Video conferencing can help companies cut travel costs. It will also help eliminate the stress of traveling on business and being away from our families. Rather than spend our time sitting on the plane, we can actually also just spend that time tweaking our presentations.
Juxtaposed against business travel, video conferencing definitely sounds to be the more logical and economical choice.
HOWEVER, that does not mean that we do not need to travel for business anymore.
Especially for initial meetings, it is very important to have real contact with the people we intend to have close working relationships with. We need to foster alliances and develop chemistry. We need to be in an informal situation -- like smoking breaks and/or dinners -- together with them. It’s all about forming relationships. And no amount of high-tech videoconferencing (yes, even if the superb quality of the video allows you to see their beads of sweat) will help you develop all of the above.
After the groundwork has been layed out then, go ahead, and hold that virtual meeting from the comforts of your own offices.
Check out CareerJournalEurope’s article on Strategies for Working Together When Positioned a World Apart for some great tips to help ensure that you and your company get the most out of videoconferencing.
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