzes) to make sure that your key points are being understood. You can design your polls in advance and offer them as the presentation goes along; you can also create polls to keep track of your participants' interest levels and to encourage participation. Guided questions (e.g. "Is this function of the new widget clear?") are more effective than general questions such as "Are there any questions?" For basic or yes/no questions, participants can simply use the "raise hand" feature to respond.
5. Wrap It Up
Be prepared for Q&A. It is commonplace to set aside a few minutes after a presentation or meeting to address questions that were not answered during the event. Participants can ask questions directly to the host, and the host can choose to keep it one-on-one or broadcast the answer to the whole group.
6. Follow Up
Many of the audio conferencing tips are just as valid for web conferencing, but this one bears repeating. Especially for large web meetings, a follow-up email is critical. I recommend attaching a copy of the presentation and any documents that were used, as well as any notes from the meeting and important Q&A info. This is also a great chance to ask for feedback - even just "How could this web meeting have been better for you?" can alert you to areas of improvement in your presentation or technology.
Web conferencing is moving quickly and growing each day, but these tips will serve you well no matter what your audience or intentions. Stay tuned for specific tips on web conferencing in sales, education, and HR.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Conferencing = A Cleaner Planet?
Check out this article from TMCnet. Could conferencing help lessen your company's environmental impact?
Personally, I find this a great option. While face-to-face contact can still be important to a company's success, it's not always mandatory for day-to-day tasks. I know I'm not alone in my experience that most tasks today are assigned via email, carried out on a computer, and delivered/discussed further via still more email. But what about group projects or weekly meetings?
I think that's where conferencing can really shine. With today's distributed offices, conferencing (whether audio, web, or video) offers the ability to collaborate in real time without having to travel. I've participated in many highly effective online meetings that I'll discuss here soon; I can confirm that online meetings are frequently even more productive than in-person meetings. Plus, since travel expenses are out of the picture, teams can meet more frequently.
Looks like the environment and business can profit from conferencing.
Personally, I find this a great option. While face-to-face contact can still be important to a company's success, it's not always mandatory for day-to-day tasks. I know I'm not alone in my experience that most tasks today are assigned via email, carried out on a computer, and delivered/discussed further via still more email. But what about group projects or weekly meetings?
I think that's where conferencing can really shine. With today's distributed offices, conferencing (whether audio, web, or video) offers the ability to collaborate in real time without having to travel. I've participated in many highly effective online meetings that I'll discuss here soon; I can confirm that online meetings are frequently even more productive than in-person meetings. Plus, since travel expenses are out of the picture, teams can meet more frequently.
Looks like the environment and business can profit from conferencing.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Do I really need a special phone for conference calls?
Many conferencing service providers round out their offerings with a variety of phone equipment. Some companies won't even allow you to use their services without purchasing their phone equipment. But is it worth it?
Some providers use VOIP technology, which may require a change in your office's phone equipment. This can potentially be cost-effective in the long run, but quality can be variable and some users experience a steep learning curve. Other companies may require that only their equipment be used with the specialized lines and services that they provide to handle high call-volume businesses. Service calls for both of these setups can also be pricey.
Still other companies offer phones designed specifically with conferencing in mind. These phones offer features like noise and echo cancellation and microphone priority settings. A conferencing phone may enhance a conference, especially for frequent conferencers or the image-conscious, but it's certainly not mandatory.
The best solution for most conferencing users is still a plain old telephone. You can conference with whatever happens to be nearby. Speakerphone might be nice, or maybe a headset, and I won't lie and say that cell phones don't contribute a bit of extra noise to a conference call, but with services like ConferenceCalls.com you can use any working telephone to start or join a conference call - even a payphone.
Some providers use VOIP technology, which may require a change in your office's phone equipment. This can potentially be cost-effective in the long run, but quality can be variable and some users experience a steep learning curve. Other companies may require that only their equipment be used with the specialized lines and services that they provide to handle high call-volume businesses. Service calls for both of these setups can also be pricey.
Still other companies offer phones designed specifically with conferencing in mind. These phones offer features like noise and echo cancellation and microphone priority settings. A conferencing phone may enhance a conference, especially for frequent conferencers or the image-conscious, but it's certainly not mandatory.
The best solution for most conferencing users is still a plain old telephone. You can conference with whatever happens to be nearby. Speakerphone might be nice, or maybe a headset, and I won't lie and say that cell phones don't contribute a bit of extra noise to a conference call, but with services like ConferenceCalls.com you can use any working telephone to start or join a conference call - even a payphone.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Seven Simple Ways to Improve your Conference Calls
Trust me, I've sat through my fair share of conference calls...training calls, product roll-out calls, quarterly meetings, and some extended product chit-chat sessions. There were some high points, but we all know how painful conference calls can be without some attention to detail. From these arduous hours, I've gathered seven simple ways to improve your conference calls, whether you're a host or a participant.
1. Send an Agenda
Sending the call's agenda in advance allows the participants to prepare for the specific points you'll be covering. It also helps you to make sure that you're not trying to cover more than you can squeeze into your call time. You can attach any relevant documents, presentations, or other visuals to this email as well; remember that it takes about three passes for information to sink in, so rather than ruining the suspense (or attendance) of the call, you'll actually be improving your productivity.
2. Stick to the Agenda
Restate the main points of the agenda at the beginning of the call - this convinces everyone that you'll be staying on task. This is also a good time to deliver some basic conference call reminders, like to mute your phone when not speaking so that your clacking keyboard isn't the star of the call.
3. Speak Well
I've conferenced with a whole host of Batman villians: there's the Muffler, the Droner, and my personal favorite, Captain Bellows, with his trusty sidekick Cellphone Distortion. My point? Make sure you speak at a good pace and volume (you might even consider asking for feedback at the beginning of the call to make sure you're being heard clearly). It's harder for most people to pay attention when there's no live visuals to accompany the meeting, so try to keep your tone as engaging as your subject matter will allow.
4. Introduce Yourself
It's not time for your life story, but saying your name before you speak is the only way to be sure that everyone knows who you are. If you're not the main presenter, you may want to offer more information. Just a simple "John here," or "This is Jody from Accounting," keeps everyone together and adds a nice touch of humanity.
5. Be Specific
Call on people by name and ask specific questions. How many times do you get a response to "Any questions on that?" It's much better to offer something like "I'll hear from Joanne, then Mike, then Ted," or "How does that protocol sound to the Marketing department?" so that people are encouraged (though not forced) to respond. It's easy to feel lost in a conference call, especially a large one. You may even wish to ask everyone to prepare an answer to a specific question in advance (maybe on that agenda you sent out?).
6. Pay Attention
It seems obvious, but I don't know anyone who's not guilty of this: if you wouldn't do it in a "real" meeting, don't do it in a conference call. Conference calls aren't time to check your email, catch up on your fantasy sports league, or chat up the intern. I always take notes during calls to make sure I don't miss key points or forget any questions that come up...and to avoid the temptation to see what's going on at lifehack.
7. Follow Up
If you stuck to your agenda, the follow-up email should be pretty simple to create. This email is a chance to reiterate your key points and to address task assignments/actionable items. Additional documents and presentations can be sent along with the follow-up email. You might want to ask for feedback on the call as well - just a simple "What can be better next time?" can go a long way, especially if the calls will be frequent.
I'm assuming you already know that if you're hosting the call you should join at least 15 minutes before your scheduled start time, and if you're participating you should call in at least 5 minutes early. I also hope you know to offer short "bio" breaks if your call runs more than 90 minutes, and to consider splitting up the speaking duties amongst several key presenters to avoid boredom on long calls.
But never forget the most golden rule: mute that phone. You don't want to be the example that proves this rule - I've heard lunch orders, side commentary about the call, and video game noises. Don't put your call on hold, either, unless you're sure that your hold music is cool enough to entertain all of the other call participants while you're gone.
1. Send an Agenda
Sending the call's agenda in advance allows the participants to prepare for the specific points you'll be covering. It also helps you to make sure that you're not trying to cover more than you can squeeze into your call time. You can attach any relevant documents, presentations, or other visuals to this email as well; remember that it takes about three passes for information to sink in, so rather than ruining the suspense (or attendance) of the call, you'll actually be improving your productivity.
2. Stick to the Agenda
Restate the main points of the agenda at the beginning of the call - this convinces everyone that you'll be staying on task. This is also a good time to deliver some basic conference call reminders, like to mute your phone when not speaking so that your clacking keyboard isn't the star of the call.
3. Speak Well
I've conferenced with a whole host of Batman villians: there's the Muffler, the Droner, and my personal favorite, Captain Bellows, with his trusty sidekick Cellphone Distortion. My point? Make sure you speak at a good pace and volume (you might even consider asking for feedback at the beginning of the call to make sure you're being heard clearly). It's harder for most people to pay attention when there's no live visuals to accompany the meeting, so try to keep your tone as engaging as your subject matter will allow.
4. Introduce Yourself
It's not time for your life story, but saying your name before you speak is the only way to be sure that everyone knows who you are. If you're not the main presenter, you may want to offer more information. Just a simple "John here," or "This is Jody from Accounting," keeps everyone together and adds a nice touch of humanity.
5. Be Specific
Call on people by name and ask specific questions. How many times do you get a response to "Any questions on that?" It's much better to offer something like "I'll hear from Joanne, then Mike, then Ted," or "How does that protocol sound to the Marketing department?" so that people are encouraged (though not forced) to respond. It's easy to feel lost in a conference call, especially a large one. You may even wish to ask everyone to prepare an answer to a specific question in advance (maybe on that agenda you sent out?).
6. Pay Attention
It seems obvious, but I don't know anyone who's not guilty of this: if you wouldn't do it in a "real" meeting, don't do it in a conference call. Conference calls aren't time to check your email, catch up on your fantasy sports league, or chat up the intern. I always take notes during calls to make sure I don't miss key points or forget any questions that come up...and to avoid the temptation to see what's going on at lifehack.
7. Follow Up
If you stuck to your agenda, the follow-up email should be pretty simple to create. This email is a chance to reiterate your key points and to address task assignments/actionable items. Additional documents and presentations can be sent along with the follow-up email. You might want to ask for feedback on the call as well - just a simple "What can be better next time?" can go a long way, especially if the calls will be frequent.
I'm assuming you already know that if you're hosting the call you should join at least 15 minutes before your scheduled start time, and if you're participating you should call in at least 5 minutes early. I also hope you know to offer short "bio" breaks if your call runs more than 90 minutes, and to consider splitting up the speaking duties amongst several key presenters to avoid boredom on long calls.
But never forget the most golden rule: mute that phone. You don't want to be the example that proves this rule - I've heard lunch orders, side commentary about the call, and video game noises. Don't put your call on hold, either, unless you're sure that your hold music is cool enough to entertain all of the other call participants while you're gone.
An Alternative to FreeConference.com
Just a reminder - you can get 100 free minutes of conferencing at ConferenceCalls.com. I've read of the many nonprofits who have been affected by the recent moves to block FreeConference services; hopefully these minutes can help get some of you through this rough patch. Even once the free trial is over, the rates are as low as 2.7 cents/minute. Having been at nonprofits for many years myself, I know how tight (or nonexistant) those budgets can be!
A few links about the issue:
Houston Chronicle coverage
California Hunger Action Coalition press release
Coverage from the Consumerist
A few links about the issue:
Houston Chronicle coverage
California Hunger Action Coalition press release
Coverage from the Consumerist
Monday, April 9, 2007
If you're in the Chicago Area...
Be sure to come by and see us at HSMAI's Affordable Meetings Expo and Conference on April 11 and 12 at the Navy Pier. We'll have an exciting (and legitimately useful) giveaway for those of you who come by our booth....
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Basics (Part 1): What is Conferencing?
Before we get complicated, let’s review the basics. Today’s topic: What is conferencing, and how is it used?
There are two main types of conferencing: audio (commonly called conference calls or teleconferencing) and web conferencing.
A Conference Call is a telephone call in which more than two people participate. Callers can interact by both speaking and listening during the call. Conference Calls are used for remote business meetings, like international and interoffice meetings, interviews, presentations and briefings, and entertainment. These collaborative calls come in handy any time knowledge sharing or discussion between multiple parties is necessary, especially when the parties involved are in different locations. While they can be planned in advance for formal or regularly scheduled meetings, reservationless Conference Calls are quick and easy enough to initiate that they can also be used on the fly, like when that small discussion in your cubicle suddenly grows to include the overseas developer and the CEO in New York.
With most conferencing services (such as ConferenceCalls.com), any telephone can be used for a conference call, even a cell phone. Some groups use a speakerphone to share the proceedings of an in-office meeting with an offsite party; some users prefer to have a headset-style telephone in order to keep their hands free to take notes and to avoid making noises by tapping or dropping the receiver. A good feature to look for in a conferencing phone is the ability to mute, or stop, your voice transmission so that your background noise won't be heard by all of the participants.
A Web Conference is a live meeting that is conducted over the Internet. During a Web Conference, files, applications, and desktops can be shared to facilitate collaboration and demonstration; additionally, presentations can be delivered, and participants can partake through live polling and chat. When used in combination with Audio Conferencing (such as Conference Calling), Web Conferencing provides a complete virtual meeting environment.
Web Conferences are currently used for Sales and Marketing presentations, international and multi-site business Meetings, interviews, Training and Education, Webinars, and much more. This method of conferencing is robust enough to be used for any small to medium group communication, and can dramatically reduce or eliminate travel expenses. While Web Conferencing can be used for formal or regularly scheduled meetings, it is quick and easy enough to initiate that it can be used for ad hoc collaboration. Frequently, meeting participants need more than audio to capture their attention; with Web Conferencing, your audio content is accompanied by a visual presentation or demonstration in real time that can help highlight and clarify your key points. Some people even use Web Conferencing to stay in touch with loved ones who are overseas.
What do you use conferencing for? Leave us a message in the comments and let us know.
There are two main types of conferencing: audio (commonly called conference calls or teleconferencing) and web conferencing.
A Conference Call is a telephone call in which more than two people participate. Callers can interact by both speaking and listening during the call. Conference Calls are used for remote business meetings, like international and interoffice meetings, interviews, presentations and briefings, and entertainment. These collaborative calls come in handy any time knowledge sharing or discussion between multiple parties is necessary, especially when the parties involved are in different locations. While they can be planned in advance for formal or regularly scheduled meetings, reservationless Conference Calls are quick and easy enough to initiate that they can also be used on the fly, like when that small discussion in your cubicle suddenly grows to include the overseas developer and the CEO in New York.
With most conferencing services (such as ConferenceCalls.com), any telephone can be used for a conference call, even a cell phone. Some groups use a speakerphone to share the proceedings of an in-office meeting with an offsite party; some users prefer to have a headset-style telephone in order to keep their hands free to take notes and to avoid making noises by tapping or dropping the receiver. A good feature to look for in a conferencing phone is the ability to mute, or stop, your voice transmission so that your background noise won't be heard by all of the participants.
A Web Conference is a live meeting that is conducted over the Internet. During a Web Conference, files, applications, and desktops can be shared to facilitate collaboration and demonstration; additionally, presentations can be delivered, and participants can partake through live polling and chat. When used in combination with Audio Conferencing (such as Conference Calling), Web Conferencing provides a complete virtual meeting environment.
Web Conferences are currently used for Sales and Marketing presentations, international and multi-site business Meetings, interviews, Training and Education, Webinars, and much more. This method of conferencing is robust enough to be used for any small to medium group communication, and can dramatically reduce or eliminate travel expenses. While Web Conferencing can be used for formal or regularly scheduled meetings, it is quick and easy enough to initiate that it can be used for ad hoc collaboration. Frequently, meeting participants need more than audio to capture their attention; with Web Conferencing, your audio content is accompanied by a visual presentation or demonstration in real time that can help highlight and clarify your key points. Some people even use Web Conferencing to stay in touch with loved ones who are overseas.
What do you use conferencing for? Leave us a message in the comments and let us know.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Welcome
Welcome to the Conference Calls Info Blog. We’ll be providing frequent updates about audio and web conferencing news, best practices, and expert tips. The ConferenceCalls.com blogging team has years of experience with all levels of the audio and web conferencing industry, from development to marketing, and of course we’re conferencing users as well. Please feel free to comment if there’s anything you’d like to see covered that relates to audio or web conferencing.
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