If ever there was a time for businesses to tighten their purse strings and count their pennies, it is now. The struggle to survive the global economic downturn is an ongoing one for many companies, with a number of economies either in recession or teetering on the brink of it. However, there is little time for pessimism if the long-term goal is to emerge at the other end of the financial crisis as a solvent, profitable and thriving business. Now is the time to be taking proactive steps towards curbing all unnecessary expenditure and looking at ways to maintain growth and profitability, without having to compromise on the quality of services and products on offer. One of the biggest expenses that many organisations are faced with is travel. Whether it’s for internal company meetings, conferences or any other number of revenue-generating ventures, most organisations will need to network with the wider world at some point. But a combination of growing environmental concerns and less luxury money to burn on unnecessary expenditure is leading many companies to reassess their policies on business travel; especially given that there are perfectly viable alternatives to jumping on planes, trains and automobiles. In the age of the Internet, communicating with all corners of the globe has never been so simple. Emails and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology are now commonly used by organisations of all sizes, and has helped companies to cut their communications costs substantially. Those important business documents now no longer have to be couriered to the other side of the globe thanks to emails. But it is the substantial savings that can now be made relating to the sending of people to far off places which may well prove to be the real saviour of countless companies. Whilst telephones have played an important part of business communications for many decades now, they do have their limitations. Even telephone conferencing technology that facilitate more than two participants don’t offer true interaction in the same way as a real-life meeting would. With web conferencing however, we may at last have a genuine substitute for group meetings. A simple networked computer with the latest web conferencing software installed is all that’s required for companies to engage in rich, interactive and productive meetings. It’s possible to deliver presentations, collaborate on whiteboards, negotiate deals with clients and brainstorm new ideas that can help take the company forward. At a time when many businesses are adopting green policies whilst simultaneously trying to survive the global economic crisis, it would seem that web conferencing technology will go some way towards achieving both these goals.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tips for Using Video - Web Conferencing to Train, Manage and Support Your Sales Team
If you have a large sales force, spread out over wide distances, or if you have a small staff in various locations, then video and web conferencing is an ideal way to train, manage and support your team. In case you are wondering what online conferencing has to do with managing and training a sales force, here are a few ways to utilize this new technology.
1. Hold Virtual Online Sales Meetings
Instead of calling all your representatives to one physical point, you can set up a web conference and meet with them online. Your sales people only need a computer and a broadband connection to the Internet and they will be able to take part in the online sales meeting. The newest conferencing systems have a real time notepad allowing online brainstorming.
2. Hold Meetings More Frequently
Whenever your organization holds a physical meeting, then you have to pay a cost in terms of travel as well as in time lost from normal work. For this reason meetings have to be scheduled carefully and not too frequently. When the meetings are held online, the “opportunity costs” of your meetings are reduced because no one has to leave his or her location in order to attend. This should make it possible to hold your sales meetings more frequently, and take advantage of improved communication with lower costs.
3. Show Your Staff How to use Video Conferencing to Sell to and Support Customers
As you get more accustomed to online conferencing with your staff, you can use these meetings to train your staff in online conferencing skills so that they in turn can reach their contacts, clients and customers using the same online conferencing technology. Your sales people can meet a contact “face to face” online, demonstrate products and even perform after-sales service without leaving their offices once they become familiar with online conferencing. Your regularly scheduled online meetings offer a great opportunity to impart these skills to your staff.
4. Get Valuable Feedback From Your Team With Online Conferencing
Meetings do not have be a one-way street where only the organizer or presenter gives information or instructions to the attendees. Rather, online conferencing makes it possible for the executives to get valuable feedback from the field. For example, you can take a poll of your organization or get information via an online survey using the new instant polling and survey features of the newer web conferencing systems.
5. Inspire Your Team With Guest Speakers and Special Presentations
Once you have your online conferencing system set up, you can announce and hold meetings whenever you like. Use this channel of communication to educate and inspire your staff with the best speakers in your particular field of activity. Your guest presenters do not even have to come into your office, they too can participate online which will save you a lot of money in transportation and lodging costs.
Once you get the hang of online conferencing you will probably be able to add to this list and come up with even more ideas on training and supporting your sales team.
Web Conferencing ? Taking the Business World by Storm
Web Conferencing is a way in which two or more people from anywhere in the world can meet over the Internet to communicate and share information. Web conferencing enables the participants to work together sharing documents and applications by providing the necessary tools. It is possible to control remotely other peoples’ computers to aid in training and for help desk support. It is possible to demonstrate any application to clients without coming face to face with them. Organizations use these services to hold virtual seminars web based meetings and to interact with members or students in different corners of the world. Taking advantage of the power of the Internet, web conferencing tools make it possible to conduct meetings or giving presentations to clients and interacting with teams.
In today’s world organizations and management teams turn to web conferencing as an effective tool to conduct business meetings or demonstrations of their products. No wonder web conferencing is finding wide acceptance.
Wainhouse Research, Inc. conducted a survey and found that small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) were more likely to conduct a Web conference than meet with customers, partners and co-workers in person, over a six-month period (41% vs. 36%)
Another research firm, Gartner, predicts Web conferencing will be a standard method for
companies to conduct business in two years. As a result, market research firm Frost & Sullivan predicts Web conferencing will grow at a double-digit rate through 2011.
Web conferencing allows online training sessions, interactive meetings between people from many different places and multimedia presentations for businesses and many other purposes. It is easy to connect and communicate with a client or a company representative or executive through web conferencing irrespective of their locations. This saves a lot of time and effort as the whole team or organization gets to work together at the same time. The interactive nature of this system enables the parties concerned to share ideas and discuss issues and also for getting clients’ feedback instantly.
Some of the many advantages of web conferencing services are given below:
Web Conferencing offers major advantages to businesses in terms of reduced costs, increased employee productivity, enhanced customer support capabilities, and reduced time to develop products and communications.
Web conferencing is increasingly becoming the most important tool for businesses to increase productivity and profitability.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Webinar Software In Healthcare
For many companies, the decision to use webinar software is based on enhancing workflow and saving money. It is clear, however, that audio video conferencing has many real world applications as well. The most obvious benefits of utilizing these tools are really just the tip of the iceberg. One recent example of this is an undertaking by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) in Suffolk exploring elderly care options.
The NFCA in collaboration with Home Instead Senior Care put on a free webinar in November. Its aim was to help families coping with caring for elderly parents to make decisions and understand potential problems. The 45-minute online conference addressed vital issues and featured well known professionals in the field of senior care.
Elderly care is a growing concern in the US. Using a web conference service to enhance care and making decisions is a step in the right direction. The facilities of a good web conference system can also be applied to other areas. These include:
Other areas of the health care sector can likely be improved by the use of a web conference service. Today’s web conference systems are not clunky or as pricey as earlier versions. Providers like RHUB Communications have created products that give any company or organization the ability to be flexible.
The web conference systems today are based on speed, reliability, and enhanced communication. Some of the features of the best web conference services are:
A conference like the one put on by the NFCA in Suffolk creates opportunities for other areas facing similar decisions. Not surprisingly, the decision to have the web conference was largely influenced by the current economic climate. This factor has also helped to spur interest in the growing crop of web conference services.
Users have the option of hosted services, downloadable software or web conferencing appliances. RHUB appliance is an example which many companies find to be preferable to hosted solutions. However, even the most basic web conference systems have helped companies streamline their operations and improve productivity.
This will no doubt set a new trend for other cash strapped communities looking to provide care for the elderly. Special needs organizations, private health care facilities and similar groups could also explore the use of webinar software for delivery of information.
Conferencing Software Assisting In Senior Care
Organizations today use conferencing software as a way to raise productivity and cut cost. It is clear, however, that desktop conferencing has many real world applications as well. The most obvious benefits of utilizing these tools are really just the tip of the iceberg. One example of this is by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) in Suffolk with using webcast to reach out to the senior community.
Last November, the NFCA in collaboration with Home Instead Senior Care put on free webinars. The 45-minute web conference addressed vital issues and featured well known professionals in the field of senior care. The aim was to help families coping with caring for elderly parents to make informed decisions and understand potential problems.
Senior care is a growing concern in the US. Using webinar software to enhance care and making decisions is a giant step in the right direction. The facilities of a good netmeeting software can also be applied to other areas. These include:
Other areas of the health care sector can also be improved by the use of a video conferencing system. Today’s web conference systems are pricey as earlier. Providers like RHUB Communications have created products that give any company or organization the ability to be flexible.
The web conference systems today are based on speed, reliability, and enhanced communication. Some of the features of the best web conference services are:
A web conference like the one put on by the NFCA creates opportunities for others facing similar situations. Not surprisingly, the decision to have the web conference was largely influenced by the current economic climate.
Users today have the option between hosted services or self hosted, in house solutions. Web conferencing appliance from RHUB is an example which many companies find to be preferable to hosted solutions. However, even the most basic web conference systems have helped companies streamline their operations and improve productivity.
As other cash strapped communities look to provide care for the elderly, online conferencing will likely set a new trend for other. Special needs organizations, private health care providers and similar groups could also explore the use of conferencing software for delivery of information.