by Stacie Abbott
Therese, a public relations executive, just got back from a swim in one of Hawaii's famous swimming resorts. This is the third day of her much-awaited and delayed vacation. The problem is, she has to make an emergency communication plan to a client who is in New York.
Pierre, the Marketing and Sales Manager of a diversified company with sales agents all over the world, has to conduct sales and marketing briefing for his staff. The problem is, it would cost too much to bring them all to their main office in France for a meeting.
Therese and Pierre are just of the thousands of people who have a similar dilemma; how to be at several places all at one time. Imagine how easy life can be for Therese, if she can complete her vacation and still make the presentation to her client. Or for Pierre, if he can conduct the sales and marketing briefing for all his staff at one time, without spending too much for travel expenses.
These are among the dilemmas hoped to be addressed by the newest technological breakthrough in town, video and web conferencing. Video and web conferencing allow the conduct of online meetings between and among people who are in different locations, in real time.
What a vast advantage has a speech over a written composition. Men are imposed upon by voice and gesture, and by all that is conducive to enhance the performance. Any little prepossession in favor of the speaker raises their admiration, and then they do their best to comprehend him; they commend his performance before he has begun, but they soon fall off asleep, doze all the time he is preaching, and only wake to applaud him. An author has no such passionate admirers; his works are read at leisure in the country or in the solitude of the study; no public meetings are held to applaud him.... However excellent his book may be, it is read with the intention of finding it but middling; it is perused, discussed, and compared to other works; a book is not composed of transient sounds lost in the air and forgotten; what is printed remains.
—Jean De La Bruyère (1645–1696)
Through the use of a computer, a camera, a microphone, and an Internet connection, people from different parts of the globe can now see and hear each other in real time.
Online meetings are commonly used in business but it is slowly making its presence felt even in the common household. Its popularity may have been brought about by the proliferation of Internet companies that offer internet connections for a meager fee.
Imagine the ease with which Therese can make the presentation to her client if she had a mobile computer with wireless internet connection, plus a camera and a microphone. Or the savings that would have been made by Pierre's company if he can conduct the sales and marketing briefing for his staff, with just a click of the mouse.
If you are still not convinced with the practicality and cost effectiveness of online meetings, then consider the following advantages it can offer:
1. Reduced Costs-Individuals who want to communicate with their family and friends all over the world can easily do so by conducting an online meeting with them. Companies can save on travel and hotel expenses, by conducting their product presentations, staff meetings and sales pitch online. Face to face meetings costs much in terms of accommodations. Meetings conducted in hotels and other business centers entail food, venue and other incidental expenses.
I love meetings with suits. I live for meetings with suits. I love them because I know they had a really boring week and I walk in there with my orange velvet leggings and drop popcorn in my cleavage and then fish it out and eat it. I like that. I know I’m entertaining them and I know that they know. Obviously, the best meetings are with suits that are intelligent, because then things are operating on a whole other level.
—Madonna [Madonna Louise Ciccione] (b. 1959)
2. Unlimited Access to Data-With an internet connection, you can join an online meeting and still get unlimited data with the click of your finger. You want to know the bio data of the people you are meeting with or their company profile, just click the mouse. Or if you are making a product presentation, you can just click a button and have your PowerPoint presentation accessed by your client at the other end of the line.
3. Increased Productivity-Since people cans schedule their meetings online, then they would spend less time with and other inconveniences brought about by travel. Having experienced a relaxed way of attending online meetings, they can be more productive after the meeting. Travel poses an additional burden to people who have to travel in different time zones and then go directly to meetings. Sometimes, tiredness can be responsible for irritable executives who do not perform their 100% best during business meetings.
4. Global Connection-One of the wonders brought about by video conferencing is its ability to connect people coming from different parts of the globe. This is navigating the global highway right in the comforts of your own home or office. Time and distance are of no consequence because with online meetings, you can reach a person in Asia or Europe no matter what time of the day it is.
5. Safety Aspect-If you dreaded flying or if you are vigilant about terrorist issues or concerned about random mugging or vehicular accidents, then thank online meetings because through this, you can go on with your life and business with lesser chances of encountering safety problems.