Under Pressure? August 12, 2010 @ 11:49 AM | By Jill Huselton

By now, you’ve probably heard about the infamous rage of the flight attendant on the JetBlue airplane.

Whether you hold him as a hero for finally saying enough is enough or think he needs to simmer down a bit, there’s no debating the surge of stress that comes from flying these days. I for one can feel my blood pressure rise as I wait in the security line while people fumble through their bags trying to find everything that needs to be placed on the tray. And I really roll my eyes watching people attempt to stuff their bags into crowded overhead bins, only to lose the fight when a flight attendant takes the bag to the front of the plane for a gate check. (The look of defeat on the passenger’s face almost makes you feel sorry for him, but then you remind yourself that he should have known not to bring on a bag the size your desk).

That’s the beauty of conferencing. Why deal with all that when you can stay at home or the office and accomplish just as much? Instead of dealing with lines and obeying airline rules, you can sit comfortably at your desk to have that meeting with your customer or partner. Using audio conferencing solutions and web conferencing services, you’re still going to be able to give your demo, cover project timelines, conduct training sessions or review strategies. The best part though, is you can stay calm, do things your way and know you can get up any time you want to go to the bathroom and no one is going to call you out on it.

Have you seen the light and started conferencing more than traveling? What don’t you miss?

Jill Huselton is a Senior Marketing Manager at InterCall

Training Costs Less When You Use Web-based Conferencing Software August 4, 2010 @ 12:01 PM | By Dan Uhlmeyer

Many business owners think of training as a liability—something that drains money from the bottom line rather than enhancing it. But you can actually increase revenue with the right web-based training. The quicker your customers use your product or service, the sooner they are putting money into your pocket.

Cisco WebEx^TM Training Center, provided by InterCall, even gives you the means to schedule fee-based live sessions and recorded sessions for those users who want a bit more than their contract provides. The eCommerce function lets attendees pay via credit card or coupon code that you provide. This lets you generate revenue from training or offer additional training as a value-added service with coupon codes.

Web-based Training Saves on Travel Costs
You've already saved (or earned) money from your web-based training and we haven't even begun discussing the money you'll save on travel. Every time one of your staff leaves home base to train a new customer, you're spending money and losing productivity. These are just a few of the costs associated with on-site training:

• Travel (flight, rental car, hotel room and meals)
• Room rental for large group training
• A/V equipment rental and possibly staff to run it
• Productivity lost with employees out of office

You can figure your own travel savings by using our calculator.

Web-based Training Is Convenient for Customers, Too
Training takes up time for your customers, too. Web based training gives them the flexibility to schedule sessions when it's more convenient for them—from the comfort of their home or office. With WebEx Training Center On-Demand, customers have even more flexibility to play back pre-recorded materials at their convenience.

Training doesn't have to be a drain on your resources when you use web-based conferencing software.

Dan Uhlmeyer is a Sr. Product Manager and the "Web Conferencing" blogger.  He has nearly ten years of product experience in Web Conferencing and has managed several services at InterCall. When not punching on the keyboard, you can find Dan enjoying time with his wife and two children or running a marathon.

Boost the ROI of Your Next Webinar July 30, 2010 @ 08:42 AM | By Cambria Vaccaro

Many businesses—especially SMBs on a tight budget—view free webinars as the best thing in media since Johann Gutenburg invented the printing press. We may be biased, but we happen to agree. Webinars permit you to reach large groups of soft leads at a low cost per head, captivate them with an interactive, multimedia presentation... and then what?

Previously, it wasn't easy to gauge attendees' interest or quantify your leads so your sales staff could contact prospects most likely to turn into conversions. It also wasn't easy to track the ROI of a webinar—until now.

Today's webinar and event management software does much more than just permit you to host a webinar and let people know how your product or service can help them. Event management and webinar software like Cisco WebExTM Event Center® provided by InterCall, offers a number of features that help you increase and measure the ROI of your big event.

• Polls and surveys let you measure the effectiveness of your event while gathering information on ways you can improve next time.
• With customized event registration you can track answers to questions designed to gauge your registrants' interest and find out exactly what they hope to get out of the event.
• Upload the results from registration polls and post-event surveys to CRM systems to give sales staff easy access.
• Identify your most cost-effective lead sources.

How did you measure the ROI of your last webinar? How can one of InterCall's event management software and other services help you with your next online event?

Cambria Vaccaro is the Senior Director, Marketing Communications and our “Industry News” blogger.  Cambria has been in the conferencing industry for nearly fifteen years, and has seen it evolve from a traditional video bridging service to include cool web features and remote communication services.  She is an avid runner, cook, wife and mother of two gorgeous girls.

Need Better Communication with International Clients? Bridge a Language Gap with a Web Conferencing Center July 27, 2010 @ 09:36 AM | By Dan Uhlmeyer

Doing international business is difficult enough as you struggle to understand a culture very different from your own. But perhaps the biggest issue when engaged in audio-only conference calls with international business partners or clients is simply the language gap.

It's a challenge to understand accents over the phone; so much is lost when you can't see the person you're speaking with. Because different languages have different nuances, it's sometimes difficult to catch subtle meanings behind the words. This challenge is compounded when you're speaking with someone who has only rudimentary English speaking skills.

Marieke Guy offers some tips on the blog Ramblings of a Remote Worker:

• Enunciate clearly.
• Don't use slang or figures of speech.
• When in doubt, be overly respectful.
• Remember personal relationships.

A Web Conferencing Center Overcomes Cultural Gaps
It's much easier to communicate with someone when they can see you. Reduce cultural misunderstandings by using video liberally—whether it's for a product demo or a talking head on the screen. You can find these features through a web conferencing center, like Cisco WebExTM Meeting Center, provided by InterCall. A smile can go a long way in building a long-distance relationship.

Additionally, take advantage of tools like file sharing, shared web browsing and a virtual whiteboard. Remember you have more than just words to make your point when you meet with international clients through a web conferencing center.

Any good stories to share about cultural differences on conference calls?

Dan Uhlmeyer is a Sr. Product Manager and the "Web Conferencing" blogger.  He has nearly ten years of product experience in Web Conferencing and has managed several services at InterCall. When not punching on the keyboard, you can find Dan enjoying time with his wife and two children or running a marathon.

Online Web Conferencing Makes Marketing Easier July 23, 2010 @ 07:03 AM | By Cambria Vaccaro

The job description of marketing professionals keeps expanding. As companies face cutbacks, more and more duties fall under the banner of the marketing team. Some of the marketing team's duties include:

• Training sales reps
• Media and analyst relations
• Maintaining a professional and positive image to the public
• Making advertising decisions
• Assisting in product development by determining customers' needs, desires and likes and dislikes

Online web conferencing can help with all of these objectives and more. Here are just a few ways online web conferencing can help marketing professionals.

Media and Analysts
Stay in close contact with media and analysts through webinars and virtual press conferences. File-sharing lets you distribute press releases and images during the meeting, while video capabilities permit long-distance product demos.

Product Development
Use surveys and polls to get immediate feedback from your target demographic on new products or products in development. Host focus groups with key demographics in geographically diverse regions.

Sales
Qualify leads for your sales team through free webinars that require simple pre-registration. Gauge the interest of your target market and find out what they hope to learn in the webinar with quick surveys distributed prior to the event. The InterCall team can help you formulate a marketing plan for the months leading up to your webinar so you'll get the most out of the event in the least amount of time.

After the webinar, distribute qualified leads to your sales team, saving time and resulting in quicker closings.

Training
Use remote training software and online web conferencing services to train the sales team on the features and benefits of newly-launched products—even if your sales team is scattered across the country. Online web conferencing provides an easy means to stay in touch with regional sales reps, answer questions and provide timely training so your team can hit the ground running.

How can web conferencing help you streamline your marketing activities?

Cambria Vaccaro is the Senior Director, Marketing Communications and our “Industry News” blogger.  Cambria has been in the conferencing industry for nearly fifteen years, and has seen it evolve from a traditional video bridging service to include cool web features and remote communication services.  She is an avid runner, cook, wife and mother of two gorgeous girls.