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Implix, provider of the GetResponse e-mail marketing solution, announced an online communications platform. ClickMeeting enables small to midsize business users to set up conferences on the fly for up to 25 users, and ClickWebinar offers live video conference streaming for 100 to 1,000 users.
The platform enables midmarket companies to host global Webinars with the ability to show videos, share desktops and poll attendees all from a single user interface. ClickMeeting is available in all-in-one annual plans ranging from $29.99 per month for unlimited online meetings for up to 25 attendees to $199 per month for unlimited Webinars with up to 1,000 participants.
“Gartner has written extensively on the ‘new normal,’ which we describe as cost decisions that occur as a response to a sluggish economy and hold even when good times return,” said Richard Fouts, research director at IT analytics firm Gartner. “We expect online meetings and conferences to play a major role in the new normal given the high cost of travel and the productivity hits organizations experience when key people are on the road.”
Saving money never goes out of style, Fouts noted, and now, with providers such as Implix offering affordable online video, audio and document collaboration, the business case for online meetings becomes even stronger. “I’m also sure SMB customers will appreciate getting fewer ‘out of office’ notices in response to their urgent e-mails,” he said.
ClickMeeting features user-friendly setup and administration for meetings of up to 25 attendees or Webinars of up to 1,000 participants-from invites to auto-reminders to document uploads and meeting updates; rebranding with customer logos, fonts, colors and graphics; and desktop sharing of documents and applications, plus whiteboarding for real-time collaboration and decision making.
“In this economy, companies can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on offsite meetings and maintain a healthy bottom line. Industry studies show that the savings from online conferencing platforms like ClickMeeting can be significant. It’s not surprising that 53 percent of companies in a recent Wainhouse survey are increasing their online conferencing,” said Simon Grabowski, Implix CEO and founder of GetResponse. “ClickMeeting can help these businesses get more done for less by meeting online when they need to, not when they can afford to. With ClickMeeting, they’ll not only save time and money, but also reach more markets and close more deals, especially when branded with their own logos and colors.”
Other features include audio-video capabilities for conferences, Webinars and presentations; polling to accelerate decision making and gain consensus; and an intuitive administrative panel designed to allow “quiet” control of audience interaction, presenters and desktop sharing. Users can set up meetings or audio-video presentations without having to install or download a separate application. In addition, users can connect with remote teams, prospects, partners and field personnel.
Justyna Wajs, a ClickMeeting customer and managing director for Vemma Europe, said his company needs to communicate with hundreds of brand partners in 30 countries on a regular basis. “In-person meetings are ideal, but way too expensive and waste too much time,” Wajs said. “With ClickMeeting, we can organize a meeting in a matter of minutes, save money on travel and actually get more done. I’d like to add that ClickMeeting not only contributes to our financial success-it also strengthens our sense of community.”