Under Pressure?

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

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

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

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

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.

Employ Three Styles of Teaching with a Web-based Conference

Everyone absorbs concepts in different ways. Everyone uses three senses (hearing, sight and touch) to learn, but people tend to lean predominantly toward one sense. Some people learn visually, others primarily through words and some people need hands-on interaction before they can grasp a concept.

Audio-based conference calls limit your means of communication to one method only. People who aren't auditory learners are out of luck.

Statistics say only 20-30% of children are auditory learners, and this statistic doesn't change much as those kids become adults in the business world. How do you reach the other 70-80% of the population? A web-based conference lets you employ all three senses to make a point, share information or close a sale.

Auditory Learning in a Web-based Conference
The audio component remains an important part of any web-based conference. Whether you dial in through your telephone or listen through your computer speakers, InterCall's web-based conference services promise clear service to make the most of oral presentations.

Visual Learning in a Web-based Conference
Integrate PowerPoint^® slides, videos and web browsing to show your audience what you want to show them. When you can't find the picture you need, draw it out on a virtual whiteboard. When participants don't understand what you're telling them, you have other tools to make your point.

Kinesthetic Learning in a Web-based Conference
This is perhaps the most challenging learning style to integrate into any environment. But by sharing your desktop or web browser with conference participants, you can give them the hands-on interaction they crave. Consider letting participants brainstorm ideas on the whiteboard, turning over control of your web browser or letting training session participants actually perform functions on the program they're learning. Don't underestimate the value of polls and surveys to keep kinesthetic learners involved.

What type of learner are you? Do you keep all three styles of learning in mind during your presentations?

Nicole Scheel is the Director of Training, and the “Tips & Training Blogger”. Nicole has been in training with InterCall for nine years and currently manages our internal and customer training departments, also known as InterCall University. When she's not training someone, you can find Nicole volunteering in her community or finishing her Masters in Training & Development at Roosevelt University.

Is a Pay-As-You-Go Web Meeting Plan For You?

Commitment isn't always easy. Many small-to-medium size businesses (SMBs) are already locked into commitments or contracts for their communications equipment, various vendors—even the guy who delivers your coffee—may send you a monthly bill. We understand you might shy away from a set monthly rate for your web meeting services, too. If this sounds familiar, a pay-as-you-go plan may be the correct choice for your SMB.

Small-to-medium size businesses may not always have well defined web meeting needs. An SMB may hold a large online webinar one month, and then need only audio conferencing capabilities for a handful of employees the next month. It's always nice to have web meeting and online webinar capabilities available when you need them, but why pay top dollar if you don't use the service all the time?

Previously, SMBs may have thought all they could afford was sub-par performance and service from free web meeting service providers. But InterCall's small business plans are specifically designed with SMBs' unique needs in mind. This includes the flexibility to host anywhere from 2 to 125 people in an online webinar or web meeting.

SMB owners who sign up for InterCall's small business plan have two options for hosting an online webinar:

• Pay-as-you-go for up to 125 people
• Monthly plan for up to 20 people

If you're planning to host a free or paid attendance online webinar, the pay-as-you-go plan provides all the flexibility you need to reach out to customers and prospects. On the other hand, if you only need web meeting capabilities for staff and freelancers within your SMB organization, the monthly plan permits you to host as many meetings as you want, as frequently as you want, for one low price.

Both plans use InterCall Unified Meeting service and Reservationless-Plus audio conferencing, which means you can host impromptu meetings or planned online webinars with ease. These are the same easy-to-use services preferred by InterCall's large corporate clients ... at a price affordable to SMBs.

Not sure about your web meeting needs? Consider a pay-as-you-go option for a few months and, as you see how you use the service, you can decide which plan makes better sense. No pressure, no commitment—except our commitment to provide you with the best, most affordable web meeting services for SMBs.

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.

Look Bigger with the Best Conference Call Service Money Can Buy

Small to medium size business (SMB) owners know it's important to think big and look big in order to grow. As Winston Churchill said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” What does your conference call service or video conference software say about your company's attitude?

If you rely on a free conference call service, you may not be getting the best. You may have dropped calls, background noise, static or even technical difficulties at times when you can't reach support staff. Whether you're holding a free webinar for prospects or a conference call to brainstorm with existing clients, a cheap conference call service makes you look small. Clients may wonder, if you can't organize an effective conference call, do you have the resources to meet their needs and deliver the best service?

It sounds harsh, but it's true. After all, you only get one chance to make a first impression.

The Best Web and Video Conference Software Makes You Look Bigger Than You Are

On the other hand, imagine getting a phone call from a top prospect. You want to share some documents with him, get his feedback and bring your top people onto the call so they can make changes based on his recommendations.

You suggest an impromptu conference call through InterCall's reservationless meeting room and, in seconds, you're all logged in and your client is viewing your online desktop. He's impressed with the best conference call service he's seen. You know how to leverage today's technology to get the job done. Not only does he like the delivery, but he likes your ideas. He makes a few minor edits ... and then asks you about the web and video conference software—it's the best he's seen.

You hesitate to tell him the price; it's so affordable, you don't want him to think you're “small.” You finally relent, spinning it as a cost-conscious solution to your online video conference and conference call needs. Saving money on such important services enhances productivity—and you can pass the savings on to your customers. Your client is sold—on everything.

SMB owners: Looking big when you're just starting out is a challenge all business owners face. What tactics have you employed to think, look and act big? Did they work?

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.

Save Time and Money by Training Your Employees and Reaching Out to Prospects from a Virtual Classroom

Lots of opportunities exist for small to medium size businesses to use classroom video conferencing technology to train employees, reach out to prospects, and even generate solid sales leads. But which ones to choose? Let's peek inside a virtual classroom and have a look at the different types of learning environments available.

Virtual Classroom

A virtual classroom uses video conferencing technology to place the teacher at the front of a “room,”—that is, in front of his webcam. The seminar is then transmitted to students in various locations. The students may be gathered together in another room, or may all be studying from the comfort of their homes or office desks. Alternately, the teacher may be instructing students at a near site, while other students on the far site learn simultaneously.

Web-based Video Conferencing

Typically more interactive than a virtual classroom, web-based video conferencing takes advantage of services from companies like InterCall to create easy-to-use, relatively inexpensive (compared to thousands of dollars in video conferencing hardware and software) audio and video conferences over the Internet.

Mobile-based Learning

With services from InterCall, students and trainees can take audio and video conferencing with them on the road, for the pinnacle of mobile-based learning. A web conference sent straight to a prospect's smartphone, recorded and archived to be viewed at his convenience, is a great way to reach out to potential clients.

E-Learning

E-learning could accurately be described as comprising any and all the above technology. Typically, however, it involves the distribution of course materials, including eBooks, and then focuses on education in a digital environment, through chat programs, forums, and web-based testing. E-learning can be used to market a company's products or services, or can, in fact, be sold as a service.

Whatever your virtual classroom video conferencing needs, the specialists at InterCall can set you up with the program that is right for you.

  

Nicole Scheel is the Director of Training, and the “Tips & Training Blogger”. Nicole has been in training with InterCall for eleven years and currently manages our internal and customer training departments, also known as InterCall University. Nicole has her Masters in Training & Development from Roosevelt University. When she's not training someone, you can find Nicole volunteering in her community.

Don't Let Mother Nature Slow You Down

Is Mother Nature throwing a wrinkle in your travel plans? Between the snow, rain and now the volcano eruption, millions of people can’t get where they need to go for their business meetings.

As a result of ash clouds hovering over much of Europe, airports are closed and not a rental car, hotel or train ticket is to be had. This is just the latest example of events beyond our control that prevent you from getting to or from your meetings. And for this particular incident, relief won’t come until the weekend at the earliest.

What is a business traveler to do?

The people whose companies have invested in audio conference calls, web conferencing or video conferencing solutions, like those offered by InterCall, to provide virtual meeting capabilities can tell you. Instead of being stranded at an airport, they are sleeping comfortably in their own beds. These conferencing solutions let you get just as much done, if not more, right from your desk or conference room without the expense of time and money.

So next time your plans call for a trip, either across the country or the other side of the world, consider the possibilities: leaving your fate in the hands of Mother Nature or taking control of where you are and what you do. With just a phone, computer and the Internet, you can still share your presentation, conduct your product demo or get everyone together to make a decision and still be home for dinner.

Jill Huselton is a Senior Marketing Manager at InterCall