Posts Tagged ‘Web Conference’
Monday, March 15th, 2010
A term used in the teleconferencing industry to describe telephone conference calls is audio conferencing. We adopted this term to distinguish the normal conference call from a web conference. And truth be told the term “audio” is used to describe something you listen to so it makes sense. It is just not a word that people use everyday so many times people are confused when I talk about audio conferencing.
Audio conferencing is just another way of saying conference call and specifically is describing a conference call on a telephone whose main communication method is using sound/speech over the telephone. An audio conference today has become a fairly standard offering as far as the way it works and many of its features. Generally, an audio conference is held by dialing an access number and then putting in a pass code when you are connected to the conference call service equipment. The conference call service equipment then places you in the appropriate conference call based on the pass code you input. Basically all of the participants that enter that code will be placed into the same conference call. Most conference call services will provide a separate pass code for the Host of the call so they can access certain features within the conference call.
The most common features available to the Host on a conference call are the ability to mute all participants, raise and lower the volume and disconnect some or all of the participants. Some conference call service companies will offer additional features like the ability to conduct a roll call and even record the conference call. Zip Conferencing offers these features and more.
So, if you hear of someone referring to an Audio Conference you know it is just a plain old conference call.
Tags: Audio Conference, audio conferencing services, Conference Call, Conference Call Service, teleconferencing, Web Conference
Posted in Conference Call | No Comments »
Monday, March 8th, 2010
One of the surest ways to get traffic to your web site is to give something away for free. But how is it that a service that a lot of people are willing to pay for can be offered by another company for free. Well, I have gone through free conference calls before and explained how that can happen, but what about free web conferencing?
A conference call service company that provides web conferencing to its customers has to pay for a number of things in order to provide the service. Some of those cost items include the following.
- Software development - If the conference call service company has developed the service themselves then they had to pay to have the software developed in the first place. And like any software you develop the development doesn’t end there. There are on going improvements, bug fixes and so forth to fund.
- Reseller fees- Some conference call services don’t develop their own software, they simply resell someone elses technology. In this case there is always a cost to the company who is reselling the service.
- Hosting environment - If you are supporting your own software you need to have a server or servers depending on the number of users to host the software and make it available to your customers.
- Internet Connectivity- If you are hosting your own web conferencing service you need to connect it to the internet and the connection needs to allow many users fast access so you will also need a very good and potentially expensive connection.
- Support Costs - And like any other conference call service you will need to support your web conferencing service with sales and service personnel.
So, if there are all these costs, how does anyone provide free web conferencing? Well, some conference call service companies will offer a dumbed down version for free hoping you will upgrade because the free version doesn’t do much. Or the web conferencing service they offer for free is an old version they no longer support and instead of retiring it they simply give it away so you will come to their site and but the other version. Either way, if you investigate the free web conferencing versions out there you will see that they are not a full version, current representative of what web conferencing can do. And it just may not have the reliability and capacity you would expect with a service you pay for. After all it is free so how hard can you complain?
If you really need a good web conferencing service don’t use a free one. For a low monthly fee you can have access to a web conferencing service that save you time and money wihtout breaking the bank.
Tags: Conference Call, confernece call service, free web conferencing, Web Conference, Web Conferencing
Posted in Web Conferencing | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
I think that everyone is intimidated by new technology a little bit, but depending on the technology and the known benefits we will tolerate the learning curve. Web Conferencing is no different. Web conferencing has been around as a service for about 15 years now and even though its use is now pretty widespread, many people are still afraid to take the plunge. But if you try a web conference once you will see that it is just not that hard to do.
Basically, anyone who can use a PC can do a web conference. When the web conferencing services first came out there were downloads and PC settings to worry about just to get the web conference off the ground. Today, however, starting a web conference is just a few clicks away. Many of the services, including Zip Conferencing’s, do not require any download as they simply use the software that is already on your computer. And the web conferencing service is usually integrated with an audio conferencing service, like Zip Conferencing does. This makes it very simple to hold a remote meeting with a web conference and a audio conference call.
To conduct a web conference as the Moderator all you have to do is open a browser, log into your web conferencing account, start a meeting by clicking on a start button and then click on Share your Desktop. The participants on the web conference now see whatever is on your PC. So to do a web conference presentation you simply need to be able to pull up your PowerPoint presentation, spreadsheet or whatever is part of your presentation and the audience will see it while you speak to them on the conference call. It really is that easy.
A presentation that has visual elements is more impactful than just a conference call where you only listen to the presenter. And in some cases you may need to share materials where without a web conference the only way to hold the meeting would be via a face to face meeting. A web conference saves time, money and increases your productivity. And it is REALLY easy to do! So what are you waiting for? Try a web conference today!
www.zipconferencing.com
Tags: Audio Conferencing Service, Browser Log, Computer Conferencing, Conference Call, Conference Presentation, Face To Face, Learning Curve, Little Bit, New Technology, Participants, Plunge, Powerpoint Presentation, Share Materials, Spreadsheet, Start Button, Time Money, Visual Elements, Web Conference, Web Conferencing Service, Web Conferencing Services
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Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
Web conferencing has been adopted by sales organizations around the world as a way to do a presentation for a prospect from your desktop, greatly reducing travel expenses and increasing productivity. It is also widely recognized for its remote training abilities which allows participants to take a training class without the costly need to travel to a central location. But another application for web conferencing that is being used, but maybe not as widely known is for the support of customers and employees remotely to troubleshoot software on their desktops.
Since web conferencing allows participants to see each other’s computer screens regardless of the application that is running. It allows a technical support person to view the PC of a customer or employee which assists them in more easily diagnosing an issue. A remote participant does not need to try to describe the issue they are having because the technician will be able to see exactly what they are talking about on the web conference. And if the participant allows it, the technician can even take control of the remote user’s PC and fix the problem while the participant sits back and watches them do the work.
Needless to say, this application for web conferencing is a win-win for the company supporting the product and the customer, since the problem is fixed easily and quickly and any interpretation errors on exactly what the issue is are avoided because the technician is actually viewing the PC themselves. Like all of the conference call services, the web conferencing in this application saves any travel costs that may have been associated with the service and makes the technician that much more productive since they can handle many of these types of service calls using web conferencing instead of travelling to customer locations. In many cases, if you are selling your product across the country or around the world, travelling to customer locations to support your product is not even practical. Especially for a small business that is trying to support their product, web conferencing offers a way to provide their customers an excellent level of service without spending a lot of money. Supporting your customers using web conferencing just makes good business sense.
www.zipconferencing.com
Tags: Central Location, Computer Screens, Conference Call Services, Control, Control Remote, Customer Locations, Desktops, Increasing Productivity, Interpretation Errors, Participant, Participants, Presentation, Sales Organizations, Support Web, Technical Support Person, Travel Costs, Travel Expenses, Travelling, Web Conference, Web Conferencing
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Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
Its that time of year again. Everyone sets expectations for themselves in the new year. Many of the resolutions we commit to we do not stick with and some we don’t even attempt. Maybe this is the year to set some realistic goals for ourselves that will benefit us personally and also help in our own little way the world around us. Why not resolve to do more web conferencing? I am going to add it to my list. Because I am as guilty as the next person. It is easier to stick with the familiar than to try something new and if you have never conducted a web conference before it can be a little intimidating. But the benefits to you and the world are real!
- Save Time - A web conference can save you time on the front end by simply eliminating the need to travel to a meeting. Even if the meeting is in the same building with people you work with you still have to get up off your seat and go to a meeting room. You have to remember to bring all the materials you will need or you may need to return to your desk to get additional materials or reschedule another meeting so you can bring other things, etc. You can instantly attend your meeting right from your desk and have all of your materials at your fingertips to share with everyone at the meeting if you do a web conference.
- Save Money - The cost to travel to your meeting locally or at a great distance is saved if you do it from your desk using a web conference. If you have to travel across the country all of the travel costs will be saved which can add up to thousands of dollars.
- Increase Productivity - You will find that by doing a web conference you are better prepared for your meeting and can extend the discussion since you have access to everything you need. You also will be able to work during the time you would otherwise have to travel.
- Save the Environment - By using a web conference instead of travelling to a meeting you are being very eco-friendly. Think of all the carbon emissions you are avoiding during the travel you have avoided. And all of the participants in the web conference also have avoided all of the travel and associated emissions.
So, for your benefits and in a small part, all of mankind, it is time to resolve to do more web conferencing. And unlike the resolutions you are unlikely to stick to you will find this one is easy to keep once you feel the benefits.
www.zipconferencing.com
Tags: Additional Materials, Carbon Emissions, Desk, Fingertips, Great Distance, Increase Productivity, Meeting Room, New Year, Realistic Goals, Resolutions, Thousands Of Dollars, Time Of Year, Travel Costs, Travelling, Web Conference, Web Conferencing, Web Money
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