It seems that in this day and age, the abundance of information on the worldwide web should make finding and selecting products, services and vendors easier than ever before. In reality though, I am often finding myself in information overload!
Let’s take an example. You want to begin web conferencing and you are looking for a vendor. Should be easy right? Well, it is easy to find web conferencing vendors, easy to find information about them, but not so easy to filter through all the information to make a selection. Here’s are some things to consider:
1. Pricing and Affordability
How is the service priced and what works best for you? Is an annual contract required? Do the terms and conditions indicate in the fine print, that your price may be increased at any time with no notice? Can you cancel the contract with no penalties? Do you use infrequently and if so would a “pay only for what you use” model be better for you?
At TelSpan we don’t require contracts, don’t have hidden price increases, and have a selection of payment options including an “all you can use” monthly plan, a “pay only for what you use” plan, and special plans for large conferencing events.
2. Features
What features are important to you? Which do you think you’ll actually use? More importantly, is the platform customizable to only display the features you want? Web conferencing platforms are constantly becoming more feature-rich. Common features today include webcams, ability to play video and mp3 files into the meeting, whiteboard, annotation, chat, polling, built-in registration, and more. Take a little time to consider what is most useful for you.
Our TelSpanVenue web conferencing platform offers all the latest features, but gives you the flexibility to customize your use of the tool.
3. Ease-of-Use
This is the big one isn’t it? If it’s not easy for you and your participants to use, then what good is it to you? Test drive platforms to evaluate this for yourself. I can almost guarantee you that all of them will advertise themselves as easy-to-use. Are they? Along the same lines, does the vendor offer demonstrations and trainings? Are they only available on their website in recorded form or will a live person assist you and train you to use the platform in the way that fits your needs?
At TelSpan, we offer both recorded and live demos and trainings. We have a full team of web support specialists available to assist you in any way. Many vendors don’t.
4. Variety of Offerings
Lastly, I would consider the offerings of your vendor. Many web conferencing vendors only offer web conferencing. If you want to actually have audio with your web conference, they may tell you to set that up yourself or will ask you to use a partner vendor. Why would you want to use two or more vendors for the same meeting? If you need additional services such as audio conferencing, recording and archiving, registration or event planning, select a vendor who can offer you all this with “one stop shopping”.
At TelSpan, we pride ourselves in offering a full selection of conferencing and communications solutions. We specialize in customizing solutions to meet each client’s unique needs.
Happy hunting!
Sometimes it’s tough to read your audience when your event is not held in front of a live audience, but in times like these it is so much more cost efficient to use web conferencing technology to hold a meeting or do some training than to pay for flights, gas, hotels and food. The problem is that even though you have allotted a portion of your webinar time for your question and answer session, your participants may not be comfortable asking the first question.
If you want to help break the ice and get your webinar participants engaged in a Q&A discussion, it might be a good idea to have some questions prepared ahead of time and plant one or two with members of your staff. If you are utilizing TelSpan, you can request that a TelSpan Client Service Professional ask a question of your choice to get the ball rolling! You might call these “planted” questions, but often it helps those out there in the audience get their creative juices flowing to allow an open forum for questions and ideas. We can arrange for your prepared questions to be asked at the proper time if there are no questions right away from your participants and just maybe it will be the boost they need!
Have you ever been a participant in an audio, web or video conference? If so, has anything annoyed you during the conference? If you’re like most people the answer is a resounding “yes’! Let me guess what might have annoyed you during the conference:
• Participants multitasking
• Participants checking email or surfing the web
• People leaving the room
• Side conversations
• People noticeably zoning out
• Participants not shutting their office door
• Participants eating and drinking
• Cell phone interruptions
• Lack of eye contact on video
If you are participating in (or hosting!) a conference, take a moment to remember etiquette for meetings. The same “rules” apply whether you are meeting in-person or in some virtual manner. With the introduction of web conferencing and video via webcams, the offenses above are even more noticeable and disruptive than they were on a purely audio conference.
Best practices include:
• Act just as you would at an in-person meeting
• Turn of cell phones
• Don’t check email, surf the web, or multitask
• Don’t rustle paperwork or fidget with items on your desk
• Don’t conduct side conversations
• Shut your office door
• Dress appropriately if you are on camera
• Do not eat or drink
• If using cameras be sure to make eye contact; remember that means looking into the webcam when speaking, not just at your computer monitor
• Above all, pay attention!
With attention to these particulars, you will be focused, engaged, and a valuable contributor to your next virtual meeting.
Did you know that many conferencing platforms can be branded to reflect your organization’s logos, colors and messaging easily and inexpensively? If you frequently interact with audiences outside of your organization via conferencing platforms, you may want to consider branding as a way to reinforce your organization’s brand and messaging with your participants.
Large organizations utilize branding services on their audio and web conferencing in order to reinforce their marketing messaging, logos, and branding seamlessly to outside audiences. Web conferencing branding allows you to closely mirror the look and feel of your website.
Smaller organizations like the way that custom branded 800 audio conferencing numbers and a branded web conferencing site give their organization the appearance of being a large industry player, and increase their name recognition. Your conferencing services provider can provide branding options to you, giving your participants the feeling they are on your organization’s own conferencing platforms.
Branding options at TelSpan include:
• Branded Toll-Free Audio Conferencing Numbers (“Welcome to the ABC Company Conferencing Center. Please enter your conference code.”)
• Branded Web Conferencing Platforms Hosted on Custom url’s (www.ABCCompanyWebConferencing.com)
• RegistrationPlus Online Registration Tool with Branding
At TelSpan we are happy to assist you with any questions you may have about branding our services. Our web conferencing branding and hosting fees are now lower than ever! Call us today to learn how conferencing branding can help your organization!
Telemedicine is an application of clinical medicine which is rapidly developing. In telemedicine, medical information is transferred through interactive audiovisual media for the purposes of consulting and for remote medical procedures or examinations.
There are three main categories of telemedicine:
Store and Forward, involves acquiring medical data such as images and then transmitting the data to a doctor or medical specialist at a convenient time for offline assessment. Both parties need not be present at the same time. Often used for dermatology, radiology, and pathology.
Remote Monitoring, enables medical professionals to monitor a patient remotely using various technological devices. Used primarily for managing chronic diseases or specific conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or asthma. Results have comparable outcomes to traditional in-person encounters, are more cost effective, and provide increased satisfaction to patients.
Interactive Services, provides real-time interactions between patient and provider, including phone conversations, online communication, and home visits. Often used for history review, physician examination, psychiatric evaluations, and ophthalmology assessments.
The Benefits of Telemedicine are Many and May Include:
• Connecting populations living in isolated communities and remote regions
• Connecting a general practitioner and a specialist available remotely
• Improving home monitoring of patients with chronic conditions
• Increasing the number of patients seen
• Reducing physician costs
At TelSpan we recently assisted a client who needed a more efficient way to conduct doctor/patient consultations in order to determine whether patients should be given a bed in a hospital or be given other direction. In-person consultations were too time intensive and expensive and our client was looking for a most cost and time efficient solution.
This client now conducts doctor/patient consultations online via the TelSpanRayo web conferencing platform. This innovative platform offers webcam capability, allowing the doctor to consult with the patient online, yet “face to face”. Consulting with patients via webcam and completing the patient evaluation online have increased efficiency while saving time and money. This client now conducts well over 1000 monthly doctor/patient consultations via TelSpanRayo.
End result? Improved service, efficiency, patient experience, and more affordable healthcare!
Here are five ways to utilize conferencing to improve your environmental impact and "green" your organization:
Offer Telecommuting to your Employees: Telecommuting benefits the environment by reducing carbon emissions and lessening the wear and tear on roads, bridges and highways. Think about the positive environmental impact if each of your employees telecommuted one day per week and connected via audio and web conferencing when not in the office.
Reduce Business Travel: In today’s world, business travel often has to be justified not only in terms of the bottom line, but in environmental terms as well. A recent report found that airlines are emitting 20 percent more carbon dioxide into the environment than previously estimated. The amount could hit 1.5 billion tons a year by 2025, from the airline industry alone. Reducing travel by utilizing audio and web conferencing in place of travel reduces carbon emissions, saves time and money, and keeps employees healthier and happier.
Reduce Printed Documents: Share and transfer documents online via web conference rather than printing and mailing them.
Take Online Recruiting to the Next Level: Utilize video, web and audio conferencing to streamline your interviewing process before bringing candidates in for a live meeting. Online recruiting offers particular environmental and cost benefits. Instead of candidates traveling a great distance by car or air for screening, why not hold a web conference using a web cam?
Offer Online Training and Education: Reduce time, travel, and expenses by offering online training and education programs via conferencing. Participants can attend from anywhere and you can record and archive your events for further use.
At TelSpan, we have the services and the know-how to help you make your organization greener, more efficient, and more profitable. Contact us today for more information.
Webinars are a great way for associations and other organizations to add some extra income to their bottom line. By charging a participant fee, webinars can easily pay for themselves, or become a source of additional revenue!
Here’s an example of how one of our association clients utilized our Event Services to add over $1200 in revenue with just one 90 minute Webinar with 30 attendees, each paying $75 to attend:
|
Gross Revenue |
$2250.00 |
|
TelSpan Web Conferencing Event Fee |
-$200.00 |
|
Operator Assisted Conferencing Charge |
-$641.70 |
|
TelSpan Online Registration System |
-$75.00 |
|
Credit Card Processing Fees |
-$123.75 |
|
Net Profit for Association |
$1209.55 |
Let us know other ways you have utilized conferencing services to benefit your organization!
When your conferencing participants or speakers encounter an unexpected issue accessing your event, is someone there to assist? Here’s what happened recently when a TelSpan conference speaker encountered an issue.
Last week, Dan Keller, our Director, Corporate Quality Assurance received a call. The caller had recently been a speaker on a webinar facilitated by a TelSpan client. Unfortunately, during the pre-conference, she experienced issues accessing the web conferencing platform due to security issues with her employer’s server. She called Mr. Keller after the event to personally inform him that she was completely surprised and greatly impressed with TelSpan’s follow-up with her regarding her web conferencing issues, especially since she was not a TelSpan client. She thanked Web Services for his outstanding work, extreme professionalism, and the caring attitude he exhibited. She also stated that TelSpan provided her with such great service that she is recommending that her employer begin using us as their conferencing provider!
At TelSpan, every employee is guided by our goal to provide E3 (Excellence Exceeding Expectations) service to each and every person with whom we come into contact. When selecting a conferencing provider, prepare for the unexpected!
One of the great benefits of online systems is the ability to record and archive your event for future use. Create training or educational libraries by recording your events and archiving them. Those who wish to review the materials again, those who were unable to attend the original session, or those who join your organization at a later time can view these archived sessions on demand. You can even charge and collect a fee for archived event viewing, creating another revenue stream for your association.
Today’s organizations find they can do so much more, with less time, money and effort, by utilizing online training and education. Use the latest technology to streamline your programs, enhance your offerings to your members, expand your reach, save money, and even possibly generate revenue!
Implementing an online training and education program is easier than you think!
Contact us for more information. 1-800-800-1729
Use Online Training and Education to Increase Member Satisfaction
Imagine how easy and cost efficient it could be to connect with your members via conferencing platforms, whether audio and/or web, in order to bring them the latest updates in your industry, or to offer them free or reduced-cost training on important issues. This is a way to really add value to your members and increase their satisfaction. Member retention is increased when the training and educational services you provide become integral to your member’s personal and professional success, and who isn't concerned about growing and retaining members?
Today's online tools allow for collaboration through polling, chatting, live conversation, and desktop sharing. Many associations have found that the interaction of the group is actually increased when meeting online, compared to those who attend in a lecture setting. Allowing your members to interact and collaborative gives them a feeling of investment in the communications process. Friendships and other relationships are facilitated. Just another way to add value to your membership!
Have you considered reasons why your members may be seeking online training and educational programs? Here are some of those reasons!
1) Increase Time-to-Competency
Online programs allow you to bring your staff and members up to date as quickly as possible. Utilizing virtual training and education methods allows you to schedule updates on-demand, and more frequently if needed. Frequent, timely information will increase the overall competency of your audience, making them the experts in their fields. Can you say "Membership Value"?!
2) Strengthen Relationships
Become a strategic partner in the success of your members. Use online methods to bring information on changing laws, regulations, and other timely information to your members before others do. Establishing yourself as the “go-to organization” for information cements you as the organization of choice for your members. Information adds value to any relationship.
3) Increase Revenue
Create revenue-generating opportunities for your association by charging a fee for training and education. Associations strive to maintain relevance in today’s world. Those who are successful have discovered the rewards of offering education, training, and information as a value-add to their members. The benefits are many. Associations benefit from the non-dues revenue, increasing membership, and member retention. Members benefit from low-cost information, training, and continuing education units, often required for their job, certification or license. Associations today are fighting for membership dollars. Those who provide online services will rise above their competitors as they increase the value of their membership. Some programs may even be offered at no-charge or minimal charge to members when underwritten by a vendor or other sponsor.
In these challenging times. Everyone needs to consider programs that are easy to implement, and which increase bottom line revenue and add value to members. We at TelSpan are ready to help!
Why associations should consider online training and education.
There are four main reasons to consider a program of online training and education:
1) Reduce Costs
When you consider the costs involved with live training or educational programs, online solutions begin to seem like a no-brainer. Eliminate travel, equipment, and room costs, and utilize online registration and web conferencing instead, and allow your attendees to attend from almost anywhere.
2) Expand Reach
When you make your training and education programs virtual, your potential audience suddenly becomes worldwide. Implement a virtual platform and watch your attendance rates soar. Archiving your sessions for future viewing will help you to expand your reach even further.
3) React Quickly
Bring your members up to speed on the latest information before others do. Arm your audience with the knowledge they need to make them the most knowledgeable and up-to-date in their industry, before anyone else. Having a virtual system at the ready for these communications can allow your organization to react quickly, almost instantly in these cases
4) Integrate Technology-Based Learning
Utilizing the latest in technology shows your members that you are cutting edge and up-to-date. Your members, particularly those who are of younger generations, will be looking to affiliate with associations and organizations that utilize the full benefits of technology. Your members will appreciate the ease with which they will be able to obtain training and education and the time and money online methods will save them.
Next week I'll provide some more great reasons your association should try and online training and education solution this year!
The dictionary tells us that integration is defined as “the act or process of making whole or entire”. Integration is hitting the technology sector in many ways. Hand held devices are now allowing their owners to utilize one device to handle telephone calls, internet access, email, texting, music, videos and more every day, all on one tiny unit!
In the world of conferencing and communications, integration is quite the buzz word lately. In our industry, integration means being able to use one system or platform for more than one use. Gone are the days when you had to utilize separate platforms, and possibly even separate vendors for your different communications needs. Technological advances in our world enable users to manage all aspects of their conference from one platform.
Recent updates to our TelSpanRayo platform feature such integrated technology. One of the easiest-to-use and feature-rich platforms available, TelSpanRayo now integrates audio, web, and video conferencing and even has an integrated recording feature!
Give us a call today, to learn more about integration and how it can make your life easier!
As we have all surely heard, the flu season has started extremely early this year and has hit particularly hard with the addition of the H1N1 virus. The best defense is a good offense. Be prepared in advance for how you will deal with a possible outbreak of the flu or other emergency at your place of business, school, or within your family. Conferencing is one of many ways to help reduce the spread of disease while allowing workers to remain productive. Web and audio conferencing platforms allow workers to continue to work from home while recovering or caring for sick family members.
