Better Business with Videocasting

By Greg Pulier

In a world of information overload, sales and marketing managers are up against a deluge of competing information when attempting to communicate effectively with their teams. So how can you communicate better and faster? And how can you ensure the messages you send will be heard and absorbed? The answer is video podcasting—or videocasts—right from your desktop.

Desktop-created videocasts are rapidly emerging as a powerful way for managers to consistently keep in touch with both internal and external audiences. Whether distributing critical training information or creating sales presentations, video is an efficient and effective communications method that can be used without stretching budgets with costly travel.

Traditionally, webcasting has been viewed as an expensive and complex process that is best left to media departments and technical professionals. But today new software tools are available to help business professionals easily create video presentations—complete with PowerPoint slides and screen captures—right from their own desktops. These tools allow managers to cut through the clutter and deliver key messages to peers, prospects and partners in impressive, motivating and influential ways.

Any business user can have the power of a media studio right at their desktop with a simple software download. And using self-service videocasting software doesn't require training or support. With just a smile into the webcam and a few point and clicks, a dynamic and interactive video presentation can be created. Videocasts can be watched on either the web, by clicking through a link or at the viewer's convenience on an iPod or other mobile device.

The best part about many of these new desktop communication applications is that they let managers statistically track exactly how the videocast is viewed, if it generates leads and helps aid in effective follow-through. For example, a sales person can meet with a prospect in the morning and by the afternoon follow up with a personal podcast which took only a few minutes to create; or a manager can record a quick demo that explains the benefits of new product features and then efficiently push the podcast to the team. In both cases, the creator can observe how many people are watching, who those people are and how long they paid attention—an almost immediate return on investment.



Videocasts can also improve channel communication as many sales staffs are lean and count on channel partners to develop business. When the channel is informed and excited about a product or service, they can better retain important selling points and more effectively sell the product. In addition, videocasts allow individuals to share pitches, tips and best practices with each other, whether on a team of ten or a team of thousands, spreading the word and educating the field with the click of a button on a global scale in literally minutes. The understanding of a product can greatly improve with visual and audio to go along with PowerPoint slides and it helps to differentiate it from the competition.

Surely there is still need for live high-end webcasting, but the growing demand for tools that can help in everyday business life has been answered. Adding video to your arsenal of communications tools offers a variety of benefits that translate into real cost savings and revenue generation. All you have to do is simply give it a try and see for yourself.

Learning Automation for Better CRM

Learning Automation + Customer Relationship Management = Customer Satisfaction
By Dudley Molina, Founder and CEO, ePath Learning, Inc.

What helps create loyal, productive employees? Most people would say it is the corporate culture you craft. Ask yourself this question, are your employees fulfilled, challenged and rewarded? Many companies focus on customer satisfaction over employee satisfaction. But that is a little like putting the cart before the horse.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system providers like Salesforce.com and NetSuite, Inc. have blazed the way for software companies delivering applications in an online environment as a monthly subscription service. In the not to distant past, CRM tools were only affordable to Fortune 500 companies. With today's web-based CRM offerings, sales force automation and customer relationship management tools are now affordable to small and mid-sized organizations too. In an era where "the customer is king," it is understandable that CRM solutions garner so much attention in business. However, since there is a direct correlation between employee training and customer satisfaction scores, should you be paying the same attention to your learning management tools that exist to train and retain your employees?

Creating extraordinary customer service begins with employees who are well trained on your products and services, ideal service behaviors, sales techniques and how to fix customer problems while simultaneously "wowing" them with the intent of gaining loyalty. This amounts to a complete curriculum of product knowledge and best practices that you want delivered with consistency. But in companies with decentralized operations, that can be a challenge.

Two comanies—Arise (formerly Willow CSN) and Alpine Access—have made their distributed workforces the core of their business model. They were recently featured on several segments of the TV show "Good Morning America," where they were recognized for bringing jobs to people that are house-bound—such as stay-at-home parents and the handicapped.

Unlike traditional call center operations where employees work in a single building, by using Internet based technology, these "virtual" call center companies enable their workers to take phone orders and customer service calls for many popular catalog and mail order businesses. This works well around the holiday season since they can handle the additional overflow of calls retailers expect around these times. As Good Morning America's Workplace Contributor segment expert Tory Johnson pointed out, these call center companies are bringing work to thousands of individuals in a movement being dubbed "homeshoring; a desirable alternative to offshoring."

By implementing on-demand CRM with learning management services to enhance and measure employee performance, any organization can benefit from centralizing and consolidating training, company reference materials, and just-in-time information. Your employees are the key driver in customer satisfaction. Excellent customer relationship management cannot exist without a superior training program and a corporate knowledge base in your organization.