Why Video Conferencing Is Such An Efficient Business Technology

Video conferencing is an up and coming phenomenon that allows businesses to hold conferences from the comfort of their own work place. Through the use of technology video conferencing allows people to see and speak to each other via a computer / laptop, wherever they are in the world.First developed in the United States in the late 1970’s, video conferencing was originally known as video telephony, as it literally acts as a telephone with the added use of video. This fantastic technology is extremely efficient and has many great advantages for businesses.

Saves Time
Perhaps the most prevalent of the benefits of video conferencing is the amount of time that it saves. Video conferencing allows employees to take part in a conference whether they are in the work place, or at home, which saves a lot of travel time, particularly if business partners or customers are abroad.
With the instant connection of video conferencing hours and hours can be saved, which is very good for the business as it allows more time for working. This also ensures the employees are not over tired from travelling and are therefore continually working at their best.

Saves Money
As a result of saving time, the business also saves money in various ways. Firstly, the company will save on travel costs; this includes airfare, train or taxi as well as hotels and food if the conference is particularly far away, and these costs can sometimes be significantly large.
Businesses also save money on hiring a venue to host the conference, as there is no longer any need for this. They also ultimately save money on wages, as less time is spent travelling and more time is spent working, therefore less time is needed to complete tasks.

Increases Flexibility
As a result of the ease of video conferencing, there is increased flexibility in the work place. Conferences can be organized at late notice from anywhere in the world. They also allow companies to keep up to date easier with different branches of their business.
Employees can also work from home, as video conferencing can be done easily from nearly anywhere. This gives the business more flexibility as they can then offer their employees choices. This allows companies to accommodate their needs easier, particularly if they have a family.


Improved Communication and Productivity
Compared to telephone conversations, video conferencing greatly improves communications, because it allows people to see visual cues. It is proven that over half of communication is not done through spoken word, but through non-verbal movements. One of the most common non-verbal visual cues is eye contact, which allows the speaker to communicate in a new way.
As a result of the improved communication there is an improved productivity. The conferences generally take less time than if they had been done over the phone as a result of the non-verbal communications. The interactivity allows the group to share files and documents immediately and easily, which results in a more productive and effective meeting. 


Conclusion
There are many great advantages of video conferencing, and it’s easy to see why it is such a great tool for businesses. It saves money, time and is very efficient, so why not invest in this amazing technology today.

Article by Natalie Moody, who suggests N-Vest.co.uk video conferencing as an effective solution.