Web Based Meeting

A web based meeting takes place almost every business day in company conference rooms all over the world. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel expenses, businesses are finding that the investment in equipment to have company to client conferences through the Internet are not only costs saving, but also time saving. Many services from web based companies allow the user to just log in and begin a conference without any prior arrangements being made. In tough economic times, the ability to meet a client online for a conference or be able to collaborate with team members who may be spread across the country can save a company many thousands of dollars, perhaps enough for a small business to remain open for another year. And with a web conference being possible, corporate training companies can offer lower cost classes and more employees can take advantage of their services.



A conference on the Internet is possible through each participant having his or her own computer and then being connected to others that can be located anywhere on the Internet. Without a web-based application, each of the participants would have to download information and then listen by phone to a one-way presentation. There would be no opportunity for interaction among the participants. With a web based meeting, the participants can converse with one another and are able to all view the same screens together with the advantage of the presenter being able to point out specific issues on each slide. Some companies offer VoIP technology which stand for Voice over Internet Protocol. This is actual phone service over the Internet which would make the presentation truly an entirely web based meeting.



Companies that offer the ability to have online meetings by logging on to their website tout their services as being far more productive than people having emails flying back and forth. And with the ability to conference in real time, web based meeting technology certainly can trump the delay that emails can often experience. And in addition to the ability to present presentations such as Power Point to high numbers of participants all over the globe from the snugness of one's own office or cubicle, there are now many software and web based companies that provide white board technology. This technology enables, for example, a number of people being able to work on the same page together, let's say, putting together a mission statement. Cross out one phrase and put in another can be done by anyone from any location who is attending this web based meeting.



Of course, included in the discussion of online meetings has to be the possibility of video conferencing. The drawback to this technology is that both ends of the meeting must have the hardware to broadcast faces. When a person thinks about a meeting where important decisions are being made and the reality of not being able to read one another's faces during the decision making process is presented, even the best audio only meeting capability can leave a person a little cold. It certainly is a step up from just the phone and going over papers together, but the ability to see everyone and their reaction to various issues in the meeting is the most sublime of all considerations. If a company does web based meeting and collaborating every day or every week with team members from across the country or globe, then video conferencing ought to be considered if at all possible. With companies such as Skype offering low cost business video conferencing, it would appear to be a no brainer for many businesses.



If a business was considering sending a person overseas to do a presentation to a client, it might be better served to use the services of video conferencing service provider who can set up video capabilities at both ends of the call. Despite the large cost, the web based meeting with video may be less than sending that person across the country or around the world. And for less than forty dollars per employee, a quality video cam can be placed in very cubicle that participates in regular collaboration efforts. Many people take the committing of sin as a ho-hum kind of occurrence that is just a part of everyday life. But the psalmist didn't think so. Listen to these words, which need to be our words: "Have mercy upon me O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions, wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." (Psalm 51: 1, 2)



While using an outside service provider for web based meeting capability certainly in an option, so is the option of using software that all participants can download. The latest software available on the market allows Power Point sharing, desktop sharing, document collaboration, remote control and multiparty audio and video conferencing. Often this software is not sold but leased to companies on a per month or per year basis. The prices will depend on how many users are expected at each end of the meeting. It would be important that there be excellent live tech support available for any failures that might occur, especially during a critical meeting. The future of the Internet based meeting is very exciting to consider. One can only imagine that in the next twenty years, holographic images of company personnel from around the world will be available as collaborative teams get together daily for creative purposes.