Is Video Conferencing Right for your Business?

More and more businesses are adopting video conferencing and collaboration tools as a way to stay connected, with both their own staff, suppliers and clients. As working remotely becomes more common, and pricing for video conferencing equipment has come down, the compelling reasons for utilising video communications technology are starting to pile up.

With the recent developments in mobile devices and wireless networks, interest has grown enormously in being able to video conference anytime, from anywhere. Online meetings are not only a good way to connect with your widespread team, they also cut costs, boost productivity, plus much more.

While there are many benefits to using video conferencing in your business, the key one seems to be the increase in productivity and efficiency.

No longer are costs (time and money) for travel an issue or are there issues with meeting delays. Meeting become shorter and more structured, allowing for greater reach of message. Video conferencing also allows for an increase in participant numbers – you can have any number of people in meetings or broadcasts.

It may seem obvious that travel savings are a benefit of video conferencing, but there are also many more qualitative benefits such as improved management communications and enhanced business opportunities; and let’s not forget the almighty productivity and efficiency advantage.

Video conferencing also enables your business to retain valuable employees who relocate or need to work from home a few days a week. This saves on office space, costly recruitment and retraining; a great benefit for small companies.

Video conferencing software allows you to connect your branches and teams, regardless of where they are. Instead of waiting for a quarterly meeting, get your team together and make decisions in real time via web conference. Talk, display materials, demo new products or services, and get immediate feedback in a video conference.

• Connect dispersed staff without travel
• Bring in remote experts for consultation or training
• Interview job candidates or witnesses
• Make a presentation to a vendor or customer
• View data and presentations on an on-demand or real-time basis

Video conferencing provide tangible benefits to any company. Devices that can handle video now range from handheld devices (i.e. phones and tablets) to high-end conference room equipment. The technology is easier to use, costs have reduced and connectivity happens almost anywhere. Video conferencing improves the way we work. At Focus, we are keen users of our video conferencing facilities to keep in touch with our team in other branches, to have regular meetings to improve the way we work together, or as a way of planning events.

Web conferencing software usually also allows you to tape and archive important meetings, key strategy sessions and standard training modules that may be useful for new hires. This library of stored information forms a strong base of information as well as a record of company milestones. In addition to cost-savings, these archived materials can be used for on-boarding remote hires in a way that feels more personal than a dry, text-based manual.

Excessive travel can quickly burn out employees unused to tough hours on the road. Eliminating, or at least reducing, the need for frequent travel takes a great deal of stress off key staffers that you can’t afford to lose.

When you do have to be out on the road, teleconferencing can keep you connected more reliably. Bad weather or unforeseen circumstances can leave consultants and business owners stranded on the way to meetings, but web conferencing circumvents the headaches of cancelled flights, long drives, or testy weather.

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• Lifesize Whitepaper
• http://mashable.com/2011/06/02/online-meetings-small-biz/#6MXBn4eHEkq3