Software Radio Technology (SRT), an AIM-listed company specialising in digital technology, has been praised for its unscripted live video webchat for answering questions from investors.

SRT’s CEO Simon Tucker answered questions that were emailed from investors in a 37 minute realtime unedited session from the company’s Somerset headquarters, last Friday.

Dominic Jones of IR Web Report believes that the trend for smaller companies to use webcasting to bolster their IR efforts is likely to increase. “The cost of live video streaming has dropped dramatically in recent years. New suppliers have emerged catering to individuals and organizations that are comfortable with the technology and want to host their own live webcasts”.

The webchat, hosted by Futurecast, also enabled the investors to send in questions during the call through a chat feature.

“We decided to do it as we wanted to inform investors of all sizes about what we do to generate the figures from an operational perspective,” said Tucker about the underlying reason for having the webchat.

“Since shareholders own the company and I therefore work for them, I felt the need to react. By giving more information to investors it enables them to make informed long term investment decisions rather than short term speculation and understand the ups and downs which are a reality of business.”

Unlike the carefully scripted and edited video Q&A’s from many large-cap companies in Europe, SRT chose to have a casual and unscripted session where its business was explained in detail and how its products are developed and distributed. The positive response from the webchat has made it clear that the investors were pleased with it.

“I'm an optimistic person, but even I was amazed by the reaction. Hundreds of emails from shareholders large and small thanking and congratulating us,” said Tucker.

Based on the positive response, SRT is set to make the webchat a regular event, broadcasting several times a year.