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Did you know that over 60% of face-to-face communication is non verbal? How about the fact that inefficient communication methods cost businesses an estimated $297 billion each and every year? No wonder organizations in both the private and public sector are embracing video conferencing.
Videoconferencing-a teleconferencing solution that adds video capability and rich media applications to end-to-end telephone meetings-allow large numbers of participants to collaborate and share visual information in real time. The technology has come a long way since the days of jumpy pictures, technical glitches and poor sound. Today’s video conferencing is a reliable, versatile "meeting" solution for companies looking to skirt travel costs, increase productivity, build stronger relationships with workers and customers, and much, much more.
A video meeting today is as simple and effective as any "in person" meeting you’d hold in-house. The trick is finding a video conferencing solution provider with the expertise and track record necessary to make your meeting a flawless event. Do you need a multi-purpose PC based system? Do you want video streaming? Should you go with ISDN? Or does it make more sense to use an IP network? Don’t worry if it all sounds like a foreign language. A good video conferencing solution provider will take you through all of the options, explaining and demonstrating, the advantages of each feature and amenity and helping you pick the ones you need so you don't pay extra for the ones you don’t.
Some factors to consider when choosing a video conference provider:
- What kind of information will you be communicating in your "meeting"? Product details, spreadsheets, multimedia and high security information all require different solutions.
- How many sites do you need to connect in the meeting?
- How many people will participate at each location?
- Do you need a fully-integrated system or a set-top solution enabling you to use your existing monitor?
- Will you need to record or "stream" video calls for participants not in attendance or for later use?
- How do you plan to integrate your existing communication tools—IM, Mobile phones, etc., into your videoconference?
Most videoconference providers will help you perform an internal audit in advance of your meeting to help you determine which video conferencing solution is appropriate for your meeting. A word of advice: do some research before choosing your videoconferencing provider. Not everyone offers the same range of services and capabilities. Think of your videoconference as a corporate "event". If all the details—both technical and logistic—aren’t absolutely right your "meeting" could be a major disappointment. Check out the different technologies and services offered by different companies. A great place to start getting information about video conferencing solutions is our products page.
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