The rise of video conferencing in recent years has been simply astounding! Organizations that once swore on the efficiency of e-mail and fax have gradually abandoned them, to embrace the latest mediums of communication: teleconferencing and video conferencing. The way these two modes of communication have escalated in their stature signifies the level of faith placed in them by today’s businesses. While new-age corporate heads are fighting to stay ahead of the competition, those who believe in reaching out to their customers via traditional means find video and web conferencing to be casual and informal. Most of us carry certain prejudices about video conferencing, in terms of its nature, characteristics and utility, and with this article, we endeavor to evaluate this mode of communication and dispel any unsubstantial notions that you may harbor against it.
The common point of debate among organizations is choosing between two important options of video conferencing, free or paid? Some may endorse the notion of enjoying the privileges of free service as long as possible. There are a few video conference hosting portals on the internet that provide all of its value added services like file sharing, screen sharing and multitasking for free. One can use their services for seamless streaming of a video conference. On the other hand, although paid software options come with no pop ups or advertisements, there are many in-built purchases that one needs to make to enjoy all the privileges. Most of these in-built purchases include subscribing to other software products from video conferencing portals, or even downloading their indigenous plug-ins for a smooth conference experience.
Even though video conferencing has now become a mainstream force, the debate on its informal nature continues. Marketing purists working as corporate heads still believe that being physically present in a meeting can help you communicate your view efficiently, while new-age entrepreneurs rely on other ideas and strongly advocate the benefits of conducting virtual conferences. This type of
conferencing helps one conduct a meeting as per the convenience of all participants involved. Also, since one can attend the meeting from the place of his or her choosing, it gives one the opportunity to be well prepared and equipped for the conference.
Advocates and prosecutors of video conferencing for official meetings can put forth their case tirelessly. However, at the end of the day, one needs to take the call whether or not to implement video conferencing solutions, solely based on the nature and demands of their business. No matter which you choose, one thing is for sure, virtual conferences and video conferencing are here to stay!