Videoconferencing has been around since the mid-1980s. However, until recently, getting hooked up was not a simple feat. It required dedicated digital lines, expensive video equipment, and specially designed conference rooms. As a result, videoconferencing tended to be reserved for large, geographically dispersed organizations with deep pockets. This allowed a colleague in say, New York, to meet “face to face” with a colleague in London. But in the span of just a few decades (light years in the technology world), things have changed dramatically. Today, videoconferencing is available for any organization, no matter its size or net worth. And as teleworking continues to become commonplace, videoconferencing may be the single most important piece of technology pushing this trend – which is likely here to stay – forward.
Videoconferencing - From Then to Now
The advent of the internet and super-efficient video compression technologies revolutionized videoconferencing in the mid-1990s. By installing PC cards, any business could provide a certain level of audio and video conferencing via office computers. In the 2000s, Skype provided low-cost (although, by today’s standards, low-quality) audio/video links between any two sites with internet connectivity. This opened videoconferencing up to consumers. Fast forward to today. Everyone with a computer, laptop, tablet, or even smartphone is able to get in on the action!
The low cost and simplicity of remote audio/video communications provides a great opportunity for organizations considering telework or space transition projects. The reality is that mobile work may no longer be just an employee perk or something that’s used only when employees need to work remotely for the day. As space costs rise and it becomes more difficult to attract and retain the next generation of workers, teleworking is becoming a necessity just to remain competitive! And videoconferencing provides the critical link that keeps employees visually connected to each other and to their work.
Fortunately, the relatively low cost of this technology makes it easy to justify the expense. The return on investment includes increased productivity, reduced costs, and enhanced client relationships. Having teleworked for 24 years with the same company, I have seen the benefits of videoconferencing up close and personal. Let’s take a closer look.
Increased Productivity
Our small business has employees in four states. Although we constantly communicate via emails and instant messaging, our in-person meetings are generally held only once per month. However, we maintain important face-to-face contact throughout the month with regular videoconference meetings. No matter how efficient an email or instant message may be, sometimes there is simply no replacement for a face-to-face meeting. As opposed to a teleconference call, the visual aspect of a videoconference tends to help participants stay engaged and focused. It also helps employees pick up on facial expressions and non-verbal clues. We have found that videoconferences tend to run much more smoothly than teleconferences, with far fewer awkward pauses or interruptions. On a videoconference, you can literally see people thinking or jotting down notes – important nonverbal cues that allow for a smoother meeting.
Because we telework five days a week, the ability to instantly interact with others through videoconferencing has helped us feel less isolated and stay connected to each other and to our work. As with any relationship, you feel more connected to your coworkers when you see them on a regular basis! And, as with teleconferencing, videoconferencing provides features that allow you to put yourself on mute before the FedEx delivery guy rings the doorbell or to pause your video before your cat jumps on your desk.
Lowered Travel and Project Costs
If your business, like ours, requires a lot of meetings, eliminating a single in-person meeting per month can easily cover the cost of a quality videoconferencing solution. For several of our clients, we have transitioned from regularly scheduled in-person meetings to regularly scheduled videoconferences. For one particular client, we meet with field personnel via videoconference the week before a scheduled trip to that location. This gives everyone a chance to ‘meet’ before the trip and to resolve any preliminary details so that the team can hit the ground running upon arrival. This helps keep project costs down as the cost of an extra night’s hotel and meals – not to mention the lost productivity of travel days – for an entire travel team can quickly add up. The savings videoconferencing provides can indeed be substantial.
Enhanced Client Relationships
Another benefit of videoconferencing is the ability to remain connected with clients. Via videoconferencing, our clients know we are available and accessible on short notice if the need for a face-to-face meeting arises. There is no need to clear a half-day to travel to their office – we generally only need to block out an hour or so. Videoconferences provide the opportunity to view documents or websites together so that our clients can review progress and ask questions, just as if we were meeting in person. We have found that videoconferences with our clients feel like “roll up your sleeves” working sessions. The only real difference is that we cannot smell the coffee we see them drinking!
Videoconferencing Features
Here are a few of the primary benefits of videoconferencing:
- Interactive participation – the screen-sharing and collaboration features of most videoconference systems allow everyone to participate. You can share your entire desktop or just an application. You can then work together as a team, almost as if you were sitting together right there at a conference table.
- Training – co-annotation and white-boarding allow instructors and students to share control. Attention indicators built into the conferencing software let students virtually raise their hands. Video breakout rooms allow small groups to discuss their own topics, and the ability to record conferences allows those who couldn’t attend to catch up later.
- Technical support – with built-in remote screen control, technical support staff can remotely take over the troubleshooting of failing devices.
- Video webinars – interactive video participants can be hosted in a single webinar, which provides companies with a marketing tool for potential clients.
The Features Don’t End There!
Even the most basic videoconferencing systems have built-in tools that simplify routine tasks. These include:
- Integrated scheduling – a newly scheduled videoconference integrates seamlessly with a company’s calendaring system and also allows for mobile scheduling.
- Groups – you can create groups, send group messages, start instant group meetings, and invite contacts to join groups and meetings.
- Cross-platform messaging and file sharing – teams can message and share files between all devices, whether using a PC, Mac, iPhone or other smartphone. Nowadays, videoconferencing apps have mobile versions available that make videoconferencing possible any time you have your smartphone with you.
Advantages and Challenges
Some may argue that the visual aspect adds a burden in that employees must worry about having a clean workspace and appearance before connecting to a videoconference. After all, it’s difficult to hold a professional videoconference in a bathrobe with your hair in curlers, as a co-worker comically demonstrated in our inaugural company videoconference several years ago. We sure have witnessed many interesting sights during our internal videoconferences. From sick children in pajamas inadvertently walking into camera shots to a choir of dogs jumping up and barking at the sound of a doorbell, video adds an element of “interest” that’s not present in phone calls. It sometimes takes a little preparation to make sure you and your work space are video-presentable, but this should not be too difficult. And let’s face it, going into a physical office requires even more effort.
On another note, it really is easier to follow what a person is saying when you can see their lips moving. For deaf, hard-of-hearing, or mute individuals, videoconferencing can be a lifeline in the workplace. As organizations seek to make telework available for all employees, including those with disabilities, videoconferencing is one tool that can help keep communication flowing smoothly.
Also, in an instructional or webinar setting, video provides a presenter with immediate feedback. An audience member’s eyes drifting to other screens or to a smartphone provides instant and valuable feedback to the host. The ultimate sign that a presenter has lost a videoconference attendee? Watching him go on mute, answer his phone, and proceed to have a conversation…all on video! Hypothetically speaking, of course.
Our Own Experience
Our company has tried several videoconferencing systems as both our organization and the technology have matured over almost 30 years. Different apps have different bells and whistles. Last year, we settled on Zoom (zoom.us) for its reliability, high-quality video and audio, and affordability. Zoom has improved our productivity tremendously through both scheduled and impromptu collaborative team meetings. Zoom just fits our needs and our culture. And videoconferencing in general has truly revolutionized the way we work.
As organizations continue to transition to open offices that incorporate telework, videoconferencing will continue to become even more of a cornerstone for many workplaces. As the IT guy, I’m excited to see what videoconferencing looks like five and ten years from now. I’m sure there will be many more commonplace uses than there are today – such as for interviews – and a lot more 3D and 360 virtual reality. On that note, I’m off to clean my office…
