By eliminating the costs and headaches associated with corporate travel, Web Conferencing can boost business and enhance employee productivity. Unlimited usage starting at about $1 / day! http://www.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Discover Web Conferencing
Monday, February 22, 2010
Flushing Out What is Right For You in Today's Market
While I slept last night, it seems that the world of conferencing changed again. I cannot place my finger directly on the change of last night, but I know it did.
One of the absolute challenges in this business is keeping up with the changes that are inevitable. But being a progressive guy, who likes technology that works, I have effectively created a love/hate relationship with the people and companies that create the latest and greatest mouse trap... or in this case, new technology that surrounds business-to-business collaboration and meeting communication.
Gone are the days of when a company could wait for the technology to be perfect before delivery, as one more night could mean millions in lost revenue. Some companies like Google encourage their engineers to spend 20% of their time developing anything that drives their personal passion. This mindset of course creates a two-fold dilemma as the pace of technology exponentially gets faster and faster, causing an idea to get metaphorically sucked into the funnel of something useful. Of course I am referring to the mire of crappy tech products that come from the basements of some neophyte engineer, creating a program where the goal was not based on any quantifiable research of social or business driven needs.
As a marketing and product manager of a premium supplier of all things having to do with audio, web, video and streaming/webcasting, I do bask in the fact that by the time we desire to offer a service, the majority of bugs are worked out. The only dilemma resides in what is right for each individual and/or company.
With all things business (and the inherent costs associated), the key, from every level of business, is to take the time to discover what the diversion of funds from traditional front to a tech front will do. If you follow the general sales pitch, it will save you money over the long run. I am here to tell you that it is not just a pitch, it is now a proven fact in businesses across the globe (and especially in Europe) of how dramatic the savings can be.
I challenge you to crunch some hard numbers yourself. I have posted Adobe's Cost Savings Calculator which will allow you to figure out your own cost savings. Once that is determined, call us for some free consultation of the best products available on the market and which one would be right for your needs.
From anywhere in North America our toll fee number is 1-888-551-5925...and if your business is anywhere else, call us at (604) 639-9748.
This free consultation offer does not expire, but really - with proven dramatic savings, why would you wait another day for technology to change when you could be saving today?
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
One of the absolute challenges in this business is keeping up with the changes that are inevitable. But being a progressive guy, who likes technology that works, I have effectively created a love/hate relationship with the people and companies that create the latest and greatest mouse trap... or in this case, new technology that surrounds business-to-business collaboration and meeting communication.
Gone are the days of when a company could wait for the technology to be perfect before delivery, as one more night could mean millions in lost revenue. Some companies like Google encourage their engineers to spend 20% of their time developing anything that drives their personal passion. This mindset of course creates a two-fold dilemma as the pace of technology exponentially gets faster and faster, causing an idea to get metaphorically sucked into the funnel of something useful. Of course I am referring to the mire of crappy tech products that come from the basements of some neophyte engineer, creating a program where the goal was not based on any quantifiable research of social or business driven needs.
As a marketing and product manager of a premium supplier of all things having to do with audio, web, video and streaming/webcasting, I do bask in the fact that by the time we desire to offer a service, the majority of bugs are worked out. The only dilemma resides in what is right for each individual and/or company.
With all things business (and the inherent costs associated), the key, from every level of business, is to take the time to discover what the diversion of funds from traditional front to a tech front will do. If you follow the general sales pitch, it will save you money over the long run. I am here to tell you that it is not just a pitch, it is now a proven fact in businesses across the globe (and especially in Europe) of how dramatic the savings can be.
I challenge you to crunch some hard numbers yourself. I have posted Adobe's Cost Savings Calculator which will allow you to figure out your own cost savings. Once that is determined, call us for some free consultation of the best products available on the market and which one would be right for your needs.
From anywhere in North America our toll fee number is 1-888-551-5925...and if your business is anywhere else, call us at (604) 639-9748.
This free consultation offer does not expire, but really - with proven dramatic savings, why would you wait another day for technology to change when you could be saving today?
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Web Conferencing Best Practices Part 2 - World -Wide Opinions
In gleaning through the web, I found many points of views of what are world-wide best practices. For the most part most people are saying the same thing, so I decided to post the most commonly mentioned ones in this post, thinking that like-minds can often be more concise than just opinionated ones. :)
As was the inflection of my last post, 'preparation' is probably the single most important aspect; it should not be any different than an in-person meeting, but now that I have mentioned that here are the most common...
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
As was the inflection of my last post, 'preparation' is probably the single most important aspect; it should not be any different than an in-person meeting, but now that I have mentioned that here are the most common...
... Best Practices:
- Prepare your meeting and all meeting materials (in this case, make files available for download or an email that is drafted and ready to send out)
- Establish a detailed user protocol specific to the system being used
- Provide easy "single point of access" to e-meetings, online learning and collaboration tools
- Use platform tools to proactively ensure training
... Payoffs:
- Save 50%-75% yearly in time lost, administration and travel costs
- Facilitating online collaboration is easier
- An informal learning environment raises attendance
- Positive 'on-the-leading-edge' attitude developed change across entire organization
- Ensures everyone in an organization has up-to-date certifications thanks to recording and rebroadcasting capabilities
- Increased knowledge sharing and created an interactive, engaged community among internal and remote staff
- Distribute information and online training faster to your organization’s authorized network
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Web Conferencing Best Practices Part 1
In this age of many businesses discovering online-collaboration, it seems prudent that anyone that is going to engage in an online meeting, at any level, should make themselves aware of the discovered and proven best-practice guidelines to a successful cyber-meeting. In advance of the event:
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
No doubt you will discover what works best for you and your meetings, however that being said, If you have any additional tips, please comment on this post.
In advance of the event:
1. Let participants know well in advance minimum system requirements and that they will need sound card and speakers or headset/mic. Point them to the location on the course site or elsewhere where they can learn about minimum system requirements and suggestions re headset/mic.
2. Preferably in advance of the day of the web conference, have participants conduct a system check. If they do not do this in advance of the event, also make sure you are online 15 minutes in advance of the event for participants to conduct the system check.
3. Make sure the first slide of the event has helpful information about features etc.
4. Facilitators should arrange roles. Who does the presentation? Who handles text chat? Who handles technical questions?
5. Facilitators should prepare a presentation and agenda of both content and interactive features to be used to retain engagement. Consider doing a shorthanded dry run online.
6. Upload the presentation and prepare any other documents/URLs you will access during the event. Upload multimedia. Be sure video is either on local drive or streaming. Know that PowerPoints become images with no animation or access to links.
At the outset of the event:
1. While people are joining the event, welcome them if you can. “Hi, Allison! Welcome to the web conference!”
2. A few minutes before the content of the event is going to take place, have each person introduce themselves. Have the driver explain the steps to do this. It is both an ice-breaker and a way for people to use the technology. If they are going to have trouble with their VOIP/equipment, it will come up now.
3. If they do not have access to audio or are having trouble, the driver should ask them to introduce themselves via text chat. This will include them in some way and also illustrate the text chat tool.
4. The content leader should explain the flow and expectations for participation for your particular event.
During the event:
1. Driver fields text chat questions and communicates with content leader about re-engaging via just-in-time polls, asking questions, etc.
2. Content leader goes through pre-planned presentation, following agenda and features as agreed earlier.
3. Touch base with participants regularly. Ask them to provide feedback. Even something as simple as “clapping” or selecting a check mark helps them re-engage and stay focused.
4. Make sure participants know how to let folks know if they are confused or have technical issues.
5. Stick to the designated time for this event. If it is 9-10, stick to starting at 9 and ending at 10.
After the event:
1. Provide folks with URL of a poll about their experience with the event (if applicable).
2. Stay online for a bit to answer follow-up questions.
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Online Conferencing – Changing the way we meet at work
This is a report about a study by Diptarup Chakraborti who is the principal research analyst for Gartner. He has over 12 years of experience in marketing, advertising and marketing intelligence, of which the last 8 years have been within the IT industry.
Its 10 am on a Tuesday and you are just in time to get into a very critical meeting. You switch on your laptop, load your presentation and ask your maid servant at home to make you a nice cup of tea. And wait for other members of the meeting to join in. Yes, you did read it correctly. You are taking the meeting in the comfort of your home. Surprised? Welcome to the age of Remote Conferencing.
With the advancement of communication technologies, such a scenario is no longer a part of a science fiction movie but is a reality. The other members of the team can dial in from different parts of the globe and you can do so likewise over what is known as a teleconference. One can be a part of an audio conference with little or no loss of the message over phone lines. What’s more? Today, there are video conferencing tools which allow organisations to have face to face interactions where the visuals are transmitted through a TV screen.
Trends in Remote Conferencing
If you thought what has been described above is the latest available in the market. Think again. Whatever you thought was impossible just a couple of years earlier is not only being made possible but also being adopted aggressively by organisations across the country. Enterprises are now experiencing a technology called telepresence which provides the user with such comprehensive and convincing stimuli that the he hardly perceives any differences from actual presence. The quality of interaction is not much different from an actual face to face interaction.
Internet communication technologies like Windows live Meeting, Net meeting etc allows the presenter to share files across the internet and the presentation can be made through a system called webinar. Webinars allows the user and audience to connect with each other over the web and hence there is no need to travel to a conference for the same. Webinars are increasingly being used to communicate minor but significant events to its core audience. It saves the organisation huge expenses which it would otherwise incur to have it staged offline and the audience the hassle of traveling to the venue. The quality of the delivery of the presentation is not much different either.
Remote conferencing is also replacing face to face meetings within organisations, especially when the members are in different geographical locations. Project management teams in engineering, advertising, IT etc are using some of them, especially the web based ones to seamlessly work on projects and improve the quality and frequency of their interactions. Incidentally, The Bee Movie was created and designed in New Zealand with the star of the show, Jerry Sienfeld sitting in New York, all done over remote conferencing tools, the star and the designer hardly having met more than a few times.
Advantages of Remote Conferencing
It is estimated that the IT industry globally contributes nearly 2 per cent of all carbon emissions in the world. A large part of it must be in extensive traveling that their managers do for business. Even if 20 per cent of it is reduced by using the remote meetings, imagine the resultant cost savings. Besides this, it also leads to earning carbon credits for the organisation which is nothing short of cash.
So just like our TV remote changed the way we watched television, allowing us the choice of multiple channels (imagine going up to your TV every time you wanted to switch channels), remote conferencing will in time too bring about a sea change in the way we meet at work.
If you liked this, retweet this blog
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
Its 10 am on a Tuesday and you are just in time to get into a very critical meeting. You switch on your laptop, load your presentation and ask your maid servant at home to make you a nice cup of tea. And wait for other members of the meeting to join in. Yes, you did read it correctly. You are taking the meeting in the comfort of your home. Surprised? Welcome to the age of Remote Conferencing.
With the advancement of communication technologies, such a scenario is no longer a part of a science fiction movie but is a reality. The other members of the team can dial in from different parts of the globe and you can do so likewise over what is known as a teleconference. One can be a part of an audio conference with little or no loss of the message over phone lines. What’s more? Today, there are video conferencing tools which allow organisations to have face to face interactions where the visuals are transmitted through a TV screen.
Trends in Remote Conferencing
If you thought what has been described above is the latest available in the market. Think again. Whatever you thought was impossible just a couple of years earlier is not only being made possible but also being adopted aggressively by organisations across the country. Enterprises are now experiencing a technology called telepresence which provides the user with such comprehensive and convincing stimuli that the he hardly perceives any differences from actual presence. The quality of interaction is not much different from an actual face to face interaction.
Internet communication technologies like Windows live Meeting, Net meeting etc allows the presenter to share files across the internet and the presentation can be made through a system called webinar. Webinars allows the user and audience to connect with each other over the web and hence there is no need to travel to a conference for the same. Webinars are increasingly being used to communicate minor but significant events to its core audience. It saves the organisation huge expenses which it would otherwise incur to have it staged offline and the audience the hassle of traveling to the venue. The quality of the delivery of the presentation is not much different either.
Remote conferencing is also replacing face to face meetings within organisations, especially when the members are in different geographical locations. Project management teams in engineering, advertising, IT etc are using some of them, especially the web based ones to seamlessly work on projects and improve the quality and frequency of their interactions. Incidentally, The Bee Movie was created and designed in New Zealand with the star of the show, Jerry Sienfeld sitting in New York, all done over remote conferencing tools, the star and the designer hardly having met more than a few times.
Advantages of Remote Conferencing
It is estimated that the IT industry globally contributes nearly 2 per cent of all carbon emissions in the world. A large part of it must be in extensive traveling that their managers do for business. Even if 20 per cent of it is reduced by using the remote meetings, imagine the resultant cost savings. Besides this, it also leads to earning carbon credits for the organisation which is nothing short of cash.
So just like our TV remote changed the way we watched television, allowing us the choice of multiple channels (imagine going up to your TV every time you wanted to switch channels), remote conferencing will in time too bring about a sea change in the way we meet at work.
If you liked this, retweet this blog
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Web Meetings Saves Costs, Increases Productivity
Though telephone and e-mail are effective communication tools, web meetings offer an even more provocative value proposition. To initiate a web meeting, two or more users set up meetings from their computers and instantly exchange information and files, demonstrate applications, or remotely control other desktops. As a result, web meetings reduce a company's non-productive expenses, accelerate work cycles, and help get maximum value from the investments made on workers.
Companies such as Momentum Conferencing ( http://www.momentumconferencing.com/ ), provide on-demand online meeting applications and software services, which enable businesses to reduce operating costs and increase productivity. Many businesses have adopted such web meeting applications in selling, training and marketing with varying degrees of success.
As listed below, these applications deliver a new level of productivity-enhancing features that help companies streamline communications and add significant value in sales, marketing, R&D and human resources.
Sales: A strong sales force is the backbone of any successful company. However, effective sales organizations that leverage on web applications for their essential functional areas are finding that they can significantly improve operational efficiencies at a much lower cost of sales. A sales organization, for example, uses Meeting Center or Sales Center applications to make sales presentations and demonstrate products across the globe.
Marketing: It is believed that the marketing department creates a face for the company and product or services uphold the image. Invariably, marketing is one of the most communication-intensive areas of a company. Be it outbound lead generation activities, inbound sales training or product launches, communication is critical. Real-time collaboration solutions offer marketing teams an effective way to improve quality and quantity of their outbound messages without increasing costs.
Customer Service and Support: It is challenging for companies competing in the global economy to meet requirements of their customers, partners and vendors, and deliver high-quality, time-critical customer service and support. To achieve world-class customer service operations, businesses are considering remote support applications which enable technical support to easily access, troubleshoot, and resolve issues.
Human Resources: Perhaps no other department in a company has the influencing effect on employees as human resources. Today, trainers have been leveraging on web applications to provide unified training from one location to groups in multiple cities, and minimize travel complications and expenses in the process.
R&D and Manufacturing: Research, Development, Design, and Manufacturing operations are the foundation of many global organizations. Each of these groups has been cashing in on the benefits of frequent on-demand web meetings to create operational efficiencies and cost-reductions.
Corporate Communications: When a corporation communicates effectively with its workforce and external audiences, it creates a coherent messaging posture that ensures all employees are on the same page, and presents a cohesive strategy and direction to the outside world. For example, a corporate communication team will be able to deliver dynamic training to employees, customers, and partners anywhere in the world.
IT: Under pressure to deliver information and technology better, faster and cheaper, an IT organization has numerous opportunities to increase efficiencies with the web meeting technology. Firstly, it enables effective communication with partners, outsourcers, internal teams and constituents across the globe. Secondly, it allows IT to deliver powerful tools to help design, install, administer and train employees on the systems that the corporation relies on.
What has been your experience? Comment Below!
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
Companies such as Momentum Conferencing ( http://www.momentumconferencing.com/ ), provide on-demand online meeting applications and software services, which enable businesses to reduce operating costs and increase productivity. Many businesses have adopted such web meeting applications in selling, training and marketing with varying degrees of success.
As listed below, these applications deliver a new level of productivity-enhancing features that help companies streamline communications and add significant value in sales, marketing, R&D and human resources.
Sales: A strong sales force is the backbone of any successful company. However, effective sales organizations that leverage on web applications for their essential functional areas are finding that they can significantly improve operational efficiencies at a much lower cost of sales. A sales organization, for example, uses Meeting Center or Sales Center applications to make sales presentations and demonstrate products across the globe.
Marketing: It is believed that the marketing department creates a face for the company and product or services uphold the image. Invariably, marketing is one of the most communication-intensive areas of a company. Be it outbound lead generation activities, inbound sales training or product launches, communication is critical. Real-time collaboration solutions offer marketing teams an effective way to improve quality and quantity of their outbound messages without increasing costs.
Customer Service and Support: It is challenging for companies competing in the global economy to meet requirements of their customers, partners and vendors, and deliver high-quality, time-critical customer service and support. To achieve world-class customer service operations, businesses are considering remote support applications which enable technical support to easily access, troubleshoot, and resolve issues.
Human Resources: Perhaps no other department in a company has the influencing effect on employees as human resources. Today, trainers have been leveraging on web applications to provide unified training from one location to groups in multiple cities, and minimize travel complications and expenses in the process.
R&D and Manufacturing: Research, Development, Design, and Manufacturing operations are the foundation of many global organizations. Each of these groups has been cashing in on the benefits of frequent on-demand web meetings to create operational efficiencies and cost-reductions.
Corporate Communications: When a corporation communicates effectively with its workforce and external audiences, it creates a coherent messaging posture that ensures all employees are on the same page, and presents a cohesive strategy and direction to the outside world. For example, a corporate communication team will be able to deliver dynamic training to employees, customers, and partners anywhere in the world.
IT: Under pressure to deliver information and technology better, faster and cheaper, an IT organization has numerous opportunities to increase efficiencies with the web meeting technology. Firstly, it enables effective communication with partners, outsourcers, internal teams and constituents across the globe. Secondly, it allows IT to deliver powerful tools to help design, install, administer and train employees on the systems that the corporation relies on.
What has been your experience? Comment Below!
William S. Dickinson is a marketing professional who works for Momentum Conferencing with offices in Vancouver BC and Toronto, ON. You can find Momentum Conferencing on the web @ www.momentumconferencing.com.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
