Video conferencing platforms have come a long way in increasing productivity and improving overall communication within businesses. Most business owners are aware of the basics.
They presume that video conferencing can allow for telecommunications or business meetings when participants are in different cities. While this is, of course, true, video conferencing offers even more benefits. Here are some that you should consider.
Recording Business Meetings for Those Unable to Attend
Even though video conferencing allows for people to meet even when they are in entirely separate countries, not everyone will be able to attend. Family emergencies as well as technical malfunctions can all prevent people from attending. By recording meetings, you can send copies to missing team members.
You can also save the sessions for later review or to allow for further analysis at a later time. Do bear in mind though that if you decide to record your Blue Jeans meeting, you do need to comply with state laws.
The Digital Media Law Project reports that each state has its own requirements, though generally if all parties are aware of the recording and agree to it, there should not be a problem. It’s typically best to use an inline recording system or a feature within the video conferencing program itself to offer the greatest recording quality.
If, however, you do decide to allow recordings, make sure your policies on this are quite clear. Digital evidence is becoming more and more common. Business Insider reports that increasing numbers of employees are recording meetings as well as private business conversations to protect themselves.
In most states, this is permissible, even if your business prohibits such recordings, provided it falls under certain conditions. But having a policy in place for other recordings will at least give grounds for termination and protection of business secrets.
Evaluate Interoffice Personalities and Potential Areas for Conflict
Any group will develop conflict points eventually. However, you can use video conferencing to actually show some of the potential areas for concern. Groups Plus reports that while the most accurate interpretation of body language and conflict typically comes from in person sessions, video conferences provide a wealth of information.
You do not have to have permission from the audience members for someone to observe the meeting so long as it is not being recorded. A third-party can observe all members of the team through the video conferencing service and make notes on potential issues.
Bear in mind that even when using any video conferencing service like Skype or Blue Jeans that there will be some distortion. The quality of the streaming and of the conferencing service has nothing to do with this. It’s just the way that the visual and audio representations are converted and then represented to the other side.
It may be best to have an expert who is acquainted with the distortions that naturally come through a video conferencing session. People are more inclined to be uneasy at first, though they often relax as the sessions continue.
Think Outside the Box with Sessions
Most of the time businesses use video conferencing to speak to members of the existing team. However, when you’re working on a marketing campaign or conducting research, bear in mind that you can sometimes go on virtual tours of possible locations that might help trigger additional ideas.
If, for instance, you are preparing a marketing campaign that deals with the environmental effects among the Pacific Islands, then you could potentially go on a virtual tour of the various islands and points of interest to get a more realistic feel for the climate and culture. Seeing the sights and conferencing with key people can help spur new ideas and make your campaign even richer.
It should go without saying that you can also use video conferencing to network or communicate with experts in various fields. You may not want to have all members of the team participating in this, particularly if you are having a hard time finding a point that coordinates for all of you.
Video conferencing provides significant benefits to businesses of all types.
But it goes beyond just meeting with members of your core team and saving time on business travel. You can also record business meetings so that those who are unable to attend can view them. Just make sure that you are in compliance with your state’s laws.
Additionally, your business can have someone else see the meetings and interactions to head off any potential conflicts. You can also use video conferencing to conduct research and take virtual tours or speak with experts. In this way, you will get a richer perspective to include in your business’s work and help your business thrive even more.