7 Reasons Why Video Conferencing is An Important Meeting Tool

Why do we communicate with video conferencing systems? Is it because they offer visual cues that we only see when having an in-person conversation? Maybe it's the convenience of having a chat with someone across the globe without having to travel? Regardless, we're seeing a huge jump in the use of remote communications in the workforce.

In this guide, we've shared 7 key benefits of video conferencing that have a huge impact on your business relationships and overall productivity. We hope this guide helps you see why adding video is so important for effective communication and can be a good addition for your organization.

A video conferencing system makes it easy to host meetings where the entire team can get involved. The ability to set up a chat with multiple parties no matter their location is a great way to bring disparate teams together and forge a deeper connection.

Trust builds more quickly on a video conference than an audio call. When you meet someone face-to-face, see their smile, and react to their body language, you get to know them on a much deeper level. You can relax when you see how the other party is reacting, so the interaction feels a lot less stilted. In short, video conferencing puts a face (and a voice) to a name.

Humans are much better at retaining visual information than auditory information. Studies have shown that only 7% of communication is verbal (i.e. the content of your words), while your vocal inflection makes up 38% and non-verbal cues make up 55%. With a video conference, you can see the other party's body language, gestures, facial expressions, and so much more.

The addition of video to a conference call can also help boost productivity. his humanized style of conversation can keep participants from distractions that might occur if only on an audio call, like checking emails. Because your normal etiquette will kick in and you'll be encouraged to maintain eye contact with the other party, your becoming more focused on the conversation and can feel more attuned to each other’s immediate needs.

Bringing your team together in person can add large expenses to the organization. Hosting an in-person conference can require flight, accommodation and various other costs. It also takes employees away from their day-to-day tasks for a period of time. Video conferencing allows teams to connect easily and as often as needed. With today’s technologies, videoconferencing can feel as natural as in-person communications.

The latest video conferencing systems offer additional features that a conferencing phone simply can't match. Sharing slides, setting up poll questions and collaborating live on a document are just a few common tools provided by video conferencing software. These additions add for a more natural conversation and provide added engagement for participants.

As we mentioned previously, video conferencing saves a ton of time that you'd normally spend setting up appointments and traveling. With the flexibility and ease of video conferencing, you can host impromptu meetings as soon as both parties log into their conferencing software. This allows you to get right to the point, without the usual formalities that take up the first 10-15 minutes of a pre-scheduled "official" conference. When everyone's on the same page, you can focus on sharing ideas and solving problems, instead of wasting time.