From saving money on travel to being able to call meetings at a moment’s notice, business teleconferencing services can help to eliminate errors due to poor communication and create plans more quickly and efficiently. Meetings can involve everyone who needs to be there, regardless of their location.

Use teleconferencing services to follow every aspect of a project. Get your entire team involved in Internet teleconferencing instead of spending valuable resources on travel. Find quality providers of web teleconferencing online and through peer referrals. Begin using teleconferencing in a number of ways to make your company more profitable.

1. Use teleconference services to manage projects by including all the project participants in every meeting.

2. Use business teleconferencing to save resources that were previously spent on travel.

3. Use a teleconferencing system that you can find online or through used system vendors.

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Communicate better with teleconferencing services

Rather that rely on lengthy and costly in-person meetings and staff reports that often are late or incomplete, utilize the latest Internet teleconferencing services to keep managers and workers in the loop, no matter where they are located. You can get software that can easily be used by vendors, clients, project managers and employees to get all parties involved in important decisions.

I recommend: Check out the quality and uses for teleconferencing capabilities from TANDBERG. Go to the World Bank for step-by-step instructions on how to properly hold a teleconferencing meeting.

Go live with web teleconferencing and save on travel expenses

With web-based systems, you can dial in to a meeting from anywhere. Save money on travel and all the related expenses by holding important face-to-face meetings over a quality teleconferencing operation. Keep your staff and clients in the loop with mobile applications that make it easier for them to sit in on every important meeting.

I recommend: You can get the programs as well as information and consulting services from Cooper Conferencing for all your teleconferencing needs, including phone, video and web-based services. View a flash demo of the teleconferencing capabilities at Genesys Conferencing.

Get used video and audio teleconferencing equipment

While you only need access to a telephone to participate in most teleconferencing meetings, advanced equipment that includes video screens, cameras and audio speaker ports can bring a higher level of professionalism to your important meetings. Look for information to discover which form of meeting solutions will work best for your company and the kinds of meetings you'll through teleconferencing equipment.

I recommend: Look for details about the various used and new teleconferencing equipment available through the Video Conference Store. Get information about how to use the various types of teleconferencing equipment at All Conference Services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To avoid costly outside technician fees, send at least one of your employees for training from teleconferencing companies to learn how to operate and repair your equipment.

Teleconferencing services cover a wide range of communications that, essentially, bring a group of people together in one virtual location. Accomplish this in several ways, ranging from the extraordinarily simple to extremely complex.

Hosting a teleconference may be the best way for you to bring all the key players in your organization together for a meeting, no matter where they're located. In fact a teleconference can be:

1. A simple three-way phone teleconferencing hookup using your local telephone company.
2. Internet Relay Chat (IRC), using a chat service that allows you to combine computer technology and video to meet online.
3. A conference call set up through a teleconferencing service, where everyone dials a specific phone number and passcode.
4. Web conferencing, where attendees can use the power of the worldwide web to deliver presentations and communicate with each other.

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Use IRC software

IRC is a simple teleconferencing solution where all attendees use a 'chat' service, logging in using a user name and password.

I recommend: Check out chat services provided by Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL to determine which one suits your needs. Although most IRC services require you to type in your messages, some allow webcam hookups and Voice Over IP (VOIP) communication. Trillian, an independent chat service, allows you to meet with anyone, no matter which service they subscribe to.

Set up a call using a business teleconferencing service

Use business teleconferencing services to set up meetings for large groups of people using telephones. Everyone is asked to call a specific number at a specific time and to dial in a passcode, which allows each person to attend the conference.

I recommend: There are many teleconferencing companies that offer this type of audio teleconferencing solution and provide a toll-free number for attendees to call. A few of the more prominent teleconference services include ConferenceCall.com, Global Conference and InterCall.

Harness the power of the Worldwide Web

Internet teleconferencing services allow you to use video presentations or communicate via VOIP and video. These types of conferences are harder to organize because they require that attendees be in areas equipped with web conferencing hardware: cameras, microphones, an Internet connection and a monitor or video screen, but they are especially useful for conferences that need a lot of graphics and charts.

I recommend: Many companies use teleconference centers in major cities to hold these meetings. Companies offering these services include Genesys and ReadyComm. If you're on a limited budget, you can hold a web conference on your Personal Computer (PC) using teleconferencing companies such as Go2Meeting and iVisit.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Plan your call. Set up an agenda, and stick to it.
• •  Schedule your conference calls ahead of time.
• •  Notify all attendees of conference times, call-in numbers and passcodes via email.
• •  Have attendees mute their calls when listening to a presentation to eliminate echoes, static and other interference, especially with international teleconferences.
• •  Follow up each conference with transcribed notes or a summary of what occurred.
• •  Record your teleconference using either a recording service offered by the teleconferencing service you're using or a simple tape recorder.

In this virtual world, for almost any business, teleconferencing can bring people together across time and space to get things done. Whether you are a provider of teleconference services, a business leader looking for phone teleconferencing equipment or teleconferencing services or an investor looking to profit from advances in teleconferencing system technology, you'll need access to solid information.

With teleconferencing developments exploding to embrace not only traditional audio teleconferencing, but also video teleconferencing and Internet teleconferencing, you can stay ahead by selective monitoring of teleconferencing news and trends.

1. Sign up to receive daily teleconferencing news feeds by email or RSS.

2. Look to teleconferencing industry associations and trade shows for updates on teleconferencing solution providers.

3. Monitor specialized publications for teleconferencing news that goes beyond the headlines.

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Subscribe to email newsletters that bring the best teleconferencing news and trends to your desktop

Save time by letting specialized Internet teleconferencing news services bring sort through thousands of postings and bring you the cream of the crop. Scan headlines online or sign up to receive regular e-newsletters and RSS feeds.

I recommend: Fierce VoIP is a leading provider of telecom industry news; narrow your search with the Conferencing and Collaboration tag, and register to receive RSS feeds and a free twice-weekly e-newsletter. Conferencing News is the online newsstand for global developments in teleconferencing services; headlines are available by email.

Look to trade associations and trade shows for the latest teleconferencing solution breakthroughs

Whether you're a teleconferencing services professional or a manager looking to implement or expand business teleconferencing use in your own field, you can't beat trade associations and trade shows for their ability to bring teleconferencing companies and industry information together at one website or under one roof.

I recommend: IMCCA, the Interactive Multimedia Collaborative Communications Alliance, began as a phone teleconferencing trade association and has grown to embrace the universe of collaboration and teleconference services. The IMCCA website offers headlines, newsletters, white papers and an events calendar, among many other informative resources. The Channel Partners Conference & Expo is your chance to check out the latest products and services teleconference vendors have to offer. Attendees can tailor informational sessions to their own needs by choosing the YOU Track option.

Subscribe to specialized teleconferencing publications

Get in-depth teleconferencing news and trends reports that go beyond the headlines when you read industry-focused publications. In keeping with the green spirit of the teleconferencing movement, these publications are available in paperless online and digital versions. Access to some publications is free; others require payment of a subscription fee to unlock the full features.

I recommend: Phone+ Magazine covers the world of collaboration and conferencing companies and solutions, offering headlines along with in-depth articles, white papers and webinars. Subscribe to the digital version of xchange Magazine and get the experience of turning magazine pages in a downloadable digital format.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You'll get a wider perspective and more objective information by monitoring several different sources of news about conferencing companies and teleconferencing services.

Teleconferencing allows individuals, businesses and organizations to communicate on a virtual level at a virtual location. This can take place through a number of different formats, including web teleconferencing and telephone teleconferencing. The formats can be simple or complex depending on the needs, wants and desires of those using the teleconferencing format. The success of teleconferencing is far reaching, from saving money to saving time. To learn more about the industry and its capabilities, it can be advantageous to become familiar with teleconferencing key terms and concepts.

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Reserved call

A reserved call allows a teleconferencing reservation agent to schedule one or more calls in advance of the event. Participants will receive a dial-in number and unique passcodes to allow them into the conversation. Reserved calls are also known as scheduled, unattended conference calls since there is no need for addition assistance after participants call in.

I recommend: Teleconference reserved calls, along with 10 other "must-have" features of teleconference providers, are explored at PassionforBusiness.com.

Moderator

When a moderator is used on a teleconferencing call, they act as the host or appointed representative. In many cases, the moderator will facilitate the call for participants.

I recommend: Leader tips for teleconference moderators are described at Telebridge.com.

Break-out conference

A break-out conference is also known as a sub-conference. It is a smaller conference call which breaks off from a larger, main conference call. It may be organized by a moderator or the operator.

I recommend: Break-out conference call options are discussed at Fullcirc.com for more easily facilitated teleconference calls and discussions.

Bridge

Bridge is the term used to describe teleconferencing equipment which has been utilized to connect two or more phone lines. The equipment allows all of the conference call participants to access the same conference call.

I recommend: ThomasNet.com offers information about current bridge teleconference equipment currently being used.

Passcode

A teleconference passcode is a unique number generated for participants to allow them access to the conference call. Two passcodes are generated for a teleconference -- the secure moderator passcode and the general participant passcode. Passcodes are required to allow individuals to join in on teleconferencing phone calls.

I recommend: AllConferencing.com offers detailed information with respect to the importance of passcodes when it comes to teleconferencing.

Listen-only mode

The listen-only mode is a form of one-way communication in a teleconference session. Conference call participants are able to listen in on the call, but they do not have the ability to speak. Listen-only mode teleconferencing takes place primarily in teleconference calls of large numbers and is used to eliminate background noise.

I recommend: The aspects of listen-only mode for teleconference sessions are discussed at AccuConference.com, as well as at E-teleconferencing.com.