Webex Review - Online Meeting Software Review 2009

My first time to use webex was 2 years ago.  One of the top ppc agency invited me for an presentationof their products. It was really impressive that they showed me what it had in their system via sharing destop. Also they swifting windows between their PPT and the PPC management system so the client, me, can understand some functions more easily. It was a really perfect pitching for that agency. Also webex plugin was installed on my little loptop. In the next 2 years, I just that magic plugin to join lots of training without traveling amount the traffic jam and even can easily record the competitor`s training. ( From this point of view, Webex is the No.1 software for collecting your competetors info lol )   

Although at $75 per seat, per month, WebEx Meeting Center seems expensive, it makes sense for cost-cutting businesses determined to trim travel expenses. This slick, Web-based conferencing service allows you to hold browser-based meetings in which you share applications and draw on an interactive whiteboard. For that just-like-being-there experience, WebEx provides multipoint video for viewing up to four camera images at once, and Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony that supports full-duplex conversations that won't tie up your office phone lines. Or, if you prefer to use a more stable, less lag-prone landline, WebEx sets up toll-free conference calls for your meetings. You can schedule and send WebEx Meeting Center meeting invitations from within Microsoft Outlook or start a conference simply by clicking a button from within Microsoft Office or Yahoo Business Messenger. Of course, WebEx isn't perfect; it's difficult to learn, and video images froze inexplicably in our tests. With a little practice, however, WebEx Meeting Center can be an effective, money-saving alternative to the face-to-face conference.WebEx Meeting Center isn't desktop software. Rather, it's a collection of Web-based conferencing features that let you conduct meetings via your browser--all wrapped into a single service. WebEx guarantees data integrity, privacy, and high-speed performance by routing data packets (that is, your meeting) off of the public Internet and onto WebEx's secure network. All you need to do to make it happen is download and install a small plug-in during setup, a task that takes just a few minutes for users with broadband connections.

This system is nearly foolproof, with one caveat: Each data packet begins and ends its journey via each meeting participant's ISP. So if your ISP or any attendee's ISP is experiencing severe congestion, session performance, particularly bandwidth-hogging video and audio, can suffer. In our tests, we found session speed to be quite good, with fraction-of-a-second delays when we controlled programs remotely.

Once you purchase seats at the WebEx table, you can set up your company's meeting center in one of two ways. You can purchase the WebEx Express package, which lets you set up a generic center yourself. If you'd prefer a customized look and functionality--say, one with your company logo, links to your Web site, or customized applications--WebEx will build one for you, but for a fee, anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the complexity of the project. Ouch!

WebEx is another in a line of sites offering customers a web-based conferencing service. But a few things work to set WebEx apart from their competitors. The first thing, and something that can easily turn business away, is their price. For a monthly seat at WebEx, it will cost you $75. This may seem to be an outrageous price at a glance, but their cutting-edge features and unique way of doing things makes it worth every penny. And it is still much, much cheaper than the costs of holing a meeting on location and having people travel to attend.

WebEx's conferences are all browser-based, in which you're sharing applications and an interactive whiteboard. This provides a lifelike experience for everyone in attendance. WebEx also provides multipoint video that allows up to four cameras to be viewed at once, and VoIP (Voice over IP) technology that supports full-duplex conversations that will not tie up office phone lines. And if you prefer something a bit more on the stable side, WebEx offers a toll-free conference call feature for your meetings. You can also schedule and send WebEx Meeting Center invitations via Microsoft Outlook or start a conference by a simple click of a button inside Microsoft Office or Yahoo Business Messenger.

After purchasing seats at the WebEx table, you can set up your meetings in two ways. The first involves purchasing a WebEx Express package which lets you set up a generic center yourself. Or, you can have WebEx build one for you if you prefer a more customized look. With the do-it-yourself option, you can proudly display your company's logo. The WebEx option isn't without a bit of pain. It will cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the complexity of the project.

Even with the higher prices, WebEx is the ideal choice for most businesses. Their Meeting Manager interface is laid out well and divided into three portions. The first takes up two-thirds of the screen and is a blank window used for documents, whiteboards and presentations. Other drop-down menus provide face access to meetings and the ability to change a participant's privileges. A small box in the upper-right corner gives you the names of the meeting participants, and a small box at the bottom allows for text chatting and note taking.

WebEx offers 24/7 free phone support and their wait time is usually less than a minute. Of course, WebEx isn't without flaws. Some may agree that the price is a little steep. Though you do get what you pay for, thousands of dollars to hold a customized meeting may be too much of an investment. Also, it takes a while to get used to the way WebEx is set up. Even someone with ample computer knowledge can find themselves easily confused at WebEx's difficult configuration. However, other than that, WebEx is one of the premier Webinar service providers on the web.

 Finally, see what does it employess said:

Pro
WebEx is a SaaS leader - and has market leadership in web conferencing space. Lots of potential as SaaS model truly takes off. WebEx encourages rapid pace of innovation - and is somewhat gratifying to see things shape up without much of red tape. Most people are very talented. Ever since Cisco has bought WebEx, there is a marked increase in the quality of upper management - in terms of their ability to aim big and execute. Best thing about WebEx - you do not have to pay for Web meetings - and online meetings are so effective to bring together geographically distributed teams.

Con
Lack of respect for people and their personal life, and lack of professionalism (Especially within the product organization).
WebEx culture can be described as somewhat chaotic. Disagreements / criticisms are discouraged - and the culture encourages people to rally around the Kool-aid of their bosses. Work-life balance is way tilted towards work, and the management takes it for granted. As an organization, WebEx tries to achieve more at the cost of quality of the product, and the quality of the life of the people who build the product. There are still remnants of fiefdoms from pre-Cisco time. Geographically dispersed teams can be challenging - in terms of working across different time zones, cultural differences and language differences.