MC Merchants,

I have been speaking with MCSmiths and she suggested a webcast (or some sort of conference call) for MC merchants to participate would prove beneficial.

Has anyone had a positive experience using this sort of communication platform? If so, can you explain how it was effective and what technology was used?

We are brainstorming ideas to enhance communications between MC and MC merchants- any and all ideas are appreciated.

Thank you.

Not everyone has this program and I hate to say it but: Macro$Media Breeze

Captain,

We used this feature at a job a worked at a while ago. It seems to me that would have to set up with the phone company for how many lines they would want to use. When we used it we were discussing benefits for the employee's. Only a certain number could be on at one time so we all had a schedule of when to call. Basically, it is just like a big conference call.

If this way isn't going to work for you, maybe you could set up some kind of chat session. That way, everyone could be on at one time. Of course, you would have to set up some rules so everyone wasn't chatting at once. If you posed a question and everyone responded at once that wouldn't be bad. But if you have a slow typer and you move on to the next question, you may have answers to old questions popping up in the middle of the new topic.

Just an idea.

Cannen

I've got a call in to an associate to find out how a former employer handles their webcasts. On a side note, I see now they now have a "radio" broadcast from their site, which looks like a relatively interesting idea for one-way communications.

The phone conferences were handled by the phone systems installed in conference rooms at the office. Attendees from all over the country just called a certain phone number at a certain time and were patched in to a speaker phone in the middle of the conference room. Other than not seeing all the participants face-to-face, it worked out really well. I'm sure most phone or telecommunications companies should be able to offer some quotes on such a service. It didn't seem to be too terribly complicated. At Nestle, we also had video but it was too amusing to take seriously because the voices didn't match the picture. That was quite some time ago, so I'm sure technology has caught up a little!

If we went this route, there are chat standards to make sure everyone doesn't talk at once. You have the leader, the moderator and the rest of us. The leader obviously leads the discussion. The moderator watches for the rest of us that want to participate and we signal that by using ? for a question and ! for a statement. The moderator would call on us in turn to facilitate/organize the discussion.

I used to moderate chats in AOL. Worked great!

This looks interesting: gotomeeting.com

Check out the demo. A free trial is available, too.

I'll take a look at that MC.. thanks for the link. Purple... what chat application did you use at AOL?

Oh God, you're going to make me think back into the recesses of my brain. It was years ago and I really don't remember. I'll logon to AOL this weekend, see if I can find a chatroom and what they're using.

Ryan,
There are a bunch of tools if you are looking to do a "push" webcast that involves limited participation from the audience (who can submit a question or answer a poll, but can't really participate in a discussion).

I've been on the audience segment of many that use Webex and have found it a very good tool. http://www.webex.com/ It is based on a ie plug-in thin client that leverages Windows Media Player or Real Player and Java. If you care, they also give the conference holder the option of saving the broadcast as a Windows Media or Realplayer file (so people who could not attend can view later). I know that, for example, eweek, ziffdavis and many supply chain trade rags use webex as their webcast tool of choice. I have no idea about costs.

Hope that helps.
Ed

Maybe a dumb question, but how would a webcast/conference call improve communications? Can't it be done in the forums. Pick a topic, post it and start a diagogue. Seems simple enough to me.

"Improving communications" is out of context, actually. Capt and I were discussing the concept of roundtables, where people get together in the same room to exchange ideas and views in a sort of brainstorming sessions sort of thing. My suggestion was to form some sort of "virtual" meetingplace to accommodate the same or similar type of communication.

Forum threads are great for exchanging ideas, but the pace is too slow and the environment too impersonal to facilitate a roundtable type of meeting. Also, something gets lost in the typed word that isn't lost when you're actually speaking to someone. Emoticons help but there's always some element of the communication that is lost in a forum thread, which often leads to misunderstandings. Not that that would ever happen here.

Webcasts are more for disseminating one way information -- like a broadcast.

This sounds a tad like "lets do it because technology allows it and it would be cool", not because we really need to.

I admit I am not a computer person, and maybe the slower pace of the forums is a hinderence, but is the deliberation that it forces on us a bad thing?

Perhaps, however, there is no downside to a roundtable.

These roundtables would augment the forum, right?

With the forums everyone can contribute to a thread over the course of a day or two. Will everyone who wants to be able to participate in the quicker-paced roundtable? Are they scheduled events - a certain window of time?

This thread might get blown way out of proportion real quickly here.

First, understand that I periodically PM Captain to express my frustration whenever something isn't communicated well because I'm a brat and I want my way all the time and when I don't get it I complain. This led to a discussion about the possibility of a roundtable to discuss MC issues from a merchants perspective. Personally, I think it's a great idea because chatting in person is much more effective form of communication than typing comments in a forum. Using today's latest technology to have virtual meetings might be an additional way for merchants and MC to communicate about all kinds of things ... exchange of ideas, business needs vs. the technical implementation limitations, communication methods, etc., without the time and expense of travel.

I won't speak for Captain, but I believe he's looking for some ideas here from people on not just the techologies people have used but anything you can think of that would improve the channel of communications between "us" and "them". The forum is great, but it has it's limitations. What else is out there that will benefit the process?

I know this is really crazy, but I'd love to have a users' group meeting. I know we discussed it before in the forums, but it never went anywhere.

We're all incredibly busy with our businesses, and I know it would be difficult to get away. Perhaps could schedule some mini-seminars, such as how to use DataPort to integrate with WorldShip, the correct use of advanced variants, a how-to primer on the gift registry, wish list or the advanced product display. Or maybe some other features that are a bit complicated for some of us, or features that users often have problems setting up correctly.

In addition to those seminars, we could have round-table discussions or maybe just meetings on specific topics.

I can never get away from work, and I rarely get a day off - let alone a vacation - but I would definitely take time off for that.

Great idea, Bookmark! Seminars & shared ideas of implementing various aspects of the software. It could be much more helpful than the kb, which on some topics is very vague and doesn't include "side effects" of implementing various admin panel settings, etc.

Hi Captain,
GREAT IDEA!
Some great feedback so far.
WIth my primary job we have webcast meetings on a weekly basis (usually on Mondays). This past Monday I had 3 different webcast meetings. 1 1/2 hours, 3 hours, and 1 1/2 hours!!!
There are two different parts that are used.
Placeware
and
Net Meeting

As stated above, you tell them how many lines you will need. They give you a meeting name. The folks call into the number given and tell the operator their name, and which meeting they would like to attend, and you're in.

The webcast part naturally is attended online via a link. When the participant clicks on the link, they type in their name and a meeting ID #, and they're in.
Then you as the meeting host share your slide presentation or what have you.

If you need more info let me know, & we can chat more.
Ben N

I LOVE your idea bookmark!!! I vote for that!

My 2 cents............ In Multilevel market we did scheduled conference calls which were extremly effective so that the person in charge was able to lead a discussion and the perspective sales employees were able to ask wuestions and get them answered.

I could see this as a real time answer to what Capt and MCSmiths are trying to accomplish

Not sure what technology to use to make it happen but I will do some checking.

I liked the idea too. Would be glad to participate.

As usual, I'm going to be a wet blanket here.

Perhaps it is better to solve the current issues first, rather than creating new ones with new software.

For starters, how 'bout finalizing a solution for those with Custom Programming! Unless something has changed that has not been communicated to me... there is STILL no solution for those with Custom Programming.

I see a lot of talk about improving communication, but I do not see any follow through on previous promises. A "roundtable" is not going to do any good, if nothing ever comes of the discussions.

Yes... this type of communication tool it may "look" good and be impressive... but is their really any point? I mean, other than making people "feel better," will it improve s follow through? I don't see how it would.

Anything to improve communications would be helpful. But I can't help thinking that any new technology has its hidden costs, like diverting programmers, developers and management away from more pressing concerns of those who have already communicated needs, weakness, problems, bugs, etc. using the existing technology. How about letting eveyone know precisely where things stand with those items that are "on our radar," "feature requests," "updates," "currently under review," etc. I may be wrong but I believe what really is on the mind of many MC clients is not so much the need for ongoing dialogue and state-of-the-art communications technology but staight talk about shopping cart improvements, bug fixes and a clear vision of the near and far future including timetables, ETA's and promised deadlines. We already have a toll-free support line, bulletin board and the ability to PM MC staff. Let's finish the main course before we start thinking about dessert.

Just my two cents...

I COULD NOT HAVE SAID THIS ANY BETTER!!! VERY WELL SAID!

100% AGREEMENT HERE!

Santosha and Tony: agreed, agreed, agreed. And my two cents:

A roundtable may address MC's problem of communication, but it does not address the merchant's problem (of too many unfixed bugs, unfulfilled promises). It also does not address *our* problem of lack of communication, because not everyone is available at a particular time of day - many merchants work full-time jobs elsewhere, we are all in different time zones, etc. For myself, I've begun begging vendors to please NOT call until after 2pm because of time constraints meeting two different shipper schedules. I can't sit on the telephone in a conference call to listen to another one of my vendors when customers may be calling me to place an order. Not a good use of my time and as noted above, really not a good use of MC's time either.

Captain, I think we've hashed the communication problem to death. There are so many avenues already available to MC - to my mind, the problem has been that MC doesn't USE them. The consistent unintentional message I get (unintentional in that perhaps MC doesn't realize that is what they are saying) is that you are good-hearted, well-intentioned, but have poor follow-through.

All any of us are asking for is the follow-through. Pick a delivery option for your message - email or a listing in the admin panel (or both) and USE it. If the problem is deciding what needs to be communicated? The short answer is everything! Anything that affects/changes your software affects us.

You think people complain because they don't get an email? Wait until they see a roundtable discussion they missed. And by the way, how are you going to communicate to us about any scheduled roundtable?

OK, I'm on a roll.

My idea: put a "Subscribe to our mailing list to receive important software updates" in our Control Panels.

Let them enter any email address they want, and be able to administrate that email address. Suggest that they use an email address not associated with their domain.

Remind them that they need to remove Spam blocking for whatever email address you will be sending from.

Force them to personalize their email in the following ways (with whatever information you need):

I have my own SSL Cert/I am on shared SSL Cert
I use Authorize.net/I use LinkPoint/I Use whatever
I have custom programming/I do not have custom programming
etc., (you get the idea)

Then you can craft your emails to the appropriate audience that is affected by whatever you are changing in the software.

It puts the burden on the merchant to stay in touch and administrate their own email address and receipt of these emails.

I'm with you all the way, Santosha, Tony & WhoaGirl!
Instead of new additional technology (with it's inherent problems) let MC fix the issues and bugs already called to their attention and add new features according to a planned delivery schedule. Both of these can make it the greatest ecommerce solution available!
The subscribed email is a good idea but I think the notes in the Admin panel are the real solution. If we're told to watch the Admin panel for notes which detail the patch, fix or new feature, then it's our responsibility to check our sites if the changes have affected it.

I have a suggestion regarding the "Announcements" section of the forum.

Regardless of a members email settings, if there was a way to force an email notification out to every forum member when a MC staff member posts a new topic in this section, this would serve to notify everyone. (Everyone who participates in the forum anyway.)

This way, they would not rely upon members seeing announcements when they log into their admin panel, or into the forums.

Better yet however, it would probably be best just to email everyone before changes occur. The forum is probably not the best place to post this type of thing.

I agree... consistently use the communication resources already available.

Back to the original question. I've used WebEx for over 8 years without a hitch for webinars (incl. for companies like Cisco and others) - no programmers, no supporting staff, nothing. (Well, ok, I had a very junior marketing girl do the meeting scheduling online for me. About 5 minutes of her time.) They have full packages, will handle the registration, phone conferencing, etc. - all for a very reasonable cost for small firms.

After registration (and approval if you want to approve participants first) the individuals receive an automated email with a link to access the meeting, and a link for a quick and very minor install.

Regarding the phone participation, its up to you how you want to run it. Typically, for a webinar you hold questions and interactivity until the end. But for doing the event for analysts or investors, what is typically done is that as people call into the event they are given instructions on how to "raise their hand" for a question or comment (by pressing the # key or similar), the operator will either take the question and pass it to you on a separate line, or can interject that "john of X has a comment/question" and then add John in to be able to be heard by all - and then 'blocked' back out again when done. Its sounds more complicated than it really is. The operators are typically very experienced at doing this.

Its super easy and of course the best part is that it is super economical (for all of us on tight marketing budgets) - Loads of features, such as shared workspace, ability to show presentations, integrate and run surveys to all participants, show aggregated results instantaneously if desired, etc... And they have the full event "taped" for people to view and hear at a later date/time - accessed via a simple web link.

Feel free to contact me with questions.

this is the way i have always done it and it worked out really well.

Personally my experience with these types of things is it turns into a complete B*tch Fest, and nothing really gets accomplised because everybody wants to get their points across.

Also is this sort of meeting really necessary? I can provide a list of 100's of great suggestions that have been posted in the forums - should we be addressing these problems first?

Kman,
Thanks for the feedback. I see the merchant roundtable as a chance to learn from each other, not just discuss features and changes to the MC software. I would hope that it would be a great chance for us to learn about each other and not turn into a ***** fest.

I personally learn a lot everyday through my search engine contacts as well as through other store owners. I am eager to share (If i can find someone who will let me talk their ear off

We all have experiences to share and MC would like to talk with you about what features and changes we do have coming. We would like to sit down and discuss our development cycle and why things change sometimes. We want to share and get feedback on our priority list.

We have a list of the 100s of suggestions made in the forums and many of them are coming.

Hope you all are still up for this...the planning has begun!

Steph

Tony,

Well put. The message board is still really only a small group of merchants. Most don't have time. I honestly only started reading them a few months ago when I realized it was a valuable tool.

has all of our email addesses. I only ever get promotional stuff. Changes, updates, and more are definately more effective via email- and a mainstay of any service-based online business.

A bit off topic, but worth repeating. I mean how many merchants visit the forums everyday? Maybe a 100, definatly only a fraction of the customer base. Forums and admin panels are not effective ways of announcing changes, improvements or offers.

If you are planning the "webinar" I want to hear from merchants with new ideas that don't post in the forums.