I provide executive and personal coaching using Skype, Google Talk and other internet mediums.
Skype
Skype has become the medium of choice for online coaching where there is sufficient bandwidth at both ends.
Advantages:
It is simple and easy to use once it is set up. It allows the coach and the client to visually see each other and thus assists the coach to observe the often subtle physiological cues contained in slight body shifts, eye movements etc., in addition to the verbal cues such as changes in tone, pauses and the questions asked by the client.
Disadvantages:
You have to take the time to set up a Skype account, if you don’t already have one then send a Skype invitation to me so that we can connect. Where broadband is slow it has been my experience that Skype has a tendency to drop out and can be somewhat intermittent depending on how busy your local area network is.
I have had clients use their mobile phones (and their mobile broadband plan) to have Skype coaching sessions. You can also use tablets laptops with cameras – technology which many people have in this day and age.
Google Talk
This is also a very effective Internet coaching medium
Advantages:
Requires a low bandwidth and is usually quite responsive even if the internet speed is poor. It is very simple and easy to use providing you have a Gmail address. As with Skype, it allows the coach and the client to visually see each other and thus allowing the coach to observe the subtle physiological cues contained in slight body shifts, eye movements etc. in addition to the verbal cues such as changes in tone, pauses and the questions asked by the client.
Disadvantages:
You need to have a Gmail address (which is quite easy to setup).
Viber
This is one of my favourite smartphone apps. It also has a desktop version in which all the advantages of Google Talk (Hangouts) and Skype are readily available. In practice, this app has worked extremely well and appears to require low bandwidth.
There may well be many more applications I haven’t even considered and your feedback is welcome.
Trusting that this is helpful.