Jan Correll

Traditional Offices Moving to the Cloud

November 30th, 2011 by Jan Correll Posted in Collaboration, Conferencing, GlobalMeet, iMeet, PGi, Telecommuting, Uncategorized, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Web Conferencing
No Comments

Is your organization ready for the future of workspace virtualization?  With real estate costs representing a company’s second largest expenditure and mobile workforce numbers rising  (according to IDC, 75 percent of the U.S. workforce will be involved is some type of remote work by 2012), enterprises are exploring alternative workspaces for employees, opening the door for Virtual Campuses and Virtual Offices.

As PGi’s VP of Global Strategic Sales, I hear similar pains from our world’s leading global enterprises as it relates to this issue:

  • How can I reduce my capital expenditure investments in corporate real estate?
  • How can I compensate for the lack of office space and conference rooms within my company?
  • How do I leverage technology for the needs of the virtual office worker?
  • How do I maintain or increase productivity within my organization with a large proportion of my workforce being virtual office workers?
  • How are other large global enterprises addressing these pains?

Luckily, the rise of mobile collaboration technologies have made these challenges easier to address.  Global enterprises need virtual meeting tools that allow for meetings anytime, anywhere and with anyone.  The IT organization along with executives want one solution that meets the needs of their employees and is easy to manage.  End users want simple and intuitive solutions that allow them to get their job done well and make meaningful connections globally.  With these tools you can have a virtual office anywhere in the world.

Here at PGi we have dedicated 20 years to improving people’s virtual meeting experiences and today we host over four million meetings every month for businesses around the world, including 75 percent of the Fortune 100.  Our industry leading iMeet® and GlobalMeet® products allow organizations to conduct business from anywhere in the world so that they can focus on the job at hand, and not on the technology.

The benefits of reducing an enterprise’s real estate footprint and employing a mobile workforce strategy are many:

  • Cost savings – Gartner estimates the cost of workspace for one employee at $8,000 – $14,000 annually.  That means organizations can save $1 million annually just by eliminating 100 workspaces.
  • Greater worker productivity – According to a survey commissioned by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), 67 percent of survey respondents said their organization has experienced greater worker productivity as a result of allowing employees to telecommute, either full- or part-time.
  • Increased job satisfaction – On average, teleworking generates a 20 percent decrease in employee turnover according to the International Telework Association and Council.
  • Decreased commute time – According to the Telework Exchange, Americans commuting to and from work results in 3.7 billion hours of lost productivity costing the U.S. $63.1 billion in wasted time and fuel annually.
  • Improved carbon footprint – Reduction in an organization’s office space combined with an increase in teleworkers not only reduces the energy consumed by the physical office space, but also decreases the carbon emissions from the cars during the commute.

What is your organization doing to address and support the rising virtual office worker?

Thanks to Deloitte and International Facility Management Association (IFMA)  for information used in this post. Photo courtesy of greggmorris.com

Jan Correll is a proven sales leader with over 20 years’ experience helping build solid sales strategies.  For the last 12 years she has held a Senior Sales leadership role at PGi assisting large global enterprises with their communication and collaboration strategies.

 
, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Read More
Cora Rodenbusch

Evernote Super Fan Shares Thoughts on iMeet Partnership

November 29th, 2011 by Cora Rodenbusch Posted in Collaboration, Favorite Things, iMeet, Meeting Tips, PGi, Tips and Tricks
No Comments

Earlier this month, PGi announced iMeet’s latest third-party partnership: Evernote. With the partnership, Evernote’s 15 million users can now bring real-time collaboration to their notes, bookmarks and photos. 

PGi’s Meetings Experts are long-time fans of Evernote. In fact, some of Evernote’s earliest adopters call PGi home. Recently, we sat down with Karen, an Evernote veteran from PGi’s U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, GA.

Karen has done away with the notepads and post-it’s of yesteryear and swears by the cloud-based note taking solution, which she started using in 2008 when Evernote was one of the first apps in Apple’s App Store.

“It’s free, it’s in the cloud and it’s mobile. I can capture details in a photo or write them down. Anything I want to remember or reference later goes into my account, so I can pull it up the moment I need it on any of my devices,” Karen said.

What does she use it for? Everything. Karen says Evernote is an extension of her memory, and she uses it to take conference call notes, pull up instructions on connecting to the  office printer and to keep track of the best brunch restaurants in her  neighborhood.

Recently, in preparation for a partner conference in Las Vegas, Karen called upon her trusted friend, Evernote. Prior to boarding her flight, she emailed the agenda to her Evernote app and marked it as a favorite so she could access it at 35,000 feet. During her flight, she was able to read through the schedule and plan her week. And throughout the conference, Karen quickly searched through her 500+ notes and photos using Evernote’s tagging system and optical character recognition.

“Even though I didn’t have an internet connection in the conference hall, I was still able to take notes on my iPad. And after the session ended, the notes were automatically uploaded when I was in WiFi range. They were also geotagged, so I could search for them later by location.”

Karen looks forward to finding new ways to use her Evernote app inside her iMeet video conferencing room. Inside her personal meeting room online, Karen can share notes with everyone and then save them to a shared folder so meeting attendees and colleagues can access the information later – even if they didn’t attend the conference call or video conference itself.

Example of Evernote App in iMeet

Just listening to Karen talk about how she’s used Evernote has inspired me to use the app to keep track of my ever-changing travel agenda.

Are you an Evernote veteran? How have you found value from the app?

 

 

 
, , , , , , ,
Read More
Todd McCormick

10 things your team really does on a web conference call

November 29th, 2011 by Todd McCormick Posted in iMeet, Telecommuting, Video Conferencing, Virtual Meetings, Web Conferencing
No Comments

I’ve blogged a lot about the importance of getting face-to-face online—whether you’re an HR professional trying to hire top talent, or a sales rep who wants to make powerful cold calls and deliver a killer elevator pitch.

But what happens when you can’t see what’s happening on the other end of the call?

Some you might expect. Some might be a surprise…

 
, , , , , , ,
Read More
Cora Rodenbusch

Digital Nomad Tip #19: When Good Smartphones Turn Bad

November 28th, 2011 by Cora Rodenbusch Posted in Cora the Digital Nomad, PGi, Telecommuting, Tips and Tricks
No Comments

After four months of bouncing between PGi’s European offices, we said goodbye to the chilly temps and hello to tropical, Bangalore, India – Our last stop before starting our journey to PGi’s Asia-Pac offices. We arrived at dawn this morning and the city was already a buzz with tuk tuks and motor bikes. Although it’s shockingly clear “we’re not in Kansas anymore,” we couldn’t be more excited to up the adventure level and embrace a culture almost entirely foreign to our own.

Streets of Bangalore from Wunderground.com

In preparation for our move to Bangalore, I evaluated my Digital Tool Belt and realized there was one thing missing – my beloved Blackberry. At the start of our trip, I turned my best friend Blackberry off, not knowing if it was a necessary tool. Occasionally one of the offices would lend me a spare or my husband would let me borrow his iPhone, but after four months of being smartphone-free, it was clear that the monthly fee for global data was a small price to pay for mobile access to email.

Back in action, me and my Blackberry are taking care of business and according to the latest quarterly Mobile Workforce Report from iPass, I’m not alone. 95 Percent of mobile workers now come smartphone equipped, but despite my personal affection for the QWERTY keyboard, Blackberry no longer dominates the enterprise smartphone market. For the first time iPhone has surpassed Blackberry with 45% market share among mobile employee usage.

Smartphones bring freedom to the work day and for many a sense of happiness, but as most web workers know, they can also lead to a bleak reality. Below are three ways good smartphones can turn bad.

When Good Smartphones Turn Bad:

Don’t Let Your Smartphone Trick You Into Thinking You Don’t Like Sleep: Smartphone addition is right around the corner for many mobile workers, out of 2,300 mobile employees worldwide iPass found that many are giving up exercise and sleep for a constant connection to work. Smartphones are small and sneaky and love to make themselves at home on your bedside table.

 Don’t Let Your Smartphone Entice You to Make Big Decisions on the Fly: Web workers who used to sit at their desk and toil over business requirements or campaign feedback before pushing “send,” can now change direction on a project in seconds, as they fly down the stairwell on your way to get coffee. I’m sure only a few give into this business-on-the-fly mentality, but there is something about the mobile device that encourages casual conversation. I’m a fan of conversational correspondence, but believe in thinking twice before pushing send.

Don’t Let Your Smartphone Make You Think Your In Love: Many mobile workers are emotionally dependent on their smartphones. According to the same iPass survey, 59 percent of workers said they would be disoriented, lonely or even distraught without their smartphone. If you recall, back in August I shared a despicable vacation experience where my relatives had to console me when I realized I had left my Blackberry at home. Nothing is more embarrassing than letting your gadget take over your holiday.

Despite my grim warning, I still swear by my smartphone and today being Cyber Monday, I encourage you to seek out the latest and greatest in mobile technology. Just make sure you your gadget works for good, rather than evil.

 
, , , , , , ,
Read More
Blakely Thomas-Aguilar

All the Deals, None of the Cost: It’s Free Form Black Friday at PGi!

November 25th, 2011 by Blakely Thomas-Aguilar Posted in Free Form Fridays, PGi
No Comments

Today is the craziest shopping day of the year: Black Friday. If you’re one of the millions who’ve been standing in lines since midnight, here’s some free goodness to keep you company. It’s Free Form Black Friday at PGi, where good advice is always available for a steal.

1. The wrong kind of gobble, gobble. Over 38 million Americans hit the road for Thanksgiving break, and these handy tips can save $$$ on your gas-guzzling road trip.

2. 50% off your work arrangement. Digital Nomad Cora Rodenbusch decides hybrid work — half in the office, half at home — is the way to go as she wraps up her European telecommuting tour.

3. Who’s the winner? In the elevator pitch game, you can win big with these great tips on closing the deal in 60 seconds or less.

4. A moustache to save a life. Sometimes savings are more than just a percentage off. PGi’s Mo Bros and Mo Sistas raise nearly $12,000 and join the Movember movement to raise awareness for men’s health issues.

5. Degree not required. Business visionaries and entrepreneurs are shifting the mindset and making hires not because of a degree, but because of talent and passion for the job.

We give you all the blockbuster deals, doorbuster savings and BOGO goodness this Free Form Black Friday! What’s your favorite deal this week?

 
, , ,
Read More
Lea Green

A Moustache as a Reminder of Thanks

November 23rd, 2011 by Lea Green Posted in Collaboration, iMeet, PGi, Uncategorized
No Comments

“The first wealth is health.”  —Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is so much to feel grateful for at this time of year. Family, friends and, for the fortunate, health. At PGi this month, we’re seeing an abundance of furry faces around the office in support of men’s health. Movember, the month-long event that began in Australia in 2003, attracts millions of international participants; all money raised is donated to prostate, testicular and other men’s cancer research. Since November 1st, PGi employees around the world have been embellishing their upper lips in support of men everywhere who are fighting their personal battle with cancer. To date, PGi has raised almost $12,000 and support continues to roll in.

iMeet Cares Team: Day 14

I’m proud of our company’s enthusiastic, dedicated support and of the “Mo Bros” and their artful, sometimes amusing ‘staches; I’m especially proud of being able to support the Movember movement as a Mo Sista. Cancer profoundly impacts the women in a man’s life, particularly within the nuclear family. Seeing one’s best friend, lover, father, or son neglect the importance of annual testing, prevention and early detection is tragic; seeing him stricken by cancer is a tragedy. The following facts about men’s cancer are unfortunate but can be mitigated by living a healthy, active lifestyle:

  • The average life expectancy for men is five years less than women (presently 77 years old compared to 82).
  • 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 3 women will be.
  • 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime—240,890 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed this year, and 33,720 men will die.
  • Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 34—8,290 men will be diagnosed with the disease, and 350 will die.

Source: Movember.com

Will you join us in our support of this exceptional effort? As more join the Movember movement, more lives will be positively impacted and healed. If you’d like to donate on behalf of PGi and iMeet, there’s still time to sign up. Our Movember team is called “iMeet loves a good ‘stache,” and there you can join on or donate to our iMeet team sign up page. Once registered, you will receive information about raising awareness and funds for men’s health, either as part of PGi’s Movember team or by starting a team of your own next year. And to see how the PGi ‘stache contest is going, join our Facebook event where you can see pictures of and vote for candidates in the Best, Worst and People’s Choice categories.

As we approach this Thanksgiving holiday, we have the opportunity to meditate on what we are thankful for. For me, I’m thankful for my health and the health of my loved ones, a precious gift often only considered when lost. And this year, I also have the furry faces of PGi to thank for reminding me that laughter, love, and compassion are the best medicines.

 
, , , , , ,
Read More
Todd McCormick

10 quick tips for a killer elevator pitch: Lessons from s20c

November 22nd, 2011 by Todd McCormick Posted in Event, iMeet, PGi, Tips and Tricks
No Comments

Can I just say I never thought a mustache would get so much attention? I just got back from the “Sales Strategies in a Social & Mobile World” conference in Santa Monica, and talk about a conversation starter. Thank goodness others like @TarynFrank represented “Movember” with me.

In honor of our iMeet / Sales 2.0 Pitch Contest, Gerhard started the conference by asking 10 reps to deliver their best sales pitch on stage. Throughout the day, my team video’ed other pitches from attendees, and the audience voted on the best one at the end of the day. (The winner won an iPad 2 and 10 iMeet rooms. Congrats, Bob Marsh— SVP, Sales Strategy & Head of Sales Contest Builder at ePrize.)

It’s never been more important to be able to instantly communicate the value of what you sell. The goal of a sales pitch is not to talk so much about how great your company.  The goal is to express how you and your company can help bring value to that prospect.

Here are some quick tips for creating your most effective elevator pitch, based on sales pitches and speakers from the conference:

  1. Start with a question. As @AndyShefsky said, what if I told you the only thing between you and getting face-to-face with a high-value prospect was a single click? Watch Andy’s hilarious rap here.
  2. Pause for two seconds before you start speaking. You’ll seem—and feel—more confident… and confidence sells. Slow and steady wins the pitch race.
  3. Stand with your feet 2 feet apart to feel stable and relaxed.
  4. Smile and nod your head often, especially during your opening.
  5. Show your passion. @JeffreyHayzlett complimented one finalist, Eddie Lin from Live Nation, on his enthusiasm. Conference speakers @JakeWengroff and @MarkRoberge also served some serious energy on stage.
  6. Use stats. Everyone’s got an opinion—can you substantiate yours? For example, you’ll be more likely to agree when I say you need to turn on your webcam when I tell you 89% of sales leaders say face-to-face meetings are essential for sealing the deal (HBR). This is especially critical as insides sales jobs multiply 15x faster than outside field positions
  7. Humor pays. Ralf Vonsosen didn’t give a pitch, but his affected German accent and on-stage riffs made the entire audience laugh. Here’s another example from Twitter:
  8. Use at least one memorable sentence that the listener can repeat to others. Gerhard’s line—we’re suffering from adaptation apathy—from the pre-conference VIP Roundtable discussion has already sparked a lot of online conversation. Here’s another example:
  9. End with a call to action. If you want your listeners to sign up for a 30-day iMeet trial, say it!
  10. Give your contact information. You got people excited about what you sell. Make sure they know how contact you to explore further.

With these tips, your team will knock 2011 out of the park, and start 2012 off with a bang.

Join me for more “Simple Strategies for Sales Success in 2012” on Wednesday, December 7 at 2:00 pm EST for a webinar moderated by Gerhard Gschwandtner to develop a three-pronged action plan with sales process expert, Ryan Kubacki, President of Holden International. His transformational methodology is based on 28,000 seller surveys and 50,000 competitive deals.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

 
, , , , , , ,
Read More
Cora Rodenbusch

Digital Nomad Tip #18: What Kind of Teleworker Are You?

November 21st, 2011 by Cora Rodenbusch Posted in Cora the Digital Nomad, PGi
No Comments

Bonjour and greetings from Paris! After four months, 10,000 miles, 9 countries and 5GB of photos, I’ve finally made it to the end of my European tour of offices.  Today my heart is full as I look back on the experience of working alongside my global colleagues and the overwhelming hospitality of each office. Only with PGi, only with our products could this trip have been such a success. I leave Europe with plenty of memories, experience and of course, embarassing tourist mishaps.

As I prepare for the next leg of our journey to India, Asia-Pac and beyond, I take a moment to compare my Digital Nomad experience  to a “day in the life” of two other PGi teleworkers -

Trisha with her permanent home office, Lea, our hybrid worker and me, the year-long Wi-Fi scavenger:

Trisha: Home Office Worker

Cora: The Digital Nomad/Wi-Fi Scavenger

Lea: The Hybrid Worker

 

Three  different remote workers, with three very different schedules.

I appreciate Trisha’s balance between family and work. I think this is a teleworking lifestyle I could maintain for years to come. On the other hand, I love the office and would one day like to keep a hybrid work style, spending half my time at home and the other half in the office. I think I could put my ancient ruins aside in persuit of a hybrid work enviornment.

What kind of teleworker do you aspire to be?

 
, , , , ,
Read More
Blakely Thomas-Aguilar

Gobble, gobble! It’s the Turkey Day Free Form Friday at PGi

November 18th, 2011 by Blakely Thomas-Aguilar Posted in PGi
No Comments

Thanksgiving is coming up fast and, in honor of the holiday season, we’ve had a lot to be thankful for this week — from 20 years of meetings magic to Cyber Monday deals. If you’re anything like me, the side dishes are your favorite part of Turkey Day. So, here’s the Free Form Friday dish at PGi — all the goodness for holiday workplace fun.

1. Online shopping with a side of discounts: The world’s biggest virtual deals day is fast approaching. Learn how to get the Cyber Monday specials, even if you’re stuck at work.

2. What are you thankful for? We’re celebrating our 20th year as Meetings Experts, and PGi CEO Boland Jones is thankful for every one of you, our customers.

3. Easy recipes for simplifying the holiday craziness: In just three easy steps, learn how you can de-stress the end-of-year juggling act.

4. Elbows off the table! PGi’s Digital Nomad Cora lays down all the etiquette rules for telecommuters away from home this holiday.

5. Family, friends and good company: When PGi opened its doors in 1991, we joined the company of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album, the first website ever and Blizzard Entertainment (World of Warcraft, anyone?). What’s your favorite memory from 20 years ago?

6. Stuff your face and close the deal: Sales leader Todd McCormick shares his advice on utilizing personalized video conferencing and webcams to win big.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday, and save a side of cranberry sauce for your favorite Meetings Experts. Happy Thanksgiving!

 
, , ,
Read More
Lea Green

Twenty Years Ago Around the World

November 18th, 2011 by Lea Green Posted in Conferencing, Favorite Things, Free Form Fridays, PGi, Uncategorized
1 Comment »

With PGi celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, we’re finding ourselves in good company with other milestones. In 1991, the world was filled with innovations and change that spread like ripples in a pond and are still being felt today. Below are just a few of the forces at work in technology, politics and pop culture as well as a few statistics to remind us how far we’ve come:

Technology and Science 20 Years Ago

  • Microsoft releases MS DOS 5.0
  • The American Galileo spacecraft makes its closest approach to 951 Gaspra, becoming the first probe to visit an asteroid
  • 911 Emergency number tested in the US northwest
  • First Linux kernel (version 0.01) was released and uploaded to an FTP server by Linus Torvalds in Helsinki
  • A solar eclipse of record totality occurs, seen by 20 million people across the world
  • Ötzi the Iceman is found in the Alps
  • The first website is uploaded and published by Tim Berners-Lee

Pop Culture 20 Years Ago

  • Numerous countries declare their independence from the Soviet Union, causing its dissolution and the official cessation of KGB activities
  • The Huntington Library makes the Dead Sea Scrolls available to the public for the first time
  • Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album released to inspire a new generation of musicians and bring alternative grunge rock into the mainstream. The infant on the LP cover, Spencer Elden, is now 20 years old.
  • Movies that were released in 1991:
    • “Silence of the Lambs”
    • “Beauty and the Beast”
    • “Thelma & Louise”
    • “The Addams Family”
    • “Dances With Wolves” wins the Oscar for Best Picture

Businesses That were also Born 20 Years Ago

  • Sony Pictures Classics
  • Christian Louboutin – French footwear designer famous for high end women’s heels with red lacquered soles
  • Blizzard Entertainment – American video game development company famous for World of Warcraft
  • Sega’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” game series
  • Lollapalloza annual music festival

 Celebrities Who Were Born 20 Years Ago

  • Erik Per Sullivan: Dewey from “Malcom in the Middle”
  • Craig Roberts: rising independent actor, recently in “Submarine”
  • Kyle Massey: from Atlanta, Georgia and recently placed second in “Dancing with the Stars”

 Celebrity Marriages Still Around After 20 Years

  • Steven Spielberg & Kate Capshaw
  • Bruce & Kris Jenner
  • John Travolta & Kelly Preston

How Much the US Spent for Living Life 20 Years Ago

  • Yearly Inflation Rate: 4.25%
  • Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average: 3168
  • Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve: 6.50%
  • National average cost of a new house $120,000
  • National average income: $29,430 per year
  • National average rent: $495 per month
  • Average cost of gasoline: $1.12 per gallon

Twenty years seems at once both a lifetime ago and just yesterday. Only a privileged few had embraced cell phone technology and the internet had a single page—explaining the internet. As PGi has transformed collaboration by helping people and businesses connect in more human, meaningful ways, we’ve also witnessed the transformation of how people connect to each other through technology and what roles technology plays in their lives. We’re proud to be a part of that transformation today and look forward to sharing its future evolution.

 
, , , , , , , ,
Read More
Older Entries