Posted by Kathleen S on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 @ 09:55 AM
There is a movement underway in America. Young people everywhere are forming their own nonprofit organizations to support the causes about which they care. Technology has made it a simple matter to reach out to supporters using social media and the like. These burgeoning philanthropists and existing nonprofits face more challenges than ever when it comes to raising funds and using those funds efficiently.
In the past, most nonprofits were so deeply entrenched in outreach and delivering services, there was little remaining resource for addressing capacity and scalability. However, as budgets began shrinking and need increasing with the down economy, nonprofits have been forced to think like big business. They are finding ways to cut costs and expand services without sacrificing their main missions.
Today, all nonprofits are networked in some way. Most have websites and all have e-mail ad¬dresses. Nonprofit leaders are beginning to embrace technology and seek out tools that will help them raise funds, awareness and membership. They seek tools that support high volume use, are easy to use and affordable. Many nonprofits have found just such a tool in audio and web conferencing.
Essentially, conferencing software is a communication tool. It allows organizations to build community by disseminating rich and detailed information to a wide audience. It lets everyone connect quickly and easily, anytime from anywhere. The variety of features included in audio and web conferencing lets organizations do more with tools like document sharing, call recording, instant messaging, multiple presenter capability, whiteboards and more.
While this is the same technology large for-profit businesses use to make operations more cost effective and efficient, nonprofits have special needs that conferencing technology meets.
Cost Control: Because audio conferencing per-minute pricing plans are exceptionally affordable. Sincere fees are charged per call instead of monthly, it is easy to assign costs from a specific initiative.
New Volunteer Training: Training new volunteers quickly is essential to maintaining continuous services. Through Web conferencing, document sharing and recording sessions, new volunteers are quickly trained. Nonprofits can avoid duplicative training sessions by playing back recorded training sessions to new volunteers.
Universal Access: Because volunteers and stakeholders are geographically dispersed and may use varying technologies, good conferencing software works across all platforms and is simple to use. Browser-based systems with intuitive interfaces make conferencing easy for anyone, no matter where they are or what systems they use.
When nonprofits embrace audio and web conferencing, they are able to gain more support, raise more funds and help more people.
Posted by Kathleen S on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 @ 09:53 AM
Audio or Web conferencing will be most successful for those nonprofit organizations that take the time evaluate certain critical needs the software must fill. The essentials of conferencing include features that address accessibility, costs, ease of use and productivity tools. Here is a rundown of the conferencing features no nonprofit can afford to be without.
Accessibility
Conferencing software must support various operating systems and browsers. Because constituents are technologically diverse, providers must be able to reach them on browser-based systems, including net-books, computers, networked personal data assistants and cellular phones. If the conferencing provider requires a download and install to run, many constituents will be left out, defeating the purpose of acquiring conferencing services in the first place.
Ease of Use
Conferencing solutions with simple, intuitive interfaces make the host’s job easier when setting up a conferencing. Because some meetings must be set up serendipitously, a simple interface is essential. Just a few clicks and the meeting should be up and running within seconds.
Conferencing solutions with live 24/7 support are easier to use and provide greater satisfaction for their customers and participants. Operators help conference participants connect quickly and easily, taking the support burden from your hands. Support systems should provide help within minutes to ensure participants are not left waiting while the conference goes on without them.
Productivity Tools
Conferencing providers include productivity tools to make collaboration easier. Desktop sharing is among the most important productivity tools to have in Web conferencing. Without desktop sharing, it becomes difficult to show audiences the topic you are discussing. No matter what system your audience is on, conferencing should let you show them your desktop, documents you wish to present and even share applications. Other important productivity tools include a whiteboard, instant messaging, and call recording.
Call recording is an essential productivity tool. Being able to record a call or conference is essential to making information more accessible and useable. By recording training sessions and important meetings, anyone who missed the presentation can come back and view it when they have time. This ensures everyone’s needs are met on their own schedules.
These essential tools will ensure you get the most from your conferencing provider. Other important tools include instant messaging transcripts, pay-as-you go pans and toll-free calling. This last item is especially important, letting participants access your audio and Web conferences without incurring charges. This encourages greater participation and enhances the image of any organization.
