In these economic times, companies of all sizes struggle with the balance of maintaining a manageable overhead without sacrificing productivity. One of the tools used for productivity that is becoming increasingly indispensable is online Web Conferencing.
As with most other productivity tools that are software based, the cost ranges anywhere from your free downloadable solutions to ones that incur thousands of dollars a year in monthly fees.
The question then arises, "If I'm going to be spending money for a Web Conferencing solution, which is going to give me the best 'bang for the buck'?"
In comes VIA3 with its full featured Web Conferencing solution that rivals many of the other solutions currently out there. So how does VIA3 compare with the others? To skip the criteria list below and go straight to a comparison chart click the link at the end of the article
What Comparisons Do I Look At?
Making a decision on which Web Conferencing product provides the best solution for your needs has become more difficult today because there are so many options available now. Here are what experts in the industry refer to as the most important things to consider when choosing a Web Conferencing product.
* Security - If sensitive information is going to be discussed, it's a no brainer that this is a crucial thing to consider.
o VIA3 utilizes full AES 128-bit encryption which ensures all voice, video, and data are 100% secure. VIA3 has been certified to meet Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 Level 1. VIA3 is the only currently in the market right now that offers this end-to-end security.
* Audio and Video Quality - If members can't be seen or heard...what's the point?
o VIA3 offers clear CD quality sound and crisp video imaging.
* Ease of Installation and Use - How much time and money is wasted when a Web Conferencing product takes longer to install and learn how to operate than an actual meeting?
o VIA3 is a single download solution for their entire suite of features. Most other products require multiple downloads of different modules and network add-ons to achieve the same full feature delivery of VIA3's all-inclusive software.
* Customer Support Services - Ok, so we all know that our in-house tech gurus aren't always available. If you need help right before an important meeting with the product, how quickly and how knowledgeable is the support staff for the product? (freeware is generally exempt from this criteria as most freeware doesn't come with any support...)
o VIA3's offers support through numerous ways. Not only are they available domestically, but they can be reached by phone, email, and even instantaneously through the instant messaging feature built into the VIA3 product.
* Depth of Features - The reason why depth of features isn't at the top of list is because more often than not, it's what most companies use as their major selling point. Sometimes this gets overwhelming because you end up getting sold on features you don't even need. So the features to look for are the ones that immediately solve your problem. After that, you then look for the ones that can directly improve productivity within your organization.
o Since VIA3 includes everything in a single download, one never has to worry about the scalability of the product. If you don't need the feature, you just don't use it. However, if ever you need a feature (i.e. Instant messaging or workspaces for real-time sharing of files) it's there. Again, this is all included by default whereas other products require extra downloads and configuration to expand the product features for your needs.
* Price - This point of comparison actually falls in different priority levels for different people. The important thing to consider is if you are maximizing the dollar spent (if any) for the product.
o VIA3 offers all the features that WebEx and GoToMeeting offer and more for HALF the price.
So with these criteria in mind, you can see how VIA3 measures up to a couple of the biggest players in Web Conferencing arena right now: Cisco's Web Ex and Citrix's GoToMeeting. Go to the link at the end for an apples-to-apples comparison chart.
See a more detailed comparison with WebEx and GoToMeeting plus a free download link at http://www.via3review.com
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