Virtual Meetings: Must for every business: Ram Malay, CEO, Webkonf Meetings
The outbreak of the global pandemic has upended the traditional ways of doing things. One of these is how we used to conduct businesses and related meetings. All of us are gradually coming to terms with the new normal and our world has become fully virtual. Though we are physically distant from each other, it necessarily doesn’t mean we have to be socially or intellectually distant. Fortunately, now we have the technology that is required to maintain productivity even in difficult times. And virtual meetings have undoubtedly become the norm in the prevailing circumstances.
Virtual meetings are slowly emerging as the most efficient way of holding meetings in business today. Till now myriad companies have utilised these to conduct corporate meetings with staff members, colleagues and clients, for holding training sessions with employees, and for document reviews and sales presentations. Yet, many remain unfamiliar with the various benefits these online meetings provide or haven’t yet gained the entire knowledge to employ them to their fullest extent. Nonetheless, this real-time and rapidly evolving way of connecting cannot be overlooked. Businesses that still haven’t taken to this medium need to sit up and take note.
Why Choose Virtual Meetings Over Physical Meetings
Cost-effective
Virtual meetings help you save on the extra costs and time that you entail when conducting physical meetings. You further save on the travel, hotel accommodation, and other meeting expenses. Instead, to conduct online meetings one only requires a computer or mobile device with smooth internet connection. Continuous use of virtual meeting software to hold digital meetings could save an organisation a lot.
Allows Connection from Anywhere
Technological advancements in the modern world have further improved internet services so much that users on the web can connect and interact with each other from any corner in the world. Virtual meetings help save on the space that would have otherwise been used for holding meetings, especially where the participants are too many. So, in this way, businesses can involve the entire team in discussions no matter where they are.
Real-time Sharing of Information
With one click, participants can easily join a meeting. They can then share information live, whether text, video or audio, without requiring costly telephone bridge connections. Most of the web meeting software enable ‘pushing’ of websites and businesses can lead their participants through them, or they can instead interact with the sites on their own. Virtual meetings and webinars can also be recorded for future reference and for sharing with those who couldn’t attend the session in real-time.
Increased Opportunities, Productivity & Efficiency
Virtual meetings allow participants to attend from their workspace without any hindrance. They also enable quicker and efficient coordination and allow organisations to hold urgent meetings with their employees or different departments. This is unlike physical meetings where it’s not always possible to attend every meeting that one is invited to. Virtual meetings rely on the flow of information and ease of communication amongst participants. They allow easy interaction via different channels. For example, PowerPoint files used for making video presentations coupled with the projection of the presenter speaking at the side gives attendees the same personalisation and feel, virtually, that they would otherwise get in a physical meeting. This results in better collaboration among the participants leading to quicker business decisions and timely completion of projects, thus increasing overall productivity.
Virtual Meetings Allow Effective Illustrations
Online meeting apps have multiple attractive features that don’t just make virtual meetings easier but also more interactive. Whiteboard features allow drawing and typing on the screen so as to enable sketch type illustrations of ideas and capturing of notes. Text chatting features on the side enable easy posting of questions and answers, surveys, polls, and sharing of website links and other information in real-time.
No Ecological Footprint
Since virtual meetings involve the usage of green technology, organisations and businesses reduce the rising amount of carbon emissions in the environment. This environment-friendly alternative to offline, physical meetings decreases travel and paper printing. Almost all small and medium sized businesses can adapt to the virtual sphere for holding their meetings and conducting daily work. The availability of these tools, that support the production of live video footages across the world, lets employees, customers and even students play a role in environmental conservation.
Summing it up
As the debate on online meetings vs. in-person meetings wages on, businesses around the world realize that virtual meetings are quickly evolving beyond just being a “nice to have” option into a necessity for a post-pandemic world. Virtual meetings also extend support to the rapidly evolving business world comprising global operations, instant access and seamless connectivity. They are easier to use and can be efficiently integrated into daily work flows, finding a permanent place among productivity tools.
