NEW YORK: Communications officers of teleconferencing and cellular
communications companies, two industries posting overall wins despite
the general stock market dips following the events of September 11, are
promoting their services in very different ways.
Teleconferencers say they are eager to position their services as a way
for companies to get back to business while not wanting to force
employees to fly.
"We are getting more questions than ever about how our technology can be
used to communicate without people having to get on planes," said Rob
Adler, president of teleconferencing provider CCBN.
The phenomenon is not just confined to the US. The world's leading
teleconferencing company, Paris-based Genesys, has reported a 40% surge
in demand for its services since the September 11 attacks. The increased
demand parallels the 30-50% increase the company tracked during the Gulf
War ten years ago.
Sally Jewett, president of On the Scene Productions, said she is telling
her customers that during difficult times, she knows her service is of
value.
"We're able to approach it in a very positive way because it is a good
solution right now," Jewett said.
Cellular phone communications professionals, on the other hand, are less
eager to promote their products at the moment.
Days after the markets reopened, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange's
wireless telecommunications index was up 1.27% to 81.20, and industry
analysts say they expect the industry to add more than 5.2 million
subscribers in the third quarter, up more than 6.6% from last year.
Audrey Schaefer, director of corporate communications for Nextel,
mirrored her industry counterparts by being unwilling to discuss much
good news.
"In terms of sales," she said, "in all honesty, it's too soon to
determine what the impact will be. That's what we're telling the
press."
Dan Wilinky, director of media relations and financial communications
for Sprint PCS, had another way to not discuss stock movement or sales:
"We've been asked the question, 'Has this tragedy bumped your sales at
all?' Unfortunately, due to financial disclosure reasons, we cannot
offer comment on sales activity or store traffic. Our earnings report
comes out October 16. So we shall see then how our business was
impacted."
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