Video conferencing and virtual meetings used to be the domain of large businesses. Carrying a hefty price tag and the need to complex equipment, it has been out of reach for many small businesses.
However, the game has changed. Virtual meetings and online video conferencing technology has become very accessible, easy to use and also very economical.
Azure Group’s MD Michael Derin recently talked to Jeff Downs, CEO of Redback Conferencing about why virtual meetings make sense for small businesses.
Michael: Jeff you hear about teleconferencing, web conferencing and webinars quite often, but what do they actually mean?
Jeff: Teleconferencing, web conferencing and webinars are all forms of virtual meetings. Teleconferencing allows you to connect with unlimited attendees via the telephone from all over the world. You can either use a reservation-less service or have it hosted professionally.
Web conferencing is held online and usually in conjunction with a teleconference. In a web conference you can use tools like interactive whiteboards, presentations and live desktop sharing. In many instances you can also utilise your webcam and see the other participants of the meeting.
Whereas webinars are usually only for one-way presentations as such they are ideal for large announcements or training but they still often provide all the interactive sharing features of a normal web conference.
Michael: What’s the difference between virtual meeting technology and a free solution like Skype?
Jeff: Skype is an application which allows you to communicate using VoIP technology (Voice over Internet Protocol). This means you make calls over the internet. While Skype is obviously very inexpensive and great for one-on-one calls it isn’t usually recommended for group calls or for business purposes. You don’t have that support or reliability that you get with teleconferencing. Communicating via a landline gives you piece of mind – the majority of people out there know how to use a telephone, you have live customer support and you will always be connected no matter what happens in cyberspace.
Michael: Let’s talk about the benefits of using virtual meeting technology
Jeff: Michael there’s plenty of benefits. The big one is cost savings, particularly business travel. In the past, businesses have spent significant amounts on travel. Virtual meetings are a great alternative. They’re held in real time, the technology is easy to use and you’re able to not only see and hear the other person, but you can also share documents & files, like presentations, share desktops, for instance live spreadsheets and there’s also an interactive white board function which is great for brainstorming.
The low cost of video conferencing also makes it very accessible for small businesses. Video conferencing used to be hugely expensive and require complex technology. These days we’ve been able to streamline the technology and deliver a cost effective and easy to use solution.
In addition to the cost savings, there’s also improved productivity. Since your team doesn’t have to spend time travelling, whether it’s waiting at airports for flights or driving to different destinations, and all they have to do is log onto a website and be meeting with their stakeholder when it’s convenient, well you can imagine, it frees up a lot of time.
Michael: Finally Jeff, tell us what services Redback Conferencing provide.
Jeff: Redback is an Australian company that believes communication is essential to the success of every business. We provide organisations with fully supported conferencing services and give them the tools to communicate and collaborate whenever they please. Whether it’s everyday meetings or professionally managed events, we’ve got the solution.
If you would like to learn more about virtual meetings through Redback Conferencing, visit their website, www.redbackconferencing.com.au
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