One of the easiest ways this can be accomplished is by integrating an audio or web conferencing service. Beyond all the bells and whistles, truly savvy start-up and SMB owners have learned that the best return on their money can be found by investing resources in audio and web conferencing technology. Audio and web conferencing technologies allow even the smallest company to expand their customer base to areas they otherwise would not be able to afford by making themselves available both vocally and visually to current and potential customers across the globe.

What’s more is that not only are audio and web conferencing services easy-to-use, but they are no longer limited to the office boardroom or desktop computer. Today’s leading providers of conferencing solutions offer applications that make meetings available on laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other favored devices. This freedom allows you to arrange a meeting wherever and whenever you see it fit.

There might be times when you require a more effective form of communication than an audio-only conference can require. For example, if you are working on making a sales pitch, creating a new logo, launching a product, a simple audio-only conference might not cover all the bases. Enter: web conferencing. Web conferencing allows you to share your ideas, documents, presentations – even your own desktop – with your audience in real-time.

When it comes to web conferencing, most software is already compatible with your current computers or devices, provided they have (or you can purchase) a microphone and webcam – providing a benefit that exponentially outweighs its cost. By eliminating the need for expensive phone plans or pricey specialized equipment, more of your capital is freed up for other expenses or investments.

To find out more, give one of our professional account managers a call today!

Possibly; without the visuals and non-verbal queues that are easy to pick up in face-to-face conferences, it’s likely that your participants will find it easy to divert their attention elsewhere and multi-task while attending your audio conference. The challenge that many conferencing hosts face is trying to get their participants fully engaged and listening to the topic at hand.

This can be extremely difficult – mainly because an audio conference typically requires participants to sit at their desk and simply listen over the phone, creating an ideal environment for multi-tasking. Often participants will end up using that time to focus on whatever it is that is grabbing their attention at the moment.

In addition, with the large quantity of smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other portable devices, many of us have become accustomed to having multiple senses stimulated simultaneously, so participating in an audio-only conference call is much less engaging than many people’s day-to-day interactions with technology. In order to combat this, a large number of conferencing hosts are moving toward products that maximize their participant interactions in different ways, thereby allowing participants to multi-task on topic as opposed to having their attention drive away from the conversation they are having or the message being relayed.

One of the products and features that hosts employ to assuage these issues include an online registration page. This lets the host know who will be joining the conference before it starts, which allows them to tailor their message to their specific audience. Furthermore, by coupling an online registration page with a passcode/pin access number feature, you can decrease the wait time when starting a conference. Each participant can join the call using a unique passcode or pin number, eliminating the need for operator assistance. What’s more is that you actually save money because your participants are on the line for a shorter period of time since there is less waiting required at the start of the conference.

Another great way to engage your participants is by using tools that involve a visual or require interaction – the more interactive the better. Thankfully, today’s conferencing providers offer a comprehensive range of features and tools that allow you to share applications, desktops, stream Power Point presentations, chat with the host and/or participants, conduct polls, and hold Q&A sessions to increase your meeting’s productivity.

In short, the key to ending multi-tasking, and distractions is to provide a variety avenues for on-topic interaction. Engaging participants in a conference is not only smart, but vital, and by offering engaging tools and features like online voting/polling, online Q&A, etc. you provide a very tangible proof of engagement.

• Automatic dial-out to participants – eliminating the need for them to remember dial-in numbers and passcodes
• A streamlined interface – built based upon customer feedback in order to make common features and navigating conferencing controls even more user-friendly
• Sharing – of your documents, desktop, applications and websites
• Recording – for storing conferences in your personal digital library for future playback
• Outlook toolbar – for one-click scheduling, starting and recording of conferences
• Universal access – from Mac, PC and iPhone

As an upgraded and more powerful version of the original, PGi’s GlobalMeet 2.0 also offers features that have been upgraded and new, flexible pricing options to provide effective and cost-efficient audio and web conferencing to companies of all types and sizes around the globe.

In addition to the launch, PGi also released a GlobalMeet app in Apple’s iTunes store. PGi’s GlobalMeet app is the earliest in a forthcoming collection of mobile applications that were created to make the service available on any device, on the go or in-house, whenever the need arises.

PGi founder, CEO and chairman, Boland T. Jones, indicated that GlobalMeet was designed to “work the way real people do,” claiming that it is the solution to previous web conferencing issues. Jones also stated that both he and his company are sincerely thrilled by the “early market response,” and added, “PGi is changing the game again with GlobalMeet 2.0,” by providing a simple, user-friendly experience and price that is unparalleled in the industry. GlobalMeet offers both bundled and unbundled web and audio conferencing plans, with pricing starting at less than $30 per month.

Still wondering what GlobalMeet 2.0 can do for your business?

Aside from the obvious savings of time and money and a smaller carbon footprint that result by employing an audio or web conferencing service, PGi’s GlobalMeet solution helps you strengthen the bond between your team and your geographically dispersed customers and staff while increasing business productivity levels.

Think an audio or web conferencing solution, such as GlobalMeet, might be the right fit for your business? Give one of our skilled, professional account managers a call today and let us help you find the ideal conferencing solution for your unique business!

Businessmen and women are reinventing their professional worlds on their terms. Thanks to cloud technology boundaries are eliminated and new possibilities are available for increased productivity and connectivity.

For example, PGi iMeet has been used for everything: from job interviews to product demos and regular status updates. Wondering what it can do for you? Well, here are a few ways that PGi iMeet can up your company’s ante:

• Increase every employee’s productivity – in addition to saving time and money by eliminating business travel (and the hassle that comes with it), you are also encouraging a work/life balance for your employees. This is becoming particularly important for younger generation work forces
• Command attention – if you’ve ever held or attended an audio conference then you probably know how easy it can be to get distracted by other tasks. Web conferencing with PGi iMeet gives each participant their own “cube” where they can be seen throughout the duration of your meeting; so it’s no surprise that, when they know someone is watching, your participants will be more inclined to pay attention, interact with others, and not try to multi-task
• Avoid emergencies – market swings and natural disasters happen, and business travel can get interrupted for countless reasons; thankfully web conferencing allows employees to react promptly to these issues – whenever or wherever they may arise

In addition, PGi recently announced the launch of its iMeet Mobility Suite that works hand-in-hand with the PGi iMeet solution. The iMeet Mobility Suite offers a comprehensive range of tools that permit effortless, social video conferences that can be accessed remotely. What’s more is that PGi’s iMeet Mobility Suite is streamlined with your device’s browser without application installation because it is built on an HTML5 platform.

Are you interested in learning more about PGi iMeet or finding the ideal conferencing solution for your business? Give one of our professional account managers a call today!

This is because it is more crucial for smaller companies to make the most out of every dollar they spend, as they do not always have the necessary funds available for running an IT department. What doesn’t help is that, given our current economical state, companies of all sizes are now trying to do more with less, while the already high costs of travel continue to rise. For an SMB, the price of coordinating and executing a meeting (including airfare, car rentals, hotel rooms, etc.) can quickly run into the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.

Not only that, but business travel also eats up a significant amount of your employee’s time. As a result, one of the easiest and most effective ways for a company to save money is to slash – or even eliminate – their business travel.

While cutting back on travel expenses might seem next to impossible for a company that relies on regular business trips, I am here to tell you that with web conferencing it absolutely can be done. By employing a reliable web conferencing solution, your business will not only see a financial benefit, will also save time, which to a small business, is often just as valuable as a good sales lead.

Modern web conferencing services provide face-to-face connections that allow you to communicate and collaborate with geographically dispersed clients and colleagues as if they were sitting right next to you. You can conduct presentations, product launches, hold recurring company status meetings – your options are endless. Moreover, leading web conferencing providers offer a comprehensive list of features that give even the smallest start-up company the same look and feel as the “big dog” competitors.

When it comes down to it, every minute counts in today’s business world, and the time your company stands to save by utilizing web conferencing services has the opportunity to translate into increased productivity and directly impact your bottom line. If you have found yourself or your staff tied-up in arranging and scheduling conferences, your company can no longer afford NOT to employ a web conferencing solution.

By replacing conventional face-to-face business meetings with an audio conferencing or web conferencing solution, you dramatically slash the increasingly high prices and hours of time that are typically wasted on business travel. Just think, you can completely eliminate company car rental, hotel room, and airfare expenses, and instead meet with participants from the comfort and convenience of your own desk. What’s more is that many of the leading providers of audio and web conferencing services now offer conferencing applications that allow you to attend or even conduct a conference via your own smartphone.

Let’s face it, nothing is guaranteed; even if you sent your best employee half way around the world to close a prospective deal, there is a chance – however small it may be – that the deal could fall through. Why risk throwing away thousands of dollars and countless hours when you could keep that same employee in-house (and available to work on other projects), and meet with the same prospective clients for only a few cents per minute?

In addition to saving a considerable amount of time and money, another huge advantage to utilizing conferencing services is they will enhance your company’s productivity. In the past, regular business travel would allow you to maybe meet with one or two clients per week; however, with all the free time you gain by employing a conferencing service, you could schedule two or three client meetings – per day. Just imagine what your business could achieve by being able to meet with ten to fifteen clients per week! Not to mention, a well rested staff will work harder and better than a jet-lagged staff. Plus, taxis and airports are not the most ideal locations to get extra work completed.

If you’re interested in finding the ideal audio conferencing or web conferencing solution for your business, give one of our professional account managers a call today. We work with the leading providers of conferencing services in order to find you the perfect solution at the perfect price.

While many providers offer web conferencing services that address the needs of many businesses, there is no “one size fits all” web conferencing solution. The first step to finding the best conferencing solution to meet your business’s unique needs is to understand your needs. Consider the following:

• The size of your audience – web conferencing services that are subscription-based limit the number of participants allowed in each meeting. Of course the number of participants will vary depending on the meetings you conduct, so make sure you choose a solution that will support the maximum number of participants you plan on having – whether it be with 2, 200, or 2,000
• Software requirements – what (if any) software is needed to conduct a web conference? While some require simply a web browser and connection to the Internet, others require specific plug-ins or additional installations
• Attendee management – many providers offer ways to help you organize your conferences, including automated reminders and follow-ups, invitation and registration management, and email templates
• Multiple hosts/presenters – do you plan on sharing the hosting or presenting role with a partner or co-worker? Look for a solution that allows you to pass control to and from one or more participant(s) throughout the duration of your conference

Now that we have covered the big topics, it’s time to get down to the fun stuff. While they might seem small, the features that come with your web conferencing service play a big part in how effectively you can communicate your message. Here are a few things to take into account when evaluating your next potential web conferencing solution:

• Sharing – this plays a major role in your ability to communicate with your participants. While simple file sharing is standard for most web conferencing services, you may also want to consider solutions that offer whiteboard and desktop sharing for enhanced collaboration
• Recording – whether you’d like to record your meetings for personal improvement, to aid in employee information retention or training, or to simply let anyone who missed it catch up, the ability to record and store your meetings offers many advantages
• Chat and private sub chat – allow your participants to ask you or other attendees a question or send a comment either publicly to the whole group, or privately to one or two participants during the conference
• Surveys and polls – provide instant feedback both during and after your conferences
• Reports ad stats – offer concise yet in-depth look into the results of your meetings

In a recent Inside Sales Metrics survey conducted by Phoneworks, it was discovered that almost 40 percent of inside sales squads are geographically dispersed. That means, instead of everyone being in-house or in the same place, they are spread out across any number of locations – both regional and home-based. At one point in time, having a staff so widely dispersed would slow all productivity to a crawl – if not halt it completely; however, thanks to today’s technological advancements, hosted, unified communications, audio and web conferencing, and a vast array of additional solutions make those same squads equally – if not more – effective as any in-house team. As a result, you can diversify your work force and employ only the best of the best, regardless of their location, and without the aggravation and high costs associated with relocation.

Moreover, it was noted that the typical inside sales squad ramp time is 5 months. Obviously anything that speeds up that time between signing up and seeing a return on an investment will boost your top line revenue. Conferencing solutions – web conferencing services in particular – have proven to be extremely successful in delivering continuing training as well as speeding up orientation processes.

Also reported in the Phoneworks survey was the noticeable increase of social media in sales processes. Web conferencing solutions, such as PGi’s iMeet, allow you to view participant’s social media sites in addition to a wide variety of other benefits. Having the ability to quickly connect, establish, and maintain strong professional bonds with current and prospective partners and customers gives your company a huge leg up over any competition. What’s more is that conferencing services are designed to offer exactly that, and they virtually eliminate your need for business travel, saving your company substantial amounts of time and money.

If you’d like to find the ideal conferencing solution that will increase the value and number of sales for your business, give one of our professional account managers a call today!

When compared to email, audio conferences offer a more sophisticated form of communication that allows the user to convey as well as interpret crucial “tells,” such as the tone and volume of the participant’s voice. This is something that email simply cannot deliver, even though it does give it a good try with emoticons and capital lettering.

Moreover, audio conferencing and conference calls are cost-efficient, simple to set-up, and extremely user-friendly – what’s not to love about that? Capable of being used for countless needs, conference calls and audio conference services can broaden the scope of your business’s reach. Aside from the obvious cost savings that results in eliminating the need for business travel and the associated expenses, businesses of all sizes stand to gain many benefits from employing an audio conferencing solution, such as:

• Simplified domestic and international communication and collaboration
• A proficient image that allows even the smallest business to appear as professional as the “big dog” competitors
• A smaller carbon footprint for your business with the decrease in business travel as well as overall paper consumption
• Streamlined scheduling for meetings with integration to programs such as Microsoft Outlook
• The ability to bring your entire staff together, regardless of their location, to either work on an issue or project in-house, or to conduct a presentation for a current or prospective client or partner

With the recent rise and availability of audio conferences and audio conferencing services, it has never been easier for a local or national business to take the leap into international sales. Stressing over a language barrier? Fret not, as conferencing services allow you to include a translator on your real-time conference calls.

Are you thinking about employing an audio conference solution for your business? Give one of our professional account managers a call today to find out more!

The ever-expanding mobile workforce generates numerous new opportunities for Human Resource professionals. Modern web conferencing services allow geographically dispersed personnel to not only strengthen their bonds by interacting on a personal level via real-time audio and video transmissions, but also to take advantage of comprehensive features and social media integration that permit easy and straightforward collaboration. And the best part is that they can do it all without even leaving the office.

Here are a few areas in which a Human Resource professional could benefit from web conferencing services:

• Employment – there are many businessmen and women searching for employment today with impressive, well written (sometimes even professionally written) resumes. No matter how great someone may look on paper, an in-person interview is a crucial step needed to determine whether or not a candidate might be a good fit for your business. Web conferencing is an ideal way to bypass the initial phone interview and assess a prospective employee quickly and easily – especially if the candidate in question is an out-of-towner
• Training – web conferencing is a great way to simplify new employee training, especially if they are in multiple locations and/or time zones. Moreover, many web conferencing providers allow you to record your meetings and store them for future reference, which streamlines the training process as well as aids in information retention for existing employees
• Recurring and ad-hoc meetings – whether scheduled through Outlook or called on the fly, web conferencing is a effective and cost-efficient way to eliminate previous geographical barriers and the time and costs associated with business travel
• Encourage employee camaraderie – communicating and collaborating via web conferencing offers so much more than a phone call or email. By being able to see and hear one another, employees can read unspoken body-language, make eye contact, and strengthen their sense of teamwork social bonds by getting acquainted with one another in addition to their job functions; this not only helps to increase productions, but provides improved job satisfaction – which is a key ingredient in the recipe for a successful company

Interested in finding out what else web conferencing can do for your company? Contact one of our professional account managers to day to find the ideal solution for your unique business!