Video
Conferencing is an interactive system that allows both visual and audio to be
transmitted during a conference call. It is commonly used in businesses to
replace meetings. Here we outline some of the key benefits you will receive by
purchasing a video conferencing unit.
No Travel Costs
In today’s
economy finding new business opportunities can be tough; you may have to look
further afield than your local area. If money is tight then you may not be able
to justify of travelling. However, research has shown that the majority of
business trips can be eliminated as the meeting can take place on a video
conferencing unit. With the latest advances in technology the quality of the
sound and picture on a video conferencing system is so good it is like having
the other guests in the room with you. Therefore, the ROI when investing in a
video conferencing system is huge and lasts for years. To calculate the ROI on
a video conferencing unit multiply the number of trips taken per year by the
cost to travel, including; expenses and the salary of the time lost whilst
travelling. Then compare this figure against the cost of purchasing a video
conferencing unit. If your business makes a lot of business trips per year, you
will see that the cost of travelling for business meeting far outweighs the
cost of a video conferencing system.
Increased Productivity
One of the main
challenges in a business environment is to work as a team when the team is in
different locations. Communication can decline between team members when
they’re not in the same room. Most communication takes place either by e-mail
or telephone; however the visual cues are lost. Research has shown that we
interpret communication better when we can see the person we’re communicating
with. Adding video into the mix here will improve communication between team
members and interpretation of the work involved. Some emotions are impossible
to understand through an audio conversation alone. Take confusion, concern or
satisfaction for example, these are emotions that can be understood without the
other person having to express it verbally. Video conferencing has also shown
that it leads to decisions been made quicker and will increase productivity
across any organisation.
Improved Recruitment
Recruitment can
be a huge expense for any company especially when candidates and interviewees
are coming from other areas. Having a video conferencing system in your
business will allow you to conduct interview over the video conferencing unit.
The beauty of video interviews is that they can be recorded and played back to
other people in the organisation involved in the decision making.
Staff Retention
By incorporating
video conferencing into daily activities your organisation can allow more staff
to work from home. This can lead to high staff retention levels as one the main
reasons employees leave jobs is the commute they face to get to the office.
Competitive Advantage
You’re more than
likely to maintain a competitive advantage by employing a video conferencing
unit. If your business is call centre based, using video conferencing is one
way to improve the user experience – people are more likely to trust someone
they can see.
Environmental Initiatives
As video
conferencing reduces the need to travel, it is a ‘green’ product that can be
included on your corporate social responsibility report. Using a video
conferencing system will significantly reduce your company’s carbon footprint.
- When purchasing a video conferencing unit it is important to keep the following factors in mind;
- Number of sites that will need access to the video conferencing system
- The maximum amount of people you would like to participate in one call
- The size of your room
- Internet connection; a broadband connection is required for Video Conferencing to work at its full capacity
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