Jonathan Bernstein uses SightSpeed video conferencing and mail service to reassure clients that business is up and running and not swamped by Fay

SIERRA MADRE, Calif., Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Jonathan Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., (http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com) advises businesses on ways to recover from disasters, whether natural or man-made. In all cases, he strongly advises use of the Web and video chat technology to assure customers, employees and shareholders that their businesses are still operating, or to keep them updated on recovery status.

The consultant got to take his own advice this week from Naples, Florida, where he'd been visiting when Tropical Storm Fay threatened to make the first major news of the U.S. hurricane season. Using webcam and video conferencing software from SightSpeed (http://www.sightspeed.com), he was able to record a personal video message to clients and post it on his blog at http://bernsteincrisismanagement.blogspot.com.

He assured browsers that Faye was a "non-event" by the standards of recent Florida hurricanes. Then he asked them to imagine "that I was the CEO of a major company whose business had been interrupted in some locations by a true hurricane. I'd want to record a message immediately with that status, too -- to tell customers and employees which locations might be out, which still functioning. As someone who trains executives in crisis communications, I can tell you that there's no way the written word can communicate what an effective spokesperson can communicate visually and aurally."

"SightSpeed is a uniquely effective way to deliver all that," Bernstein says. After he records his message, the software gives him a code that he easily imbeds in his website.

The crisis management consultant promotes video conferencing as a way to communicate after disasters in real time, too. Bernstein says that SightSpeed is now built into his contingency-planning recommendation for every client, as a way to "come to the office when you can't come to the office, to have virtual conferences with your crisis team, and to send critical messages to key influencers." In some cases, a SightSpeed-driven press conference can be the first immediate response to an evolving crisis situation, until the spokesperson can physically travel to affected sites.

SightSpeed employees also know the crisis use of video conferencing from personal experience. When the devastating fires started in San Diego last October, CEO Peter Csathy and his team had to evacuate their homes and offices. Road warriors by design, they relocated with friends and family outside San Diego, where they were able to continue preparing for the major product rollout of SightSpeed Business, scheduled a week later. They were also able to keep far-flung family members updated on their situation.

Bernstein acknowledges that most people are more interested in seeing than being seen, and notes that businesses can and should accommodate camera-shy customers. They can provide that one-way visibility by encouraging customers to freely and automatically download and install SightSpeed software, even if they don't have webcams.

"I used a version of that way of communicating with the United Nations Development Program," says Bernstein. "They wanted a training session for a group, but not all wanted to sign on to video conferencing. So they simply picked up my live video on one computer and projected it onto the screen. I couldn't see them, but they could see me. It's still much more effective to show your face."

About Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc.

Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. is a national consultancy providing 24/7 access to its president, Jonathan Bernstein, and a network of carefully screened and highly experienced crisis management experts who are on call nationwide and in many markets overseas. Bernstein Crisis Management engages in the full spectrum of crisis management services: crisis prevention, response, planning, training and simulations. The business was created and has been operated since January 1994 on the premise that its clients' executive leadership wants direct assistance from senior-level crisis management professionals. For more information visit: http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com.

About SightSpeed, Inc. SightSpeed, Inc. is the award-winning provider of a groundbreaking portfolio of Internet video communications services, based on patented human perception-based technology coming out of ten years of R&D at Cornell University. Its services include SightSpeed Free (http://www.sightspeed.com/personal/learn-more), the "gold standard" in Internet-based video chat for consumers; SightSpeed PLUS, a $9.95-per-month service with more features, including four-way simultaneous video chat and longer video e-mails; SightSpeed Light (http://www.sightspeed.com/personal/sightspeed-light-myspace-widget), a MySpace and hi5 widget that captures and creates video messages as posts, and SightSpeed Business (http://www.sightspeed.com/business), a full-featured suite of collaboration and productivity tools with simultaneous nine-way video/voice/text conferencing -- an industry breakthrough -- starting at $19.95 per month.

SIP-based and standards-compliant, SightSpeed has also been selected by Dell to power Dell Video Chat (http://www.sightspeed.com/dellvideochat), now being bundled on nearly all consumer laptops shipped by Dell worldwide. The service has also won many awards (http://www.sightspeed.com/company/awards), including Frost & Sullivan's "Company of the Year" award, PC Magazine's "Editors' Choice," PC World's "100 Best Products," and a 2008 "Codie" from the Software & Information Industry Association.

Founded in 2001 and based in Berkeley, Calif., SightSpeed is a privately held company funded by The Roda Group, best known for launching Ask Jeeves and PolyServe. For more information visit SightSpeed (http://www.sightspeed.com) online. Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Peter Csathy http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=79277