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Guide to Web Conferencing Services
Can't be there in person? Try an online meeting service.
By Toni Klym McLellan
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Add Web conferencing to the list of small business tech trends you should get behind. Online conferencing can be as simple as setting up a Web-based chat room to as elaborate as high-definition video conferencing. But how can a net meeting help your business thrive? Web conferencing can help your business by: - Reducing travel expenses — particularly given today's gas prices
- Minimizing time away from the office
- Allowing participants from multiple sites to hold a net meeting in real time
- Providing a convenient way to meet at a moment's notice, regardless of where your staff are located
- Allowing for centralized employee training
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
 Determine your net meeting needs
Look at the nature of your business — do you have satellite offices or many salespeople out in the field? A need for emergency meetings at a moment's notice, or do you only need to confer occasionally? What's your budget for Web conferencing software, hosting and/or equipment?
I recommend: Online learning company Centra offers a cost/benefit analysis comparing conventional travel vs. online conferencing and other technology. Thinkofit offers personal consultations to help you hone your Web-based conferencing needs. The site also has a handy Web conferencing guide.
Comparison shop for Web conferencing services
Online directories allow prospective shoppers to compare the products and services offered by various online meeting service companies.
I recommend: ConferZone allows you to shop for online meeting service providers and supplies in one place (free registration required). Web Conferencing Central advertises itself as an affordable option for those new to online conferencing. Read cnet's review of six popular Web online meeting service providers. Check Business.com’s directory for listings of Web conference software vendors and Web conferencing services based on the popular WebEx platform.
Know what Web conference gadgets you need — or don't
Do you need an expensive video conferencing camera and feature-rich software at every workstation right off the bat? Investigate Web conference technology and determine what you can afford — and will actually use for a net meeting.
I recommend: Check out Sony's state-of-the-art Web and Web conference goodies. The user-friendliness of Apple's iSight and iChatAV software allows anyone from teen consumers to full-fledged businesses to get in on the live Web conferencing action. See video equipment vendors for net meeting or streaming media services for online conferencing at Business.com.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Have all participants do a pre-event check — a test run of the Web-based conferencing interface — to ensure their equipment is working properly at every site.
- To save time, email a preliminary meeting agenda and bios of participants so people aren't introducing themselves or asking redundant questions during the actual net meeting.
- Peruse the specs listed at Web conferencing software Web sites to see exactly what sorts of features are typically offered.
- Ask if your Web conferencing software provider or hosting service offers tutorials that your entire staff and any other meeting participants can use to become acquainted with Web-based conferencing technology.
The official source of Web Conferencing Services is the Web Conferencing page at Business.com
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 Recommended Solution Providers | Back to top |
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Features easy installation, firewall compatibility, and secure conferencing technology that only a customer-premise solution can provide.
Makes conferencing powerfully simple without requiring reservations for audio, easy-to-use web conferencing, and world-class event calls.
Online meetings made easy.
Communicate and collaborate with anyone, anywhere, any time.
Offers real-time video conferencing, desktop sharing, internet voice, web conferencing, and collaboration services.
Online meeting system that is specifically designed to use with the Salesforce system.
Offers a free trial period for online business meetings worldwide.
Offers audio, web and videoconferencing services worldwide.
Services businesses from small-scale reservationless conference calls to complex calls with thousands of people.
Includes custom interface, multiple presenters, lobby slides, slide show, annotation tools, two-way chat, polling, exit survey and comprehensive reports after your show.
An objective resource for conferencing.
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 Best Sites to Learn More | Back to top |
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Collection of articles discussing tips, pricing, and service features.
Guide to web conferencing services, online collaboration software, and web meetings for business.
Compares conferencing providers.
Contains useful articles and resources for conferencing.
Offers advice, as well as comments on technology and hardware.
Section contains several articles involving communications topics, including a basic understanding for telecom technology.
This service provider contains a section on general conferencing tips that includes call organizing, transcriptions, and etiquette.
Reviews of video conferencing technologies.
Analyzes the market trends, technologies/products, vendors, applications, and related services in the rich media conferencing & collaboration marketplace.
Lets users select two or more products and various criteria on which to compare them.
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 Best Blogs and Forums | Back to top |
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Allows users to ask their toughest product, service, or technical questions.
Conferencing portal for audio, video, web entries.
A blog about collaboration technologies.
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