• 24/7 customer support
• Effortless file, document and PowerPoint sharing
• Desktop video (optional)
• Application and desktop sharing
• Easy participant access
• Customizable meeting interface
• No downloads required for participants
• Microsoft® Outlook® and Lotus Notes Integration
• Polling, Q&A and public and private chat
• Record and store

Regardless of your communication needs, InterCall’s Unified Meeting lets you conduct remote meetings that are as engaging and effective as an in-person ones.

About InterCall

InterCall understands that communication is vital to running a successful business. As the largest conferencing service provider in the world, InterCall serves over 400,000 individual conference leaders in more than 75,000 organizations across the globe with audio, video and web conferencing. Its strong nationwide presence includes 26 sales offices, 5 call centers, and is strengthened by an international reach that extends to Japan, Hong Kong, India, Australia, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Germany, France, Latin America and the UK as well as over 140,000 global conferencing ports.

Whether you’re looking to connect with people across the street, across the state or across the country, InterCall has a solution for you. With a team of more than 1500 operators, 500+ meeting consultants, customer service reps, call supervisors, marketing, IT and accounting professionals, InterCall can keep you connected with your clients, employees and partners – anytime, anywhere, and without breaking the bank.

And just to brighten your conference-packed days, we’ve added this fun little ditty about InterCall that will surely make you smile:

I’ll be the first to admit that – even if it is a bit cheesy – it’s pretty hard not to get pumped up to a sweet jam like that!

If you would like more information on InterCall’s conferencing services, give one of our professional account managers a call today. We work with the industry’s top providers of audio conferencing and web conferencing services to help you find the ideal solution for your business at the best available price.

InterCall Conferencing Services

• Prepare – As the saying goes, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Ample preparation is essential to holding an effective meeting. Create an outline you can share with participants either prior to, or at the start of your meeting that lists the topics you will cover as well as your objective(s)
• Practice – Whether you’re new to conferencing or a veteran, performing a few dry-runs before the actual meeting is a smart move, as you don’t want to risk losing your participant’s interest by shuffling through paperwork while on the call. Moreover, if you’re dealing with a new or unfamiliar service, dry-runs will allow you to test all of the available features that aid in conducting a more engaging and collaborative web, video and audio conferencing services experience
• Start on time – Respect your participants that arrive early or on time and begin the conference at the appointed time noted on the invite
• Don’t eat anything – Aside from a glass of water, avoid snaking or drinking during your meeting. This might seem like an obvious one, but you’d be amazed at the things some participants will do while on a conference call. One of the many ways to ensure your participants stay on their best behavior is to add real-time video to your conference. Many of today’s providers offer video via web conferencing (for more information on this service, contact one of our professional account managers)
• Avoid primping – Following up on our last point, in addition to no eating or drinking, participants and hosts should refrain from adjusting their hair, makeup, clothing or anything else that could be distracting to others. Your hosts and the other participants deserve the same respect that you would show them in an in-person meeting
• When it doubt, mute it out – A good rule of thumb is to put your line on mute while a presenter is speaking. This eliminates the chance something you do (such as cough or adjust your seat) will disrupt the call

For a few more tips on what to avoid during your next conference, check out this video from Step Ahead:

Conferencing Services

One of the best ways for your company to ‘go green’ is by decreasing your business’s carbon footprint, which is defined as: the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide. Sound complicated? It’s not! One of the easiest and most efficient ways to decrease your business’s carbon footprint is to take full advantage of evolving technology. As budgets shrink, a considerable number of companies are cutting back on business travel and instead are employing web and audio conferencing services.

Although the documented advantages of audio and web conferencing services are numerous, there are still some companies that have yet to get the memo. This is unfortunate, especially considering how far modern conferencing technology has progressed since its pioneer days. For instance, today’s leading conferencing providers – InterCall and PGi – offer services that are available on almost any device, (laptops, tablets, and smartphones included) along with a robust list of features that provide a powerful, engaging, and effective virtual meeting experience.

Moreover, conferencing services allow you to meet with participants in multiple time zones at the drop of a hat. This increases the time your team is able to spend in-house, consequently improving their work-life balance – which will undoubtedly make them more effective employees.

That being said, there are certain circumstances that require in-person meetings. If you find this to be the case with your next meeting, here are a few tips for hosting a more eco-friendly conference:

• Utilize natural light in your conference room whenever possible
• Provide reusable mugs as opposed to plastic or Styrofoam (offering mugs with your company’s logo is also a great marketing idea)
• Avoid printing unnecessary handouts. If they are needed, use recycled paper and be sure to print on both sides

Additional Information

In celebration of Earth Day, trade in your tickets, unpack your bags, and check out one of today’s leading conferencing services. Not sure which one is the best fit for you and your business? Have no fear; contact one of our professional account managers today and let us help you find the ideal solution for your business! And for more ideas on how you can be more “green,” check out this adorable Earth Day video:

Then just as you suspected (and is witnessed in the video), you struggle to stay awake as you listen to a lack-luster presentation and ultimately zone out until you are either called upon for a response or it ends… or both.

While it can provide a reliable, crystal clear connection on which your message can be delivered, even the most advanced audio conferencing service cannot present your material for you. The fact of the matter is that your participants are at the mercy of their presenter(s). As a result, we’ve compiled a list of a few tips and tricks for increasing participant engagement in your next conference:

• Customize your participant entrances – many times hosts will try to begin a meeting, but are interrupted with a “so-and-so has entered the conference” greeting, causing them to start over. This is an easy adjustment, and the majority of today’s conferencing software permits the host or presenter to adjust the entrance greeting, allowing the meeting to start on time, every time
• Reach out – every audience is unique. By asking questions and getting feedback throughout your conference, you can tailor your material as you present it
• Summarize – open your presentation with a brief summary of what you plan on covering and what you hope to accomplish. If you plan on covering a lot of important information, consider distributing an outline via email along with your invitations or just before the start of your meeting
• Use multiple presenters – especially if you plan on passing the 30 minute mark. Nothing causes participants to lose interest faster than a dull, monotone voice, so if you have a presenter like the one in the video, it’s important to try and encourage them to liven up their voice to deliver a more animated presentation

Additional Information

If you are searching for the right audio or web conferencing service for your business, give us a call today! Our professional account managers will help your find the service you need with the features you want for the best available price.

Audio Conference

Statistics indicate that expanding collaboration and UC across your enterprise can bring as much as two hours extra of productive work per day from your staff. And according to a recent Cisco Connected World Technology report, more than 200 million employees around the globe will take advantage of employer-provided conferencing services by 2015.

The good news for you: the technology is already here, and it is leaps and bounds from where it once was during the early pioneer days of conferencing. Modern audio and web conferencing services provide a powerful and economical alternative to traditional in-person meetings. Forget the weeks of planning, and booking and paying for expensive flights, car rentals, hotel rooms, meals, per diems, etc.; conferencing services eliminate the costs and wait, letting you meet with one, one hundred, one thousand or more attendees whenever, wherever, and any device you choose (tablets and smartphones included).

For example, PGi’s iMeet solution offers an easy, personal way for you to meet with your customers and/or employees. PGi understands that work should not take time away from your personal life, and has designed iMeet to eliminate the hassle. As a result, iMeet is extremely user-friendly – you only need to see it once to understand it – and offers real time video for a more engaging experience with your attendees.

Each attendee gets an individual cube that glows green when he or she speaks to avoid the familiar “wait, who just said that?” confusion, and offers bios and links to participants social networking sites for a more comprehensive end-user experience. Documents, files and Power Point presentations can be uploaded, presented and distributed among the group, and meeting rooms are customizable to suit your needs. Moreover, because iMeet can call-out to you and your participants to join a conference, the days of having to remember your dial in number(s) and password(s) are long gone.

Additional Information

For more information on conferencing services provided by PGi or any other one of today’s leading conferencing providers, give one of our professional account managers a call today!

Conferencing Services

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Late last year, Illinois-based InterCall achieved the Gold Unified Communications Competency in the Microsoft Partner Network. As a result, InterCall announced that it can now sell Lync Online with its Reservationless-Plus audio conferencing service to customers located in North America. In order to achieve its prestigious top partner status with Microsoft Corporation, InterCall had to submit customer references, pass tests that demonstrated its technological proficiency and capability, and is required to employ no less than four Microsoft-certified technicians at all times.

About InterCall

InterCall is the largest conferencing service provider in the world. Founded in 1991 and a subsidiary of West Corporation, InterCall specializes in conference and collaboration communications and assists individuals and businesses increase their productivity via user-friendly and cost-efficient sophisticated event, audio, video and web conferencing solutions. Currently, InterCall has a robust nationwide presence, including 26 sales offices and multiple call centers that are supported by an international reach that extends as far as Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, New Zealand, Malaysia, Australia, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, France, Finland, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, the UK, the Caribbean, Latin America, Mexico as well as Canada. Furthermore, InterCall is backed by a team of 500+ meeting consultants, and employs over 1,500 customer service representatives, operators, IT, marketing, accounting and call supervisor professionals.

About West Corporation

As a top provider of technology-driven data and voice solutions, Omaha, Nebraska-based West Corporation provides customers with a comprehensive range of high-quality network infrastructure and communications solutions that are not only reliable, but also designed to enhance customers’ cost structure. In addition, West Corporation offers mission-critical solutions, including emergency and public safety communications. Founded in 1986, West Corporation’s solutions allow customers to support or manage critical communications. Currently, West Corporation operates in the U.S., Latin America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and Canada, and serves businesses in all industries, including healthcare, technology, financial, retail, banking, telecommunications as well as Fortune 1000 companies.

Additional Information

InterCall’s comprehensive range of audio or web conferencing services will not only save you the time and money associated with traditional business travel, but will also shrink your company’s carbon footprint. To find out more, give one of our professional account managers a call today!

InterCall Reservationless-Plus Audio Conferencing Service

Given to the business that has exhibited superiority in securing the top market share in its industry, this prestigious award recognizes InterCall’s leadership position.

Cynthia Welch, Research Analyst for Frost & Sullivan explained that, “InterCall remains an industry leader through its growth strategies and focus on innovative product offerings,” despite the mature and exceedingly competitive market that is currently confronted with cutbacks in business spending and price compression. Welch went on to say that aside from worldwide reach, InterCall is continuously first-to-market with personalized solutions. Moreover, InterCall’s position as the market share head allows the conferencing provider to not only concentrate on the personalization and quality that customers demand, but also invest in its infrastructure.

Naturally, InterCall’s president, Scott Etzler, could not be more pleased, calling the recognition an honor and that InterCall is honored and grateful to be acknowledged. Etzler added that this award is due in part to InterCall’s valued customers that every day, trust the provider with their collaboration and conferencing needs. Etzler asserted that it is the commitment of those valued customers that has made it possible for InterCall to acquire “this Frost & Sullivan distinction.”

This latest Frost & Sullivan award is not the first for InterCall. In 2005, Frost & Sullivan awarded the conferencing provider with its Audio Conferencing Service of the Year Award. Then in 2007, the business research and consulting firm awarded InterCall with its North American Conferencing Company of the Year Award. In 2009, Frost & Sullivan presented InterCall with its North American Conferencing Services Growth Excellence of the Year Award.

Additional Information

InterCall is the world’s largest conferencing provider, serving 86% of Fortune 100, 81% of the Fortune 500 and 77% of the Fortune 1000. With its comprehensive suite of services, including proprietary products and flexible service and delivery models, InterCall executed more than 20 billion minutes and generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2010. Currently, InterCall supports over 75,000 organizations and more than 1.6 million unique conference leaders.

InterCall Conferencing Provider

Familiarize yourself – Nothing slows down a meeting faster than a host or presenter fumbling over the technology. Not only will it cause your participants to lose focus, but many will view it as a waste of their valuable time, making them less likely to attend your future conferences. A top audio and web conferencing best practice is to always conduct a few dry-runs prior to your audio conferencing, web conferencing, conference.

Audio and Web Conference

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However, even though web conferencing eliminates the hassle and costs associated with business travel, your conference will still require the same amount of forethought and effort as an in-person meeting for it to be valuable and a constructive use of time for both you and your participants. Thankfully, there are a number of things that you can do to help deliver engaging material that will keep your attendees focused and actively participating in your meeting, such as:

• Recruit an assistant – having an additional person to introduce speakers and lead Q&A sessions helps to not only streamline the flow of your conference, but also aids in keeping your participants focused by breaking up the monotony of a single speaker/presentation style

• Rehearse your presentation – stay away from reading directly off of a sheet of paper. Even if your participants cannot see you while presenting, they will be able to tell that your delivery is less than natural. In the event that you have a lot of material to cover and are worried about missing something, an outline is a great way to keep on topic. Bonus: you can also allot specific amounts of time to each topic on your outline to keep your conference on track

• Provide visuals – to get the best return on your web conferencing investment, be sure to utilize all of the tools and features that your service provides. And remember that graphs, charts and other visuals are a great way to make complex information easier to process.

• Avoid duplicating your speech and visuals – just as you should avoid reading directly off of a sheet of paper, make sure you also do not read directly off your PowerPoint slides. Instead, limit the text on your slides to a few key bullet points, which you can expand on while presenting

• Set aside time for Q&A sessions – generally these are held at the end of a conference provided it is 30 minutes or less. If it is over the 30 minute mark, you should allow for smaller Q&A sessions at breaking points throughout your meeting, for example, after each speaker or topic. This will permit your participants to address pertinent questions prior to moving on to more complex material, as opposed to saving all their questions until the very end of your conference when you’ve moved on to unrelated material

Web Conferences

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• The ability to collaborate with any number of participants in multiple time zones in real-time
• Cost and time-savings by eliminating the expenses and time involved with business travel
• The ability to meet with your participants on short notice
• Improved work/life balance for your employees
• Reduced corporate carbon footprint
• Increased in-house productivity

Thanks to the productivity and business continuity it provides, Unified Communications (UC) is becoming more and more vital to today’s businesses. With that said, as UC services, such as web conferencing, continue to grow, businesses will find other value in the technology as well.

Recently, while speaking to industry analysts and reporters in San Francisco, Polycom’s CEO, Any Miller, spoke on the value of UC, saying that it “will move from ROI to business continuity and productivity. It’s no longer about the ROI of [conferencing] versus travel.”

Unfortunately, a number businesses have given conferencing services the brush off – partly because they are not aware of the advancements and features that are now available on modern conferencing services, and partly because they believe in-person meetings are the best/only way to get business done. To be sure, in-person meetings are a crucial part to forming a strong relationship with your dispersed customers and employees, however as Miller also pointed out, conferencing services ensure your business is not interrupted by natural disasters (anyone remember that Icelandic volcanic ash cloud in 2010 or last year’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan?), infectious diseases (H1N1, etc.), and post-9-11 airport security.

The fact is conferencing services (web conferencing in particular) provide a way for people to maintain a close relationship with their customers and colleagues, and has time and again proven to be an incredibly valuable asset to all types and sizes of businesses. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) – the leading worldwide provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the IT, telecom and consumer technology markets – the forecasted revenue from UC and collaboration technology is expected to grow at to $44 billion by 2015 for a compound annual growth rate of over 18 percent.

Additional Information

To find out more about audio and web conferencing services and how they can enhance your business, give us a call today!

Web Conferencing Services

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