5 Reasons Why Your Business Should Be Using Video Conferencing
Whilst video conferencing usage has continued to grow, many businesses are still reluctant or unable to see the potential for its adoption in their organization. With the aftereffects of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic still being felt around the world, mass shake-ups to business practices have occurred, including the accelerated adoption of remote working practices which are often supported by video conferencing software.
Video conferencing offers businesses the ability to communicate at the click of a button from anywhere in the world. With low barriers to entry, video conferencing solutions often offer a cheaper alternative to traditional face-to-face meetings. In this article, we will discuss 5 reasons why video conferencing should be adopted and championed by any business, big or small.
1. Save time and money
Traveling to and from meetings, booking conference rooms and arranging catering for larger meetings all add to a business’ expenses. When also factoring a time cost to each participant’s travel (as well as organizing and attending the meeting) these costs can scale quickly.
Video conferencing removes this requirement for employees to have to physically travel for a meeting, which can also have a positive impact on the local and global environment with fewer emissions being generated.
2. Obtain feedback faster than via email
In 2021, a McKinsey report found that the average professional spends 28% of their day reading and responding to emails. Finding ever more efficient ways to complete business tasks and functions is paramount to a company’s growth and longevity. By adopting video conferencing as a tool to speed up feedback or approval processes, businesses can help reduce the time spent using email so that employees are more efficient.
3. Inexpensive and portable
Whilst some video conferencing solutions require an upfront investment, most platforms can be operated via a mobile phone or laptop without the need for expensive additional hardware. This accessibility removes barriers to entry for businesses of all sizes, resulting in a more level playing field for companies to operate within.
Video conferencing’s flexibility also introduces portability to your team member’s communication, enabling secure, seamless communication that can occur outside of the office.
4. Communicate globally
Video conferencing can also facilitate meetings to be conducted with participants located around the world due. With many video conferencing services offering free tiers, users can communicate on a global scale for a fraction of the costs of attending meetings in person.
5. Simplified collaboration and management
With many video conferencing solutions supporting up to 300 or more participants on one call, team members can collaborate, discuss tasks and even conduct interviews using video conferencing software. Video conferencing services, such as Kradle, also feature collaboration-focused tools that can be used within online meetings. These tools include;
- Breakout rooms
When organizing a meeting with many participants, Breakout Rooms allow the host to split the meeting into smaller groups to enable better collaboration between members.
- Private or public chat
Chat features are a powerful tool for sending text-based messages to all participants within the meeting or to select individuals. Files and documents can also be sent via chat windows, further improving collaboration and knowledge sharing within the meeting space.
- Polls
Polls provide an instant way of receiving feedback from meeting participants. A host can simply ask a question (via creating a poll) for all other participants to answer.
Conclusion
More than 60% of the world’s population now has access to the internet, equating to roughly 4.72 billion users. These numbers are set to continue to grow over the coming years with developments in technology and infrastructure.
Video conferencing solutions can help businesses harness this global connectivity in new and innovative ways, whether it is hiring internationally, building new business relationships or managing workforces remotely.