Great America Networks Conferencing Blog

How will your business survive the financial crisis?

This is a crucial time in the history of America. The economy appears to be on the verge of possible recession, or depression. Companies that have been staples of the global economic market are going through times of incredible change and potential fallout. There is one tried and true way to weather times like these in business. Reduce expenses and save wherever you can!

The luxury of extravagant spending on travel, training, and recruiting practices is not viable in this economy. Only the necessary expenses must be allowed, and then in the most efficient ways.

Can that trip be turned into a WebConference and still present the same information. For the personal touch, make it a VideoConference and connect with your client. Should we bring in the entire Board of Directors to the corporate HQ for our quarterly report, or is there a better way? Do all of the regional managers need to take the time off to attend a 3-day training event, or can we make it happen more efficiently by bringing the information to them, instead of them to the information?

Allow Great America Networks Conferencing to help you streamline your expenses and continue to provide the top level of personal service that you and your clients have come to expect as being mandatory. In tough economic times, there are those companies that will adapt and survive, and those that wont. Which company are you?

Anthony Russo
Conferencing Consultant
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
Skype: anth.russo

The importance of training of your staff in conferencing.

You may have a conferencing solution in place now in your organization. It just isn't used much by everyone though. People are still traveling around, and costing the company time and money. Why? Because it's easier than using the conferencing solution you currently have.

Just acquiring a solution does not mean you are getting the full benefit of the service? But who has time to train everyone in the company to make sure they use the new conferencing service?

We do. We will provide all the training and support for your staff as long as you are with our company. All of your staff also gets a direct number for help when they need it, so they call us, and not you!

When everyone is comfortable with the solution, then you will see the true value of Great America Networks Conferencing as the service will get used more frequently, and the business travel expenses will be reduced. Isn't that one of the main goals you acquired a conferencing service anyway?

Anthony Russo
Conferencing Consultant
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
Skype: anth.russo   

                  

An example of the productivity possible with Conferencing

Today was a very busy day. A very productive day as well. I met with clients today and gave a product demonstration to 7 separate clients. These were clients that are scattered all over the country. Are you able to meet clients all over the country in one day? How could that impact your business if you were?

To even do a demonstration of my product to one of these clients would have been at least a 1-2 day traveling ordeal if I was conducting live meetings. Since my meetings today were Video Conferences, I had the opportunity to be productive throughout the entire day. It sure beats sitting in an airport terminal waiting for a plane.

This kind of productivity was not possible 10 years ago except to the wealthiest of companies. It was barely possible 5 years ago except to large corporations. Today the option to hold WebConference, and VideoConferences is becoming a commonplace commodity for small to medium sized business as well. The planet truly is shrinking. It's time to get yourself around the entire world.

Anthony Russo
Conferencing Consultant
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
Skype: anth.russo

How many hoops do you force your audience to jump through?

As riveting and important as your content might be, there is only so many hoops that your audience is going to be willing to jump through to meet you. If you are having a Tele-seminar or Webinar and you want to make sure that you have a high attendance, you have to make it easy for people to show up. If it is too complicated, they just wont come.

Every additional hoop that you require people to jump through is going to turn back a portion of your audience. Some of these might seem minuscule, but it is what is important to each members situation that matters. Each of the following will deter some of your audience:

• The call in number is not toll-free
• There is a download to view the webinar
• I have to sign up for an account with (insert random service here)
• Only certain Operating systems allowed (Not Mac/Linux compatible)
• I have to control muting/un-muting of my own phone upon entering
• I can't take much more of that "now entering/now exiting" announcement
• I have to re-size my screen, or scroll to see the entire presentation
• You need my email address?? Why?
• My favorite browser is not supported.
• Oh good there is a recording if I miss it live. I have to download a proprietary player to view it.
• Java updated again and I am a version behind. I can't get in.
• This is too complicated!

With Great America Networks Conferencing, we can remove every one of these objections for you. Make it easy for your audience to join you, and they will!

Anthony Russo
Conferencing Consultant
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
Skype: anth.russo

How important is "Ease of recording" to your Webinar solution?

Virtual meetings makes it easy to have live events, and makes it simple for your attendees to join you live. but even without the need to travel, there is sometimes a situation where someone will not be able to attend your webconference live.

Most webconferencing applications have some kind of recording capability. But not all recording systems are created equal.

Some services require you to record in their proprietary format. This means your audience is going to have to download a player, or codec to view your meeting. A bit much to ask of people nowadays. A lot of people will just choose not to view your meeting, rather than bother with that.

Others require you to manually convert the meeting in real-time, immediately following your meeting! So if you just finished a 90 minute meeting, you have to sit there another 90 minutes to have it convert to a playable format! Sorry, but I have other work to do.

Then there are the services that say "Sure you can record! Just put a recorder next to your computer speaker during the meeting." Are you serious? Is that going to give me quality sound for my recording? At least it's an option if you are using Windows, because the Mac option just doesn't support recording at all!

Here are Great America Networks Conferencing, you are always able to record your meeting, with audio,  simply by hitting the Record button in your conference. As long as you are using our teleconferencing service in conjunction with your webconferencing, it will all be recorded in one easy to play file.

No hour long conversion. No proprietary format. No complicated setup. Nothing complicated at all. It's ready right away and we will even host it for you free of charge as long as you are with us. Just post or email a simple link to anyone you want to view your recording and it will play back right away, right in their favorite browser of choice.

Ease of use. It's so important, and nobody does it better than Great America Networks Conferencing.

Anthony Russo
Conferencing Consultant
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
Skype: anth.russo

Ways to go green in your commute

These days going green is on every ones mind.  Personally I new I could do more on a daily basis to help the environment and hopefully/selfishly save some money while doing it. So I put some time into finding some simple tips that I can easily implement on a daily basis. One resource that helped me out a lot is http://earth911.org/ that is where I found the tips below. One thing on this list that hit home was telecommuting, 30% of Great America Networks Conferencing's employees telecommute every day and the rest are moving towards it in the near future.  Let us know if we can help you plan for the future of your business.

Hopefully these tips will help you on the road to a greener life.

Use Reusable Mugs         

For those early morning drives, you may need a cup of Joe to keep your eyes on the road. You can find reusable containers made of metal or plastic that are commute-safe, and will also reduce your waste (translation: a cleaner car). You may also be eligible for a discount at the local coffee shop by bringing your own mug.

 Drive Smart    

         

The way you drive not only affects your gas mileage, but also the longevity of your car’s parts. Driving at (or below) the speed limit will help. So will:

    

•          Checking your tire pressure monthly      
•          Preventing your engine from idling during prolonged stops      
•          Using air conditioning and heat moderately      

    

 Park Smart    

         

You may not consider parking part of your commute, but it can influence your use of air conditioning and heat on the way home. In the summer, try to find a shaded spot and crack your windows to keep the temperature of your car from rising too much during the day.

    

 Telecommute    

    

       If your company has more than 100 employees, the Clean Air Act requires your employer to encourage telecommuting. Working from home just one day a week will cut your carbon footprint and wear and tear on your car. Just don’t abuse the program so your boss has a reason to revoke the privilege.

  Make smart travel plans

         

If your job allows for a flexible schedule, keep this in mind when deciding your departure times. In summer, an earlier start means you can use less air conditioning, while a later start in winter means less heat usage. You’ll also find that commuting during off-hours will mean less traffic.

Don't waste gas to find gas

         

When gas prices rise, we tend to look for the best deal. But consider that a savings of $.10 per gallon is only a few dollars less spent per fill-up. Instead of driving around for the cheapest gas station, you can put less miles on your car (and its parts) by finding the closest fill-up option.

Why implement WebConferencing into your conference calls.

We all know the benefits of conferencing solutions. An incredible savings on time, money, hassle, and most likely carbon emissions. But while many companies are utilizing conference calling services routinely, they are reluctant to move on to webconferencing.

The thinking is that the conference call is the fastest way to accomplish the goals of the meeting. That may be true if there is nothing but raw conversation needed to accomplish your goals. but what if there is more information needed?

Do you find yourself talking about certain documents on your conference call? Referring to pages or instances of a spreadsheet, or an email exchange? These are definitely better to discuss with the actual visual aid of a webconference.

The implementation of the visual aspect to your meeting will make your conversation more efficient, and better understood by all involved. we can implement your conference call controls into our QuickVisuals webconference solution as well, so it will be a smooth transition.

We've all heard the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words." How many conference calls have you been on where you wished they were a thousand words shorter? It's time to get more efficient with webconferencing from Great America Networks Conferencing.

Anthony Russo
Conferencing Consultant
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
Skype: anth.russo

Tips for great customer service

Customer service is the key to success.  In my opinion one of the best things you could ever do for yourself or your business is to develop your customer service abilities. The most important thing that I have learned in business is that great customer service will distinguish you and your company. If your customers don’t believe that you care about them and want them to be happy, then they won’t care about you and will be happy to find someone else.

 

 Here are some key tips that should help distinguish you.  None of these tips are going to be shocking or brand new. They are just the things we should be doing, but don’t!

 

Have the right attitude. Being friendly, polite, and courteous in all of your interactions with your customer will make them feel as though you’re someone who cares, and you’re there for them when they need your help. Of course there will be times when the last thing you feel like doing is to be friendly to a customer, but it is important that you develop the ability to overcome that sensation, and keep a clear head so that you can properly address your client’s needs and wishes and ensure that great customer experience.

 

Communicate often and quickly.  There is nothing more frustrating to a customer than
waiting days for a reply. Whatever way they communicated the issue, make sure to respond as quickly as you can. People need to know what is going on. It doesn’t matter if you worked 8 hours straight on something, if the customer doesn’t know what you are doing then as far as they are concerned you didn’t do anything.

 

Try to anticipate needs. Nothing will impress someone more than taking care of an issue before they even realize it exists. If the customer sees that you are really paying attention to there account and care that they are happy. Then you will be able to build strong relationships with your customer. This is not only great for business, but it makes you feel fantastic by the end of the day.

 

At the end of the day, customers aren’t expecting you to be perfect. But, they do want to see someone who is calm, confident, and who is willing to take the time to find out what they need and get it to them.

Dave Hatfield
GAN Conferencing
Account Services Manager
Office: (312) 432-5352
dhatfield@ganconference.com
www.GANConference.com

Cut costs in your business.

Lehman Bros, Merrill Lynch, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Countrywide Financial.  Some of Wall Streets largest and most prestigious companies  have been seized, failed outright or merged into other companies. The changes in the stock market effect everyone, especially business and business owners.  All over America people are trying to find ways to keep there companies and themselves out of financial trouble.  Now more than ever it is important to cut costs and yet increase business at the same time.  Conferencing really is a great way to do that, sales people can book more meetings then ever by eliminating drive time and opening there territory beyond there immediate area.  By having sales people use a product like Quick Visuals they can have face to face meetings instantly, all over the world.

Think about how much time and money is spent on travel alone and you will see an easy way to immediately impact the spending your company does on a daily basis.  Please contact me to find out what we have already been able to do for business all over the country.

Dave Hatfield
GAN Conferencing
Account Services Manager
Office: (312) 432-5352
dhatfield@ganconference.com
www.GANConference.com

Faster isn't always better.

Did you know?

 Driving faster to your destination isn't any better than driving at a leisurely pace, as far as saving gas goes. For every 5 mph over 55, you lose roughly 10% of your fuel economy. So even though you may have gotten to work a little earlier this morning by going 70 mph, you’ve lost roughly 30% of your fuel economy! 

 So don’t rush in the morning! Give yourself the time you need while reducing your pollution and saving yourself money by obeying those speed limits!  Or it might be time for you to find out more about Telecommuting and you could avoid that trip all together. If you would like more information or would like to setup telecommuting in your business, please contact me.

Dave Hatfield
GAN Conferencing
Account Services Manager
Office: (312) 432-5352
dhatfield@ganconference.com
www.GANConference.com