Large businesses that are geographically distributed can have difficulty when it comes to company collaborations. When the top planners, creators, and developers are separated, it makes putting together a comprehensive project a near-impossible feat. Even if collaborators are staying in touch via email or Google Docs, a lot can become lost in translation when all group members are not present in the same room together. Of course, getting everyone together is hard. Some people could be in other states, in other countries, or even on other continents. Thankfully, there are technologies that make in-company collaborations a breeze even when the main players cannot be in the same place at the same time. The best and easiest in-company collaboration technology to use is video conferencing.
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What is Video Conferencing?
Video conferencing, sometimes known as telepresence, is a two-way interactive communication technology that mimics a phone call, but with video. This means that the two (or more) parties on the call can connect in seconds even if they are thousands of miles apart. Video conferencing cuts out the inconvenient costs of time and travel by helping participants get in touch in a real-time meeting without having to leave their office building or home. Thanks to the video component, participants are able to see facial expressions, body language, and other nonverbal cues that help them connect and understand as if they were in the same room. There are many videoconferencing sites companies can use to get in touch with one another such as Skype, Lifesize, Polycom, Vidyo, WebEx, and Zoom, just to name a few.
Why Use Video Conferencing?
The world is a big place and the business world is even bigger. Business professionals are constantly on the move, traveling both locally and internationally. With video conferencing, the business world gets a little smaller and professionals are able to enjoy face to face interactions with not only their colleagues and business partners but also with their customers. When participants are able to talk face to face, it enhances trust between partners, colleagues and customers, strengthens relationships, and effectively increases productivity and customer satisfaction. When speaking face to face, information is better understood, points are easier to make, and there are less misunderstandings between individuals. In addition to these reasons, video conferencing comes with the following benefits:
A Reduced Carbon Footprint: Whether business professionals are traveling by plane, car or train, they are adding to their company’s carbon footprint. Exhaust and fuel can take their toll on the earth, especially if every business in the world has similar travel needs. Fortunately, video conferencing makes the need for travel obsolete, which means a decreased carbon footprint from the company and the individuals within it.
An Easier Time Juggling the Job and the Family: Business professionals often find it difficult to divide their time between home and work. Both aspects of their lives are demanding and require a certain amount of attention. Throw travel and overtime in with the job, and the home life suffers even more. Video conferencing helps professionals have an easier time of juggling home and work because they can get the information they need as quickly as having a conversation. Conferences can be held anywhere—in the office or at home—meaning that mom or dad don’t have to stay late at work or travel to keep up with clients and colleagues around the country and the world.
More Money for the Company: Video conferencing encourages cost saving on travel, which means more money in the pocket of the company. What they would’ve spent on travel can be spent on necessities for projects, deals, technology, new facilities, expansion, and more to make the company even better.
It’s Virtually Everywhere
Video conferencing also offers flexibility for companies that can comes as a serious advantage. Not only does it connect participants from around the world, but it can be accessed from just about anywhere. Video conferencing technology can be set up and used in the likely places: conference rooms and auditoriums, but it can also be used in these ultra-convenient spaces, such as:
• Your Desk
• From Home
• On Tablets
• On Your Phone
• The Cloud
In short, anywhere you can get internet and set up the video conferencing platform is somewhere you can access and join a video conference.
Why Collaboration is So Important
Humans are built to be in community with one another. Family groups, friend groups, and of course, companies and organizations, constantly prove that when people get together, they can make anything happen. In a company, each employee is highly important and necessary. Collaborative efforts not only make things go faster and smoother, but they also help to create and present their best to the world. When left up to an individual, a presentation, project or other event can be poorly done due to lack of time, resources, and even know-how. When it is a group effort, however, each individual can bring something different and useful to the table, making in company collaborations highly effective.
When collaboration is done face to face either physically or via video, the project outcome is always more cohesive and professional than a project done individually first and then pieced together.
All Businesses Can Use Video Conferencing
No matter what business you have or belong to, video conferencing can be employed. Video conferencing is especially helpful for those businesses whose employees or facilities are geographically dispersed. Freelancers, international businesses, and large conglomerates are the ideal candidates for video conferencing, but again, just about everyone can use this stellar technology.
Employ “Old-School” Activities Too
When using video conferencing, it can be easy to forget what someone has said, advised or directed. When conferences are held this way, you get the advantage of seeing someone face to face, but you lose the advantage of seeing things in writing like you would using emails or reports. When in a video conference, be smart and keep notes on the proceedings. If something is said twice, jot it down; if there is an important date to remember, copy that down too. This way you can rest assured that you are doing all you can to make sure you get the most out of your meeting.
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