Almost everyone I know talks about time pressures and about finding ways to get
things done more quickly. In fact, I’ve noticed how many more people ‘rate’ the companies they do business with based on the availability of online tools. A few years ago I wouldn’t have pictured myself as do-it-yourselfer who views the Internet as a lifeline. But I’m there now. Can’t imagine life without the convenience of online banking, shopping and Googling.
Then there’s the ‘how to work more productively’ category of life. Thanks to online conferencing tools from
ACT Conferencing, you can save time related to business meetings. Now this is time well saved! Tools from ACT allow you to order and manage
reservationless audio conferencing and
web collaboration services online; use web-based tools to manage conferences real time; and schedule virtual meetings with the help of a time zone conversion tool. Check out the details at http://www.actconferencing.com/aboutus/press/conferencing-online-tools.aspx.
You will like the choices. For example, you can select unlimited monthly or per minute conferencing subscription plans. And pay and manage bills online. The
Conference Director tool lets hosts monitor participants, control Q&A sessions and chat online with the operator.
ReadyConnect® audio and web conferencing customers can use the
iPortal to create and manage reservationless audio accounts. If you’re like me, you want to save time AND money, which is where toll-free conferencing comes in. ACT offers toll-free access numbers in more than 60 countries. So talk amongst yourselves or with those clients, partners and associates in other countries. Meetings are better with online conferencing tools.
Nietzsche, the philosopher, is credited with saying, "Without music, life would be an error". Of course, this was before hold music. But now I can say he’s right. ACT Conferencing’s new hold music is way above average, and this may be the first 15 minutes of fame for the ACT employee, Seth Dunkin, who wrote and produced the tunes. High marks, or should I say big score, for this and a few other conferencing service enhancements that have recently been added. Guest mute override lets the host begin reservationless conference calls in mute mode. If participants want to speak, they can unmute themselves and say what they need to say. Don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to meetings with less traffic noise, restaurant chatter, etc. And these days, who doesn’t want to save a buck? Get a discount if you sign up for an annual web conferencing subscription.
Check out Seth's new hold music at http://www.actconferencing.com/multimedia/hold-music-sample.mp3. And find out about audiocasting, a new PIN option, and what Cayman Islands, India, Philippines, Ukraine and Vietnam have in common at http://www.actconferencing.com/aboutus/press/conferencing-service-enhancements.aspx
I'm very much a DIY kind of person. In fact, if I can't order online, I tend to procrastinate and may not even order at all. Perhaps I'm a little anti-social, perhaps I just really want to do it myself, but I think it is more likely that I'm not very good at saying "no" to sales people. I can't tell you how many unnecessary extras I've ended up with by the time I hang up the phone.
But, even I can appreciate that there are some things that you really need an expert for. A reservationless audio, video, and web conference can get you through most of your day-to-day meeting requirements. Team meetings, project meetings, updates, meetings with clients, meetings with vendors, most of the time you don't need a meeting expert to get your message across.
Sometimes, however, how you present your message and the impression you make as the message is being delivered is so important that you don't want to leave it to chance. E.g. will someone be rustling paper in the background? Will someone have problems using the web conference? And how do I even dial out using a video conferencing system? (see my earlier post http://blog.actconferencing.com/post/2009/03/26/Ite28099s-all-about-the-meetinge280a6.aspx)
Let's start with my opinion: ACT's web conferencing solution (ReadyConnect Web) is way, way better than most of the other web conferencing services I've used lately.
Have you ever missed half of an important meeting while waiting for the web conferencing software to load? That's what happened to me last week. While I shouldn't mention which popular web conferencing provider I had to use, let me tell you -- it's tons of fun to sit on the phone with a group of people who are trying to make small talk and asking you every thirty seconds if you can see the conference yet.
You get conversations such as:
Host: We'll get started just as soon as Jeff can see the web meeting.
Me: Sorry everybody. I'm starting a different browser. Apparently you have to use Internet Explorer.
Host: So... (mumbles something about the weather)... Jeff, can you see the conference now?
Me: No. It's wanting to download something.
Host: No problem at all. (Long awkward silence) And how's it coming?
Me: It's installing and then needs to restart. I'm going to take a quick nap while we wait.
Perhaps I didn't say that last part... but I was definitely thinking it. And sadly, I could have done it. (I finally got into the web meeting 10 minutes after the scheduled start time.)
How come several of the top 5 web conferencing solutions make you download all their software just to get into a meeting? And better yet, why does anybody accept that as the way it has to be? ACT's ReadyConnect Web Meeting doesn't require any downloads for participants. You just enter the conference number, click "Join", and the meeting opens.
I'm starting a campaign to rid the world of annoying web conferencing experiences.
Get a free trial of ReadyConnect Web Meeting and keep your participants happy.