Web meetings save firm $1.9m: sales presentations, customer training are among the work tasks improved.

The need for enterprise organizations to find and procure qualified, temporary employees has become increasingly important and difficult to fulfill, especially for companies that are spread across many geographic regions. Based in Chicago, Fieldglass has addressed this need in the market since 2001 by providing Web-based applications for services procurement and management, helping organizations reduce both the costs and headaches caused by staffing delays and mismatched temporary staff candidates.

Because it deals with current and potential customers who are spread across the globe, Fieldglass needed an effective way to make sales presentations and train customers on using its technology. Yet the company did not want to spend considerable resources on travel or demand that its employees spend a substantial amount of time on the road.

Furthermore, Fieldglass wanted to enable its employees to collaborate easily and effectively across its three locations--including one in India. Combined, these needs meant finding a way to hold real-time meetings without entailing significant travel for its employees or its customers.

Fieldglass deployed a Web conferencing software solution to maximize the company's resources but was soon dissatisfied with both the quality of the solution and the flexibility of its service. The firm realized that the missed opportunities, scheduling headaches and user frustration made the solution more trouble than it was worth. Within just 30 days, the company determined that a different Web conferencing solution was in order.

After trying other Web conferencing products, Fieldglass selected Microsoft Office Live Meeting. Though introduced initially for sales and training purposes, the company now employs it in every facet of its business, from marketing to operations--allowing Fieldglass to solicit, train and support prospective and existing customers worldwide.

The information technology, software development and quality assurance departments employ Live Meeting for internal meetings and, on occasion, training and issue resolution. The finance department uses it to view demonstrations of third-party products that it is considering for purchase. The Fieldglass marketing department uses it for remote collaboration on campaign development. The company's biweekly operations meetings take place through Live Meeting, as well.

The most extensive users of the product at Fieldglass are the client-support services, sales and operations teams. The Fieldglass training methodology calls for the company's client-support services team to educate customers about its software applications through Web conferencing technology.

"In the (U.S.) western region, we use conferencing extensively. It has allowed us to capitalize on our limited resources and effectively cover the territory," says Jason Latimer, territory sales manager, western region. "It has allowed us to have a favorable impact on opportunity generation, primarily in cases where prospects otherwise would have initially resisted meeting with us face-to-face."

Usually, the company schedules one-on-one meetings with each customer for individual training that addresses a customer's specific software configuration. Now, the company is able to invite larger numbers of customers to attend more Web seminars that deliver valuable information about the latest product enhancements. Last year, Fieldglass held more than 200 interactive training sessions, reaching thousands of people through the technology.

The Fieldglass sales force makes its presentations to prospective customers through Live Meeting. No cumbersome paper files or printouts are necessary; all participants can see the same presentation, and all they need is a telephone and an Internet connection.

"Live Meeting is very easy to work with," says Deanna Freise, manager of supplier relations for Fieldglass. "I especially like that I can have a slide show playing for attendees to view when they log on."

When the company customizes software for a particular customer, its consultants use the product as a reporting tool to keep customers informed about project status. At a moment's notice, consultants can easily show a customer what Fieldglass is doing with its customized configurations.

Fieldglass estimates that it saves a combined total of $1.91 million each year by using Live Meeting for its sales presentations, marketing events and internal meetings. By offering effective, Web-enabled conferences, Fieldglass spares its customers the hassle of either traveling themselves or paying for the travel and expenses of Fieldglass representatives, as is customary for consultants. Fieldglass estimates its customers save more than $8 million through the elimination of travel costs and the attendant increase in productivity.

Fieldglass also is able to present its products to a greater number of prospective customers. "Attending a Web-based sales demonstration seems simple and approachable to our prospective clients," says Mary Moran, director of client support services for Fieldglass. "For one thing, Live Meeting makes scheduling so much easier, and we're truly asking for only one hour of a customer's time."

Fieldglass also is able to provide just-in-time training, so customers can get the information and education they need without wrangling over scheduling or timing delays. The polling feature in the product lets presenters ask multiple-choice questions over the course of a session, and attendees can answer in real time.

"The polling feature is hugely beneficial for us in tracking who attends and who benefits from the training or meeting," says Moran. "Managers within our client organizations like to be able to hear instantly how their people are doing with training, and we want to know if each session answers attendees' questions and gives them the information they need to move forward."

The product's familiar user interface and intuitive navigation require little training for presenters--usually just an initial test and run-through to make sure they understand how to get around in the system. "It is user friendly, easy to learn and adaptable in any working environment," says Stacey Thomas, a client support analyst. "I am able to connect with people across the country at a moment's notice. My clients appreciate the fact that I customize presentations for their specific needs and organize presentations around their schedules. Decreases in travel time and expenses are only a couple of the benefits."

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