Monday, February 27, 2012

Easiest ways to communicate with your European clients

By Bob Surge


Are your French clients looking to teleconference to discuss a project - or your German colleagues keen to telefonferenzen for a product launch? Many businesses are now embracing high tech communication methods to facilitate quick and simple communications without the old issues of geography. For smaller businesses who may be a little nervous or unfamiliar with technology, the options and potential gains are huge - and there are plenty of simple, low cost & high value software applications and tools ready for communicating with overseas clients.

The advent of the teleconference led to a step change for business operations. No longer required to travel from location to location, often at great expense in terms of time, cost and carbon emissions, sales teams and project staff were able to speak on the telephone to large groups of people over a number of different geographies.

The newer video-based applications then took this telefonkonferenzen technology a step further, incorporating visual content and the use of cameras for richer user experiences. This facilitated collaboration and presentations, as well as audio conversation and updates. And this newer type of teleconference isn't even costly. In fact, those businesses that jumped on the cumbersome packages and kit of early video applications and telefonkonferenzen have now found many of their investments obsolete and under-used, often after experiencing difficulties with local network downloads.

Today, the newer teleconference systems use low cost web-based technology such as webcams and telefonkonferenzen such as Skype or other competitive business-focused packages. These allow users to communicate freely online and cost very little. Additionally, they don't require local PC installation as they're operated entirely online and they can be used with 3G wireless networking for highly flexible video or teleconference options, whether that's a remote location meeting or an impromptu dial-in to a sales telefonkonferenzen from the beach!

Businesses also have other great options for communicating with their European clients. Many are investing in good websites and finding that they go a long way in facilitating initial communication, by providing basic information such as contact details, service information, corporate info and other regular search areas. Social media is also a great new communication channel which links into Marketing and PR and is becoming an effective two way engagement tool between businesses and clients.

Other low cost or free technologies with potential business applications include file sharing sites, which again transfer files online without the need to send physical elements via snail mail and photo or video sharing software, which are great for showing images of new products, branding, events or even carrying out online training or delivering communications.

Modern text messages are another great and simple tool and there are well priced SMS plans for corporate customers looking to use SMS with European clients.

In short, there are a wide range of high tech, low cost tools available for the savvy business person and new software and applications are developing all the time and it's wise to take advantage to stay ahead of the curve for your clients.




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