Posted by Kathleen S on Thu, Dec 24, 2009 @ 08:31 AM
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).
Posted by Kathleen S on Wed, Dec 23, 2009 @ 08:07 AM
Audio conferencing solutions can make great fiscal and productivity sense for any size corporation. For those who are operating in the non-profit sector, a solution that can drive maximum collaboration in real-time and at a low cost can be an extremely attractive solution. Here, we’ll provide you with a few tips on what you can to do maximize your conferencing experience.
Tip #1 The Moderator
Ensuring there is a moderator in place during every audio conferencing call is essential to the success of the call. The moderator ensures that everyone who is supposed to be on the call is actually on the call; that the agenda items that need to be covered receive the necessary attention; and that one caller is not able to dominate the conversation when collaboration and teamwork are the main goal.
It is certainly possible to conduct a conference call without a moderator, but call participants often find that a clear focus and a specific goal are very difficult to achieve if there is not a definite leader in the call. The role of the moderator can easily be filled by a normal member of the conference call, as long as this is clearly defined ahead of time.
Tip #2 The Agenda
How often have you been on a phone call that tends to drone on without a clear focus or direction? Conference calls are especially at risk of such haphazard activity and pointless babble if an agenda is not clearly formed and distributed to all conference call participants before the time of the call.
Keep in mind that people who view meetings and conference calls as simply time wasters that detract from their normal work duties tend to take a negative approach to their own participation. If they receive a well constructed agenda ahead of the call time and the agenda is followed during the call, that perception can easily be changed.
Tip #3 The Record Option
While the information on your conference call is important, it may interfere with pre-set appointments or present other scheduling challenges. When this happens, moderators can take advantage of the Record Option. This function allows you to record the call so that all information can be disseminated later by those who were unable to participate in the live call.
Even if all intended participants are able to take part in the conference call, the Record Option serves as a permanent record of the conversation. Whether you need to support a verbal contract, contribute to the resolution of a dispute or merely to recount specific details, recording the call will provide the backup information you need.
Tip #4 The Follow-Up
Finally, follow-up with those individuals who were able to participate in the conference call to gauge their perception of the success of the call. Note their observations and evaluate whether or not you can make changes in the future to improve the conference call experience.
Posted by Kathleen S on Tue, Dec 22, 2009 @ 07:50 AM
The global economy has put increased demands on the small to medium sized business (SMB) sector. At the same time, many SMBs have felt the crunch of the economic impact. In order to stay viable, these companies must be able to drive effective communications among employees, partners and customers. When geographic locations are dispersed or employees telecommute, the SMB needs a robust conferencing solution.
Industry Research Suggests Growth
According to a recent Frost & Sullivan report, Meetings Around the World II: Charting the Course of Advanced Collaboration, 61 percent of organizations said they use collaboration technologies to cut the need for business travel. The same report also found that more than half of those responding think conferencing tools present a powerful alternative to making in-person office visits.
One interesting element found in this report was the impact conferencing can have in different regions of the world. For instance, conferencing tends to be in high demand within the Asia-Pacific region and the United States when face-to-face meetings are not possible or necessary. Europeans, however, tend to prefer in-person meetings and business travel.
The Telecommuting Connection
With the advancement in technologies over the past few years, a number of companies have implemented telecommuting platforms to allow employees to work from locations other than the physical brick and mortar building. Such a platform is more easily integrated when a conferencing solution is already in place.
In the Frost & Sullivan report, 47 percent of respondents reported they have a formal telecommuting policy in place, yet less than a third telecommute at least once a week. Another 22 percent telecommute on a daily basis and 61 percent would like to work from anywhere.
India tends to be the most telecommuting-friendly country as 59 percent of its organizations have a formal telecommuting policy and 48 percent telecommute on a daily basis. Hong Kong is in a close second at 54 percent and the United States currently comes in at 47 percent with as many as 25 percent of U.S. workers telecommuting daily.
Conferencing is Collaboration
Brian Cotton, vice president for information and communications technologies for Frost & Sullivan, noted that this research shows that the adoption of progressively more advanced unified communications and collaboration tools such as conferencing solutions can help organizations to achieve a strong return on collaboration while also improving processes across all business functions.
An apparent advantage with conferencing solutions is that a robust, collaborative platform, designed according to the needs of an SMB, can help to enable enterprises and organizations to speed decision making, increase productivity and improve interactions. Taking such an approach to communications can significantly develop the competitive edge.
Posted by Kathleen S on Mon, Dec 21, 2009 @ 08:09 AM
A recent article by Darlene Christopher, written for the American Society of Training and Development* and featured on her blog, discusses the PREP model for delivering training through web conferencing. The approach helps ensure a smoother, more successful delivery through good planning and preparation.
Ms. Christopher defines PREP as Planning, Rehearsal, Execution and Post Mortem. This last step, for the uninitiated, means that you review what you did to determine its effectiveness. The approach helps a company transition from traditional live instructor-led classroom training to training via web conferencing. The cost savings have resulted in a steep increase in the number of companies employing this method.
The essay points out that the folks in your company’s training department, or those tasked with training, need to avoid the temptation to simply convert their training slides to a web conferencing tool. There is a certain amount of preparation, beyond this simple approach, that will increase the effectiveness and success of the web conference training session.
The components of the PREP approach
The author suggests that trainers begin by becoming intimately familiar with their web conferencing platform. She proposes that having a thorough knowledge of the technology will allow the presenter to focus solely on the presentation and not the features of their conferencing platform.
Next, she covers logistics. If the web conference-based training is going out to participants in other time zones, or even other countries, the trainer should be aware of the time of day at each location. In the case of participants who span several countries, she suggests that the trainer consider holidays or days that participants may be away from work.
Logistical considerations extend to how your participants will receive the audio transmission. Will participants require headphones? Ms Christopher suggests that you test the audio equipment and the bandwidth capabilities at each location first.
Content should be kept succinct and engaging and opportunities for interaction should be inserted to keep the audience alert and connected. A script should be prepared for the facilitator and should include a timeline for each slide used during the training exercise. Delegate the primary roles for the training session including the facilitator, the subject matter expert and the producer.
Get it right before the actual session
The next step in the process is to get all key members of the facilitator team together and rehearse. This helps coordinate the roles of each member and provides for a smoother delivery. After rehearsing, the author has several suggestions for the actual execution of the event. She states that the facilitation team wants to log in a half hour early. Be punctual with your start and end times.
Displaying the dial-in number and audio information on the participant’s screen aids them with this key information. Provide instructions to participants about how they can interact during the training session and have an additional computer near you, logged in as a participant, so you can share their experience.
Ms. Christopher urges facilitators to do a post-mortem or a review of how the training session went. This involves feedback from both the participants and the facilitators. Participants can complete an online evaluation at the completion of the training exercise. Feedback from both groups aids in adjusting and tweaking the training to make instant improvements.
*PREP for Web Conferencing Success by Darlene Christopher. http://www.astd.org/lc/2009/1009_christopher.html
Posted by Kathleen S on Fri, Dec 18, 2009 @ 04:14 PM
Every company should have a Business Continuity Planning Checklist. This critical document can help an organization of any size to prepare for disruptions in business operations, including natural disasters, pandemics or outbreaks. As the flu season struck early with the emergence of the H1N1 virus, the idea of a complete office shut down is not out of the question.
Business continuity planning is something that enterprises with multiple data centers have down to a science – they have to in order to ensure they survive. For the smaller business or non-profit, it may be a concept that simply sits in the back of the mind of an administrator or even IT manager. In such cases, there is generally a plan for data backup or system restore. To be effective, however, your checklist must go beyond the obvious.
Can Your Business Survive a Closure?
No matter what your corporate policy, the inevitable cannot be planned. Instead, you have to plan for what you will do when the inevitable happens. What is important is planning how your business can continue to operate effectively if you have to close your doors for even a short period of time.
If this were to happen, adjustments would have to be made to daily operations. It does not mean that work comes to a full stop. With the right voice and data solutions in place, employees can still communicate with colleagues and clients, keeping the main focus on driving business initiatives.
In a Forrester study titled "Businesses Take Business Continuity Planning More Seriously,” the research firm recommends that business continuity plans (BCP) be documented, actionable and up-to-date. While Forrester recommends BCPs be updated continuously, especially when there are changes to business or IT operations, few businesses reach this goal.
The Role of Conferencing
While conferencing should be a key focus for any company wishing to compete in a global economy, it also plays an important role in business continuity planning. This technology allows for the planning of meetings “on the fly” that can take place at any time and from any location. Providing Web and audio conferencing to remote locations and offsite workers keeps the communication lines open, especially with those unaffected by the office closure.
No business can effectively predict when an outside occurrence or internal illnesses will disrupt the normal flow of business. With a business continuity checklist in place, the organization is ready for any interruption to drive business as usual, serve customers and keep the company moving in the right direction.
Posted by Kathleen S on Thu, Dec 17, 2009 @ 07:47 AM
It isn’t any surprise throughout the global economy that business travel is down. Too many companies are dealing with tighter budgets, scaled down operations and even fewer personnel to handle the daily business activities that drive revenue and keep the business viable in the market.
The challenge for the enterprise is to continue to drive effective communication and collaboration between colleagues, partners and customers. When face-to-face meetings are not possible or too expensive, these companies must rely on audio or Web conferencing in order to get the job done.
Research Shows Growth
A recent study released by Wainhouse Research reveals that Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) is expected to see significant growth throughout the global economy, presenting significant opportunity for those vendors operating in this space.
The report, "Worldwide Unified Communications Services Forecast" predicts the audio conferencing services market is also expected to see significant minute usage growth. The challenge for those players in the audio conferencing market is that the average selling price has fallen due to increased competition. New advancements in technology could change the playing field, benefitting end customers in the long run.
“Large companies who now outsource both email and audio/Web conferencing will be looking at adding presence-enabled messaging and conferencing as well as click-to-call and click-to-conference capabilities," said Wainhouse Research Senior Analyst and Partner E. Brent Kelly, in a statement.
The Economic Impact
The current state of the global economy is playing a significant role in the projections for UC and especially audio conferencing. The technologies that make up Unified Communications deliver considerable cost savings within the enterprise. As vendors educate clients on optimizing current implementations with available advancements, revenues will grow.
Challenges still remain, however, as companies have fewer resources to spread among their different divisions. Unless they are provided with hard dollar advantages in technologies, they are likely to put off implementation until the recovery is in full swing or at least their individual market enjoys growth.
Audio Conferencing Delivers Value
One advantage of audio conferencing is that it takes very little effort or even cost to implement the technology option into the enterprise and make its use a priority. Robust solutions available today from leading vendors integrate easily into current technology platforms and drive productivity and collaboration without driving significant change in the current culture.
At the end of the day, face-to-face meetings with always be the preferable communication method, but it is also the most expensive. To remain competitive, companies need technologies that enable them to drive productivity efficiently or risk obsolescence.
Posted by Kathleen S on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 @ 08:02 AM
There are a number of different communications tools that are now available to businesses. While each of them may have their own distinct uses and advantages, one challenge is to enjoy all of the benefits when the technologies are operating on different platforms, by different providers and according to different standards.
To address and overcome these challenges, a number of companies have turned to Unified Communications or UC. Taking such an approach to internal technologies enables a company to streamline communications, drive collaboration and keep productivity focused on the activities of the core business.
Orange Business Services recently revealed the findings of a study that surveyed more than 600 CIOs from multinational corporations operating in a wide range of industries. Not only did these respondents have a favorable opinion of UC, they also overwhelmingly believe it can have a positive impact on business efficiency.
Audio Conferencing as a Key Tool in UC
One of the most productive elements of UC for a multinational company is the ability to conference with those team members who are separated by geography. The technology available today makes audio conferencing a key element to driving efficiency, teamwork and collaboration.
According to the CIO study findings, organizations throughout the world support at least seven different communication tools and applications used by employees. When audio conferencing is a part of that mix, employees are able to develop a communication strategy that is in line with key business productivity targets.
Current Communication Challenges
UC serves as a platform to drive productive communications; therefore it directly addresses a glaring challenge noted by 95 percent of CIO respondents. These corporate leaders agree that UC has enabled them to improve business productivity, but the slow speed of communication is offsetting the benefit when too many channels are necessary to communicate effectively.
Audio conferencing helps to overcome this challenge as it directly addresses employee, colleague, partner and customer response time. As 35 percent of CIOs believe uncoordinated colleague contact can ultimately lead to decreased profitability and unhappy customers, the demand for audio conferencing and the streamlined communications it can deliver is great.
While Unified Communications overall includes such activities as integrating mobile devices into the enterprise, implementing real-time identification through presence, unified messaging, instant messaging and audio conferencing, it is the focus on audio conferencing that helps to drive direct collaboration and increased time to market on key business initiatives.
Posted by Kathleen S on Mon, Dec 14, 2009 @ 07:53 AM
As technologies have evolved over the past decade, the thought of allowing employees to work at home has gone from an approach that is only reserved for the executive level employee to one that can support the entire base. One such technology available today that makes telecommuting a reality for many is conferencing.
Benefits of Telecommuting
For those companies who have taken the leap into allowing more widespread telecommuting, they are experiencing greater productivity, lower costs, increased options for finding and keeping qualified staff and improved employee health, according to research from the Computing Technology Industry Association.
In this survey, 67 percent of respondents reported that their organization experienced greater worker productivity as a result of implementing a telecommuting platform that operated either full-time or part-time. For the most part, productivity is improved as employees no longer have to spend time getting to and from work.
CompTIA highlights that companies who have implemented a telecommuting platform are reaping the benefits of cost savings as office-related materials are used less and travel is reduced. Cost savings are a significant benefit, even when the global economy is not in the midst of a recession.
As stated by Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA."With 'anywhere' connectivity, faster broadband options and online conferencing choices, the opportunity for virtual offices is greater today and more affordable for businesses of all sizes and types."
A Free Flow of Communication
In a telecommuting environment, conferencing plays a large role as it allows for the free flow of communication between colleagues, partners, customers and prospects. Employees can use audio or Web conferencing from any location to talk with as many individuals as necessary to conduct priority business initiatives.
Companies in operation today are concerned with more than just the bottom line. To be competitive and achieve differentiation in the market, companies of all sizes must be able to embrace new technologies and platforms that support the demands and passions of consumers. One growing concern is a company’s carbon footprint.
Those organizations who can demonstrate a proactive approach to reducing their carbon footprint through telecommuting and conferencing can help to drive a better and more powerful position in the overall market. Green initiatives are not as much of a fad as once assumed and consumers want the companies with which they do business to use technology to reduce their reliance on natural resources.
While telecommuting does require changes within the corporate environment in order to make it successful, one of the first steps is to incorporate conferencing between employees, colleagues, partners and customers. By making conferencing a priority now, it will be a natural choice for all communications when telecommuting becomes a viable option to drive productive change.
Posted by Kathleen S on Fri, Dec 11, 2009 @ 07:58 AM
Audio conferencing as a method of effective communications within the enterprise is being used more and more by businesses due to the convenience and affordability the options available today can deliver. As the global economy continues on a path of slow recovery, companies of all sizes must be able to balance communication costs with operational needs to remain competitive and productive.
Addressing Critical Needs
Audio conferencing equipment is put in place to address critical needs as it helps businesses to conduct and participate in teleconference interactions. It also helps to improve business communications with clients located nationally or internationally. For those with locations separated by vast geography, audio conferencing solutions help to bridge the communication gap.
As the telecommuting platform has gained an increased presence in the workforce, more and more employees are working either from home or remote locations. Such a move can made tremendous economic sense for a company, but they must have certain technologies in place to make it work well within a traditional environment. When audio conferencing is a priority means of communication, teamwork and collaboration become an important focus.
Understanding Needs
The challenge for any company is to look at the audio conferencing market and the number of solutions and accessories available and then pick one. Before such a selection should ever be made, the organization needs to understand exactly what they needs are so they are sure the choice satisfies the need.
Decision makers should be asking questions such as:
- Do we want wireless?
- Is wired better?
- Where will we use the technology?
- Who will we communicate with most often?
- What is our budget?
- How important is support?
- How much training is involved?
- What benefits do we expect to receive?
A clear understanding of what they hope to accomplish with the implementation of audio conferencing technologies will help to ensure the right decision is made the first time.
Satisfy Needs Before Wants
With a number of different solutions available on the market today, a decision maker should answer the questions above and then make a list of “Must Haves” and a list of “ Would Like to Haves”. Once he or she has satisfied the items on the first list, he or she can see how many of the second list they can find. This method ensures the selection actually meet the needs before it meets the wants.
When all is said and done, the company must not forget about style. This isn’t in reference to how a person looks in a headset, but instead the presentation of the equipment when on a call. A client does not want to see a room of disarrayed wires and accessories as this gives a lazy impression. The style of communications lends to the perception of professionalism a company creates. This doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker, but it should be a priority.
Posted by Kathleen S on Wed, Dec 09, 2009 @ 09:25 AM
When Web conferencing first emerged on the scene as a communication option to bridge the geographic boundaries companies were facing, the technology was less than optimal. Connections were somewhat slow, communications were choppy and the ability to get a clear picture of the other party and important key elements to the conference was practically non-existent. These challenges certainly kept many from even attempting to implement this process internally.
Fast forward to today and the technology options available in Web conferencing make the experience almost as good as being in the same room. High speed connections and digital audio create a virtual experience that can also incorporate shared documents and applications to keep everyone on the same page. Despite these technological advances, however, some companies are still hesitant to implement this communication option.
The Benefits Examined
Whether it is a fear of the unknown or worry over the security of such communications, let’s take a look at the benefits that Web conferencing can provide.
- Support – when a key player on your team is located in another city, state or country, you need to be able to collaborate on a consistent basis. Web conferencing provides the perfect portal so you can get – and give – the necessary support to keep your projects moving forward.
- Experience – when a project is on the table that can make or break your fiscal year, do you really want the weight of the entire thing solely on you? Web conferencing allows you to draw from your more experienced colleagues and bring them into the process.
- Safety in Numbers – some can always produce a better outcome than one. When you incorporate Web conferencing into the process, you can draw on ideas and opinions of others to produce a better overall result.
- Learning – it is always more productive to learn by talking and interacting with others than it is by simply reading on your own.
- Contact – regular contact with other members of your team is so important for optimal performance in any situation. When you take advantage of the technologies available to you, the outcome is better for all involved.
In an ideal environment, you have the optimal time to spend on projects or other initiatives that drive revenue for the company and move business initiatives forward. If collaboration with offsite team members is necessary and beneficial, Web conferencing allows you to have that access without spending wasted hours traveling. At the same time, you can schedule these conferences according to everyone’s calendar to derive the most benefit. Streamlined communication really can drive results; take advantage of the technology to make it happen.
Posted by Kathleen S on Tue, Dec 08, 2009 @ 08:00 AM
With all the talk about the H1N1 virus and the widespread outbreak, some may wonder what it really has to do with the corporate environment. Unfortunately, as people are getting sick and it is a communicable disease, companies are better off if their employees stay home to recover rather than infecting other employees by coming to work.
The problem with this particular virus is that it is affecting a great number of people and keeping them out of commission for much longer than illnesses experienced in the past. The reach is so significant that companies have restricted travel to places like Mexico City to help keep exposure at a minimum.
Conferencing to Keep Business Moving
Even with safeguards in place, your employees can still get sick. As illness strikes, however, you still need to be able to continue to drive business initiatives and remain competitive. To do so, you need to carry out live, interactive communications with customers, partners, colleagues and prospects.
In such situations, conferencing solutions can play an essential role. When audio and Web systems are introduced into the corporate environment as a key means for communication, business professionals can carry out live, interactive communications regardless of their location. A person can communicate very effectively, even if still recovering from an illness.
For a number of years, companies have been using conferencing as a means to save time and money. As technologies have evolved and conferencing has become a standard means of collaboration, all communications within the corporate environment have been streamlined. With the outbreak of the H1N1, exposure is reduced and yet business can continue as usual.
Conferencing Choices to Fit Specific Needs
With the technologies available today, businesses of all sizes can take advantage of audio conferencing, which allows for multiple users to communicate at once over the telephone and Web conferencing, which allows users to communicate through the computer.
One obvious change in the market today is the access to these technologies for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It is no longer necessary for companies to invest in hardware and software implementations that can demand too much upfront capital. Now, conferencing can be done with minimal investments, yet with higher quality, to drive collaboration.
There is no guarantee that the H1N1 will quickly dispense and the threat will no longer exist. As the threat of a greater outbreak continues, the U.S. government could easily issue their own travel restrictions. To combat this reality, companies can implement robust conferencing solutions that allow professionals to continue to communicate and collaborate so that business initiatives will move forward and strategies for profitability can stay on course.
Posted by Kathleen S on Mon, Dec 07, 2009 @ 09:06 AM
There is an impending change in the market in relation to communications that will benefit customer
companies greatly. According to new data from Wainhouse Research, the intersection of online
collaboration with mobility, VoIP, Unified Communications and Social Networking, is expected to
change how collaboration services are packaged, priced and used.
Market Forecast
The worldwide online collaboration and conferencing market is schedule to hit $7.1B by 2013.
Included in this forecast is the expectation that total audio conferencing volume will nearly
double between 2008 and 2013. Minutes of audio conferencing are expected to surpass 102B minutes
and revenue will increase by nearly $1B.
Surprisingly, even with growing unemployment – which has limited and will continue to
limit the number of user accounts – individual account usage has grown. In other words,
while fewer people may be currently using audio conferencing and other online collaboration
tools, those that are using them are doing so more frequently, a trend that is expected to
continue.
Good News for Pricing
The good news for audio conferencing customers is that average prices for this service are expected
to decline at a slow pace and are likely to be bundled with new services. At the same time,
Web conferencing is expected to rise dramatically, which should speed time to market of new
capabilities and improved technologies. Revenue in this area is expected to grow at slower rates
as hosting options are changing the dynamics of pricing models throughout the industry.
Companies the world over are finding that collaboration tools are an essential element to the
ongoing success of the business. Budgets have not loosened their tightening grip as companies
looking ahead to 2010 aren’t convinced the recession is completely done.
As such, they have to be able to drive collaboration and teamwork without increasing the cost flow.
Audio conferencing and Web conferencing provide essential tools that allow for all players to
focus on driving the core initiatives of the business.
User Demands Still Growing
While such conferencing tools are increasingly delivering value to customers throughout the world,
the demand for their associated technologies is growing. At the same time, users are demanding even
better quality, ease-of-use and integration. Such elements will be competitive differentiators in
the market as it will no longer be enough for a provider to simply offer the services.
As these conferencing tools become a routine part of daily operations, IT organizations will struggle
to deliver consistent, customized and cost-effective options if they fail to partner with a company
that can deliver on customized services that are flexible and scalable according to the needs of
the company. Those solutions that can leverage existing infrastructure to deliver optimal
conferencing experience will dominate into 2010.
Posted by Kathleen S on Fri, Dec 04, 2009 @ 08:00 AM
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, pictures or videos 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).
Posted by Kathleen S on Fri, Dec 04, 2009 @ 07:56 AM
In this time of increasing tight budgets and streamlined processes, companies are finding that Web conferencing is delivering a high quality alternative to in-person meetings. This technology enables employees to remain productive, while also conducting the necessary face-to-face meetings without actually joining the other person in the same room.
The prevalence of the Internet and the proliferation of broadband connections throughout the enterprise have made Web conferencing a viable option for many. In addition to the increased productivity and efficiency that Web conferencing can provide, many are also finding that they are able to significantly improve their bottom line by making this channel of communication a priority.
The impact on the bottom line is felt not only through a reduction in business travel, but also as a result of improved technologies that enable conferencing providers to deliver their services for much less than they could even three years ago. Much of the technology a company needs to facilitate Web conferencing, they already have in place. Partnering with a preferred provider will complete the final step in productive conferencing.
The Demand for Web Conferencing Grows
In today’s global economy, there has been a dynamic change in the supply chain for labor, goods and services. This chain has been flattened and accelerated, while at the same time, it has become more complex. As a result, there is an exponential need to communicate and collaborate globally between suppliers, manufacturing, R&D, sales, marketing, finance and others.
Web conferencing delivers a key step in collaboration and communication that is not always achieved with audio conferencing. When parties to the conference have the advantage of visuals, such as body language and presentation pieces that may be included in the conference, the value of the communication shared grows significantly.
The Next Generation
Companies are starting to pay attention to this preferred method of communication among their younger employees, those classified as Generations X&Y. By adopting technologies that cater to this sector – instead of demanding that they immerse themselves in a culture stuck in the past – a company can benefit from the increased productivity as these employees will embrace such technologies as part of getting the job done.
This generation is also very akin to getting the work done when the work happens. Too often, these individuals are not working a 9-5 type schedule or their regular work schedule does not coincide with their colleagues halfway around the world. As a result, these professionals need a way to connect that does not necessarily conform to traditional work hours or even work settings.
Technology today has enabled the workplace to move away from traditional methods, toward an environment and flow that can keep more in pace with changing market and consumer demands. With Web conferencing, a company can ensure they stay one step ahead of that demand in order to secure their long-term place in the market.
Posted by Kathleen S on Thu, Dec 03, 2009 @ 04:20 PM
When
Web conferencing
first emerged on the scene as a communication option to bridge the
geographic boundaries companies were facing, the technology was less
than optimal. Connections were somewhat slow, communications were
choppy and the ability to get a clear picture of the other party and
important key elements to the conference was practically non-existent.
These challenges certainly kept many from even attempting to implement
this process internally.
Fast forward to today and the
technology options available in Web conferencing make the experience
almost as good as being in the same room. High speed connections, high
definition video and digital audio all create a virtual experience that
can also incorporate shared documents and applications to keep everyone
on the same page. Despite these technological advances, however, some
companies are still hesitant to implement this communication option.
The Benefits Examined
Whether
it is a fear of the unknown or worry over the security of such
communications, let's take a look at the benefits that Web conferencing
can provide.
• Support - when a key player on your team is
located in another city, state or country, you need to be able to
collaborate on a consistent basis. Web conferencing provides the
perfect portal so you can get - and give - the necessary support to
keep your projects moving forward.
• Experience - when a
project is on the table that can make or break your fiscal year, do you
really want the weight of the entire thing solely on you? Web
conferencing allows you to draw from your more experienced colleagues
and bring them into the process.
• Safety in Numbers - some
can always produce a better outcome than one. When you incorporate Web
conferencing into the process, you can draw on ideas and opinions of
others to produce a better overall result.
• Learning - it
is always more productive to learn by talking and interacting with
others than it is by simply reading on your own.
• Contact -
regular contact with other members of your team is so important for
optimal performance in any situation. When you take advantage of the
technologies available to you, the outcome is better for all involved.
In
an ideal environment, you have the optimal time to spend on projects or
other initiatives that drive revenue for the company and move business
initiatives forward. If collaboration with offsite team members is
necessary and beneficial, Web conferencing allows you to have that
access without spending wasted hours traveling. At the same time, you
can schedule these conferences according to everyone's calendar to
derive the most benefit. Streamlined communication really can drive
results; take advantage of the technology to make it happen.
