This being my industry, I feel I should chime in here. Very informative article. A couple of other things to look for in my experience as a Conferencing Consultant: Service - Depending on your comfort level and experience with WebConferencing, check if the company will offer training. Will it be a 30 page PDF where they just throw you in the water and it's time to swim? Will it be a 15 minute scheduled group and you better get it right the first time? Do they charge for it? A good company will back you 100% with personal, ongoing training, hopefully free, and direct number to help whenever you need it. Downloads and Installations - Is there a download or installation involved to present the information, that is common. What you don't want usually is a download or installation for someone to just join your conference. The more hoops your attendees have to jump through, the less attendees you will have. Does Flash or Java have to be updated? Will it install on a Mac? PowerPoint - The use of Microsoft PowerPoint is the most common usage of WebConferencing. How does it run? Is it run off your computer with a desktop sharing component, or does it run from the company server? Desktop sharing component uses more bandwidth than running from the company server. Can you store more than one on the server to have access to multiple presentations if needed for different situations. Do Animations portray and are they smooth or jerky? Again, is Keynote supported and full Mac interoperability. TeleConferencing service - Toll-free is preferred for higher attendance. If you are targeting consumers that you think mostly would use cell phones, then not as important. Is the TeleConference integrated into the WebConference interface. Can you mute and un-mute easily, the whole group or an individual. Is there Operator Assistance available, whether this is live support by hitting *0, or a full moderation of a Q & A session. Some services offer a web-based interface for control of the call. this can be free or for a monthly charge. These are just a few of the items that people tend to overlook when shopping for conferencing services. With fuel prices so high, everyone thinks to just call the first company they find and go, but the money you save on fuel can easily be lost by having a bad experience with a client. Always do your homework. Anthony

Great article! With fuel prices increasing weekly and companies looking for ways to reduce costs without compromising the quality and delivery of their information, conferencing is increasingly becoming a viable solution for all aspects of business. From internal sales meetings to quarterly earnings releases or meetings with clients, customers are turning to conferencing for their every day meeting needs. Audio and Web Conferencing can drastically reduce the cost and time associated with travel as well as allow company employees to collaborate with others without leaving the office! I have worked in the conferencing industry for many years and have a good viewpoint as to where the industry is today and where the industry is heading as a whole. Whether you represent a company looking to change conferencing providers or you are new to conferencing, it is important to know the questions to ask so that you will find the best conferencing provider for your needs. There are a number of reliable and affordable services in the industry, however understanding the services and fees associated with them requires due diligence and comparative shopping. It is important to watch out for hidden fees! When shopping for a vendor, it is best to provide as much detailed information as to what your conferencing needs are as well as ask what else the various Conferencing companies can provide. I find that many consumers are not aware of some of the services and features we offer until we start talking about the different solutions to their problems. Outside of the obvious buying points of quality and price, you will want to make sure your selected provider has excellent, real-time support, a dedicated account management team and free training support for all of your users. One last note, I recommend finding a SOLUTIONS based provider that will work to meet your unique needs. I hope you find this information useful and I look forward to any response to my comments. Stephanie Stephanie Bowyer RollCall Conferencing Welcome to RollCall Business Conferencing Solutions

A few more noteworthy tips Here are some key questions to ask when evaluating a conferencing service provider:

1. Will I be bound by a long-term contract, or do I have the flexibility to pay as I go?
2. Are there port limitations (i.e. is my call limited to a certain number of participants on each call)?
3. Do I have to make a reservation for each conference call? If so, will I be charged for a minimum number of participants?
4. Is there a cancellation charge, in the event I have to reschedule last minute?
5. Do you own your conferencing equipment and what is your disaster recovery plan in the event of bridge failure?