Videoconference trends have been changing as fast as technologies related to it do. The economic landscape and general changes in the way business is conducted is forcing businesses to embrace a more "mobile" lifestyle, of which videoconferencing is a big part. Video Conference Usage The number of business using videoconferencing technologies increased starting 2001, as reported by leading teleconferencing service providers Deutsche Telekom, Worldcom, and BT. Their studies show that conglomerates and multinationals are replacing in-person meetings either audio, web or video conferencing. The trend is good news to providers, big and small. They have since seen phenomenal growth year after year. The Move to Videoconferencing Even businesses that only used videoconferencing as temporary solutions before are now moving to more regular subscriptions. More and more employees and executives express their preference for conferencing technology to cut down on travel costs and time. If an executive had to travel every month from Denver to New York for a meeting, for example, about 134 man-hours are wasted. Let that same executive do videoconferencing instead and the company saves about not only time, but also about $9,600 - the cost of travel and accommodations. Businesses are quickly realizing that because of the cost- effectiveness of videoconferencing, travel is not anymore the first nor the only choice. The technology is now associated to the "work smart" standard. Positive Results The outcomes of videoconferencing are optimistic and profound. Studies conducted on organizations that embrace videoconferencing prove that the benefits of the technology are threefold. Individuals remain productive, are able to establish and maintain relationships, and are generally happier and have more time to relax because of the conveniences afforded by the technology. Efficiency is at an all-time high because professionals are not anymore limited by time nor geographical location. Videoconferencing is changing the way business is conducted, and providers are more than happy to adapt to the trend. Many of them are now introducing next-generation videoconferencing on an individual or bundled basis at very reasonable prices. |
