| Web and video conferencing technology is becoming | | | | audience, then you will get best results with this type |
| more sophisticated with each passing day. A few | | | | of conferencing. |
| years ago it was a novelty just to talk with someone | | | | 4. Will it be necessary for one of your technicians to |
| online, and view his or her image at the same time. | | | | "take-over" and operate the computers of any of |
| Today web conferences bring together entire | | | | your participants? |
| companies in complex interaction that rivals live | | | | If you wish to use conferencing as a service tool and |
| face-to-face meetings. How you might benefit from | | | | want to avoid having to send out your service team |
| the latest developments in web conferencing | | | | on physical visits to clients, you can save a lot of |
| depends on your particular needs. Here are a few | | | | travel time and cost by selecting a web and video |
| points that you should consider. | | | | conferencing system that allows the host of the |
| 1. Do you need to make a Powerpoint or other | | | | conference to go online and actually take control of |
| presentation during your conference? | | | | the computer of the client or conference participant. |
| If you answered "yes" to this question, then you will | | | | If you are looking at web conferencing as an |
| be glad to know that current web and video | | | | after-sales service tool, then this particular feature will |
| conferencing services allow the host of a conference | | | | probably give you one of the most important |
| to present a slide show or power point | | | | benefits that you could wish for. |
| demonstration that will be visible on the screens of all | | | | 5. Do you want to conduct an online poll or survey |
| the participants of a conference. Similarly, hosts can | | | | during the conference? |
| also open and show other document formats to their | | | | If you have a large organization and want to make a |
| attendees. If you need this kind of capability, make | | | | quick and accurate poll of opinion or vote on a |
| sure that your conference provider can give this to | | | | particular issue then the new polling capabilities of the |
| you. | | | | most advanced web conferencing services will be an |
| 2. Do you require telephone conferencing integrated | | | | important feature for you. |
| with your web/video conference? | | | | Similarly, if you need to gather demographic |
| Many organizations have found telephone | | | | information about your meeting participants, obtain |
| conferencing to be an effective way to get work | | | | valuable input, or quiz and test your participants, then |
| done. If you are already connecting with your | | | | the new online survey capabilities of current web |
| members and staff via telephone conferences you | | | | conferencing systems will be an important feature to |
| can expand on this by choosing a web conferencing | | | | look for when choosing your conference format. |
| system that integrates telephone conferencing along | | | | Data from these types of online "surveys" can |
| with the online conference. The combined service will | | | | typically be saved and used for future use. |
| give you the ease of phone conferencing along with | | | | 6. Do you want to brainstorm online, using a |
| the enhanced visual and presentation features of | | | | "whiteboard"? |
| online conferencing. | | | | Brainstorming is a great way to tap the ideas of a |
| Some services allow the host to pay the long | | | | group and to come up with and select new ideas. If |
| distance bill of all the participants (toll free | | | | this is what you like to do when holding physical |
| conferencing), while others require each participant to | | | | meetings, then you will probably want to be able to |
| cover their long distance fees. | | | | do the same thing in your virtual meetings as well. |
| 3. Do all of your conference participants use the | | | | This is now possible in some of the more advanced |
| same type of computer? | | | | web conferencing systems by using a "group |
| If your participants are going to be using a variety of | | | | notepad" that enables meeting participants to utilize a |
| computers (PC, Mac, Linux) then you will benefit | | | | shared workspace. The results of these brainstorming |
| most by choosing a web conferencing system that | | | | sessions can typically be saved in a storage area. |
| works on any platform. While earlier conferencing | | | | Which of these features will benefit you the most? It |
| systems required the downloading of complex | | | | all depends on your particular needs. However, one |
| software that would work only on specified | | | | thing is sure: once you experience the convenience |
| operating systems, newer conferencing formats are | | | | of online meetings, you will not want to go back to |
| delivered online and are browser based. They work | | | | the era when every meeting required you to pack up |
| on any operating system and if yours in an eclectic | | | | your bags and get on an airplane. |