Panel Addresses HD Conferencing Opportunity

Published by admin | Filed under Audio Visual, High Definition Video Conferencing, Video Conferencing

High-definition conferencing sales might scare away some agents who fear their customers aren’t ready and willing to write fat checks for the hardware and bandwidth necessary for such solutions; but statistics are showing a rise in HD conferencing adoption. So, are agents ready to stand up and grab this opportunity? How can HD conferencing be positioned to different customers with varying concerns? How can agents portray and guarantee the ROI of an HD investment to their customers? Monday’s panel aims to answer the question of whether or not HD conferencing is ready for prime time.

Panelist Roger Thomas, CEO of TeleComp, said that HD conferencing started to get hot because of fuel and travel expenses, but it stayed hot because employers started to understand the ROI on HD conferencing investments in these cases. Additionally, “vertical applications like schools (distance learning), architectural firms (project presentations to clients via laptops as endpoints), health care industry (distance medical consulting), multiple location companies (sales and admin meetings) are saving time and money by not having to travel to different locations,” Thomas explained.

“Video conferencing has been around for years, but with generally poor acceptance,” added panelist Scott Charter, co-founder of WBS Connect. “The latest in video communications technology provides high-quality audio, true eye contact, and life-size images, putting the legacy systems to shame. Adoption rates of high-definition video conferencing and telepresence are soaring because people actually like to use it.”

Charter said HD conferencing is a prime opportunity for channel partners of any size. “It’s not a complex sell; and contrary to what many believe, it’s affordable,” explained Charter. “Those already embedded in end-user accounts are in a unique position to introduce the latest in video conferencing. Any business with T1 or Internet connectivity, more than one office, the need to communicate with clients, partners or suppliers, and who currently travel by air can benefit from the new video technology.”

The panelists hope to address how to not leave money on the table in these sales by providing advice on which sectors to sell to, what types of products to sell, what is needed to support such solutions, and various ways to approach prospective customers.