Tele-Town Hall conference services are improving communications between elected officials and their constituents and are getting two thumbs up from citizens who are embracing the new technology for both its convenience and opportunity to participate in public discussions. The teleconferencing technology allows officials to engage tens of thousands of voters simultaneously over the phone.
Average citizens are beginning to respond by posting their opinions on blogs and comment sections, explained Laurie Patterson of OrangePoint Communications (http://www.orangepoint.net), a leading Tele-Town Hall service provider. One citizen, Marian Chmieleski of Vacaville, California, wrote to the local newspaper, The Reporter, on March 15, 2010 and stated:
"I find the meetings a very economical and efficient means of two-way communication with our representative because: I can hear every word he says; I have the opportunity to ask questions; I can clearly hear all the questions asked by the other participants;
Political and campaign organizers are responding to public demand, by engaging more citizens into the decision making process by using Tele-Town Hall teleconferencing services, which are transforming the way leaders interact with core constituencies and key voters, particularly at the state and federal level. The service is also being used by non-profit groups and corporations that are intent on empowering members and customers by enabling them to become part of the process.
"It is clear that the general public is tired of just watching politicians on TV. They want to interact and get involved in the debate. Tele-Town Hall technology is amazing because it connects people in real time on current issues such as the healthcare reform, and allows them to ask questions or present their opinions," says Patterson, director of Town Hall Teleconferencing at OrangePoint. OrangePoint's technology is paragon in the industry and helps clients redefine voter relationships, address issues and find common ground. More detailed information on how the system actually works can be found at http://www.orangepoint.net/
"Clients who have started to interact with their audience using our system are wondering why it's taken them so long to embrace this technology. Citizens and the general public are the ones driving this trend, not the other way around!" says Patterson. Specifically designed to improve voter registration and campaign performance, OrangePoint's web based system runs on a regular PC and allows campaign staff to monitor the calls and allows the candidate to stay on a specified topic without getting side tracked.
"If 95% of the audience is interested in hearing the latest news from Washington or the state capitol, you don't need to have the other 5% hijack the forum for their own purposes," said Patterson. "You can also take instant surveys and see real time results. For example, a leader can ask, 'Do you like your mother's apple pie?' Within seconds, leaders can see the results on their computer screen and get instant answers along with other metrics. There is virtually no limit to the size of a Telephone Town Hall Meeting . Whether you have 10 or 100,000 citizens opting in, it's ultimately the size of your phone list that determines your reach."
When President Obama announced the first presidential virtual town hall meeting from the White House, he was flooded with over 100,000 questions from American citizens who embraced this new technology. The flood of questions shows that citizens are comfortable and educated about modern technology and are increasingly seeking the ability to interact with politicians and elected officials. "And citizens want their voices to be heard," said Patterson. "The advances in Internet technology and the growing popularity of Tele-Town Hall services will insure that communications with government at all levels will be more open and transparent. Everyone comes out a winner."
