The 8 Reasons Your Business Needs Video Conferencing Over In-Person Conferencing
This post originally appeared on IPro Media.
The world is changing quickly. With the many technological advances of video conferencing (combined with the rapid adoption rate), we must ask ourselves: why bother with in-person conferencing anymore?
The truth is that we really shouldn’t.
Here are 8 compelling reasons to go with video conferencing instead.
1. Saving travel dollars
There are big costs associated with employee travel. These typically include plane tickets, lodging, per diem food allowances, and transportation fees. Depending on the number of employees traveling, those fees will often be multiplied – possibly to a large degree.
With video conferencing, people can join forces in a meeting with the tap of a button and with little to no cost whatsoever.
2. Conferencing from anywhere
It’s not just the costs from travel that limit people. Factors such as travel fatigue and time zone differences can largely hinder employees from attending the conference at their best.
Instead, leveraging video conferencing allows them to schedule meeting times that work for all participants, regardless of where they are in the world. Without the worry, stress and strain of travel, those attending the meeting will be able to perform and participate at the top of their game.
3. Less prep time
Perhaps one of the more unspoken factors of in-person conferences is the sheer time it takes to prepare for them. When hosting a meeting, visual presentation is vital to establishing your business image as a whole.
As a result, whoever hosts the meeting will typically go out of their way to clean up not just the conference area, but the entire office space for the incoming visitors. With video conferencing, prep time is greatly reduced to simply having a clean and organized conference area.
4. Ease of file sharing
When all participants are huddled in a conference room, sharing and showcasing files can quickly become convoluted and chaotic. Companies will typically have some form of physical connection in conference rooms for laptops, such as built-in HDMI, VGA, and DVI hubs. These can be flimsy, and may not even be compatible with the different laptops from all attendees.
Alternatively, they may have a wireless screen sharing solution that requires a client application download. This is a problem for those with computers that don’t allow them to download programs without prior permission from an IT administrator.
However, most modern video conferencing programs come with a browser-based login that includes both seamless screen sharing and file sharing feature. Without any trouble, any attendee of the meeting can control the presenter role and share their file for all to see.
5. The beauty of pause
The benefits of video conferencing don’t always speak to logistics and business operations. Having the ability to pause the conference is a simple feature, but it gives participants a valuable freedom. For example, if something comes up during the meeting – even something as simple as a sneeze – pausing the video and audio can save the attendee from missing important information, interrupting other attendees, and even potential embarrassment.
6. Increased talent pool
When a company attempts to fill an open position, they seek the most eligible candidate for the job. These candidates exist all around the world, so searching for people within the immediate vicinity of the company greatly limits the chances of finding the best person for the job.
With video conferencing, businesses can interview and get to know qualified candidates from anywhere in the world. They can speak on a face-to-face basis, which makes it far more personal, professional and insightful than a simple voice call.
7. Record and rewind
Taking notes is an important part of big conferences. With in-person conferences, companies must rely on someone to record and summarize the meeting points without disturbing the flow of the meeting. During these meetings, important matters can come up that may require further discussion, so taking thorough notes is very important. This can be a highly stressful job for the notetaker, and it may limit them from fully participating.
This problem is easily solved with video conferencing. With the click of a button, the conference can be recorded and saved as both a video and audio file. Those seeking more information on the meeting can simply rewind and relive the key points. Recordings also help those that missed the meeting to catch up on important information.
8. Improved client relations
Having the power of video conferencing at your disposal means that organizations can meet with their clients as often as needed. Video conferences don’t require much time for either party – but they show that the company values a professional relationship and takes customer concerns seriously.
Choosing the smarter option
Overall, there aren’t too many reasons to choose in-person conferencing over video conferencing. And while video conferencing offers fantastic benefits, you should know that not all video conferencing software is the same. Check out our conferencing solution for a powerful tool that can help your business communicate effectively.
Sound like something your company would like? Contact us for a professional installation.
