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Vendor Comparison Matrix

Online event producers offer a confusing array of services and pricing schemes.  A common complaint among consumers is "Why can't they just tell us the price, in clear and simple terms?”  Learning the price of a service should never be a struggle.

ProVision is clear about price, because we know we offer the most competitive prices in the industry for our extensive range of services.

To help you make an apples-to-apples comparison between ProVision and other vendors, we offer the three matrices below:

  1. Fee Comparison
  2. Service Comparison
  3. Bottom-Line Price Comparison 

 

A.  Fee Comparison

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Fee Type
Description
ProVision
Other Vendor
1.
Production Fee
Flat fee for each web conference.
Waived
(Other vendors charge a production fee of as much as $1,000 for each webconference.)
-
2.
Per-Site Fee

Fee charged for each site that connects to the web conference.

Note:  An unlimited number of participants can attend at each connecting site, for this single fee!

$69 - $99 *
(*Volume discounts are available for clients who commit to multiple webcasts.  Contact ProVision for details.)
-
3.
Teleconferencing Fee
Fee for participant connection to telephone bridge (for conference audio).  Usually billed at a per-minute rate.  (Example:  A charge of .29 per minute adds an additional $34.80 per participant, for a 120-minute web conference.)
No Additional Charge
-
4.
Other Fees
Any other hidden fees for your webcast (e.g., "registration fees.")
None
-
5.
Minimum Possible Webcast Fee
Minimum fee for a webcast.  This is an important number for organizations new to webcasting, who may initially have small audiences.  With "high minimums," it's almost impossible to make a profit or even break even on pilot programs.  As a result, most small to mid-sized organizations never enter the webcasting market.  ProVision is changing that.
$2376
(ProVision charges for a minimum of 24 registrants.  Other companies charge for minumums of 50 or more, resulting in minimum webcast fees of over $5000.)
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B.  Service Comparison

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Service
Description
ProVision
Other Vendor
1.
PowerPoint Customization
The foundation of a most webcasts is your PowerPoint presentation.  ProVision helps you prepare your presentation for the online environment.  Just email the program to us (you retain full ownership of the program and its contents).  We add appropriate introductory and concluding slides, and prepare the program for online delivery.  We can also add details such as a photo of the presenter in the corner of each slide.
Included

-

2.
Online Registration with Integrated e-Commerce

Allows end-users to register with convenient online form, and pay with credit card (for pay-to-attend events).  Eliminates administrative task of gathering payment information and processing credit card transactions manually.

ProVision customizes online registration forms to capture all information requested by client.  ProVision processes all credit card payments, deducts per-site fees, and sends the remaining balance to the client.
Included
-
3.
Automated Confirmation, Reminder, and Post-Event Emails
Immediately after registering, participants receive a confirmation email (along with a credit card receipt, if the event is pay-to-attend).  Reminder emails are sent to registrants before the event (usually at one week prior, and again on the morning of the event).  At the client’s discretion, automatic follow-up emails can also be sent to attendees (these typically include a letter of thanks, and perhaps a promotion of upcoming events).
Included
-
4.
Professional Moderation
Professional moderator (sometimes called "Event Facilitator") is continually online during webcast.  The moderator begins the conference, provides participant instructions, introduces the presenter, and coordinates Q&A.  Moderator also handles all technical details, including slide advancement and annotation.  Presenter is free to focus exclusively on training.
Included
-
5.
Information Sharing

Share applications, PowerPoint presentations, or documents.  Presenters can share anything on their computer desktop, including mouse movements and keyboard inputs.  Demonstrate how to use applications, or how to appropriately complete a form.  Allow participants to "try it themselves" with permissions-based remote control, while their actions are viewed in real time by all participants.

Included
-
6.

Multimedia Training Content

Engage your learners with PowerPoint animations and transitions, as well as complex multimedia objects like Flash, 3D objects, and streaming media.

(Flash is a registered trademark of Macromedia.)

Included
-
7.
Video Integration

Allows participants to see a presenter during a live session (presenter uses a simple Web camera or video recorder to transmit image).  Use of this feature is optional, and is not generally recommended unless audience is known to connect at high bandwidth.  Because participant bandwidth is usually unknown, most presenters forego this option in order to make the event as "audience inclusive" as possible.

Included
-
8.
Integrated Telephony
Teleconferencing is integrated into the web conference, providing the moderator with immediate and complete control over all participant audio connections.  Individual connections can be muted (for "listen-only mode") or opened (to enable participant questions).
Included
-
9.

Optional VoIP (Voice over IP)

VoIP, or Voice over IP, is another way of saying "IP telephony."  This option enables presenters and participants to use their Internet connections for the conference audio, rather than a telephone bridge.  Major Advantage:  Users avoid long distance phone charges.  Major Disadvantages:  Some participants, especially those connected at low bandwidth, may experience poor audio quality.  Also, many computers in corporate settings are not equipped with sound cards; meaning they cannot receive audio via the Internet connection.
Included
-
10.
Music on Hold

This sounds like a minor thing, but it's a feature that adds significantly to the professionalism of your webcast.  When participants connect to most webcasts (a few minutes before start time), they are forced to listen to clicks, beeps, and disjointed bits of conversation.  This is an inferior way to begin a webcast.

With ProVision, your participants have the reassurance of soothing classical music (or your choice of music), with the moderator's voice occasionally surfacing to assure that the conference will begin shortly.

Included
-
11.
Q & A
Your webcast participants can ask questions and receive answers in real time.  Questions are submitted by telephone during designated Q & A portions of the program, or online at any time during the program (participants simply type their questions and click "submit.").  The moderator coordinates the questions, presenting them to your speakers in an orderly fashion.
Included
-
12.
Online Testing and Grading
If your training programs include tests, ProVision can make these tests available online.  Scoring and grading will be conducted automatically (limited to one test per registered site).
Included
-
13.
Online Hosting of Downloadable Materials
If your presenter wishes to make handouts available to participants, ProVision can provide registrants with a hyperlink for easy download of these materials in advance of the webcast.  ProVision can host the materials on its server, or simply link to the materials on your own website.
Included
-
14.
Instructor Orientation
Professional moderators work with your instructors, coaching them to deliver their training to an online audience.
Included
-
15.
Loaner Headsets
ProVision will ship you a high quality “loaner” headset for use in your webcast, free of charge (headset valued at $270).  Your loaner headset must be returned to ProVision within one week after your webcast.  Of course, if you already have access to a quality headset, you may use your own familiar system instead.
Included
X
16.
Help Desk
Round-the-clock customer support for technical service needs.
Included
-
17.
Promotional Assistance
Generic advertising copy will be provided (at your request) to assist in your marketing communications, as you promote webcasts on your website and in other marketing material (e.g., newsletters, brochures, emails, etc.).
Included
-
18.
Recording and Archiving
Webcasts are recorded and can be posted online after the live event.  Registrants can access these recordings from a link on the client’s website, increasing sales and maximizing the impact of the webcast.
Available
Additional charge applies (see Pricing page for rates)
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C.  Bottom-Line Price Comparison

Compare prices for webcasts of varying size.  Calculate for "Other Vendor" by totaling all fees (Production Fee, Per-Site Fees, Teleconferencing Fees, Registration Fees, etc.).

Number of Connecting Sites
ProVision
Other Vendor
50
$4450
-
75
$5925
-
100
l
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ProVision • PO Box 1721 • Ames, Iowa • USA • 50010 • Phone: (515) 232-8252 • Fax: (515) 233-2171