With tons of information about conference calling services bombarding you left and right, selecting the one service becomes a headache. One rule of thumb is choosing one that can provide you with the most service without overextending your budget.

What are conference calling services?

Conference calling services provide the phone numbers to access the conference call or meeting. This number, which is set up for the conference, links telephone lines, making it possible for several users to use the line simultaneously.

Conference calling services are an economical alternative to travel costs and makes for higher productivity because workers do not have to travel outside of their office to give their reports at the national office. Hence, more and more companies are resorting to conference calls for their quarterly results.

In a conference call, the calling party can have more than one called party listening in. The caller has the option to choose if the called party can listen in and speak or just listen in. The latter is the audio teleconference or ATC.

Small businesses can benefit too

When you are decided to sign up for conference calling services, determine the kind of service suited to your business. Will you need a conference call or a video or web conferencing? Does your business require frequent web collaboration, teleconferencing, and online meeting services? All these options have attached services that would respond to your needs and budget.

Avail of the conference calling services that do not strictly require contracts and reservations and use no special equipment, which add up costs or keep you in shackles when you are just getting on your feet.

Good conference call services can provide clear calls, information security, and long distance calls at a fractional cost. A well-backed up service can set up a conference when you need it and provide you support services to manage your meetings with up to 16 participants at a reasonable price.

You have the option for reservationless conference calls by using your reservationless code anytime without having to inform the conference call services, unless you are expecting more participants on your call.

Other services

Aside from managing your conference call, conference call services can also provide you documentation of the meeting. These services will also include toll-free international calls, written transcript of the call or teleconference, and operator assistance.

Operator-assisted calls will eliminate worries of professional facilitators who can introduce all participants and welcome them to the conference. They can also provide assistance in efficiently managing questions or comments from all participants, so that the flow of the discussion can go on smoothly. You will be assured of a facilitator who knows all about teleconferencing etiquette, which is essential to your business branding.

Online conference calling services guide

It will help a lot to get a comprehensive guide on the different conference calling services. You can compare prices and services that will match your business or residential needs. Telephony will change the business landscape, so get on the bandwagon now.

Feeling guilty spending too much time at work even on weekends? Can't take a vacation with wife and kids because there are those weekly boardroom conferences that run like clockwork every Mondays? It's time to convince yourself to take a crack at audio conferencing.

Get that vacation!

It's been two years in a row since you had a really fun vacation. Business has been picking up and you cannot leave your workforce of 16 people on their own for a day, let alone a fortnight for a grand vacation in a cowboy ranch with wife and kids. Business can't run without you at the helm, so you'd better stay put.

It's your unhappy wife who introduces you to audio conferencing. She has heard about it from her niece who works for a big company. The niece says she can be at national teleconference even when she's at home filing her nails. No need for her to fly the long haul just to be stuck in a tedious meeting and it saves money for the company too.

Well, you grudgingly agree to look up an online information site on teleconferencing. It looked good. But how much would it shave off from your finances? Your wife glares at you and threatens to dump your dirty socks in the furnace if you won't take her and the kids away from the cold weather.

Audio conferencing

Soon it becomes clear to you that audio conferencing, a standard conference call, makes it possible for you to have a conference with 2 or all of your staff without your bodily presence, and with less cost in terms of international calls. You just dial a local number without having to schedule a conference if you got a reservationless program.

It is also convenient because you can use your mobile phone for the teleconference. The cinch that does you in is the greatly reduced fees for the teleconference compared to the standard long-distance calls you used to make.

You were not required to sign a contract. Yours is a small enterprise and you need that teleconference only twice - and until the next vacation your wife demands.

The next step is getting a dial-in number and a password, which you'll share with the people you'll have to teleconference with. You remind them to have their mobile phone batteries fully charged on the next couple of Mondays. The next step is planning the vacation, which of course your wife leads.

Family time in Texas

A vacation in Texas in November is perfect for your family - you all adore the great outdoors and want to try horseback riding. There are great home-cooked meals and great accommodations. You all start planning the trip and the kids are all worked up.

It has been a long time since you've enjoyed this kind of family planning. You didn't notice that you didn't make a dash for the computer. Instead, you and your wife had a fun evening with the kids for a change - something you should do more while your children are still little. Learn to relax because audio conferencing will make your vacation less stressful.

Web conferencing is here to stay. There are so many options and choices. The internet has many websites devoted to video conferencing. And companies in the conferencing business have a variety of options for customers. Web conferencing facilitates conducting live meetings over the internet.

Choosing a web conferencing service is not easy. What you need to do is first read about web conferencing and determine your individual need. Then weigh the pros and cons of different offers. Experts recommend that you undertake a comparison shopping exercise. Compare the packages on offer from leaders in the field like WebEx, PlaceWare, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and more.

Learn about the standards set for web conferencing by XCON: Centralized Conferencing Working Group. And choose a web conference provider with care.

Tips:

• Experts recommend avoiding the "price/use" formula. Choose a flat rate for a specified number of users. The ideal choice is one that allows you to meet as often as you need over the internet without paying for time used.

• Make an informed choice and insist on VoIP. Only this allows real-time meetings with presentations and so on. Telephone based web conferences are cumbersome.

• Choose a service that has IM, file sharing, and secure storage. Think future requirements not just the present. Choose a web conferencing provider who keeps abreast with the latest innovations in technology.

• Determine the actual global reach of the web conferencing vendor. Check facts for yourself and never depend on hearsay or brochures. Does the vendor have localized operations in far away countries like India, Japan, China, and Korea and so on or is he just US based.

• Choose a web conferencing vendor who is established in the business and has great user-friendly documentations. A web conferencing vendor must have 24/7 world wide customer service as well as trouble shooting facilities.

Never sign a contract before a trial. Ask for a free trial and determine how user friendly and efficient the service is. Be sure to check the features offered: VoIP, file sharing, instant messaging, dedicated technical and customer support, online FAQs, blogs, and forum for sharing problems and finding out solutions. Experts and the Macromedia whitepaper recommend that a web conferencing solution should: fit your budget, be compatible with your office computer and internet systems, and the conferencing tools must be user friendly. An ideal web conferencing company will not just push their product but make honest efforts to determine your needs before suggesting solutions. The bottom line should be not just a sale but a long term commitment to sustained service.

Make a market survey, take recommendations and quotes from at least three providers. Check for yourself the references they give. Make a list of questions and seek answers to them. Do in depth background checks on the web conferencing online services before you sign any contracts. Before you sign or make payments ensure that the web conferencing service is truly suitable to your company's needs.

Before we begin, let's discuss what we hope you will learn through this article. Then we can begin to piece it together for you.

Teleseminars are almost flag in nowadays internet selling bazaar. If you sanctuary's heard of a teleseminar, it's a group conference call where the host shares information on a particular focus of concern to the guests. Teleseminars can be rewarded or released to focus. Most regularly a host will commence off with released teleseminars to 'get their feet wet' and then move on to reward calls when they are more comfortable and experienced.

Hosting a group conference call or teleseminar isn't truly as complicated or intimidating as it may look. There are a few tools tat are appealing-greatly critical to pulling off a professional call. If you table to host a teleseminar here are some of the tools you'll necessity:

Conference Line - There are many released conference call ranks out there that are very steadfast and of great class. Do some explore (or ask your virtual junior to) to find these released ranks or ask other selling owners you know who've hosted their own calls. If your VA has done teleseminars before she will possible be able to urge a good ritual. You can also find rewarded rituals if you are troubled about the class of a released ritual.

We have just reached the tip of the iceberg, as the remainder of this article will help to further your understanding of this complex subject.

Auto responder usage - If you are unfilled to host more than one call or have more than a handful of guests you necessity a structure for updating them on your calls and next up after. An auto responder allows you to point in your letter and launch it to as many subscribers as you want. This is important because once people have registered for your call you necessity to keep consistent phone so they consider focusing. Transmit you slant a reminder or two in the weeks before the call, one the day of the call and then construct a string of letters to respect-up after to move them into customers or yield shoppers.

Audio demo usage - Many of the conference call ranks do bargain a decision to longest your gathering but it's regularly on a pay per use root. When you get a monthly account with an audio congesting structure you generally pay a monthly fee and longest as regularly as you like. Many of these programs come with an element where you can place a player on a web page where your visitor can slanted through streaming audio. This tool isn't an absolute must but people have come to demand that a congesting will be unfilled after the call. You can give this congesting away for released or make it unfilled for acquire.

Teleseminars can be fun! Just make clearly you take the time to practice manually and the tools you necessity so that everything goes smoothly and you are vacant as an organizer in your profession.

Learning about this subject will help you more in the long run than you may realize, until the time comes when you really need it.

I consume a large part of my work living web conferencing with panel members around the world and many sundown's I conference call with colleague's complex in Internet marketing and other online interest ventures. My chief corporate job is a produce developer for a high-tech circle and my special time is useless developing web sites and symbols articles. while I consume so greatly time conference business and have been liability so for at slightest ten days now, I know what machinery, what doesn't work, what wishes improvement and how somebody can be an brilliant mass or guest anchor with most any conference call benefit.

First I'll address how best to consume the audio or influence module when with teleconferencing benefits. Think landline with a piece earphones as the answer when chatting on the phone. Entertain do not under any circumstances use a Bluetooth earphones when on a conference call. The gear worn by a conference call bringer is well exact to the frequencies worn by Bluetooth gear and language and sentences will be chopped off abruptly and is validly grating to the interview on the call. This is especially important for the call mass or guest anchor while this character will be the dominant spokesman during the call.

The next nastiest offender is a unit phone in interrupting the conference call gear. If you've ever been on a conference call and examined high slanting squeals and squawking advent over the line you can be certain that there are people on the call with unit phones. Unit phones are entirely fair to use on a conference call if you're not departing to be tongue and the unit phone has a taciturn gathering. If you're the mass or a anchor, wish revert to a landline with a earphones together quickly to the telephone.

As you continue to read this article, pay special attention to how parts 1 and 2 relate to one another.

Enunciate over IP (Void) or digital phone benefit machinery fair, as that's what I use in my home agency. If you use Wife or Apples Airport gear wherever in close proximity to your boundless style telephone gear, be certain to upgrade your boundless style phones to a method 5.8 GHz paradigm. The preceding generation of 2.4 GHz boundless style phones will interfere with the Wife or Airport frequencies and crack your Wife gear off the air. The greatly elder 900 MHz gear still machinery and won't interfere with Wife, it just doesn't have the extend of coldness from the support place that's open with the 5.8 GHz gear.

Hosting and running the teleconference or web conference call is of the chief importance. I've massed calls for up to 50-people and I've participated on calls that had close to 3000-people on the conference conduit. When the call is in open method, somebody can verbalize and each on the call can examine each moreover on the call. Think manifold conversations departing on at once, each character tongue over every other character tongue at the same time, kids shouting or babies crying in the background, television clamor advent through the line, dogs barking, doors slamming, husbands or wives chatting to the character who's on the phone, unit phones squealing and you have a cacophonous border of clamor advent through to each that's on the conference call. I've even examined the sounds of superstar in a bathroom with flushing clamor on an open conference call. Not what somebody moreover on the call particularly desires to examine. The answer is visibly to keep the call in mass method so that only the mass and any anchors are on the line that connects to the mass gathering of the conference call. This isn't greatly of a catch in a daytime interest environment, yet it's a valid big catch when a large portion of the participants are dialing into the call from home.

A tenet of thumb I use whether to keep the conference call in mass or open method is the number of people dialing in and whether it's a daytime or sundown call. Daytime and less than about 25-callers I keep the call open. Daytime and more than 25, I keep it in mass method. Sundown calls with more than about 12-callers, mass method only.

A tactic that's worn on marketing factor calls is to keep the call open while people are signing on and announcing where they're from to spawn excitement and enthusiasm. As more and more people enlist the call, the clamor catch described above fast escalates and the call starts out with almost each on the call upset and stressed by the clamor aspect. Here's a austere answer: when the call is advertised, launch a fling-away forward address along with the call and ask people to launch an forward when they've enlisted the call. This way the mass can keep the call in mass method and reveal and greet people as they enlist the conference. The mass can alter to open method for a few seconds just before the call agenda starts and let each say "Hi" to impart that beloved affection of excitement, kinship and participation, and this should last no longer than about 5-seconds. Something longer and the clamor protest aspect comes back into play.

This same method should be worn for fielding examines from the call participants for the mass or guest anchor. If the conference call is opened up for examines, typically more than one character attempts to ask a examine at the same time ensuing in intersect address and uncomfortable silences when each waits for each moreover to ask their examine first. Also the border clamor aspect comes into play and the examines are generally powerless to be examined openly by the interview. Again, the austere answer is to have examines submitted via forward. They can be sent to the mass and if the examines are for a guest anchor in another position, the mass can panel the examines and only launch those that are relatable to the subject being discussed on the call. If the examines are sent to the guest as they appear while they're tongue, the guest spokesman or mass will have an opportunity to see the examines that requisite to be answered and a bit of mental preparation can be done in the back of their thinker before answering. This avoids superstar being blind-sided by an off-subject or inappropriate examine.

All of these suggestions smear evenly to a web conferencing call. The apparent caveat for a web supported conference call is that each wishes to be on a high-hurry DSL or cable method, especially if there's a web supported visual presentation charming place during the call. Someone on dial-up even for a austere audio only conference call is at an great disadvantage and will be sure frustrated by the feeble outcome they experience.

An brilliant piece that could impart an information produce to whichever give away or plug is to capture a tape of the call. This is very important if the mass or guest anchor is well known or is a rising skilled in the subject of the call. There are software answers that will capture audio from whichever a teleconference or a web conference and the audio line can be reduced for clarity and made open for download. Another selection is to make the call open as a pod cast whichever in entire or ruined up into a cycle.

Once an mp3 line of the call is captured, then another selection is to have a transcription of the call made and available as an Adobe Acrobat e-Book. There are benefits that will transcribe from mp3 lines or alternatively, route the line through influence recognition software to establish a word deed or passage line that can then be available in Acrobat. This can then be made open for boundless or for deal via a download linkage or distributed by a line transmission answer such as Yosemite.

There are various web conferencing answers and teleconferencing benefits open ranging in charge from boundless to miserly and affordable. Keep in thinker the suggestions I've made here and smear them to your next conference call and you'll be wished with the outcome and the call participants will be obliged and exultant. Any you may just have the beginnings of a web supported interest with these suggestions as well.

Try searching for a particular keyword from the title of this article on your search engine and you are sure to find a wealth of knowledge.

When you hear the term 'free conference call' you may be thinking a bunch of business meetings are going on, but there is more that you can do with a free conference call.

Think of your family on the holidays. Do you call person after person to say hello and try to keep in touch. What if you could all be on the phone together and enjoy a few holiday moments. That is what a free conference call will allow.

Thankfully, technology and competition have come so far these days that services, which used to cost a lot, are now free. Conference call services are among those services. For the next holiday, you can set up a way where the whole family can talk, together at once, no matter where they are located.

The process is simple. You log onto a free conference call website and set up an account. One person in the group must set up an account to be able to schedule and organize a free conference call.

Once you have decided on the date and time of the call, you simply input that information and the system will give you a call in number and a PIN code to use to get into the conference call. You give this number and PIN to all the members of your family who are going to join in on the call, and that's all there is to it. Once the time comes, everyone calls in and you have an instant family gathering.

When it comes to charges, a free conference call is free if you use a service like TheConferenceSpace, but that does not mean calling into the number is. If the number from the free conference call provider is long distance, you will have to pay long distance charges.

The technology boom in the 21st century has created wonders for the telecom industry in a tremendous manner. With the arrival of mobile phones and the Internet, communication is fast becoming a necessity. It is indeed a technological revolution.

The Benefits Of Web And Audio Conferencing

In this regard, web and audio conferencing have taken the IT boom to its next level of revolution. Today, equipped with the Internet technology, we are able to carry out conferences with people all over the world while sitting in our office. Web and audio conferencing has enabled the postmodern world in connecting with a virtual reality through the medium of cyber space.

With web and audio conferencing, large business organizations are able to deal with their clientele and other associates within seconds. The video aspect of the conference allows the maintaining of a physical aspect of the communication which is a part of virtual reality.

Some Basic Requirements Of Web And Audio Conferencing

To facilitate the Internet web and audio conferencing, you must have Windows, Java, Linux or Mac software and an internet connection of at least minimum 128kbps. For video conference, VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) is mandatory and a camera which will help in receiving and sending the analog digital message in the form of audio and video.

This is the cheapest medium of communication which saves a lot of money and time as it can be established almost instantly and does not require a huge amount of investment in comparison of the expenses on traveling for business and personal use. It is the easiest medium of maintaining one-to-one conference which can be highly efficient in running a business. Thus, web and audio conferencing is the new technological revolution, which enables the IT revolution to move to the next level.

It is one of the best video email communication of our time. - but very simple to use - with the
biggest back office in the industry included many, many tools as autoresponders, 20 Video follow up
messages for costumers and associates, more than 100 pre-produced videos for all kind of occasions,
more than 100 templates produces by the best graphic designers that via 2 clicks can be wrapped
around a video, all your favorite pictures, logos etc. Simple and easy to use, video communications,
which includes video email, video on demand and broadcasting, is helping to level the playing
field for a growing number of small businesses. If you don"t have your own Web server or web site,
you can also use your web cam to send an email.

Affordable web conferencing is an all path conferencing solution for sales agents looking to send video
email or have round table discussions with other agents in other cities. Video email will replace text
messages as the online communications mechanism. Set-top boxes like the new Brightbox will
connect you from living room to living room by phone and email.

What a great way to send your customers a video email saying, Thank you for your order today, we
couldn't be in business without great customers like you, and they received it within minutes of placing
the order. That was the initial response from my 60 plus year old mother after receiving a
Video Email from me. When you consider that a 2-minute video email contains approximately the same
amount of information as two or three A4 pages of text, you can appreciate just how much more
acceptable this becomes to the recipient.

You could use video email, and enhance the message that you are sending to the recipient. Put yourself
in the picture with streaming this in email whether at work or at play. Cutting edge marketing: Viral
marketing, pod-casting, blogging and email are all new additions to the marketing arena.

Video email for example is a powerful communication tool that is being used with increasing frequency
online. When you combine online web conferencing, video email, and instant messaging together,
working efficiently and doing it from home is the way to go. Streaming video email: Record, save, and
send is all it takes to "put yourself" in the home or office of the people in distant locations with whom
you want to communicate.

Web based conferencing in simple terms can be defined as conferencing or discussions via the Internet. It is mainly used for conducting live discussions, meeting or presentations on the Internet. Earlier it was done via text messages on various chat engines, and did not include live discussions, and was known as computer conferencing or Web Based Conferencing.

But today with more advancements and faster technologies they are called live discussions. Through web based conferencing we are said to be living in a global village, where we do not need to travel from places to places to meet people and discuss various projects with them. The communication strategies and styles have changed a lot, life has become faster and interpretative, and we can talk to our clients or partners sitting abroad with the loss of not even a single penny.

Other features which help in increasing the effectiveness of a presentation are web cameras, slide presentations on power point, audio communication with the use of headphones and speakers, text chat for solving online problems and queries, and desktop sharing for sharing files or documents with other members of the conference.

Procedure Of Web Based Conferencing

In a live conference or web conference, each member or participant of the conference operates from his or her own PC either from home or from office. All the members of the conference are connected to each other via the Internet. The participants can simply log in to the conference or to the concerned forum by entering its URL address and individual passwords.

Web Based Conferencing is a service provided by a vendor, for which he charges a fixed amount of money. The money charged can be on the basis of usage per minute or can be purchased from the dealer for a fixed period of time having facilities of downloading and other advantages. These facilities provided differ according to the scheme or package purchased by the customer.

What do you think of when someone says communications device? Cell phone? Home computer? Home telephone? Using the telephone, cell phone, or even sending an e-mail are perhaps some of the most prevalent forms of communication. The communications industry has brought once thought of fictitious technology from comic books from the ancient operator assisted telephone. Even high school and junior high kids have cell phones these days. This is certainly the information age. However, there are still limits with those types of high-tech gadgets. As an example, whether for personal or business reasons you may need to interact with the other parties directly and/or present and share visual information. In a situation such as this, multi-point videoconferencing just might make for the perfect fit.

Not only can this save you on unwise company/personal cash because of videoconferencing technology, but it will also save you time. Something that direct dial conferencing cannot offer. And although it sounds computer nerd scary, videoconferencing is relatively simple to set up. All of this is basically a series of recording devices set up before hand at the conference attendees physical location.

For a basic understanding of how it works; we will assume that you understand your equipment and the technology involved, there are a series of cameras at each participating members room of the conference. It is just as simple as a regular conference call, the only difference is that you can see other members of the conference and share information via computer. It is said that 60% of communication is nonverbal, meaning it is based on body language. This is where videoconferencing actually gets members magnetically drawn into the conference and more involved in the conference. And since videoconferencing will take advantage of modern thought, it is easy to transfer files, offers optional text chatting(vs. voice communication), take polls, and utilize everyones' resources through modern technology. Companies and certain individuals who take advantage of multi-point will see their expenses go down and free time rise.

Only the limits of your own thinking limits the potential of videoconferencing. The technology is very user friendly and adaptable. It can be used for your own use, such as having a chat with your pals and the same time being able to eyeball them, or also used to save businesses time and . In fact, because of the low price vs. time and travel prices, it is predicted that this will become very ordinary in any business that wants to knock the pants off its competition. It is also a great vehicle for educators and teachers alike to share activities with different schools such as a form of home schooling, or also by members of the scientific community collaborating on research and projects. It is the closest thing to be present in the same room. Cost wise, until they come up with light speed airplane technology, it is the best thing available.

The audio and web conferencing business is booming with growth rates of over 30% per annum being reported. With all this activity, it's becoming increasing hard for you to compare 'like with like' and choose a supplier which is right for your needs. To put it bluntly, some people are being ripped off.

This article gives you tips to avoid expensive mistakes and get the best deal, whichever service provider you choose.

1. Claiming conference calls are FREE when they are not

RIP-OFF: Advertising services as being free when they can actually work out more expensive than paid-for services.

This is probably the most common trick in the industry. A Google search will return a myriad of so-called 'free' conference call services. They are not really free at all. This is how it works:

The conference access number is what's known as a Non-Geographic Number (NGN). NGNs normally start with 08 or 09 and often cost more, sometimes much more, than calling a normal landline number.

The reason they cost more is that the telephone company gives some of the money for the call to the owner of the NGN - the conference call company. This is how conference call companies make money on these services.

So, although the conference call company does not charge you for hosting the conference call and therefore claim it to be free, you pay your telephone provider for the call so it's not really free. A more accurate description would be "Free telephone Conference Hosting".

It's worth noting that calls to NGNs from UK mobile phones and calls from abroad can be extremely expensive. Also, there is no guarantee that you will even be able to connect from abroad as foreign telephone companies are under no obligation to connect to NGNs.

Other disadvantages include lack of control and visibility. NGN based services are typically quite primitive and do not include the features and support needed by serious business users. Companies who use audio conferencing regularly are almost always better off using a host-paid service as the cost savings can be considerable.

Suggested Countermeasures:

Ask your service provider to tell you how much your conference calls will cost including costs of the phone calls to the conference bridge.

2. Charging you for being late - or early

RIP-OFF: Charging the host for participant calls from the moment each participant dials in, irrespective of whether the host is on the line yet.

Some companies start the meter running as soon as each participant dials into the conference access number - even though the conference doesn't actually start until the host arrives.

Beware: This is a great way for the audio & web conferencing companies to make money for services you haven't actually used! For instance, imagine you arranged an 11am teleconference for 20 people. If your service provider charged 10 pence per minute and each of the participants arrived 1 minute early but the host was 2 minutes late, you'd have paid GBP 5.70 for the privilege of listening to hold music.

We think this practice is outrageous but it is quite widespread.

Suggested Countermeasures:

Ask your service provider to tell you at exactly what point they start charging, is it when the participants arrive or when the host arrives? Remember, even if your service provider is not billing you directly because you are using an NGN based service (see Dirty Trick 1 above) you will still be paying for expensive phone calls whilst you wait.

3. Stealth charges - What you don't know can hurt you

RIP-OFF: Charging high rates for services and hiding them by not providing a detailed breakdown in the hope you'll just pay the bill without questioning it.

Unfortunately, this is a very common practice. The sad truth is that many large companies simply don't have the time or resources to check every single bill. Service providers know this and exploit it. Here are just a few examples of what can happen:

a) A service provider wins your business by offering you an unbelievably low rate on UK access charges and then grossly overcharges you for overseas calls.

b) They levy charges for conferences which were booked but subsequently cancelled.

c) They charge for participants which don't turn up, or turn up late - or even turn up early.

The list is almost endless.

Suggested Countermeasures:

Ask your service provider if they are able to provide a FULLY ITEMIZED BREAKDOWN of their charges accessible via a web interface.

The web interface part is important as some companies just dump reams of paper on you hoping that you won't get around to reading it. Invariably they're right, you won't.

Others insist you download & manipulate data in a spreadsheet which is fiddly, tedious and hence very rarely done. It's also worth checking if the information is available in REAL-TIME. Some companies only show information days, weeks or months after the call.

REAL-TIME access is particularly important if you intend to bill your clients for audio and web conferences as part of your own company's services.

It pays to shop around and ask for a full price list so you can work out the actual costs you'll be paying. It is often possible to save 40% to 70% by doing so.

4. Charging for no-shows

RIP-OFF: Charging for participants who were booked on a conference but didn't attend.

Most enterprise level audio and web conferencing service providers offer managed event call services. A managed event call is where operators perform tasks to help the call go smoothly, examples include dialing out to participants, welcoming them to the calls and chairing Q&A sessions.

As event calls involve a number of people (sometimes several hundred), they must be booked in advance. Much like traditional events, if you invite 100 people, chances are only 80 or so will actually turn up on the day - audio and web conference providers know this and some exploit you by charging for places even if people don't show up. For the service provider, this really is money for nothing.

We think charging for no-shows is grossly unfair. It can be particularly difficult to spot unless your audio & web conferencing company includes full and detailed reporting (See section 3 on stealth charging).

Suggested Countermeasures:

Luckily this is one of the easiest scams to protect yourself against. Simply ask your service provider if they charge for no-shows before the date for which you have booked your event call. Don't put up with weasel words, and excuses; the answer should be either YES or NO.

5. Overcharging YOU because of THEIR antiquated billing systems

RIP-OFF: Charging the host for participant calls at the highest call rate even when some participants are calling in from cheaper lines.

This one is very difficult to spot and it never even occurs to most people to check. Most enterprise level audio and web conferencing companies offer several ways for callers to dial into the conference. The per-minute cost varies by access method.

The most common example of this is the choice of freephone or local rate access. Participants can either dial a freephone number for which the host is charged, say, 8p per minute or a local rate number for which the host is charged slightly less, say, 7p per minute.

Now, if you held an audio conference for 12 people for 1 hour with 10 people calling in on a local rate number and 2 calling on a freephone number you would expect it to cost you (GBP 42.00 for the 10 participants dialing in at GBP 0.07 per minute plus GBP 9.60 for the 2 delegates dialing in at GBP 0.08 per minute).

You might be shocked to learn that some service providers would charge you GBP 57.60, an increase of over 10%. This is because they'd charge you the freephone rate of GBP 0.08 per minute for all 12 lines even though only 2 people were using the more expensive freephone access method. Not a massive difference you might say, but it adds up over time.

To be fair, not everyone who does this is deliberately overcharging you. It's just that some service providers have outdated billing systems which are not capable of differentiating between different classes of lines on the same call. Whatever the reason though, you are the one who ends up paying extra!

Suggested Countermeasures:

Again, this is a very simply trick to foil. Simply ask them how they handle mixed rate calls. Be particularly careful to check international rates as some of these are extremely expensive.

6. Insisting you sign up for annual contracts

RIP-OFF: Offering you good rates but only if you sign an 'exclusive' contract for 1 year.

This is often used as a bargaining tool to make you think that the audio & web conferencing company is giving you something special in return for your loyalty. In reality it is you which is giving the service provider something of value, not the other way around.

By signing an annual contract the service provider can be pretty confident that you will not be looking at the competition until close to when the contract expires. Even if there is an industry-wide price drop, you probably wouldn't notice and they certainly aren't going to tell you. Why should they? There is no incentive to do so. They have you tied in for a year.

When you sign the contract, the Account Manager makes a note to call you 1 month before the contract is up and, very often, you just sign on the bottom line and renew - at the same, now inflated, rate. Easy money.

We believe that your service provider should be giving you the best deal possible anyway without trying to tie you in. Most so-called 'exclusive' contracts are meaningless and unenforceable anyway. Check with your lawyers but chances are you'll find you are free to use multiple suppliers.

If you find a better deal, be promiscuous. Gradually migrate over to the new company at a pace which suits you. Remember, there's no need to cancel your account with your original supplier until you are confident the new company can meet your needs.

Suggested Countermeasures:

Refuse to sign an annual contract and ask for the same great rates anyway. If they refuse, be suspicious. Are they trying to entice you in with a low per-minute call rate but then rip you off using some of the tactics described in this guide. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

7. Charging premium rates for ordinary services

RIP-OFF: Charging you premium rates for services they claim are tailored to your specific industry, e.g. Legal, Retail or Medical.

As more companies enter the market, everyone is looking for a point of difference and an excuse to charge more. Some service providers charge premium prices for what they claim to be unique industry-specific solutions.

In reality all they are doing is using clever marketing tactics to sell standard services - the same services which are available from competitors at much better prices.

One company we know of charges over 5 times the going rate for legal conference calls and gets away with. This is because many people in the legal profession assume that there is something very special about a legal conference call which justifies the premium. I'll let you into a secret - there isn't.

A legal conference call is simply a managed event call, recorded and stamped with a case number delivered on cassette tape. Several audio and web suppliers can provide this service at greatly reduced rates but very rarely get a chance to quote as the market is dominated by one or two expensive players with large marketing budgets.

Suggested Countermeasures:

Ask your supplier precisely what extra they are giving you in exchange for their higher prices. Some companies will insist that they are the only company certificated to serve your market - or the only company allowed to do so by your professional body. Chances are they are lying.

A few phone calls should establish the facts and you could save a bundle.

Video conferencing is a useful business tool that brings close people located all over the world. The magic of videoconferencing is that it has erased all borders, cut down travel time, as well as costs. Companies as well as research units can choose to conduct important business meetings as well as training modules by using videoconferencing.

The steps to planning a successful video conference are simple. First you need to decide on a day and time taking into consideration time zones and holidays.

1. Send out a notification to all concerned about the videoconference and confirm attendance. 2. Decide on a format for the videoconference and ensure smooth functioning by checking whether all participants have the necessary equipment. 3. When choosing a venue think about audio and video quality. The room should be simple and windows must be ideally behind the videoconferencing system or covered with blinds. Choose the right seating arrangement considering aspects like audio echo. Light furniture and an amply lit room with florescent lights are recommended. If the walls are blue its ideal. Insulate the room from external sounds as far as possible. 4. Check whether you have a suitable network connection. It should be a digital network service such as an IP or ISDN service. Consult your local VSGi representative. You will need a Lan connection, suitable power sockets, and cable runners or conduits. 5. Arrange for equipment such as a second monitor of size 27” to 60” plasmas, a VCR or DVD player, document camera, auxiliary camera, lap tops, wired or wireless touch control panels and so on. In case of doubt take professional help. 6. General tips for a videoconference are:
a. Ask participants to be seated at least 10-15 minutes before the conference begins. b. Send out a short note to all speakers on how to speak/present slides at a video conference. c. Position the camera such that all participants will be within view. d. Every one needs to speak normally just as in a face to face meeting. There will be no need to speak louder. e. Avoid shuffling of feet or papers. Microphones will pick up all sounds even whispers. f. Use normal meeting etiquettes.

The World Wide Web has changed significantly the way the world functions. Today e-meetings or videoconferences are common place and participants can be in any corner of the world and yet be present in the meeting. Participants can exchange ideas, present slides and data, discuss and debate issues and interact just as they would in face-to-face meetings. Participants will just be seated in their own offices instead of a conference room. Video conferencing has become state of art with excellent sound and picture quality and the process saves business considerable amounts of time as well as money.

Introduction

Today video email is being recognized as the next generation of online communication. Video email can make a small mom and pop business look like a fortune 500 company and at an investment of only pennies on the dollar. Video emails are also more effective than emailed copy because videos are much more stimulating and engaging. It's a fact that Video Email outperforms. And with the rising popularity of video, v-mail (video email) is going to transform email marketing. Imagine what your clients will think when they open up their email and see a video email.

Business

Video Email allows any business owner to quickly and easily capture full-color Internet-ready or personally created video and target their specific message to their customer base. Your prospects and customers will appreciate seeing the "face behind the business". Imagine yourself receiving an email from someone you do business with and instead of having to read their message you just click the link they provided and you get to hear and see them personally. I know that this has had a major impact on whom I do business with today. If you plan to do some Internet marketing to promote your business endeavor, you should seriously consider video email marketing in your Internet marketing campaign. And, whether it is for business or even for pleasure, this new technology is here to stay.

Technology

The technology is here and businesses are taking advantage of it. The technology used to be bad and when it was used it looked like watching people stutter or watching an old Kung Fu movie that had been dubbed. Not only will you be able to deliver information in an interactive way, you will differentiate yourself as a market leader using cutting edge technology. It doesn't matter whether you want to use this technology to promote your own business or whether you want to make it your business promoting Video Emails, with video technology, communication can now be a totally different experience. Going beyond traditional marketing methods, we explore "outside-of-the-box" strategies and techniques that take advantage of digital marketing technology. Then we stand above the crowd and are easily noticed.

Sales

Video Email Broadcast - If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video clip is surely worth millions of words. Video Email is the next generation of online communication to get people to learn about your offers, and perhaps even more important you begin to form relationships via technology. People will see and hear you and then begin to feel comfortable working with you because they feel like they know you.

Conclusion

Streaming video is the ultimate sales tool. It is a Cost-effective sales, marketing, and branding tool. Marketing your products and services online with video doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. You can find a service that will only have to invest a few hundred dollars and can be online sending Video Emails in as little as 10 minutes.

Video email is the next big thing to the introduction of the mobile phone.

Are you fed up with Death by PowerPoint online meetings? Are you frustrated by rampant multitasking, rather than great participation in your meeting? In your online meetings, have you found that participation, interaction, and collaboration have ground to a screeching halt?

Such is the culture of virtual meetings all over the world. Everyone knows that most conference calls and online meetings are awful. But our corporate leaders have accepted it, and all of us have learned to tolerate it. In fact, multitasking is one way we have learned to cope with bad online meetings.

How long would we let bad online meetings continue if leaders knew that these worst practices were holding back performance by about one-third? Research by Frost & Sullivan (2006) determined that collaboration quality (getting people to interact openly and vigorously) is a leading driver of performance. People that interact at low levels (or not at all) will perform at lower levels. In contrast, people that interact at high levels will perform at high levels. Interaction quality is everything!

So, to improve results, the mandate for change is clear. Corporate leaders must act decisively to change the ineffective online meeting culture to one that is vigorously interactive when people are not face to face. One cannot change a culture by purchasing new technology and using a few techniques. Changing the culture of the way people meet virtually takes commitment, action, and training--across time. Here are some key steps to change your company's online meeting culture, so you, too, can improve performance.

1. Identify ineffective communication practices as they exist today. Get very clear about what people commonly do now that leads to miscommunication, frustration, and rework.
2. Provide the finest collaborative technologies available to help your people collaborate, communicate, and connect in their real-time meetings. A robust web conference technology is essential for every virtual leader and team.
3. Identify which other collaboration technologies fit your organization's work. Many virtual teams will also need Instant Meeting, an Electronic team room, and possibly video conferencing, too.
4. Establish a written corporate communication plan that establishes a clear way people are to communicate, collaborate, and connect in the virtual space. Establish norms and guidelines on how to use the most critical technologies, including web conference meetings, instant message, electronic team rooms, and email.
5. Establish clear guidelines for the right medium for the message. Make sure that people understand when to send an email vs. picking up the phone vs. logging on to a web conference.
6. Upgrade audio quality. Expect nothing less than digital-quality audio. Also identify policies about using mobile phones, the mute button, and headsets.
7. In online meetings, link from the desktop, not a conference room. It is essential that everyone connect from an equal platform, so no participant is disadvantaged from being a full and equal participant in the team meeting.
8. Train your leaders how to plan and facilitate an engaging, interactive team meeting. This training is not about how to operate technology; rather it is about how to change the meeting culture so people collaborate, communicate, and connect.
9. Take 3 minutes to review the meeting effectiveness at the end of every meeting. This small step keeps everyone focused on changing their practices so meeting virtually works for them.
10. Sponsor a quarterly live webinar to reinforce elements of how to communicate, collaborate, and connect in a virtual setting, and why that is so essential for success. Feature C-level and VP level leaders, along with people throughout the organization that share their best practices. Always talk about why these new practices are important for the people, the teams, and the business.