Hugh McCullen, Negosentro.com | Video conferencing is gaining acceptance worldwide as a tool for improving business communication and efficiency, as well as reducing operating costs. In a recent study of more than 4,700 video conferencing companies, the following were reported as being the most important benefits of video conferencing:
- Gains in productivity
- Improved accuracy and depth of communication
- Accelerated decision-making
- Reduced travel costs
Thanks to an increasingly mobile workforce, an increasingly tech-savvy workforce, telecommuting and flexible work schedules, video conferencing is rapidly gaining ground as an everyday tool to conduct day-to-day business as well as a platform for high-level information sharing, training and decision-making.
How Do You Do Video Conferencing?
Just as there are rules of etiquette governing the business use of email, texting and live meetings, video conferencing has its set of rules that, to a large degree, dictate whether a video conference succeeds or fails. Smart company leaders understand video conferencing etiquette, and incorporate the proper techniques in the planning and execution of each event. For instance:
- Testing equipment beforehand is essential. When technical glitches occur during a video conference, participants become frustrated, key parts of the message go unheard, and the corporate image is inevitably tarnished in the eyes of the staff. For video conferencing more than any other form of corporate communication, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Do a personal sound check. If you’re a participant and will not be muted, make sure other participants don’t hear background noise, shuffling papers, coughs, sneezes, chewing on a sandwich and other sounds that create distractions. Video conference organizers should provide gentle reminders on this topic to participants ahead of the event.
To learn more about these and other important etiquette tips for video conferencing, review the infographic below. By paying attention to detail, you will make the most of every video conference you conduct — and be sure to realize the productivity and profitability gains that result.
Infographic created by MicroTek Training Solutions
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Author bio: Hugh McCullen is the president of MicroTek, a company that offers training and meeting solutions. He is responsible for expanding the company’s customer services portfolio and global presence. He strives to position MicroTek as a trusted partner, focusing on providing speed and flexibility for choosing training facilities, meeting and event management to help customers evolve non-core services into strategic assets.
