Computer Software

Phenomenal growth in communication industry reduces the communication cost of business houses. Those days has gone when you used to pay $5 for international call. Video conference call is one of the enabler for taking quick business decision.

It is common that large industry houses often set up video conference call between different offices across the globe. This multiparty conference not only reduces the cost of international call but time. Time saves means money saved and that’s really valid for people in CXO level.

What is Conference call?

This is a multi party call where one of them is the host and others are participants of the call. A devise is used for this call and people log in the conference bridge with a particular log in id. There are companies who rents conference call services and now-a-days services are cheap. Audio conference call is the oldest, cheapest and most popular. There are actually quite a few different conference calling solutions available to business. It’s up to you to select the option that best meets your needs and budget. Audio conference calling, video conference calling,

Web conference calling are the primary types of conference calls used by business users. Audio conferencing solutions can include three phone lines bridged together to create complex outsourced services. It can also mean the lower cost solution of a two-party call, where a speaker phone is utilized in order to let everyone around a table participate in the call with the party on the other end. With video conferencing, you can use a hosted solution to give that added level of professionalism and convenience.

Through phone lines, multiple parties are bridged, providing both image and audio. It is the next best thing to actually having the other party in the room. Video conferencing does, however, require you and the other party to have specialized systems and support. These can be very challenging to set up and to use. However, when you compare the costs and lost productivity of video conferencing with that of actual travel, you will find that this is a very cost effective solution. Video conference facility is a true business enabler. People can discuss strategy and plan while they can see each other. Video conference really removes the distance barrier and brings people near. Web conference is a new break through in conference call services.

Computing capacity of desktop computers is increasing day by day. Application providers are developing web conference software which you can use from your desktop. You just need a small video camera, speaker and microphone and you are ready for web based conference. They are fantastic options for showing products such as software to customers, or to share spreadsheets and other applications among the different parties involved in the conference call A simple audio conference using bridge or net based will meet your most of the requirement.

If you need to give a demo or presentation physical presence requires and video conference is extremely necessary in these situations. You and select a simple web based conference if you need to take an interview. It is important to remember that no matter which conference call solution you select, you are choosing it in order to meet your business objectives and those of your company.

It’s best to choose the option that meets your needs instead of going with the solution that provides you with more than what you need. It will only be wasteful in the long run if you do otherwise

In this day and age, there is no reason that a company should settle for anything less then reservationless conference calls from their service provider. With all of the advancements made in conference calling software, service providers that require that all conference calls be reserved in advance should be avoided.

Your company’s sales are fueled by your ability to meet the needs of your customer in a quick and efficient manner. Whether you use conference call services to collaborate with other offices or to keep your client updated as to progress you should not have to put things off because you forgot to reserve a time with the conference calling company. Naturally it is to your advantage to pick a time in advance so that your attendees are able to make time in their schedule to attend the meeting, most conference calling companies offer software so that you can schedule times of the Internet for your meetings.

A company though, should always have the option to initiate a meeting within a matter of a few minutes. Things happen, businesses have emergencies and sometimes those emergencies make telephone of calling and leaving a phone message time consuming and unacceptable. Setting up emergency, reservationless conference calls can literally save a company money, time and even ensure that your client sticks around at least a little while longer.

Reservationless conference calls should be included in the basic package with a company. If you are choosing companies that charge a simple flat rate (which of course you should be) then double check the conditions of such a plan. Make sure that not only do they claim to be wireless, but they also need to make sure that it is easy for your company to initiate a conference call “on demand”. This is important, as many companies will tell you just about anything to get your business. What many users find is that after they sign up for a contract or even if they just start using the services temporarily that almost none of the extras were included in the base price. Double-check the figures you are given and never accept a quote over the phone. Know exactly what you are looking for and make sure you clearly show your companies desire to have the option to start up a reservationless conference call.

Anokis Productions offers one of the Broadest and Most Complete Set of: video, voice and data conferencing network solutions. Video used as Educational Video in distance learning packages can include:
• Speeches and Lectures
• Presentations with PowerPoint and other Computer Graphics
• Alongside Demonstrations of physical or technical skills

Of the web-based communication tools available in an e-learning environment, video can offer the richest experience because of its ability and visual impact. It can also convey more information and at a subtler level than any other form of communication, simultaneously. However, transmission of video on the web can mean high demands on bandwidth impeding the user experience. In addition, high production times and costs along with the need to responsibly incorporate multimedia within a sound pedagogical framework necessitates a well-planned approach to this medium.

Video forms an integral part of many distance-learning programs. Video can be delivered into both DVD & CDs and video on the web, internet-based e-learning schemes.

If you have any questions, please for Anokis Productions’ Customer Service.

When you have a conference call rather it is from business to business, or business to an employee at home or abroad conducting business, it is important that the conference calling experience is productive and smooth sailing. No matter what role you play in the conference call, it is necessary that you maintain the proper etiquette for conference calls.

Before we get into the conference call etiquette, let us look at some of the things that could go wrong as a result of a bad conference call. You might not believe it, but there are many.

Here are some repercussions of a conference call gone bad:

Morale – If the proper etiquette is not followed, it might create some bad feelings between workers. You might find that it is harder to work with these employees as a result. Many people expect that their conference call will run with complete smoothness, no interruptions, and productivity, otherwise it is a complete waste of their time and yours.

Missed Deadlines – If there are constant interruptions or the conference call runs in a disorganized manner, things might be misunderstood. This could mean that an important deadline is missed because things were not correctly understood.

Misunderstandings – While this goes along with the missed deadlines, so many negative outcomes could arise from a misunderstanding. If for any reason, those on your conference call do not completely understand what you are telling them, it could result in not only missed deadlines, but a loss of customers, loss of revenue, loss of employees, or loss of business all the way around.

Getting it right the first time

Now that you know a few of the many problems that could arise from a conference call gone bad, it is time to take a look at the proper conference call etiquette. Every person on the conference call should practice these things. However, you cannot control the things that other people do or do not do; therefore, the only thing you can do is focus on yourself and your own etiquette and hope that everyone follows suit.

1. Quiet is the key – Make sure, when you are on the conference call that you are in a very quiet room, away from any disturbances. This will make sure that you hear everything that is going on and keep the misunderstandings to a minimum. It is impossible to keep the misunderstandings at bay if you have a dog barking, machines running, or people talking in the background.

2. The Telephone Equipment – Make sure that you are using a phone that will minimize the noise in the background. Some telephone and most all cell phones will pick up even the slightest noise or interference, which will not only cause troubles for you hearing the speakers, but others as well.

3. Using Telephone Technology – The mute button does wonders, but make sure you know how to use it. The mute button should be used if there is a lot of background noise that you simply cannot control or if someone is particularly talkative. Of course, make sure you know how to un-mute for when it is your turn to speak or answer a question.

4. Time – Make sure you set the conference call up in advance and let everyone know all information such as pass code or phone number. It is also necessary that you take time zones in to consideration if you have people across several time zones to include on the conference call.

5. Being on Time – If you are the conference call leader, you want to start right on time. Do not wait for others if they are late. People on the call want to start right away, because there may be other business they need to attend to. If you are simply in the call, be on time, you do not want to miss anything that might be important.

6. Introductions – Make sure that every person on the call introduces himself or herself. This will allow for building relationships and getting people to open up and feel comfortable.

7. Clarification – Not everyone will be able to tell who is who by the voice. Make sure before anyone speaks that his or her name is said first. For example, “this is Bob, could you repeat that company name again”.

8. Eating – Never eat while you are on a conference call, who wants to hear chewing in their ear? If you must get a drink of water, put the call on mute so no one will have to hear the emitted sounds. This includes chewing gum.

9. Keep on Topic – Do not fill the call with unnecessary talk. Keep to the point, because remember there may be several people on the call that have other pressing things to do.

With the above proper conference call etiquette rules, you will find that the conference calls runs in a much more smooth and efficient manner. Keeping the proper etiquette in mind while on the conference call will make the entire call that much more productive for everyone.

The holiday season beginning around Thanksgiving through New Year’s has got to be one of the most exciting times to be alive. Along with the excitement it can be one of the most stressful and expensive times of the year as well. An important part of the holidays is spending time with friends and family. It is inevitable though that someone won’t be able to make it home for the holidays. It happens every year. Getting everyone together under the same room can darn well be impossible.

But that doesn’t mean that it has to be hard to stay in close touch with loved ones. With some of today’s technology it is easier than ever. Don’t make the common mistake of thinking that technology equals big bucks.

Here are some ideas that you can use to technology to make the keeping in touch easier and more affordable:

Setup a Personal Toll-free 800 number
Making a call to a toll-free number is nothing new. You probably do it everyday. Toll-free numbers are popular with businesses because it is an easy way for their customers to reach them. Toll free numbers can do the same thing for you and keeping in touch with loved ones.

The personal toll-free number I have used for the last three years only charges me $2.00/month for the number and it is only 2.5 cents per minute for the call. My loved ones can always reach me, even from a payphone.

You can even get a stand alone toll-free service that will allow you to forward the toll-free number to a cell phone, home phone, work phone, or any other number. You can even change the forwarding on the fly. The best part about a stand-alone provider is that you don’t have to switch carriers.

Try a BIG family conference call
Conference calling is very convenient especially when you need to speak with lots of people from two or more locations.

The way it works is you call to setup your account and you are given a toll-free 800 number and a unique PIN code to your account. Then you invite everyone to the conference call by giving them the time, toll-free number, and PIN code to your conference.

These work really great in my family for Thanksgiving day. Everyone gets to hop on the phone and talk to everyone else at the same time.
That way you don’t have to take the time to call each person seperately. It really saves time.

Give VoIP a try!
VoIP is a phone service that works over your broadband internet connection. The reason that I recommend trying VoIP is because it saves customers so much money. VoIP eliminates the middle man in the phone game. Almost all long distance companies nowadays route all of their calls over the Internet.

I bet you are wondering how much we are talking about. My favorite VoIP provider only charges $19.99 per month for unlimited calling to anywhere in the USA and Canada.

You get all the standard calling features like like voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling, call forwarding, 7 digit local dialing, etc.

Add video to your calls
One of the really cool ‘Jetson’ style gadgets out right now is video conferencing. Imagine talking face to face with people who can’t make it home for the holidays. Their service for unlimited video calling is the same $19.99/month. All you need is a broadband internet connection and a special phone with the camera built-in.

The special phone is really cool and affordable. You can usually get one for around $100 depending on their promo. Who knew that video calls could be so affordable? If you are comfortable using the computer you can also use software to have group video conferences. Programs like Skype and most instant messengers from Yahoo!, MSN, and AOL support video.

There are a lot of ways to stay connected out there. Like anything in life if you take a little bit of time to plan and look around you will find something easy that will make life more enjoyable. Hopefully I gave you some ideas that will give you a great starting place for your holiday planning.

A conference call involves the communication between a calling party and more than one listener. There are numerous conference call services available, making it difficult to make a quick decision. The service that you choose will ultimately depend on the expectations and uses you wish get out of your conference calls. For some, only a few details matter, such as price, while others are in need of advanced services like on-the-spot technical support. Below are a few factors to consider when choosing the conference call service that is most compatible with your needs.

Business Conference Calls

When it comes time to report quarterly stats, many companies turn to conference calls. This allows them to communicate the ups and downs of their business to interested parties. A higher-level company executive, such as the CEO, often reads the company reports. Once the results are revealed, the call is then accessible for others to join in, namely stock analysts, who come with a slew of questions. Businesses may also use conference calls to promote their products or services. Seminar leaders may open a conference call to the public to share their marketing techniques or business strategies for free or a small price.

Entertainment-Based Conference Calls

Today, people are looking for more and more ways to make new friends or find the companion of their dreams. When bars and clubs get to be too much, the allure of chatting on a “party line” becomes increasingly appealing. Entertainment-based conference calls are used to provide a break from boredom, as well as a way to socialize with others. Participants call a phone number set aside for this purpose and are plugged into a whole new world of mingling and flirting.

Audio vs. Visual

Audio conference calls are less expensive and require less equipment than visual conferencing. Web conference calls also open up a host of potential problems, such as malfunctioning chat, instant message, and web cam services. Streaming video may also pose concerns. Although the capabilities of visual conference calls are vast and have a better way of getting the point across, depending on your intended audience, the concept might be too advanced.

To use visual conferencing as a business tool, you will also have to familiarize yourself with an assortment of software selections and other online options. Learning visual conferencing techniques is a process. For example, include too many large files and you may end up with a communication problem.

Conference Call Limitations

What kind of conference call do you want? Some services allow the called party to speak during a call, while other selections only allow called parties to listen to what is being said.

Conference Call Set-Up

Do you want to control how conference calls are received and made? Calling parties can place calls to desired participants or entrance to a call is gained by calling a special phone number.

Reservation vs Non-Reservation

When you choose a service offering reservation-less conference calls, you will enjoy more freedom. Calls can be placed at any time without speaking to an operator or setting up an appointment. Reservation services require you to schedule your call ahead of time.

Conference Call Commands

What sort of capabilities do calling parties have when choosing a service? Things to consider include the ability to get operator assistance, mute and unmute participants, alter ringing tones and record conversations.

Call Planning is Essential

Knowing how long your conference call will be allows you to shuffle along participants to meet time expectations. As a rule of thumb, a conference call centers on an hour or more. Larger groups demand longer time frames, but without the use of video, it is difficult to keep the interest of all participants.

Usually, about 1-3 minutes are given to each participant to voice his or her opinions. Often, an hour-long conversation handles about 1-2 topics. Another important factor pertaining to conference calls is to prepare for last-minute technical issues. Be aware of applicable time zones and schedule a conference call that will accommodate all of your desired participants. When choosing a service, make sure all customer and technical support will be handled in a timely manner.

Billing Plans

Accepting a variety of credit cards, some services offer per minute pricing plans. Once the conference call is completed, a call summary is emailed to you with all of the details. Applicable charges are then placed on your credit card. Additional plans include flat rate unlimited and monthly plans. Some companies offer a flat monthly rate of $60 for a maximum of five people that allows unlimited usage for the month.

Special Services

Will the conference call service you choose provide you with extra services? Depending on your needs, you may desire to have a taped recording of your conference call. Some services offer this luxury for a flat fee (around $25). Some charge an hourly rate if you wish to have a transcript of your call. Rebroadcasts are also offered through some services for a fee. For an extra charge, operator assistance might be available, which helps with the moderation of conference calls.

Several Conference Call Service Companies Reviewed

Accu Conference : This on-demand, fully automated toll-free service offers reservation-less service, free call recordings and live in-call web control for 9.9 cents per line. Operator service costs 13.9 cents. Unlimited use, flat-rate conferencing is offered, starting at $99 per month.

No Cost Conference : Offers free, reservation-less conference call capabilities, available 24 hours a day. You will receive a pin and dial-in phone number once a quick registration is completed. Free and cheap conference call services are good for short notice calls and limited budgets. With this option, reliability of service does become a concern.

WebEx : Offers conference call services, as well as helpful products, such as Meeting Center, Training Center, Support Center and Sales Center. They offer different solutions to better serve small, medium and large companies. They also offer decent live technical support and pay-per-use services.

OnConference : This service offers no set-up fee and has a listed price of 19 cents per minute per person with or without toll-free access.

Contact Call : Highly recommended for their operator-assisted services.

When you conduct careful comparisons and research on the many conference call services, you will be able to take advantage of a wealth of savings that regular phone services cannot provide.

Conference calling is one of the best business solutions to conduct a meeting over the telephone, in which more than three persons can participate to share some points. Or in other words, it is a means of communicating with more than one person simultaneously, without actually being physically present at a designated place. Conference calling offers mainly three modes for communication, i.e., audio, video, and web based conference calls. It is obvious that these conference calls eliminate a major cost for the companies, and therefore, are very much advantageous for the organizations. Some of the advantages offered by these conference calls are:

Cost Effective Process: Though the fee for availing the service varies with service providers, yet conference call is a much economical option to conduct a virtual meeting and to convey the message to the people concerned. Because in conducting a meeting with the conventional processes, a lot of travel expenses and hotel accommodation expenses are involved; whereas in case of conference calling, nothing of that sort is required.

Time saving process: It is as easy as thinking of talking to some persons and you can make a conference call immediately. Usually it is very good option for conferences that are called on very short notices. It also does not involve any loss of work and the message can be conveyed at a faster pace.

Helps in relation building: It is sometimes difficult for a business to conduct meetings for every segment of employees at regular intervals, which may lead to some misconceptions among employees and they may feel neglected. However, conference calling can eliminate such situations and helps in building good employer-employee relationship.

Simple and easily accessible: The service provider links the persons to be involved in a conference call and the persons do not need to have any special equipment for the same, as it simply linked with the ordinary phone or mobile phone. The person conducting a conference call is facilitated with a speaker, so that all persons involved must be heard at that point. The other persons can talk with the main conductor from their places.

Facilitate Data transfer: Audio conference calling is limited only to transfer instructions or views verbally; but via video conferencing, it is possible to transfer presentations or data to all the persons. With this service there will be no mistakes in sending and receiving instructions, as if there is any, one can clear it immediately and correct it.

Distance is not a problem: With the help of conference calling, the limitations of distance can be eliminated, as it can be used for talking to persons anywhere around the globe. That is why it is most commonly used by small as well as big business houses for communication purposes.

From the above advantages that conference calling provide, we can easily gauge the importance that they hold for any business model and organization setup—they are indispensable!

Whether you belong to a large Fortune 500 company or are in the process of starting your own business, you probably have the need to meet with associates, investors, or other colleagues. Conference calling will assist you in making these meetings manageable and efficient from any location.

Conference calling is a service used by businesses that allows multiple parties to participate in a phone call, no matter how close or far away they are from the source of the call. Large businesses use conference calling services to communicate with associates across the country or even across the globe, making meetings effortless and efficient.

For conference calling to work one company needs to purchase and participate in a conference calling service, either through a telephone company or a web server. When the leader of the conference call wants to have a meeting he simply informs all of the participants of the time the meeting will take place and the information needed to access the call. The called party can be set up to either have their voices heard or to merely be at the listening end of the meeting.

If you are new to the world of conference calling you may be overwhelmed with the amount of conference calling services that are available. Like most new products and services you will definitely want to do your research and discover which service will best suit your needs and fit into the budget of your business.

When choosing a conference calling service there are several features you will want to consider. First you’ll need to choose a service that will allow the number of participants you will need to use the conference call. Some providers allow anywhere from 25 to 150 participants. You will also need to consider which type of conference calling will be most efficient and convenient for your needs. Reservation-less conference calling for instance does not utilize an operator so you can schedule the call at your convenience. Web conference calling allows you to show data and presentations through a PC to other participants.

As you research various conference calling services, do not be deceived by the word “free”. It is true that the actual conference calling service is free to you and the other participants because you won’t need to pay a fee for an account. However, there will be expenses in the form of paying the normal long distance rate that each caller’s long distance carrier would charge for the length of the call. The conference calling service itself is “free” but all parties involved will be spending some money on the cost of the long distance call.

Conference calling services make business meetings easy and efficient by allowing all parties to participate without the hassle of finding a time and place to meet in person. Conference calls can be accessed by multiple parties from multiple places, so a business owner in Iowa could conference with associates as far as Italy, Jamaica, or China all at the same time. When finding your ideal conference calling service, be sure to do your research and utilize the best service for your business needs.

Sometimes when we hear the words conference call, we think of just a three way conversation between family members or just a few business associates. But now conference calls are being used much more than they were many years ago.Gone is the apprehension which was felt when learning of a forthcoming conference call. It is now a routine occurence.

Modern electronic advances have now made conference calls much easier to place not only by just acquaintances or business directors but also by the general public. The reason for the upsurge in conference calls is that it has become much cheaper than it used to be many years ago and conference calls have turned out to be very easy to access.Conference calls are now a recognized and poweful engine for sales and marketing efforts and campaigns.

One of the most effective use of conference calls is on the occasion when a complex product requiring the acquisition of new information is needed to be imparted to multiple people scattered in many areas. When this happens questions can be directed to the lead people and answered immediately. Conference calls are conducted in real time and thus detailed demonstrations and explanations can be resolved immediately.

Conference calls are now substantially enhanced by the use of the internet and on line systems. Basically conference calls are computer driven therefore a custom made program can be downloaded to all the participants and each once can view the details of the presentations on his or her screen. The software used in this type of conference calls allows voice communications between all participants thus clarifying difficult concepts.

When a conference calls is made as a sales call it is much more effective than the old fashioned impromptu visit to a potential client. With a conference call the presenter can instantly see who in the company he or she is targeted shows interest in the product and who is hostile. This is a tremendous advantage when the time comes to close the sale since thanks to the conference call most the ground work has been done.In additon if the presenter of the product has his or her own managers on the line as well, it can be determined which one has the most rapport with the client to be and which ones best follow the guide lines eastablished by the lead person.

One of the fall-out of the popularity of conference calls is that many consumer products have been manufactured at reasonable prices which in turn has increased everyone’s familiarity with the concept of conference calls. Of course many new companies have been formed as specialists in providing conference calls and they offer full turn key operations and complete service back-ups.

Conference calls can also be used for social interactions among groups of people sharing a common affinity. During the conference calls people can virtually roam aroung the electronic meeting place and communicate with different people of similar interests.

It is simply amazing that only not too long ago we were watching science-fiction films like Star Trek and watching them use all their neat little electronic devices with all the bells and whistles. Well fast-forward to the present times, a lot of that technology is now available to almost anyone. This article will be able to provide you with good common sense to compare pricing plans.

There are generally three types of pricing in the conference calling world. There is flat rate pricing, flat rate per minute pricing, and per minute pricing. Basic flat rate pricing is exactly what it says it is. You pay a monthly subscription fee, and you get the conferencing capabilities that you signed up for. Flat rate per minute pricing is where you pay a flat rate for each minute you are using the conferencing service regardless of how many people are joined in with you. Next, per minute pricing involves a regular per minute charge for each person that is involved on the call. In other words, if the charges $.15 per minute, and three people are on the call, the charge would be $.45 per minute(three minutes times $.15 equals $.45).

Most of your better conferencing services will offer a wide range of pricing options so that they can best suit their customers needs. For basic service you can expect to pay $.12 to $.14 per minute per person for the call. However, this is generally speaking the lower end of the options spectrum. It will offer fewer features and more restrictions such as the inability to make reservations and sometimes Billy restrictions. However, if you upgrade a slight bit higher to $.14-$.17 per minute you can expect to regain those privileges. It is always a good idea to look for hitting fees, but those are not as common with her minute pricing.

It is best to first determine your needs such as how many people are going to be attending the conference call? How often are you be using the conferencing service? What type of features will you be needing? Are you going to be needing any additional equipment? By first determining your needs, and setting a budget, it is much easier to find a conferencing service that can handle your requirements.