Video Conferencing Service

How to Pick an Online Web Video Conferencing Provider

Welcome to "Choose a Web-Based Conferencing Service 101"

Though time consuming and sometimes tedious, research is your friend when it comes to figuring out which online web and video conferencing provider would best benefit your business. Make sure to do all your homework: surf websites (going with a web-based conferencing service that has a sloppy website is probably a bad idea); find out if the company offers demonstrations; review any client feedback or reviews; scroll the FAQ sections; speak with customer service representatives.

After completing the tasks listed above, you're almost ready to choose a video conferencing service.  But first, here are a couple more questions you should to take into consideration.

What Kind of Money Are We Talking Here?

Before choosing a virtual conferencing provider, it is important to know how much money you have to spend on conferencing services.  You don't want to do all your research, be impressed by a company in particular, and finally crunch the numbers only to realize that it doesn't matter because you can't afford them anyway.

Basic Video Conferencing Service Smarts

If you've never used web-based video conferencing, you won't want to sound like it.  Brush up on the following questions so that you will sound knowledgeable and won't make yourself an easy target for salespeople who want to sell you features you don't need.  They might want to pad your bill with unnecessary features, but you're nobody's sucker.

 What size meetings would you like to host?  How many participants to you anticipate on average?

 On average, how many meetings will you be hosting for a year?  More during the last fiscal quarter?  Less during the summer months?

 Will you want or need special features?  Do you plan on sharing files or giving PowerPoint presentations?  How about chatting or polling?

 Are you interested in operator assisted meetings or will you have someone on staff handle hosting?

 What is your spending limit?

 Will most of your attendees be using Microsoft?  Will you need a conferencing service capable of interfacing with other programs?

Per Space or Per Minute?

What kind of pricing breakdown will work best for your company?  If you plan on holding a lot of conferences, paying per seat might be the way to go.  You would pay a flat fee per month or per year to hold conferencing spaces, or "seats," for use anytime.  This option is more expensive, but will prove economical in the long run if you hold several conferences per month and know roughly how many people usually attend.

For those companies that don't use a web conferencing provider often, paying per use might make more sense.  When paying per use, you are usually billed per minute.  This is a common method that conferencing companies use to bill for their services and rates per minute vary.  

Need Help?!

Conferencing solution providers use one or both of the following methods to provide support to their customers: advance training or real-time support.  Advance training is helpful as you will be familiar with the functions and programs before your actual meeting takes place.  Whether you take an online tutorial, participate in a demo conference, or have a customer service person lead you through, you will be armed with the knowledge necessary to host a meeting and answer any questions your colleagues may have.

Real-time support is a helpful feature as well, since most of us are unable to predict the future.  Who knows what could happen when you have several people trying to accomplish an important meeting and are unfamiliar with web based conferencing.  Having a tech-support person on call to fix any potential problems is definitely a plus.

Knowledge is power and it is important to know what you're looking for when picking an online web and video conferencing service.  Being well informed will help you make the best choice to benefit your company and streamline your web-based communications.

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