Outside of sitting around a conference table with a whiteboard, there are three alternative ways to conduct Conference meetings: Web Conferences, Webcasts and Audio Conferencing. During the past ten years there has been a significant movement towards Web Conferencing in particular. A change in the economic landscape, along with numerous new product offerings such as Webinars and Podcasts, has produced a reduction in face-to-face meetings worldwide. As a result, companies have been benefiting through a reduction in travel expenses and a more convenient method of communicating with clients, stockholders and employees.
As products mature, prices tend to decline. This holds true for the Web Conference industry. Along with advancements in ease of use and the addition of new tools, we have seen an increase in affordability. Today, it is possible to conduct online video/audio interactive meetings to train staff, launch new products and/or announce software enhancements, for an all-in fee of $49.00/month. The combination of visual and audio conferencing is powerful for small groups and is revolutionizing the effectiveness of group interaction. Web Conferencing however, can have limited functionality and the number of manageable participants is relatively small. Webcast technology has also come of age to provide live or on-demand presentations that are streamed via the Web with audio or audio/video combination. In contrast to Web Conferencing tools, Webcast's are typically professionally produced programs of broadcast quality. They are streamed live and have almost any combination of interactive features from chat, to surveys and Q&A tools. Web conferencing and Webcast tools are great as long as the participants are computer savvy and/or are motivated to join online for a presentation. In other words, sometimes, a Web based conference does not meet the needs of your intended target audience. For example,
- Elderly clients may use email on a regular basis but are not likely to jump through perceived hoops to join a Web conference
- People who use computers at work tend to not use them for business needs during their free time and may resist joining a Web conference
- Many people simply lack the technical skills and may find the computer just too tedious.
- Many who commit to join Web meetings drop out at the last minute.
- While a visual presentation might be nice to have, it is not always necessary to get the point across.
- Most web service providers lack scalability which limits attendance size.
Audio Conferencing (teleconferencing) continues to be a viable low cost alternative to Web conferences, however, most audio conference service providers have limitations on the number of attendees and it can be difficult to carry on a conversation with a large audience (attendees can speak out at will and confuse the organizer's direction). Background noise can also be a problem. Additionally, if the service provider does allow large audiences, the per user/per minute charge can impact the overall cost effectiveness of the Audio Conference ($0.79/minute/user adds up fast)
A new 21st century technological solution for reaching very large audiences such as 20,000 Bank customers, or 40,000 insurance agents, recently emerged and has been proven amazingly effective in the political arena. Over 200 Politicians used this flexible technology extensively during the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaign.
This technology can be best described as a "talk radio show over the phone". By combining the power of a desktop computer, the Internet and telephone, it is possible to carry on a controlled interactive dialogue (just like the big time talk radio show hosts). Imagine communicating your message regarding the safety and soundness of your company to hundreds of thousands of people at one time and you know exactly who they are, how long they listened in and their opinion of your message."
In contrast to Web Conferencing and Webcast tools, this technology brings your audience to you. To join a meeting, the participant simply answers his/her telephone. No computer, password, or dial in number is required. The participants can ask questions (through a screener), be connected to the speaker live, participate in polls and transfer out to live operators. The band width of this technology is so enormous you can bring thousands of people into your forum, such as shareholders, customers or employees with a few key strokes. And, guess what? There are:
- No upfront costs
- No maintenance costs
- No added IT costs
No minimum usage requirements
And, best of all the price is a fraction of that of a Webcast. If you have an interest in gaining more information, please visit our Website: www.GlobalBizSo.com or call Lucy 303-520-4513
Lucy Dean, Principal at Global Business Solutions, LLC in Colorado has twenty-five + years Banking experience specializing in Global Cash Management and has been an independent Consultant for the last 10 years helping banks and corporations improve product management techniques and sales and marketing strategies.
She specializes in:
- Sales Force Automation Administration and Design
- Trade Finance and Cash Management
- Marketing and Promotional Development
- Process and Operations Workflow Improvement and Revenue Enhancement
- Financial Institution Consulting
Website: http://www.globalbizso.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_Dean
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