You may have heard a lot recently about video conferencing and how other businesses are using it. It may be the hot new thing in office technology, but what is it, and is it right for you and your company?
Quite possibly! Many have found that it’s helped increase productivity and strengthen ties all over the globe. It’s convenient, easy to use and can bring people together in a matter of minutes. Want to know more? Read on to see just what it can do for your business.
- It doesn’t require new, costly equipment: To video conference, all you need is a computer, webcam, and a microphone. On some computers, you have all three already built in. You can even conference from your smartphone if you want to. All you need is the software, which is simple to install, and you’re ready to go.
- It’s easy to use: To start, all you have to do is open the application, find the person you want to speak to in your contacts list and click ‘call.’ That’s all there is to it.
- It’s personable:Picture Phone notes that during a video conference, you can see the other attendees, allowing you to see their facial expressions and non verbal cues. This is a real benefit, as other forms of web conferencing just can’t allow you to do that. This helps avoid any misunderstandings that can come about in text only meetings.
- It saves on travel costs:Think about all the things you pay out for while traveling to meetings. Clear One says that once you’ve paid out for travel, accommodation and meals, you’ve put a sizeable dent in your budget. Using video conferencing software means that you eliminate those costs at a single stroke.
- It helps preserve the work/life balance: Mashable points out that the other cost of constant traveling is time. If you’re spending all of your time on the road, sooner or later you’ll hit burnout, and both your home and work life will suffer. Conferencing from your own home or office means that you’re saving hours or even days of time, letting you get on with the more important things.
- Attendees concentrate more: The benefit of video conferencing over other forms of web conferencing is that attendees can see each other, prompting them to concentrate more fully on the task at hand. There’s less temptation to answer emails or check texts when you know everyone can see you, even if you’re not talking.
- Increases productivity: It’s possible to get an awful lot more done with video conferencing. Videonations says that the face to face communication and the ability to share files in real time means that you can get a lot done in a comparatively short space of time. Boosting productivity is a good thing!
- Decisions are made faster: The average video conference is significantly shorter than a traditional face to face meeting, meaning that if decisions are to be made, they’re made quicker and more efficiently. Perfect if you need to take action in a short time frame.
- Meet anytime, anywhere: If you’re out of the office a lot, it’s easy to become disconnected with your coworkers. However, since video conferencing can be done with laptops or smart phones, this needn’t be the case. Call in wherever you are and keep yourself in the loop.
- Can improve your hiring process: Polycom notes that hiring processes can be drawn out and costly, especially if the candidates live in other cities. Using video conferencing means you meet face to face with your candidates, while avoiding lengthy travel times and overnight stays. It also speeds up the process considerably, helpful when you’re looking to hire somebody quickly.
- Reduce your carbon footprint: If you’re conscious of the impact your business has on the environment, then video conferencing may be for you. Because it drastically reduces travel time for meetings, it reduces your carbon footprint by default. It’s perfect if you want to do your part to protect the earth.
- Gives you the advantage over your competition: Video conferencing can help you keep your edge in a crowded market. There’s no benefit to waiting to embrace new technologies, especially when they’ve been proven to benefit businesses. Conferencing can help your team communicate more efficiently and make decisions faster, crucial when you’re looking to differentiate yourself from everybody else vying for your customers’ attention.
If this has convinced you to check out video conferencing, now is the best time. There’s a wealth of companies offering corporate video conferencing, such as Blue Jeans, so search around and find the best provider for you and your business. You can be up and running in a matter of minutes, and you can see just how it can give your business a real boost.