Web conferencing is a hard step to take for your business, but it is one that has many advantages. It is revolutionary in many ways; anything you used to do offline, you can do online for cheaper and in a lot less time. If your boss is in California, and you are in Chicago, you can talk to each other online as if you were in the same room. Technology is scary, but it is definitely changing the way people do business in good ways. Even if you do not want to take the large step to video, an audio conferencing can be beneficial as well.

Everything you once did by traveling can no be done online. Presentations, meetings, and even training can all be accomplished quickly and cheaply, saving your company amazing amounts of money.

The obvious main benefit involved here is saving money. No more booking flights, rental cars, and expensive hotel rooms for your employees. No more uncomfortable beds and awful food that your employees had to put up with. Travel is expensive; one business trip across the country can cost over $2000 dollars, while an online meeting costs almost nothing.

The second huge benefit, which goes along with the saving of money, is the extra time and energy you and your employees will have. No more one meeting weeks; two per day are now possible, and you will not have to deal with being exhausted every day because of traveling to new and unfamiliar places.

Imagine saving $20,000 dollars a year because you didn’t need to take those 10 business trips, as well as scheduling an extra 100 meetings with clients. The possibilities for increased production are endless. Web or audio conferencing can put your business on the next level. If you haven’t looked into these technologies yet, now is the time to do so

Popularity: 54% [?]

We all know that web conferencing has many benefits, and one of the greatest benefits would be for a small business. Small businesses do not always have the budget or the need for an IT department or most big business systems, but one tool a small business CAN benefit greatly from is web conferencing. As a small business, sometimes every dollar can count, and while it might be beneficial to travel for conferences and meetings, it might not always be financially responsible or possible. This is where web conferencing really comes in handy. Think about it, your sales team is scattered around the country, or even the world. But you need to meet to discuss sales goals and business strategies. As a small business, the cost of organizing and implementing a national sales meeting, including airfare, car, room and boarding expenses can easily run into the thousands and tens of thousands of dollars or more. By employing a trusted web conference service, you not only see a financial benefit, but you also manage to safe time, which to a small business, is often just as valuable as a good sales lead! In today’s business world every minute counts, and the time saved by conducting a web conference can easily translate into increased productivity and directly impact your bottom line. If you, your team, your department, or your entire company get bogged down in organizing and arranging meetings or conferences, you can no longer afford NOT to be conducting your business without web conferencing.

Popularity: 52% [?]

Many businesses have stalled on getting web conference technology. Traditionally, people are scared of change, and do not want to try something that they do not understand.

The fact is that video conferencing can save your business a lot of money, especially if the business is spread out over the whole country or even the world. Instead of traveling to clients offices, video or audio conferencing can be utilized, saving both businesses thousands of dollars in expenses. This means no more airfare, car rental, or hotel expenses are necessary. These expenses can end up bankrupting a small company if business is not good.

The next thing your business will save is time. Travel takes a lot of time, and can cut into your employees overall productivity. There is no need to adjust to new beds every week, which means that you will sleep better. Well rested employees work harder and better. Plus, airports and taxis are not the best places to get extra work done.

The great advantage to saving all this time is that in the past you could maybe meet with one client a week; with all the free time available you can probably schedule two or three in one day. Imagine being able to meet with ten clients in a week! Conference calls via the web can free up so much time and money for other things, like marketing and PR. More productivity=more money.

The downside to going the web conference route is that some clients may want to meet face-to-face. To take care of this, schedule one out of four meetings as face to face, and the rest as a video conference session. This way you can still build lasting relationships while saving money and time. Once your new client trusts you, there may not be any more need for face-to-face meetings. New technologies such as these are not the enemy. Do not be afraid to try new things that can save and make you a ton more money.

Popularity: 59% [?]

Anyone who has started using the power of web conferencing in their daily work life has encountered some traditionalists who are unfamiliar with web conference technology and a bit reluctant to try it out. This of course is very natural for people who have been having meeting the old fashion way for as long as they can remember. The worst thing you can do to a new or existing business relationship is trying to force new technology on them in the wrong way. Instead of just saying how superior and cost effective it is to use web conferencing, try to highlight the ways in which it adds to a productive and efficient workplace.

Try discussing a way in which you have used the technology with a similar client. The fear of switching from a proven method to a new one is the fear of the unknown. Showing examples of the way in which similar, and possibly also reluctant clients have come use and enjoy web conferencing technology is a great way to dispel some of the fear and risk that may be associated with it.

Then explain to them to ease of use and the fact that it does not require any complicated software or hardware. Also discuss the way in which documents, websites and other information can be shared on screen with all conference participants. Finally, explain the cost savings that both you and them will be able to see from scaling back or eliminating in-person meetings.

A little patience and understanding can go a long way to making better use of your web conferencing access. As soon as you are able to get someone into their first conference online, they will be able to see the benefits first hand.

Popularity: 50% [?]

Note: While this series of recently uncovered confessions may be true, some names have been changed to protect innocent and the unknowing.

It was late on a Wednesday night, really late. My wife was sleeping beside me, Charlie our chocolate lab at the food of the bed, and the boys fast asleep in their rooms. I lay there for a few more moments, enjoying the quiet, the calm before the storm. Carefully, silently, I pushed myself out of bed, slipping on my LL Bean’s, and quietly made my way down the stairs, to my office.

I turned on my laptop, and crept to the door and closed it. I did not want to wake anyone up with my late-night activities.  I sat down at the desk, put on my headset, and typed in the address of the website I frequented. It was 4:28AM in New York, but 8:28AM in London. Time for my daily dose of web conferencing.

Yes, the corporation I worked for is international, with offices all over Europe and Asia. Last year, we spent millions on executive meeting. While this was not something that hurt us financially, we actively looked for an alternative that did not disrupt our day-to-day operations. We tried conference calls and even a video conference but these tools were not always effective, viable, or as interactive as we wanted. We had to find a solution to the demands of a large scale international corporation.

It seemed hopeless. We recognized the need for a new technology, but there was nothing on the market. Collectively we discussed and brainstormed and researched. Years passed, and the technological limitations continued to frustrate us at all levels. We were successful, we met our goals and stock holder expectations, but internally we knew we could do better.

And then, one day, there it was: the solution we had been waiting for. Universally, we breathed a collective sigh of relief, and welcomed this new technology.

Web conferencing.

To be continued…

Popularity: 49% [?]