Video conferencing allows you to hold meetings with many people in many locations. It is distinct from simple video calling, which involves fewer callers and features, and has varying price and usage limitations.
In the past, video calling or conferencing required complicated and expensive equipment and expertise. Today, anyone with a phone can host or participate in a video conference. All you need is an internet connection and a conferencing platform like Skype, Zoom, or GoToMeeting.
Video conferencing has become more accessible because of Voice over IP technology, which carries video, audio, and other data packets over IP networks.
Video conferencing has a higher bandwidth requirement than a simple video call. A typical session with decent quality video is around 1 Mbps for each participant. If HD video quality is important to you, consider this a minimum value.
Here are seven benefits of video conferencing.
No Need to Travel
It costs time and money to travel to meet people. With video conferencing, you can organize and hold a meeting with participants from all over the world. They only need the necessary equipment and to be present in front of the screen at the chosen time. The pre-meeting organization can be done via email, instant messaging, or various service platforms.
Bind Your Mobile Workers
If you have a mobile workforce with employees scattered around the country, video conferencing allows them to connect to your office on any computer or mobile device. You can leverage this existing mobile infrastructure to conduct video conferencing meetings with your workforce. The visual nature of video conferencing also allows you to check the activities and whereabouts of your employees.
It Aids Telecommuting
Video conferencing is an essential tool for teleworking or telecommuting—working away from the office, often at home. If your business has several workers who work from home, one way to curb the lack of interaction is through video conferencing. It also allows you to maintain the kind of downward instruction and upward reporting you get in an office.
Organize Meetings Independent of Time
Now that meetings online are free from travel expenses and location restrictions, they can be organized more often. You can meet people around the world every day or even several times a day. Meetings can be short notice. Participants no longer have excuses related to location and travel. This allows your business to move quickly, keeping tabs on all points of interest.
Humanize Your Conversation
Compare video conferencing with phone or email. When everyone on a call can see everyone else’s face, you can rely on the kinds of facial cues, body language, and hand gestures familiar to face-to-face conversations. Seeing someone while talking to them changes the nature of the conversation, be it a business or personal relationship.
Show Things
Seeing is believing, and showing is convincing. Through video conferencing, you can write on a board and show it to everyone, demonstrate your latest product, introduce a new recruit, share your screen or display a presentation. Oftentimes, these visual assets may not be available even at in-person meetings.
Learn and Teach Online
If you are a teacher or trainer, your market may be far from where you are physically located. Video conferencing is a great way to acquire and share knowledge with the rest of the world. While it’s not the same as being physically present, online interaction is often more than enough. You will be able to use multimedia tools like interactive whiteboards, as well as online collaboration tools.
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