SolveYourProblem
eLearning Series
Web Conferencing
How
Does Web Conferencing Work?
Web conferencing is a service involving a
virtual online meeting between two or more participants. These
participants could either be within the same area or building
or on the other side of the world, getting together on the
Internet to discuss, exchange and share resources. Through
web conferences participants may be able to access a variety
of features which include data and audio transfers, among other
things.
Web conferencing enables several components for it to work
in synergy. Below are tools and facilities that you may be
able to make use of during a web meeting:
File
sharing and application sharing
of desktop
File sharing is the foremost feature of web conferencing.
It is an effective tool that produces favorable results. When
a participant shares his or her workstation to everyone in
the conference, the rest of the participants will able to view
those files. By giving the control of the desktop to someone
else, they can also access the files and take part in providing
inputs even if they are in a remote location.
White Board
White boards are, to simply put, the virtual version of a
boardroom white board used when there is brainstorming going
on in the conference. Everyone in the virtual meeting will
be able to see it. The feature comes very handy since it can
be set up in such a way that everyone else can have access
to add or contribute to it.
Polls and Surveys
This feature is very useful for feedback and responses. The
surveys can be tabulated and archived for future reference.
Co-browsing of the internet
This feature is very useful as a tool for customer service,
allowing clients to browse a corporate website, together with
customer support personnel, for example. It is also a useful
tool for sales presentations and product education, among other
things.
SMS messaging
Apart from audio and video, web conferences may also allow
for text messaging service. This is useful for documentation.
Slide presentations
This tool allows viewing visual demonstrations and presentations
and may even be customized as a downloadable resource for future
need or reference.
Playback
The playback feature contains the archive of meetings and
may be especially useful for those who have missed joining
the conference; or as reference for future discussion and brainstorming.
All of these can be combined to bring your participants together
in one conference happening on real-time. Because virtual meetings
take place on the Internet, security issues are not uncommon.
That’s why a moderator or conference host is required when
hosting conferences, to ensure that participants of the conference
are given their privacy with the moderator providing their
login name and passwords. The moderator or conference host
can also monitor participants entering and leaving the virtual
room or do roll calls every now and then.
A Simple Process
Depending on the software used, the service host and the conference
moderator, a virtual meeting can successfully transpire among
the participants. Below is a simple idea of how web conferencing
works:
The conference host or moderator gathers all files and documents
before the meeting and then distributes them to the participants
later.
The conference host or moderator relays the date and time
for the online meting, using invites via email.
The participants can either accept or reject the invitation.
If they have accepted this, they can program their calendar
to remind them of the meeting.
The conference host or moderator has to ensure that the application
is working efficiently before the meeting begins.
Participants are then sent, via email, invites with the URL
link and the security codes to be able to enter the virtual
conference room.
When participants enter the virtual conference room, a buzz
or a bell signifies their entry.
The meeting then takes place online, where participants can
make use of various services like: audio, video, voice chat,
messaging and desktop sharing, among others.
When the meeting is over, the participants can just log off
the conference room.
Companies all over the world are now making use of web conferencing
facilities because of the simplicity and efficiency of it.
Moreover, a company is able to save from travel expenses and
company resources because virtual meetings hosted online has
eliminated the need to travel or bring employees to certain
destinations. Even a small-scale business can make use of this
and produce even better results that benefit its business.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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