subject: Web And Audio Conference Compared [print this page] Choosing between web conferencing and audio conferencing? Which is the right one for your company? The choice between the two communication tools might seem unlikely since video conferencing itself has an audio component, but they can be two very different communication tools.
According to online reports, the company, AMI Research says that most small businesses will opt for audio conferencing over the coming year. This can likely be explained by two things: video conferences and webinars despite its obvious growth has yet to achieve full market acceptance, and audio conferencing solutions may be the cheaper option. The latter is even more relevant when you consider that small businesses have to work with tighter budgets.
Audio conferencing is basically telephone calls that involve more than two parties. There are even phones that are produced specifically for this activity. Web meeting utilizes the power of the Internet to allow real time communication regardless of location. Unlike audio conferencing, it offers a host of other features such as whiteboard, file transfer and video streaming.
The AMI report predicted big spending on both web conference and audio conferencing products in the next few years. Combined, the total market for the two products is expected to grow from $1.5 billion to roughly $2.7 billion in 2014. AMI Senior Consultant Karen Nielsen suggests that small business is driving the push towards meeting software. This seems to be in keeping with the school of thought that small business is the engine of growth in the economy.
Maybe this can be attributed to the fact that starting out with a smaller budget forces small business to adopt a savings mindset. In fact, Nielsen was quoted online as saying, "We would expect the greatest growth in usage for both audio and web conferencing to come from the small business segment with under 100 employees."
So, if you own a small business, now may be a good time to explore conferencing options. It is highly likely that most audio conferencing users will turn to web conferencing products as their needs change over time and their companies grow and need more features like remote access. In the meantime, web conferencing companies also need to keep smaller enterprises in sharp focus. Remember, with the kind of spending expected on these products in the next few years, if you are not utilizing them, your competitors certainly will be.
