Remember Me
forgot your password?

The Coming of Age of Video Conferencing

The art of meetings has come a long way. It started with two people standing face-to-face to talk. It progressed to people from different place sitting down together in a boardroom to people in different places talking on a conference call at the same time. The pinnacle – so far – is taking those people in different places in a conference call, and adding video through their computers so they can both see and hear each other.

What if you are already using conference calls to save money? Why would you want to add video as well? On a conference call, you can hear the tones and inflections of your participants and gauge their demeanor, mood, and attitude. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is live video worth? You could be able to see the subtle expression changes in your participants and see what they really think. You could look them in the eye and know they will get the job done.

Another reason to do video conferences is to deal with a naughty human behavior trait almost everyone has: multi-tasking. When someone is talking on a conference call, the temptation is almost too great not to check your email, finish that memo, or look at your schedule for the day. We are probably all guilty of this at one time or another, but the tell-tale signs are there. We suddenly hear our name spoken on the conference call and are jerked away from an email and we say, “I’m sorry, could you repeat that? What was the question?”

While multi-tasking is an excellent skill to have, there is a time and a place for it. On a video conference, you can’t be looking away for long periods of time, or under your desk fixing those pesky wires. You – and your participants – are held accountable by video to stay in the moment and at the meeting. Studies have shown that video conferences extend participants attention span and allow much less distractions. This means that your meetings will be much more productive.

And let’s not deny it, having people from all around the world looking and talking to one another is just plain cool!

Once you’ve decided to take the next step to video conferencing, what equipment will you need? Of course there isn’t just one solution for every company. You’ll have to look at what kind of video conferences best serve your company’s needs.

The top of the line, full body or life-size from the chest up video conference experience fits nicely into the old saying, “You get what you pay for.” You will have the most realistic picture, no choppy pictures, no hang-ups and it will cost many thousands of dollars. Setups like these require dedicated T-1 lines, special equipment and monitors on ALL sides of the conference, and they cannot be moved.

Let’s look at other, more feasible options. If the quality and clearness of the view is your primary concern, you may want to consider a digital video camera. This would also be a good choice If you want to have an entire board room in your shots. These cameras are the more expensive choice, but electronics prices get more and more reasonable each day. Look for one that has USB or firewire outputs -- faster than USB – and of course, can connect with online applications.

The final option for video conferencing is the webcam. Webcams are inexpensive – up to $200, but average is $30 – and easy to use. In fact, many laptops are being made with a webcam built-in. Your ideal webcam has 640x480 resolution, 30 Frames Per Second, and uses CCD technology. All of these specs will be listed on the side of the box. Webcams may be your ideal solution as their picture quality is good, they are inexpensive, and are easily transportable.

Video conferencing is not new, but the level of quality, expense, and ease of use are now such that it makes good sense to add it to your business arsenal.

Amy Linley

Amy Linley gives practical and usable advice regarding communication and meetings at AccuConference.

Find out more about our conference call and video conferencing services from AccuConference.

Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Management Articles
  • More from Amy Linley

Finding the Best Property Manager Sydney

By: Benard Worseley | 27/11/2009
Like any managerial tasks, managing a property is not that easy as it seems especially if you have more than one renting property. There are lots of tasks needed to accomplish to be able to get the maximum profit with the use of the best managing system.

A Product of Our Past - Managing the Generational Divide

By: Tammy AS Kohl | 26/11/2009
Understanding how generational gaps or differences affect the success of business and industry is becoming an increasingly important issue. Everywhere you look within business media somebody is sharing research, experiences, or opinions on the generational divide and specifically how it relates to Gen X and Gen Y as they enter...

Solve the Mystery of Increasing Sales

By: Tammy AS Kohl | 26/11/2009
In today's market, sales teams are getting hammered for more sales. Companies are looking for ways to conserve cash and increase revenue, and sales departments are caught in the cross hairs. The fundamentals of sales that drive success remain the same and are even more critical when times are economically...

5 Simple Steps to Incorporate EBilling

By: Shelley Veazie | 26/11/2009
When you already have a set way of doing things, it might feel overwhelming to consider changing a method. However, with the benefits tallied up, there is not one good reason to continue using an outdated invoicing process. Ebilling is no longer considered a thing of the future, it's a...

The Business Benefits of Conference Calls

By: James K King | 26/11/2009
Businesses large and small can benefit from using conference call services.

Achieve Success With This Strategy

By: Steve Lawson | 26/11/2009
Someone once posed a fascinating question to me. He said: "Picture yourself in the middle of the ocean in a small boat. You have four days worth of food, and you know an inhabited island is four days due north, but it is too overcast to navigate by the sun,...

Creative Thinking

By: Fleur Gardner | 26/11/2009
They say it is all in the mind. And it is correct. Creative thinking can turn the tables in your favour. There is no problem that cannot be solved and no circumstance that cannot be overcome by tackling it creatively.

E-Billing: Smart, Simple Solutions For Small Business

By: Shelley Veazie | 26/11/2009
While any size business can benefit tremendously by incorporating eBilling services, small businesses especially are in dire need of reducing wasteful spending. The following are just a few of many reasons why eBilling is a smart and simple solution for all small businesses. eBilling sends a Friendly "Going Green" Statement to...

9 Best Uses for Video Conferences

By: Amy Linley | 31/05/2008 | Video Conferencing
Not only can sales grow when video conferencing but the technology can be used in the training of employees, brainstorming sessions, healthcare consultations, interviewing prospective employees and education. These are just some of the areas that gain substantial benefits from video conferencing.

Put RSS News Feeds to Work for You

By: Amy Linley | 16/05/2008 | Software
One of the most misunderstood files, but yet one of the most powerful on the Web, is the RSS feed sometimes known as the RSS news feed, XML feed or web feed. One form of this special XML file is the podcast, but yet many casual and even hi-tech surfers still do not understand that they are using this exciting technology invisibly every day to read news and follow blog sites.

Our Top Ten Tips for Holding Your Audience’s Attention During a Meeting

By: Amy Linley | 13/05/2008 | Networking
Focusing and maintaining your audience’s attention is the challenge of meeting planners the world over. It takes a little extra time and effort to plan a meeting that will hold your audience’s attention from start to finish.

10 Things to Consider Before Your Next Meeting

By: Amy Linley | 18/03/2008 | Business
Ask yourself if a meeting is the best way to get the result you desire. If you decide to go ahead and call the meeting, take a few more minutes to plan it out. A meeting is more than just some people in a room, talking.

Top Team Communication Tips

By: Amy Linley | 27/02/2008 | Networking
We worry about impressing clients and customers and don’t always consider that effective communication within an organization gets translated into better products and more sales.

The Coming of Age of Video Conferencing

By: Amy Linley | 25/02/2008 | Management
The pinnacle – so far – is taking people in different places in a conference call, and adding video through their computers so they can both see and hear each other.

Top Tips for Today's Email Etiquette

By: Amy Linley | 20/02/2008 | Management
To make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when it comes to your own email correspondence, consider following our email etiquette tips to improve your email note’s effectiveness.

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.11, 1, w1)