WebEx Provides Businesses With Web Conferencing Tools

Compiled ByTraci Purdum WebEx Communications Inc., a provider of Web communications services, has launched WebEx Event Center, an online event service that enables companies to conduct sales presentations, product demonstrations and marketing events via the Internet. The WebEx Event Center has automated logistics management features, multimedia conferencing and detailed reporting capabilities, and is capable of handling events of any size, from three to 3,000 people, according to the San Jose, Calif-based company. "WebEx Event Center is a turnkey service that provides all of the components needed for businesses to conduct successful online events," says Andy Nilssen, senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research, Brookline, Mass. "The WebEx Event Center service is designed to meet the specific needs of large online event producers, and joins WebEx Support Center and WebEx Training Center to form a suite of specialized Web Communication services that meet a broad range of corporate communications needs." The WebEx Event Center supports complex file formats and streaming media -- PowerPoint animations, Flash, CAD files, 3-D animations and live video. Other features include:

• automated e-mail invitations that are distributed to an attendee list;
• automated reminders and follow-up e-mail;
• one-click calendaring that saves event details into attendees' Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes calendars;
• customizable event registration that enables businesses to collect demographic and lead-qualification information;
• hybrid audio conferencing options that enable attendees to join the Web conference via telephone, Voice Over IP or operator-assisted teleconference;
• high-performance applications sharing that enables presenters to run any software application for live product demonstrations;
• technology to export leads to CRM, sales automation applications or databases for marketing and sales analysis.