The Need To CommunicateThe need for businesses to communicate both internally and with each other has always been great. Successful transactions cannot be completed without communication - so much relies upon it; decent customer service; placing orders; winning new business.
As global markets have emerged with multinational organizations and twenty-four hour trading
need to find a reliable and cost effective method of communicating on a worldwide level has grown too. Logistical problems such as different time zones, busy schedules and a need to quite literally be in at least two places at once has commanded a software application that can tackle these difficulties.
First there was teleconferencing where two or more participants could engage in verbal communication over telephone. Certainly an effective means of conversing but, as we all know, dealing with a person face to face is far more preferable. Body language conveys so much more than just a voice alone.
Trace it back, and you will find roots of web conferencing in localized intranet systems. Document sharing and collaborative working was developed from this and software for these systems was developed further still.
The development of internet and its capabilities - greater bandwidth capacities, for example - made web conferencing a viable method of communication and developers forged ahead with refining their systems.
The expansion of internet saw not only big players trading in global markets but small and medium organizations also found themselves trading with partners across globe. The need for effective methods of communication had to address needs of all potential users, from multi-nationals to home-workers.
