Audio Web Conferencing Solution for Successful Meetings

While it’s true that most web conferencing services are more convenient, cost-efficient, and simpler than in-person meetings, they still require the same amount of planning and forethought to be effective. This is because communicating and collaborating via a computer screen creates a different dynamic than when you are face-to-face with someone a few feet from you.

According to a survey conducted by Microsoft that included 200 countries and 38,000 employees, over 5 ½ hours of every week are dedicated to meetings, yet a shocking 69% of participants felt those meetings were unproductive.

If you fall into that category then rest assured you’re not alone. The majority of us have been to at least one meeting that we felt was a complete waste of our time. As a result, we have compiled a short list of helpful suggestions aimed at increasing your meeting productivity levels:

• Determine your purpose and desired outcome for the conference. By knowing exactly what it is that you want to accomplish ahead of time, it will be easier to create an effective meeting outline.
• Develop a meeting outline that allocates blocks of time to specific topics. Pinpoint areas or topics that you want to concentrate on and determine the amount of time you expect to dedicate towards them. This will help keep your conference on track and your participants interested and engaged.
• Inform your audience. Begin your web conference or audio conference by going over your meeting agenda with your attendees. Discuss time allocations, what you are expecting from them, and encourage their active participation.
• Be a strong leader. As a host or presenter, your meeting needs your complete focus because the majority of the responsibilities fall on you – including the job of keeping participants engaged. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to designate a timekeeper or note taker for additional help.
• Request results. Ask for direct feedback from your participants, if you are holding a web conference utilize your polling, whiteboard, Q&A features etc. If one or more of your attendees goes off topic, be sure to steer them back on track – your other participants will thank you. At the conclusion of your meeting, as them for feedback on what they found beneficial and what can be improved on for future conferences.
• Recap. Summarize your conference to ensure all participants are aware of what was agreed and who is responsible for what.
• Follow up. Send your attendees a reminder email after your conference has ended. If you have recorded your conference, be sure to provide access to absent employees or those who would like to revisit the material for reference.

Still searching for the ideal audio conferencing solution or web conferencing solution for your business? Give one of our professional account managers a call today!

Source: Web Conferencing Solutions Web Conferencing Services

Web Conferencing Solutions Considered For 2 Key Reasons

Reason #1: The added value of online communication and collaboration

What is the best replacement to in-person meetings when you are dealing with a limited budget? How can we enable spontaneous, day-to-day, streamlined collaboration on documents, products, or projects over the Internet? When faced with such questions, many companies instantly think  video conferencing is the solution simply because it allows you to see who you are speaking to. However, while this can work in some instances, video conferencing limits the ways that you are able to work on documents, conduct presentations, and collaborate with participants.

Sure, you could send numerous emails back and forth, or use an instant messaging service like AIM, but with the restrictions they bring – such as the requirement for all users to acquire an account with the respective service – these pale in comparison to what web conferencing offers.

On the other hand, with many of today’s web conferencing solutions hosts simply download software and then invite attendees into a conference via a link that will direct them to a virtual meeting room. This means there are no required downloads for participants. In addition, the leading providers of web conferencing services offer public chat and private sub-chat functionality to permit multiple participants to communicate throughout the duration of a conference without stalling or interrupting the host/presenter(s).

Reason #2: Desktop/document/application sharing

In a web conference there are two different ways to present documents; they can either be uploaded into a virtual data room on a server, or they can sit on a presenter’s desktop that can then be published via desktop sharing. Desktop sharing offers more flexibility due to the fact that any type of document can be accessed and edited by participants in the virtual conference room without previous conversion. Nevertheless, if you are planning on sharing your desktop it is recommended that you do a little housekeeping first, so only permitted material is available.

One of the biggest benefits of desktop sharing is that it can be done spontaneously. Even the most prepared and rehearsed host can at times be forgetful, and attempting to upload a document during a conference can be difficult if not time consuming. Or perhaps your meeting goes a different direction – desktop sharing allows you to react quickly and professionally by providing the necessary documents on-demand.

Have you been searching for a web conferencing solution for your business? Give one of our professional account managers a call today and let us help you find the ideal solution at the best available price.

Source: Web Conferencing Solutions

How to Get the Best Return on Your Telecom Investment

If you ask anyone in the real estate business what it’s all about, they are all likely going to tell you the same thing – location, location, location! Thanks to modern technology however, that is no longer the case for salesmen and women. With the proper tools, an inside sales squad can not only provide a solid return on the investment made for training, development, etc., but it can also demonstrate how valuable it can be.
In a recent Inside Sales Metrics survey conducted by Phoneworks, it was discovered that almost 40 percent of inside sales squads are geographically dispersed. That means, instead of everyone being in-house or in the same place, they are spread out across any number of locations – both regional and home-based. At one point in time, having a staff so widely dispersed would slow all productivity to a crawl – if not halt it completely; however, thanks to today’s technological advancements, hosted, unified communications, audio and web conferencing, and a vast array of additional solutions make those same squads equally – if not more – effective as any in-house team. As a result, you can diversify your work force and employ only the best of the best, regardless of their location, and without the aggravation and high costs associated with relocation.
Moreover, it was noted that the typical inside sales squad ramp time is 5 months. Obviously anything that speeds up that time between signing up and seeing a return on an investment will boost your top line revenue. Conferencing solutions – web conferencing services in particular – have proven to be extremely successful in delivering continuing training as well as speeding up orientation processes.
Also reported in the Phoneworks survey was the noticeable increase of social media in sales processes. Web conferencing solutions, such as PGi’s iMeet, allow you to view participant’s social media sites in addition to a wide variety of other benefits. Having the ability to quickly connect, establish, and maintain strong professional bonds with current and prospective partners and customers gives your company a huge leg up over any competition. What’s more is that conferencing services are designed to offer exactly that, and they virtually eliminate your need for business travel, saving your company substantial amounts of time and money.
If you’d like to find the ideal conferencing solution that will increase the value and number of sales for your business, give one of our professional account managers a call today!

Source : Conferencing Services

Save Money and Time with Conferencing Solutions

If you are on the fence over whether or not your business should employ a conferencing solution (whether audio conferencing or web conferencing) then you probably do not have all the facts yet. Both audio and web conferencing solutions can save your company thousands of dollars and countless amounts of time – each month, every year!

The wonderful thing about conferencing is that it allows you to do anything you used to do offline, online, for much less time and much less cost. If you’re on the west coast and need to collaborate with your team in geographically dispersed satellite offices on an up-coming project or presentation, a web conferencing solution would save you the hassle and expense of traveling to each branch location. Moreover, modern web conferencing solutions allow you to interact with your staff in real-time with the type of conferencing quality that rivals in-person meetings.

For example, for small meetings that require up to 15 participants, PGi’s web conferencing solution, iMeet allows you to connect to any computer, phone, or mobile device with enterprise quality audio. PGi iMeet allows you to lock your conferences to prohibit any unwanted visitors, and offers desktop video and the ability to upload, present and share your files.

Gone are the days of wondering whose speaking when you’re in an audio or web conference! Was that Bill? Joe? Justine? They don’t sound familiar – was that person even invited to this conference? PGi iMeet has come to the rescue with their active talker icon. Each participant is given his or her own individual “cube” for everyone to see that glows green whenever that person is speaking. As for those inevitable side conversations, PGi iMeet also allows for private chats with other participants. Moreover, to get better acquainted with your attendees, you can access each person’s bio, photos, and social networking information simply by clicking on their cube.

I’ll break it down for you even further. Conferencing solutions save you from the hassle of:

• Making the trip through traffic to the airport (as well as paying for parking)
• Having to book flights to and from your destinations
• Car rentals
• Hotel rooms for your traveling employees
• Per Diem expenses for food, drinks, etc.

Business travel can cost thousands of dollars, while conferencing solutions generally cost only pennies per minute! Contact one of our professional account managers today and we will help you find the ideal conferencing solution for your unique business needs.

Source: Conferencing Services