Welcome to eSuiteTalk Other Articles: Year End Tax Planning Creating Phone Meetings That Work Reduce Collection Problems Through Research New and Improved! - American Executive Centers Expand Administrative and Technological Departments.		Videoconferencing, a Great Alternative to Travel There’s a growing trend among companies to suspend air travel indefinitely out of safety concerns for their employees and to avoid inconveniences. The increased reluctance to travel for business comes at a time when corporate travel budgets were already tight due to the sluggish economy. Some companies have delayed air travel until the end of the quarter, others until the end of the year. This hesitance to travel, the inconvenience of canceled flights and increased travel time resulting from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have contributed to an increased demand for the area’s videoconferencing facilities. Since the day of the attack, shares of publicly held videoconferencing technology companies soared. Some analysts point to President Bush’s videoconferences with key staff on the day of the attacks as raising awareness about the technology. A special government conferencing system links various agencies and bodies, notably the White House and Department of Defense. Videoconferencing industry executives experienced a similar increase in demand during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Face to face meetings are certainly the best way to communicate, but when you consider the expense, inconvenience and tension associated with air travel today, videoconferencing is a viable alternative. While the equipment installation isn’t difficult, it is expensive and it can take up to three months to obtain ISDN lines from long-distance or local carriers. Like other telecommunications businesses, videoconferencing companies rely on Baby Bells such as Verizon Communications to install the lines that can handle ISDN, an international communications standard that can transfer voice, data and video at three times the speed of a dial-up modem. American Executive Centers offers Video Conferencing Services to its private office clients, virtual office clients and to the public at its locations in Center City, King of Prussia, Exton and Marlton, N.J. The service is ideal for small businesses and companies that don’t need to use the equipment on a daily basis. The equipment is compatible with both major carriers, Picturetel and Polycom. “We’ve had an increase in inquiries about video-teleconferencing,” said Mike Howard, Leasing Manager at American Executive Centers. “We’re all (eventually) going to get used to traveling with the new security procedures. But for right now, people are a little bit hesitant.” As a member of Affinity Videonet, American Executive Centers can arrange video conferencing for your associate at the remote end of your meeting, at a location that is convenient for them. Clients enjoy many of the benefits of a face-to-face meeting with colleagues around the globe without ever leaving town. For Tips on How to Improve your Video Teleconference Meetings, click here.