What issues can Video Conferencing and Telepresence address?

 

For the business that wants to excel, speed and agility are of the essence. And whether it's responding to customer demand, getting to opportunities first, or simply keeping in touch, there's just no substitute for the immediacy, the affinity and the rapport of in-person, face-to-face communication.

 

But meeting face-to-face causes various problems; enormous expense, a huge tax on time and resources, the logistical nightmare of synchronising multiple diaries and schedules; hours or even days wasted in traffic jams and airport lounges. Impromptu, ad hoc meetings can be impossible; connecting with remote parts of the business is difficult; and as for work/life balance... enough said. video conferencing solves all these issues - and more - with one swift stroke.

 

Simply, with Video Conferencing and Telepresence you can:

• Reduce business travel-related costs

• Scale your valuable people assets and improve productivity

• Accelerate time-to-market

• Unify your organisation

• Scale knowledge and improve decision making

• Provide more effective supply chain management

• Get closer to your customers, provide greater customer intimacy and retention

The video conferencing industry is changing rapidly. With the proliferation of IP, simplified user interfaces and the introduction of new form factors such as personal video for the desk or PC, video is more accessible than ever before. At the same time, the introductions of telepresence solutions and high-definition video have raised the bar for quality and design. This expanding video universe also means you'll need to carefully weigh a broad array of features and functionality to assemble the video programme that is best for your organisation. The first step? Imagine how your organisation might use video conferencing and telepresence. Almost any workflow process that you currently implement with telephone, e-mail or travel can be improved with video. Once video is in place, you may be surprised at the additional opportunities you discover to improve communication. Have a look at the examples below to see how different types of departments have successfully used video.

 

Executives

• Hold regular management meetings over video conferencing or telepresence

• Conduct board meetings face to face

• Reach key decision makers whenever you need them

• Stream CEO briefings live or record them for later viewing

• Speak at seminars or trade shows without travelling

• Improve work/life balance by providing your staff with desktop video conferencing systems or PC-based video conferencing software

 

Sales and Marketing

• Build stronger relationships with clients by seeing them face to face over video conference

• Provide customers at branch offices with expertise from the home office

• Link remote sales people to the headquarters

• Conduct market research with customers face to face

• Get marketing messages out to the field using video conferencing

• Serve more clients in a day by reducing meeting travel

 

Human Resources

• Interview faraway candidates

• Conduct ongoing training

• Retain your company culture after a merger

• Enhance and sustain telework programs with video conferencing and telepresence

• Conduct all-company town halls over video conference

 

R&D and Product Development

• Show product documents or drawings immediately

• Reduce confusion across cultures and locations

• Get real-time feedback from suppliers and customers

• Access remote experts in real time

• Get products to market more quickly

• See how different industries use video to meet their needs

 

Manufacturing

• Make decisions on product development and design over video conference

• Hold quality control inspections across different locations

• Provide experts for remote machinery repair

• Coordinate shipments with suppliers

• Create a single company culture with overseas branches

• Prepare for business continuity plans

• Conduct focus groups with customers

• Offer ongoing staff training

 

Finance

• Collaborate in real time — set daily strategies, share news and market conditions and make decisions without confusion using HD video conferencing solutions

• Extend expert financial services to customers in remote branches

• Interview potential job candidates from afar

• Offer training and consulting opportunities

 

Public Sector

• Coordinate action with national, central and local government bodies

• Conduct briefings with high-level security

• Provide cost-efficient training opportunities

• Promote telecommuting/telework initiatives with desktop video conferencing systems and PC-based video conferencing software

 

Healthcare

• Provide remote diagnostics from rural to urban centres

• Link medical professionals for mentoring and consultations

• Offer translation services for patients and medical staff

• Participate in continuing medical education programmes

 

Education

• Collaborate with other educational institutions

• Extend classes to students in rural or remote areas

• Include presentations from experts and virtual field trips in your curriculum

• Offer continuing education and training for instructors and staff

• Hold administrative video meetings among multiple campuses