On and Off Script: Web Conferencing for the Remote Worker

Mike Donoghue is a member of a multinational information technology corporation where he collaborates on the communications guidelines and customer relationship strategies affecting the interactions with internal and external clients. He has analyzed, defined, designed and overseen processes for various engagements including product usability and customer satisfaction, best practice enterprise standardization, relationship/branding structures, and distribution effectiveness and direction. He has also established corporate library solutions to provide frameworks for sales, marketing, training, and support divisions.

  Communications Management   Teams  

Using web conferencing for a remote workforce is nothing new. What is new is that increasingly more and more people are jumping onto it these days—and sometimes don’t know what they are getting themselves into.

Be Prepared
For those of us who have held web-based meetings before, we all know there is a possibility for something to go wrong. Back in the day when live meetings occurred in a room or conference area, there was always the potential for someone to experience “technical difficulties” such as a poor projection system or a failing computer that would make the presentation problematic. Handouts were the most prescribed backup solution, but having enough copies for the attendees posed another logistical problem.

We still experience those equipment failures unfortunately—but presenters comfortable with technology have gotten better at taking precautions. Long before you actually start your conference session, you should have gone through a walk-through to see how you are paced for time and if you have set up your program with the potential for questions. It also makes you better prepared for interruptions and the unknown. Testing the process in a real-world environment will also help you determine if there are some issues that can be addressed ahead of time.

General equipment components, including wireless and power delivery systems, …

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