Using Web Conferencing for Staff Training

Imagine you are CEO of a small software company in Belgium, and you have just successfully sold warehouse-management software to a firm in Seattle. Your next task is to train the Seattle firm's team in the use of your software.

To do that, you will have to send a couple of staff members to Seattle. That means two round-trip, business-class plane tickets, four- or five-star hotel rooms for a few days, taxis, and some nice meals. The cost can be many thousands of dollars. Who pays? Either the customer, in which case it will significantly increase the cost of the software; or you do, in which case profits take a beating. The organization required for such a training session is also significant. Secretaries have to book planes and hotel rooms. The timing must be carefully coordinated as once an event is booked, there is no turning back. If the trainer is sick, he will probably still have to board the plane because it is too complicated to cancel.

Costs don't end just with the flights. There are hidden costs for the software company. Trainers may perform other roles -- indeed, they could be among the most-productive programmers or managers in the company, and sending them to Seattle means losing their invaluable input for days. Not to mention the jet lag that follows.

Web conferencing is becoming a popular solution to this problem, and it has led to a new word: "webinar" -- a web-based seminar. The savings offered by on-line training is significant, and there are fringe benefits such as enabling you to train people at more then one location and use trainers who might not otherwise be available. Training courses can be recorded, so they can then be replayed by the customer or those providing the training. The organization is far simpler -- and cancellation, should it be required, has less of a downside, so staff can be more flexible when arranging the web-training event. The savings involved in time, cost, and organization mean that, where necessary, it is possible to extend web-training and devote more time to repeat lessons or maintain contact with trainees over a longer period of time.

Using web conferencing for training is different from a face-to-face approach, and you need to take that into account. If you invite too many people to attend the conference, then there will not be enough time to answer everyone's questions. If you are dealing with highly-specific issues (as opposed to an overview), then you may find that some kind of personal contact is still necessary.

Overall, the benefits of web-based training are so great that this has become a major growth area in the field of web conferencing.

Differences Between Web Conferencing and Video Conferencing

The denizens of hi-tech like to throw around buzz words. Thirty years ago hardly anything was called "high-tech" or even "hi-tec," but now it seems even kid's toys have embraced technology and trademarked buzz words. High-tech, once an obscure buzzword itself, is now so commonly in use that it has a nickname (hi-tec) that we all take for granted.

Web conferencing is no different. Once you swim in the world of computerized long-distance meetings, you start to forget that terms that are now completely obvious are actually double-dutch to many people. You find yourself looking at sites talking about web-conferencing, video-conferencing, and audio-conferencing and wondering, "What does it all mean?" "Doesn't web conferencing also involve the use of video?" "Doesn't web conferencing also involve the use of audio?"

This is my point. While both video-conferencing and web-conferencing use video, they are far from being the same thing. But in the world of Internet buzzwords, the two often get confused -- and you can start to wonder why the same thing is being given different names. Video conferencing does just what it says: video and, if you manage to wire things correctly, audio will also get transmitted, and people in different places can talk while pretending to be Hollywood directors.

Web conferencing however, goes beyond that. In web conferencing, you can take control of someone's screen and make them spend five minutes watching Timmy try to hold a cup in his bath while sending them text messages at the same time. Unlike video conferencing, the video they watch need not be live, it could be a recording of your holiday in Jamaica. The best part of web conferencing is that it does not have to be a video -- it could be an Excel chart, a PowerPoint presentation, or five minutes of you trying to find Jamaica on Google Earth. That is the great advantage of web conferencing.

Yes, it is similar to video-conferencing -- but the point is that it can do a whole lot of things that video conferencing cannot. It is -- quite literally -- on a higher plane. If you wish to worship at the altar of high technology, then video conferencing is simply not sufficiently hi-tech. What you need is web conferencing. And the beauty of the whole thing is that video-conferencing frequently involves far more complex and expensive machinery. This is one of the wonders of our modern, technological age -- it is not the size of your tool that counts but the simple, flexible purposes for which it can be used. And quite often, the small (or even Microsoft) is truly beautiful.

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Web Conferencing and the Modern Family

We live in the age of the post-nuclear family. People marry, have kids, divorce, remarry, and have more kids. The family explodes outwards as they move from city to city and country to country, and before you know it, staging a family get-together becomes extremely expensive. Cost is not the only problem. Try coordinating convenient times with a hoard of former spouses, some of whom have yet to forgive the affair, the enormous cost of alimony, and who cannot even agree on the time of day, let alone whether Timmy should leave the country for a week in January. As luck would have it, when you finally arrange to meet at Susan's wedding or David's bar mitzvah, some volcano erupts and spreads its ashes over your family's plans in Europe.

Web conferencing provides a simple solution to the family get-together. Yes, it's no substitute for gathering under the mistletoe, but it's probably the next-best thing -- and it means the family can chat once in a while without requiring the services of a full-time social secretary and a private airline. These days, some families need web conferencing just to meet over dinner. Everyone sits in his room with his private laptop, TV, and phone. For families who prize reduced carbon emissions, it also saves a lot of fuel, and if you really cannot abide being in the same room as Aunt Edna -- well, you you do not need to. If it is really bad, you can just cut her camera off.

People are becoming more computer-savvy, and features that were once exclusive to the computer are spreading to the mobile phone. Web conferencing is now becoming possible over the phone, and many families are learning to use web conferencing as a facility for keeping the family together. Well -- at least in touch.

Like business web conferences, family web conferences still require some organization: someone will need to be the focal point of the meeting, and a little organization may be necessary to coordinate times (though far less than for physically transporting people). Using laptops and wireless technologies, web conferencing now means distant families can see tours of new houses and get views of new family members. In some countries, social services have begun using web conferencing as a way of helping children in care keep in touch with their families.

So, if you haven't yet staged a family web conference, maybe now is the time to give it a try. It probably won't be simple at first, but it is not very difficult -- and in no time, your family will be chatting round the computer.

Don't forget: "Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." -- Jane Howard

Learn Web Conferencing Etiquette

While web-conferencing performs the same basic function as physical meetings, there are critical differences. It is important to be aware of the distinctive etiquette of holding a web conference. Broadly speaking, web-conferencing etiquette can be divided into things you do before the meeting (preparation) and manners or rules of behavior during the meeting.

Before the meeting.

Test your web-conferencing software, and make sure all participants are able to run it. Unfamiliar software will normally have teething problems -- and if you don't test it beforehand, your meeting is likely be spent figuring out minor issues.

Consider the setting. Even in a web meeting, there are things behind you, noises being made, people moving in and out, blinding sunlight from the window, or strange pictures of optical illusions hanging on your wall. Make sure that the location from which you are transmitting will enable both you and those watching you to participate in the meeting without distractions and that nobody will disturb you during the meeting. Unlike regular meetings, web conferences may be less obvious to outsiders, so interruption may be likely.

Check any files that you are planning to transmit. Will they display on other people's machines? Could they contain viruses? Do they hold secret information that you don't want transmitted out of the building?

Prepare an agenda as well as a list of those attending the meeting and send them to the participants so everybody knows what you are going to be doing and who will be there during the meeting.

During the Meeting.

If you are the meeting's organizer or coordinator, you need to be online at least ten minutes before the meeting starts so that people can connect to you and ask any questions. Start on time and, if possible, introduce everyone at the start of the meeting. As with regular meeting, remember to turn off your cell phone.

Dress for a meeting. Don't assume that you are absolved from looking the part because images are relayed through a camera. When you speak, look into the camera. This gives a better impression than a side view of the speaker. Avoid excessive use of your hands or off-camera motion. Don't put your face too close to the camera.

It might be worth muting your microphone while you are not speaking to prevent noise from distracting other participants, but remember to switch it on before you speak. Avoid off-topic activities during the web conference as this will prevent you from following what is happening and irritate other participants. If you are typing or engaging in any noise-inducing activity while other people speak, you definitely want to mute your microphone. Eating and drinking during web conferences is inadvisable, especially if you haven't muted your microphone. You don't want people distracted by the sound of you chomping.

If you're addressing a question to someone, make sure you say their name so that everyone knows to whom the question is being addressed.

Even more than in regular office meetings, those attending a web conference can all too easily tune out and start doing other things. Therefore, it is essential to adhere to etiquette and to ensure that meetings are conducted with the appropriate gravitas.

Why Web Conference? The Benefits of Web Conferencing

In the current recession, many traditional businesses are struggling to survive, but one sector is flourishing: the Internet. That's because moving activities to the Web can cut costs significantly while making your business more efficient at the same time.

Web conferencing is an important part of the process in which modern business is moving on-line. Instead of flying people around the globe at great expense and length of time -- or even driving across town -- they can meet without leaving the office. Conferencing can occur more frequently than in the past, it can happen at a fraction of the cost, scheduling is easier, and there is no loss of valuable time in airports and traffic jams.

While executives may miss their perks, the rest of the staff can benefit: lower-level conferences between staffs in different companies are far easier to arrange and can take place without anyone leaving the building (or even his cubicle). Collaboration becomes easier and more effective. The files you need are no longer in another country, city, or building -- and you can access them immediately. Just think of all the suppliers and customers with whom you interact and how much simpler life would be if you could meet them more frequently -- and record the meeting.

Still, web conferencing doesn't have to be with other companies. Staff can meet without ever leaving their homes. Companies could give everyone a day to work at home and still hold conferences in which all those at home participate. The kid's sick? Well, mom can still take part in a conference without leaving the house (even though junior may bounce around in the background).

Finally, there is an environmental payoff. A company's carbon footprint will be significantly reduced as well while the firm saves money.

Barriers Still Exist to Web Conferencing Deployments

Productivity improvements continue to be a key focus for companies of all sizes and segments as the economy demands efficiency in order to be profitable. This productivity is much more realistically accomplished when geographically dispersed organizations can gain face-time with partners and colleagues without the need to travel.

To address this issue, an increasing number of companies are turning to Web conferencing solutions. According to numerous studies conducted by IntelliCom Analytics, the business appeal of remote conferencing and collaboration applications continues to rise.

Analysis from these studies of more than 3,000 decision makers reveals that that affordability and ease of use continue to be the biggest two selection criteria for organizations seeking to adopt Web conferencing solutions.

Web conferencing and collaboration technology has advanced far beyond traditional fixed room systems and now includes software-enabled laptop and single-user desktop units. Even with a new ease of accessibility and implementation, there is still a common perception throughout the global market that such solutions are of high cost and are difficult to use, blocking rapid adoption.

In fact, nearly 40 percent of all companies participating in this survey cited budget concerns as their number one barrier to Web conferencing deployments. The second most significant barrier appeared to be cultural issues as one out of five decision makers indicated that collaboration did not fit for the way they currently do business.

Even with these apparent barriers for some companies, the adoption of conferencing solutions is continuing to grow. In a recent Frost & Sullivan report, it was determined that more than half of respondents believe using conferencing tools –whether audio or Web – is an effective alternative to making in-person office visits.

As this technology continues to evolve, companies of all sizes are finding that this approach to collaboration and face-to-face communications are an efficient way to drive business while also controlling costs.

Whether a company needs to set up scheduled conferences or use the technology on-the-fly, Web conferencing delivers the communication method necessary for multi-state or multi-national location communications when simplicity and flexibility are a must have.

Not every company culture will be ready to utilize Web conferencing as a primary source of business communications. In fact, some may have to slowly introduce the concept in order to ensure adoption and use within the organization.

At the same time, some organizations may be operating a branch in a location where Web conferencing goes against cultural norms. Certain obstacles may always exist, but even small changes in communication strategy can drive improved productivity that can be measured in the bottom line.

TeleCollaboration Supported by North American Business Employees

Collaboration is an important element in driving productivity and efficiency in any business, but especially those corporations that traverse international borders. This collaboration is truly only possible with the use of conferencing solutions such as audio and web conferencing.

In a recent survey conducted by Harris/Decima, North American business employees support the use of TeleCollaboration in the workplace. In fact, 68 percent of survey respondents support the investment in TeleCollaboration, which is defined as the combination of collaboration tools with multi-party, high-definition, conferencing software.

Value of TeleCollaboration Tools

These tools are designed to provide full visual interaction with real-time desktop sharing, collaboration and recording. Each of these functions can be essential in driving effective collaboration by way of robust conferencing solutions.

Such solutions are essential in today’s business environment and when asked whether or not collaboration tools such as conferencing would benefit their businesses, almost 70 percent of respondents confirmed that it is the new way to meet and communicate with clients and colleagues.

Another 68 percent of respondents agree that they would use TeleCollaboration at least once a month in their business operations. Such a response is indicative of the growing necessity for conducting business over a disparate workforce. TeleCollaboration is also growing as the preferred means of connecting employees, customers and partners.

The Demand for Conferencing Grows

The demand for new tools is increasing, especially among those business users who rely on newer communication tools such as instant messaging and social networking sites. In fact, 57 percent of respondents report a growing demand for desktop audio and web conferencing.

For softphone users, 50 percent have reported an increase in the overall use of collaboration tools. With the rapid growing rate of adoption among this segment of users, it is easy to assume they are becoming more mobile and are capturing the benefits from collaboration tools so they are more accessible and productive.

Even with the proposed cost benefits in TeleCollaboration, there is still debate over its implementation. Of those who participated in the survey who travel for work, 39 percent would prefer communication and/or collaboration tools in place of travel. With the advancements in technology, face time can still be a reality. The challenge is overcoming initial costs in implementation.

"Surveys of this nature are great because they offer a bird's eye view into an organization's thoughts and priorities regarding its collaboration needs," said John Fricker, SVP technology of Harris/Decima. "Our work [highlights] the pulse of what North American business employees think about collaboration tools, and provides valuable insight for addressing the rapidly changing needs of today's businesses."

Why a Nonprofit Should Go Green in a Virtual World

Tight budgets are generally a standard business practice for a nonprofit, so looking for ways to streamline operations to cut costs is nothing new in this sector. A new trend that could be causing pressure for the nonprofit is the focus on being “Green”. While it is considered to be good for the environment, not all Green processes are light on the pocketbook.

So, why should the nonprofit worry about whether or not they follow this latest trend? For one, many of the same people responsible for supporting the nonprofit with donations and volunteer hours are also socially conscious and want the nonprofit to be carbon friendly. The best way to achieve this goal is through Web conferencing.

Environmental Cost

Consider the environmental cost of air travel. One 2,500 mile flight for one person emits 760 pounds of CO2, which is the equivalent of 5 percent of a U.S. home’s electricity use for one year. When Web conferencing provides the face-to-face collaboration time you need without the air travel, your organization does not contribute to energy waste and saves the cost of the plane ticket, the hotel stay, the rental car, etc.

Web conferencing provides a platform for virtual meetings where live interaction is possible. Participants all sit at their own computer and are connected to other conference participants by way of their Internet connection. When live attendance is not possible due to scheduling conflicts or time differences, the conference can also be recorded in its entirety so absent attendees can later listen to the presentation and interaction, view slide shows or demonstrations and more.

Ease of Participation

One of the key attributes of Web conferencing that makes it so easy to use is not all participants are required to have specific software on their system in order to participate in the event. While the software can be downloaded, it can also run on a virtual server that allows the participant to simply click on or enter a URL to join the conference.

Robust tools allow for more than just voices and images on a computer screen. Online collaboration and conferencing is maximized through voice, chat, instant messaging, desktop sharing, virtual sticky notes, whiteboards, editing capabilities and so much more. Such robust tools are now more readily available to nonprofits as their cost no longer negates the benefit they can deliver.

With Web conferencing technology tools – now available at a fraction of the cost of first generation systems – the nonprofit can take a more environmentally friendly approach to doing business, while keeping their sights set on the main goals of the organization.

Conferencing Solutions Fill the Communications Gap

It is not uncommon in this economy for a budget planner within a company or non-profit to feel the pressure associated with travel prices. After all, too many commercial organizations have seen their sales take a drastic decline and profits suffer as price competition intensified. To reverse this trend, it is even more important to push customer face-time and internal collaboration – but how do you offset this cost with fewer financial resources?

Communication Technologies

The good news is that new advancements in the communications technology space have enabled companies with geographically dispersed clients and employees to drive these important communications without breaking their travel budgets. Audio conferencing has long been an effective tool of collaboration, but the much-valued face-time is missing. To fill this gap, more and more companies are turning to Web conferencing.

Web conferencing is gaining a lot of attention in this current market as businesses continue to move toward greater globalization and virtualization. Businesses continue to spread across multiple states or countries and effective communication is a necessity for market success. In addition, consumers are putting increased pressure on companies to “Go Green” and reduce their carbon footprint. Such eco-friendly goals are easily accomplished with conferencing solutions.

Web Conferencing Offers Benefits

Audio conferencing continues to be the most used application throughout the global economy, although companies of all sizes are increasingly adopting Web conferencing solutions to drive greater communication capabilities. One of the key differentiators for Web conferencing is the ability to not only incorporate face-time with your colleagues or clients, but also other visuals that make it an interactive experience.

Web conferencing also offers a significantly low implementation cost, while it is simple to deploy and use. What was once considered technology out of reach for smaller companies or non-profits with tight budgets is becoming readily available for those willing to take the risk with a new way of communicating. If such processes are built into the culture of the organization, a move toward this type of face-to-face communication is practically seamless.

There will continue to be a need for audio conferencing in the corporate and non-profit environments, but the ultimate goal is to drive collaboration and revenue. If travel costs are preventing the optimization of either key focus, a change must be made. With today’s conferencing solutions and low deployment costs, there is no reason why any company should lose a sale or suffer a strategy breakdown as a result of poor communications.

Web Conferencing Enjoying Growth in European Market Despite Looming Challenges

Even as the economy is trying to right itself toward a recovery, companies are still making decisions that will ensure financial strength into 2010. As a result, travel expense reduction continues to be a key budget initiative, while productivity remains a priority. For global markets, how does a company effectively balance the two?

Frost & Sullivan recently examined this phenomenon in the European market and found that hosted web conferencing services continue to be a focus tool as companies seek significant reductions in their capital expenditure (CAPEX). This has spurred strong growth across the enterprise communication sector.

European Hosted Web Conferencing Services Market, a report from Frost & Sullivan, found that the market earned revenues of $162.6 million in 2008 and estimates it will reach $657.1 million in 2014. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is projected at 26.2 percent.

Research Analyst Iwona Petruczynik said in a company release, "The global recession and stringent environmental laws introduced by the European Parliament in 2008 are driving organizations to reduce their travel expenses and comply with 'green' policies. Web conferencing services certainly help in achieving these objectives."

Web Conferencing Awareness Grows

In terms of hosted solutions, this segment grew at 14.9 percent from 2007 to 2008 as a result of the growing awareness of the value of web conferencing and a greater penetration throughout vertical, small and medium businesses (SMBs). A high demand for web conferencing services is likely in Germany, France and the United Kingdom due to high awareness of the tool, well-developed infrastructures and the presence of several global companies.

Traditionally, the perception among companies has been that  web conferencing is difficult to use or expensive to implement. This perception kept many SMBs believing that web conferencing was out of their reach as a collaboration tool and stunted the growth rate in this sector. New integrated solutions now entering the market are changing the game, making web conferencing more affordable and within reach.

Challenges Remain

In the European market, continued globalization and the continued drive for virtualization are both boosting the growth of web conferencing services. At the same time, this market is also facing specific challenges, including intensifying competition, increasing price pressures and the general low awareness of web conferencing services.

"The entry of big, global web conferencing services vendors such as Cisco and Microsoft into the European market is likely to threaten the smaller regional participants," added Petruczynik. " These local independent providers are responding by offering more competitively priced services which, in turn, will impel the larger vendors to lower prices."

While price will play a role in selecting the preferred provider for web conferencing solutions, those companies who can deliver the best value in conferencing solutions will enjoy strong market performance.

Web Conferencing- Five Etiquette Tips

While etiquette may be struggling to regain its once prominent place in a society now inhabited by five generations and exploding morays, online manners are still in their infancy. Just understanding the new acronyms can be a challenge. You may know that LOL means lots of laughs or laugh out loud but what does QT or HOAS mean? (Answers at the end.)

While a lapse in social etiquette may only cause some confusion, a business on line etiquette snafu can cost money.

If you're one of the many companies taking advantage of the convenient web conferencing services on the web, you know they're good for business. They bring you and your customers together, save on travel costs and can even increase sales.

So, if you want to avoid any snarky situations that can cause a less than favorable opinion of you and your business, consider these five pointers.

• Stay in the moment - Most of us think we’re born listeners just because our ears work. That’s like saying you are a born pianist because your family had a piano in the house. --Linda Eve Diamond

  It's no wonder listening is hard when we speak at 125 to 250 words per minute but think at 1000 to 3000 words per minute. And in a web or audio conference, we think we can multitask because no one sees us.

  Refrain from taking calls, answering emails or speaking with someone else during a web conference. Remember, you're in a meeting.

  Stay in the moment with all of the participants, all of the time. The simple fact you can't see everyone means you'll lose up to 55 percent of the total meaning (8 percent is the spoken word and 38 percent the tone). So, you have to remain alert.

  Listen. The simple, quiet act of listening will make you uniquely valued in the world. --Linda Eve Diamond

• Ask specific questions- For example, refrain from asking, "Does anyone have a question?" You might say, "What are your thoughts on xxx?" or Please give me your comments about xxx.
• Engage your audience- As a speaker, it's tougher holding a remote audience. (It's hard enough when they're in front of you!). So, if you have visuals, intersperse relevant cartoons, quotes, or pictures with your presentation, Your audience will thank you for it.
• Sync audio and visual- You want to avoid being in a situation where you're discussing a new offering but the visual is showing your company mission statement. Make sure that any visuals match the topic being discussed.
• Reassure- While web conferences are becoming more commonplace, and you've sent invitations with all of the pertinent information, still do the following:
  • State which meeting everyone is in
  • Let the participants know how to connect
  • Let them know how to reconnect
  • Let them know the expected length of the session
  • Review the objective of the meeting

If you can master these five web conferencing rules, you'll get the most from this cost effective and efficient feature.

BTW (by the way), QT means (cutie) and HOAS means (hold on a second).