The latest iLinc newsletter summarized recent enhancements to their web conferencing products and support.
My favorite addition is a System Status Page. I wish every hosted application had this. It quickly shows whether their servers and systems are running normally from their end so if you have connection problems as a user, you can first see if it’s local to you or a system-wide problem before calling support. I honestly don’t know why every SaaS vendor doesn’t implement this. It would cut down on their volume of panicked support calls in times of crisis, when you need everyone concentrating on fixing the problem.
The support page also lists planned system maintenance and something labeled “Recent Status Notifications.” I’m not actually sure what goes there. I’d love to see a list of recent bug fixes or product updates, since these are almost impossible to track in a hosted application when you don’t have any control over or knowledge of product enhancements. Sometimes a new code change can have unexpected side effects, and if I suddenly see something behaving differently than I’m used to, it’s great to see whether there is an explanation from the vendor’s side.
iLinc also announced “iLinc for Outlook”- a downloadable application that you install on your local computer. It adds integration with Outlook 2003/2007 (2010 is promised for a later release). Using the add-in lets you schedule web meetings and send invitations directly from Outlook.
The last announced addition isn’t really a part of the product at all. iLinc just started a new Service Innovator Blog, with the announced intention of delivering “politely obsessive service for customers.” I like that phrase.
As I have stated many times in these pages, I’m always delighted to report on enhancements and announcements about webinar software. Send me the latest and greatest for your product so I can help spread the word.
