Videoconferencing has been helping businesses achieve their goals since its inception. Yet many businesses are still working primarily with audio-only forms of communication to communicate remotely. Still others aren’t optimizing the ways in which they use videoconferencing. The number of businesses using videoconferencing is increasing at a rapid rate, but do businesses really know all of what video conferencing can do?
All businesses rely on communication to get their work done. There are many different scenarios where communication is necessary: hiring new employees, training current ones, collaborating on projects, and interacting with customers or clients are the primary ones. These processes translate very well to a videoconferencing platform, and this can save money and time.
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Meetings and Collaborations
No matter what the topic, conference calls naturally make people want to zone out. The reason for this, at least in part, is that people pay more attention at meetings when they are physically present with others. If no one can see them, and they can’t see the speaker, their attention may wander. A videoconference-based meeting simulates a face-to-face meeting much more accurately than a conference call. They’re also more convenient than a face-to-face meeting; if people can’t attend in person, the meeting doesn’t have to be rescheduled if they can attend on videoconference. Collaborations with remote workers, long-distance clients and satellite offices are made easier, and meetings become more engaging with multimedia capabilities.
Recruiting and Hiring
Each position at a company is unique, and finding the right person for the job requires detailed scrutiny of each candidate’s credentials. Face-to-face interviews are an opportunity to get to know candidates and see what they know about your field – but they can be time-consuming and if paying for travel costs, they can also be expensive. Remote interviews via videoconferencing allow search committees to interview the best candidates from a broader pool of qualified professionals around the world. They can also conduct the interviews sooner without the need for travel. A videoconference-based initial interview far exceeds the quality of a phone interview, as recruiters can have face-to-face interactions and observe candidates’ personality and professionalism first-hand.
Training and Professional Development
Keeping employees up-to-date on skills and knowledge is paramount to business success, as is implementing the latest processes and technologies. Training is an investment in your employees as well as your company. Get the most bang for your buck by holding training sessions over videoconferencing software. You can even invite guest speakers to talk about important ideas in your field in an online seminar. Optional trainings will be more highly attended if employees can tune in from their own offices, whether it’s upstairs or across the country. With the ability to easily record these sessions, live trainings can be converted to recorded videos that your employees can access anytime.
Customer Service and Satisfaction
Videoconferencing can do a lot for internal communications, but it also has potential for being a point-of-service for interacting with customers and checking in with clients. A consultation over a videoconference is personal, fast, and reassuring compared to communication via a phone call or social media. Customers want more reliable assistance, and videoconferencing can deliver just that by allowing employees to reach them face-to-face at the click of a mouse. All types of businesses are using videoconferencing to reach their client base – from health care providers providing a diagnosis to retailers helping a customer with a return.
There are many other ways that businesses communicate internally, with other businesses, and with clients. Businesses are becoming innovative in how they use videoconferencing to increase their value and improve services through accessible communication. With the ability to reach anyone, anywhere, anytime, videoconferencing will only grow as a communication medium – and the most successful businesses will be those that can capitalize on it.
How does videoconferencing improve your business communications? Share your story in the comments.
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