Technology

Simple Ways Video Conferencing Can Aid SMEs

When it comes to utilising and leveraging technology in a way that helps you as much as possible, some of the simplest and most important criteria to hit are saved time and better productivity. Luckily enough, these two criteria are exactly what these calls were made for. Basically, the idea of launching a call with a moving picture is age-old; it’s been around in prototype forms and science fiction since the 40s and earlier. However, as recently as 20 years ago, the idea of casually using conference technology to speak with loved ones or launch calls between cubicle workers was borderline absurd. In fact, as per Computer Weekly, the cost of conferencing has decreased ten-fold since 1998.

After all, conference calls only worked through unbelievable amounts of setup and technical knowhow, and an IT support team dedicated to keeping everything running smoothly. Today, however, all you need is a smartphone, or if you’d like to go a little bit more professional, a laptop.

Yet as exciting as that may be, and as impressive of a testament to human technology it is, the real question that’s begging to be answered here is: how does it help small and medium enterprises do what they do best?

Small businesses often struggle with the fundamentals of keeping a company running, and for good reasons. Starting a company means not having an established client base, no reliable and proven business model, a lack of capital, and often, more than one established and skilled competitor seeking to throw you out of the running.

It’s not an easy road to be on, and a harder one to navigate successfully, though having more time and a little bit more cash helps. What truly makes conferencing attractive to the average owner, however, is the claim that it helps boost productivity. Here’s how.

 

Small Businesses Need Structure

Running a small company is a juggling act. It often feels like an exercise in running around and putting out fires while haphazardly constructing a straw hut. That’s why owners, more than anything, need to get their house in proper order through an efficient and working organisational structure.

That’s where technology can come in to help. There are plenty of project managers and programs out there that help you build an in-house intranet, through which you and your employees or coworkers can communicate, collaborate on joint projects, write updates regarding ongoing or upcoming projects, and even update other members of the network on various work-related events.

This type of social collaboration is a godsend for smaller companies, as it allows them to oil their machine to its fullest potential. No more disconnects, no more boredom at the office, and no longer does your operation hit walls because your employees are confused or would like to ask a question but aren’t sure if they should.

 

What does this have to do with video calling, you ask?

It has to do with everything. Video conference technology in the mid and late 2010s has become a sophisticated form of social collaboration. It falls just short of being a fully-fledged social network for you and your employees. Through the cloud, the new brand of modern business video conferencing for IT companies and other industries alike is all about interconnectivity. Companies like Blue Jeans have strongly innovated and reinvigorated the stale spirit of conferences by adding onto it with new features that allow businesses to smoothly integrate it into their operation.

Think file sharing, file playing, slideshows, collaborative text creation, and device interoperability. These allow employees off-site who are offsite to use their smartphones and easily jump onto larger conferences.

Now, to many employees, this might seem like a nightmare. Being connected through conference tech, on and off-site, 24/7? When will the melding and blending of personal and professional living stop? But in reality, video conferencing allows companies and employees to make the most of the time they spend at the office. When the day finally draws to a close, employees can enjoy their personal time off while company owners are content with the increased productivity their newest addition to the workforce’s technological roster has afforded them.

That’s not all, however. Small businesses all over the world benefit from conference technology.

 

Video Calling Worldwide

One of the trademarks of a small company nowadays is outsourcing. More and more, companies connect each other with other firms halfway around the globe to share resources in order to provide better services to their customers, and create company alliances that help them combat their respective competitors.

Yet oftentimes the biggest problem between two companies in an outsourcing and service relationship is communication. Traveling to meet customers and business partners can also be avoided, which are costs that small companies and their budgets would loathe. According to Scientific American, cutting out the travel between meetings through virtual meetings is a financial boon. It saved one company $85,000 in a year.

Conferencing can be the glue to help you bring together all the elements that make your company successful: your partners, your employees, and your customers alike.

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