For many people this is the longest, coldest, snowiest winter they have ever seen. I have some memories of the blizzard of ’78 but I don’t remember the winter lasting as long as this one. And I certainly don’t remember the number of snow storms we are dealing with this winter. And it is taking its toll on businesses as well. The economy is suffering as fewer people are able to leave their homes to spend money in stores and on activities that should be happening outside at this point in many areas of the country still covered in snow. But for businesses that have made provisions for telecommuting the blow has been less than for others. And many companies have discovered that conferencing services can provide the means to continue work processes from home without missing a beat. So for those of you who still are wondering what can be done trapped in your home when you can’t get to the office here are some of the tools available for telecommuting.
Audio Conferencing – The simplest thing you can do is hold conference calls. You can have a meeting anywhere on any phone. The meeting participants simply need to dial into the conferencing system where you can meet with up to 300 participants at any time of day. So if you were going to meet with a group to discuss something and you are trapped at home you can still meet anytime, from anywhere.
Web Conferencing – If you need to share documents or do a presentation you can still do it from home with web conferencing. Anything you can have on your PC you can share with your participants. They can even download copies of your materials as part of the meeting. So as long as you have your PC and a telephone you can have an interactive web meeting that includes visuals.
Operator Assisted Conferencing – Have a large meeting where you need to interact with your audience? You can still do it from the comfort of your home. Participants are greeted by an operator and you will know who attended your meeting and an orderly Q&A can be conducted.
So don’t let this winter keep you from conducting your business. Telecommuting is easy and affordable.