Years ago, companies relied on face-to-face meetings to exchange
documents, thoughts and ideas. These days, a growing number of
businesses have turned to video conferencing, which promotes
enhanced efficiency, lower overhead expenses and quicker results.
Although in-person communication still maintains an important role
in the business world; it's becoming less viable, especially as
companies expand on a national and global scale.
Less Practical
Long distance communication is a critical factor for many modern
organizations, which must efficiently connect with virtual teams
and remote workers on a timely basis. Face-to-face meetings just
don't make much sense, when employees or clients are located
hundreds or thousands of miles away. When businesses need a
cost-effective way to bring everyone together, video conferencing
offers the perfect solution. By removing the need for travel, this
modern way of doing business lowers overhead, while also increasing
efficiency by offering quicker results. In short: video
conferencing helps organizations save money. In fact, according to
a study from the public/private partnership, Telework Exchange, the
federal government could save $5 billion each year by substituting
face-to-face meetings with video conferencing.
Added Benefits
In certain instances, a face-to-face meeting may make a lot of
since. For instance, when business owners want to secure or
maintain an important client, they may feel the need to meet in
person. Because it often represents time and monetary sacrifice, a
face-to-face meeting can prove valuable, especially when a company
needs to demonstrate its commitment to a client's particular
interests.
The vast majority of the time, however, video conferencing is
just as good as a face-to-face sit down; in fact, in many ways it
can be better. Video meetings offer better ways to exchange
information, thanks to desktop-sharing applications, crystal clear
high-definition video graphics and more. They also offer a host of
added benefits, including transcripts and call recordings. By
keeping a virtual log of every word, video conferencing eliminates
the risk of a forgotten idea or inappropriate attribution. It's all
right there, stored as a digital data file.
The benefits don't end there. A study conducted by the
independent analyst firm Wainhouse Research determined that video
conferencing helps businesses become more efficient in the
following ways:
- Businesses save an average of 30% in travel costs
- Average downtimes fall by 27%
- Time-to-market is reduced by 24%
- Training expenses diminish by approximately 25%
- Sales-related costs are reduced by 24%
- Recruitment times fall by 19%
Increased Efficiency
There will always be a place for face-to-face meetings, which
can be critical for successful contract negotiations and other
sit-downs that may demand a more intimate setting. That said,
because face-to-face meetings usually require planning and travel,
they cannot be organized at a moment's notice. When time is of the
essence, video conferencing is a godsend, especially when key
contributors are scattered all over the country or the globe. A
morning video meeting can provide instant results; while a
face-to-face meeting is still in its planning stages. More and more
businesses are recognizing these benefits. In fact, a report from
CDW states that 75 percent of all U.S. enterprises will have
incorporated video conferencing by the beginning of 2013.
Moving Forward
Because, modern businesses must respond to ever-shifting
landscapes, they need fast reaction times. While valuable in their
own ways, face-to-face meetings just don't compare to video
conferencing, when companies need timely, affordable communication.
As the modern business world continues to globalize, more and more
organizations are using this valuable technological advance to
increase efficiency, lower costs and move forward.