Why Your Business Should Consider Video Conferencing

Communication is at the heart of every great team. Whether you’re dealing with colleagues, clients or collaborators, regular contact is always essential in pushing projects forward and ensuring everyone’s on the same page.

But the way we work is changing, and so are the ways in which we communicate. According to a study by IWG, 70% of professionals work remotely at least once a week, as teams around the world begin to remove the shackles of the nine-to-five and complete projects in a way that works best for them.  

So, businesses are beginning to move away from the emails and phones they’ve relied upon for so long; turning to WebEx Meetings and other video conferencing technology as they look to provide a more flexible, engaging form of communication. But why should your business consider doing the same?

Reduce Travel Expenses

The need for face-to-face interaction will never go away, with over half of message interpretation coming from body language and facial expressions, according to Forbes. Previously, this meant businesses had to spend a fortune on transport costs, hotel bills and other travel expenses, with teams required to physically attend client meetings, conferences and presentations.

But video conferencing lets team members enjoy the advantages of face-to-face interaction from the comfort of their own home, with high picture quality ensuring virtual meetings are just as good as being there in person. Most platforms allow workers to join sessions from multiple devices, saving the company both time and money as they’re able to attend meetings in whichever way suits them.

Help Employees Work Their Own Way

This level of flexibility is bound to make employees much happier in their work. Constant travel and rigid office hours can be absolutely exhausting at times, especially when employees are trying to work around busy schedules or working remotely. Video conferencing allows team members to participate in meetings from almost anywhere in the world, saving them a significant amount of time and helping them achieve a much stronger work-life balance. Ultimately, this leads to a happier, healthier workforce.

Boost Productivity and Collaboration

When workers are happier, they tend to be more productive. Additionally, 89% of remote workers believe that video conferencing reduces the time it takes to complete projects or tasks. The technology allows them to communicate faster and smarter; reducing the amount of time they waste chasing up email chains or arranging phone calls.

Video conferencing makes it easier than ever for teams to collaborate and work together, with the visual advantages allowing participants to share presentations, demonstrate new products and hold interactive debates. Instead of having to worry about constant interruptions or issues with miscommunication, teams are able to come to much faster decisions– helping to drive projects forward, boost productivity and improve results.

Increase Attendance and Engagement

Issues such as travel delays, long distances and strict time schedules have always hampered attendance at meetings, making it difficult to regularly get full teams together and ultimately affecting the progress of projects. However, video conferencing completely eradicates those issues, making it easier and faster for entire teams to meet and collaborate; while the use of digital whiteboards and virtual workspaces can provide a more engaging, interactive meeting experience that encourages creativity.

Strengthen Working Relationships

Video conferencing allows staff based in different countries (and time zones) to stay connected through a few simple button-clicks. By holding the doorway to meetings in the palm of their hands, video conferencing makes it easier than ever for team members to collaborate, communicate and achieve their collective goals.

Although you might have previously relied upon email and desktop phones, the face-to-face interaction provided by video conferencing helps to build trust and strengthen relationships. Recent studies show that 93% of workers believe that video conferencing improves the connectedness between remote workers and other team members, while 71% believe it can be used to improve client-customer relationships.

The advantages of modern video conferencing go way beyond saving time and money; providing a level of connection, flexibility and understanding which just isn’t possible through other forms of communication. Driving collaboration and enhancing working relationships, video technology is already an integral part of the modern workplace and, without it, your business seriously runs the risk of falling behind.