AT&T has announced the latest version of the AT&T Connect Mobile Conferencing APP or simply AT&T Connect on the iPhone. This latest version is a big step forward as it allows the participant to view contents on the white board. Other features in this release are:
Emoticons
Raise Hand
Respond to polls
AT&T Connect now supports attendees via its traditional windows-based participant application, non-windows (Mac)participants using the browser-based participant app and now, the iPhone participant application.
This increases the reach of any AT&T Connect webinar. However, it adds additional complexity that webinar organizers need to manage as the level of support for features and content varies across each of the AT&T Connect participant options. Careful planning and communications with your audience is key to conducting a successful event.
Check out the video below
We will post more analysis and reviews on the AT&T Connect iPhone App in the near future. If you are using the new AT&T Connect iPhone App and want to share your experience – please let us know!
Is there a new technology race starting in the hotel industry? Three weeks after the Marriott, Cisco, and AT&T telepresence announcement comes this announcement by Starwood, Cisco, and Tata. Is this a case of an industry still suffering from reduced business travel and reduced conference bookings finding a new strategy? Telepresence is not going to make up the shortfall however; such a strategy could become a differentiator in attracting new business. It will be interesting to see how the hotel chains position telepresence and how they will package it with traditional products. Offering telepresence press events (see sample below) to conference organizers could be a starting point.
Big storm heading to the Washington DC area got me thinking about how a big storm used to mean a day off. Now, big storms, the flu, sick kids… just mean a day home conducting meetings via my AT&T Connect meeting room. Not sure how this happened. Wonder if the Federal Government will start changing from “liberal leave policy” to a “virtual leave policy”? Seems to make sense?
I started the morning with what I thought would be a simple task – renew my Norton Anitvirus software that has been yelling at me for days that it will expire soon. Symantec provided me notifications that the credit card needed to be updated to process the renewal, what they failed to tell me is that it needed to be updated “weeks” before the renewal date as “automatic” renewal does not mean “immediate” renewal.
Thinking this will be a quick fix, I jump on a chat session with support to tell them that I have updated the credit card but the “automatic” renewal has not been processed. My assumption is that they will simply press a button and the renewal will be processed – ha!.
The customer service agent says, yes , we can renew that for you – great! He then asks if he can take over my computer? Huh? Spending most of my days jumping in and out of web conferencing sessions this is nothing new to me. However, I find it ironic that a company that is focused on protecting my computer is now requesting me to provide access to my computer? My response was “No” – after all, I simply want the product that is listed in my account with the updated billing information to be processed – you need access to my computer to do this?
What’s the message?
The message is that here is a case where web conferencing or more accurately, remote desk top access has become main stream. The desire to take control of my computer was the first option to correct my situation. The second part of the message is that remote desk top access was the solution to an internal systems problem. The Customer Service Rep could not renew my account from his end, so he wanted access to my computer to perform the action from my end. Without this option the customer support scenario becomes much more difficult.
The ironic message or question.
The customer service agent did not have the authority or access to my account to renew it, however, using remote desk top access, I could have given him the authority on my computer to perform the process/transaction. Question is; if the company does not trust the customer service agent with confidential information on their end to renew my account – should I be trusting the same customer service agent with my computer?
In the end, all of this was resolved the “old fashion” way – via a phone call.
Marriott Hotels with the support of AT&T and Cisco are launching a new service called GoThere Virtual Meetings (www.gotherevirtualmeetings.com). It was the name that first caugh my attention –”Go There”? Why would anyone name a “Virtual Meeting” service “Go There”? Already intrigued, I watched the video (see below) and realized that not only is the name appropriate, I often use the same words to describe the difference between web conferencing and video conferencing. When trying to communicate the difference I typically say “you need to go to the video conference location”. As demonstrated in this video, you “GO” to the Marriott Hotel to participate in the TelePresence session. If you are lucky enough (meaning you have money) to have TelePresence at your company, you still need to leave your desk and go to the video conference room. Where as, web conferencing is about attending from “where you are”. As web conferencing providers, including AT&T Connect, add mobile phone support you attend a web conference from “anywhere”.
FYI: I did find this video a good example of Cisco TelePresence.
2010 ushers in a transition from the old to new for AT&T Connect participant support. New AT&T Connect customershave been utilizing the new new AT&T Connect Help Desk for the past few months and now exisitng AT&T Connect customers are transitioning to the new support group. Here are some tips in transitioning to the new AT&T Connect Help Desk:
Start with a search for all web pages, emails and documents that contained the old support contact information as the support phone numbers are new and the old numbers will not redirect.
Take this opportunity to review and update your own internal support processes and procedures. Post or document common problems and how your organization should request support?
TEST. Call the new support line, ask questions, find out for yourself how it works so you can best communicate the process to others in your organization.
The good and bad of new support:
Gone are the international support numbers. The new AT&T Connect Support Help Desk is limited to a US Toll Free number and a direct dial number for outside the US.
Gone is the need for a customer ID when calling for support.
The new AT&T Connect Help Desk seems to be better staffed, wait times have been non-existent when we have called.
Email support. If your problem is not time critical you might encourage use of email to request assistance.
The change to a new first level help desk support has been positive. However, we are also noticing an increase in staffing at level 2 support that is a welcome trend. It appears AT&T may be ramping up to make 2010 a growth year for AT&T Connect.
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