With Travel Plans on Hold Companies
Turn to E-Conferencing

Concerns regarding safety and economic conditions are forcing many companies to seek ways to return to work without returning to the sky. Corporate travel managers who have built their careers by bringing people together for face-to-face interactions are up against new challenges.

Now, many are using their expertise and experience to bring people together via e-conferences. In the hours and days following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the demand for e-conferences surged and it continues to grow. From sales presentations and training sessions to staff meetings, executive sessions and more, corporate travel managers are evaluating e-conference options and using them as a way to accomplish the work at hand while minimizing air travel. During this time of change, ACTE provides insights and resources to help its members face these new challenges.

Record Demand
Soon after the world became aware of the September 11, 2001 and terrorist attacks, executives around the globe scrambled to locate employees and provide assistance. Many companies used e-conferencing services to establish communications and, when needed, to implement crisis management plans.

In the hours immediately following the tragedies V-SPAN, a leading provider of video, audio, and Webconferencing services, reported a 30 to 50 percent increase in demand. "Conferencing services emerged as an ideal solution for those companies seeking a way to quickly communicate with employees worldwide," Mark Evan, V-SPAN director of marketing, said. As the days unfolded, the demand for technology-assisted communications increased. On September 19, V-SPAN reported the highest volume of completed videoconferences in its history.

Other companies saw a similar surge. Genesys, Inc., an international conferencing service provider, reported sharp increases in demand, particularly for reservation-less audioconferences. Organized on an as-needed basis with virtually no limits on the number of participants or length of call, reservation-less audioconferencing was a first-line of defense for many companies and management teams seeking a fast and easy way to establish communications.

According to Richard Turcott, vice president of marketing for Genesys Conferencing North America, demand for audioconferencing services reached a peak on Sunday, September 15, 2001 and remains significantly higher. "Certainly the tragedies in New York and Washington D.C. created an immediate need. But, we are also seeing a sustained interested in e-conferences because they are a good way to conduct day-to-day business," Turcott said.

Overnight, a growing interest in conferencing solutions turned into an urgent demand for immediate services, according to Dan Merrill, vice president of sales at eVent Streams, Inc. and former ACTE vice president of finance. "Many people were already looking at e-conferencing as a way to reduce costs and increase access. Now, they are looking at it as a way to curtail the need to travel," he said.

E-Conference Options
There are three main types of e-conference as well as hybrid-meetings that rely upon a blend of technologies.

Audioconferencing -- The easiest, most affordable conferencing option is audioconferencing. It is essentially a telephone call shared among multiple people. The only equipment required is telephone access. Today, many companies specializing in e-conferencing offer a host of additional services to enhance the effectiveness of audioconferencing. Special features include moderated Q & A sessions, polling services, translators and remote replay or transcripts. Many service providers offer "on-demand," "self-reserved," or "reservation-less" systems that allow you to organize a session at a moment's notice.

Videoconferencing -- Videoconferencing is like watching TV. Sessions can be "live" or pre-recorded. Content can be broadcast virtually anywhere. However, videoconferencing does require special equipment and satellite access or some other means to transmit. Most full service conferencing companies provide technical expertise, scheduling services and equipment or studio rentals. Additional services used to enhance videoconferences include data/document sharing, audio conference add-ons, on-demand user-initiated reservation systems, translation services, delayed broadcasts and more.

Webconferencing -- Webconferencing is the fastest growing type of e-conference. Participants "meet" at secure Websites. Content can include text, graphs, pictures, spreadsheets and PowerPoint-style presentations as well as streaming audio and video. Webconferencing can be in real-time and/or archived for later retrieval. Typically the only requirement needed to participate in a Webconference is access to the Internet via a 56K or better connection and a compatible browser. Special features used to enhance a Webconference include Q & A sessions, instant polling, live chat, white boarding and more.

Resources

Below is a list of companies that provide e-conference services, technologies, support and expertise.

eVent Streams, Inc., specializes in streaming media productions delivered via the Internet. For more information, consult www.eventstreams.com or call 404-946-2860

Genesys Conferencing has offices in 17 countries, offering audio, video and Webconferencing services worldwide. For more information, consult www.genesys.com or call 866-GENESYS

V-SPAN is a full-service provider of audio, video and Webconferencing solutions with access to over 5,000 public video suites in metropolitan areas around the world. For more information, consult www.vspan.com, E-mail [email protected] or contact Bob Kiszka at 610-382-4057

Akamai Conference uses streaming audio and video to create real-time Web-based conferences. For more information, consult www.akamai.com or call 877-425-2624

Centra provides software and services to support Webconferences and Internet-based training programs. For more information, consult www.centra.com or call 781-861-7000.

McGettigan Partners offers computer-based meeting and management tools. For more information, consult www.mcgettigan.com.

MeetingPlace is an enterprise-wide e-conferencing system. For more information, consult www.latitude.com

PlaceWare Web Conferencing offers a range of Web-based solutions from small group presentations to larger events. For more information, consult www.placeware.com or call 888-526-6170

WebEx provides a range of real-time multimedia services for Internet-based meetings, events and training programs. For more information, consult www.webex.com or call 877-50-WEBEX or call 404-946-2860

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