Video conferencing has been around for a while and has evolved to the point where it is now a viable, cost-effective option for businesses to hold virtual meetings on a daily basis. Video conferencing technology allows users to broadcast video and audio over the internet. In addition, many video conferencing products allow users to show PowerPoint presentations, computer screen shots and with the right equipment, three-dimensional objects.
Virtual meetings provide several benefits:
- Reduces travel time and costs
- Increases worker productivity
- Reduces training costs by allowing training to be broadcast to several locations
- Encourages collaboration with multiple locations
- Reduces the need for large corporate meetings in one location
- Improves response times to your customers
- Provides a vehicle for leaders managing virtual teams to interact and manage their teams
As with everything, there may be drawbacks to using virtual meeting technology. In-person meetings have been the standard for a long time and breaking these long standing traditions can be a challenge. Some of the other challenges presented in virtual meetings are as follows:
- Loss of non-verbal communication
- Participants feel like they are not part of the group
- Effective facilitation of meetings requires additional skills
- Facilitating multiple sites can be a challenge
- Customers and vendors may not have compatible equipment
- Understand how to use the video conferencing equipment
- Create an agenda
- Set time limits for agenda items
- Distribute materials via email prior to the meeting
- Establish meeting ground rules such as silencing cell phones/distracting electronics and minimizing side conversations
- If you have multiple sites consider sending out a list of participants at each site
Virtual meetings offer a way for businesses to reduce costs, increase efficiency, manage virtual teams and foster collaboration amongst multiple locations in a cost effective and easy manner. Todd Perrault is an instructor in the NWTC Leadership Development Program. He spent several years in business and industry before joinin