Audio or web conferencing? Which is the right one for your company? The choice between the two communication tools might seem unlikely since web conferencing itself has an audio component, but they can be two very different communication tools.
Audio conferencing is essentially a multi-way call that involves more than two parties. There are even phones that are produced specifically for this in the market. On the other end, web conferencing 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.
According to online reports from AMI Research, most small businesses will opt for audio conferencing in the coming year. This can likely be explained by two things: that despite obvious growth web conferencing has yet to achieve full market acceptance and audio conferencing solutions is often the more affordable option. The latter is even more relevant when you consider that smaller businesses are often working with a tighter budget.
The AMI report predicted increase spending on both web 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 by 2014. AMI Senior Consultant Karen Nielsen suggests that small business is driving the push towards conferencing products.
Part of 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. In the meantime, web conferencing companies also need to keep smaller enterprises in sharp focus. So by all means, research both audio and web conferencing companies and compare their offerings. 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.
