The recent problems with the air travel may possibly have an unexpected effect on the use of technology. Here, I look at what the long term might hold for video conferencing.
Video conferencing is nothing new. It has been round for years, as has conference phone calls. And all of this is getting a lot easier with the internet as people become used to talking to associates and contacts via their web camera.
But, businessmen have still preferred to travel. Flights across the Atlantic to take people to and from conferences and business meetings are common place. They are expected as the way to do things.
But, in April, all this collapsed as flights were stranded, people were left stuck unable to make meetings and potentially worse, not capable to return home to their families. A little meeting and a hop across the Atlantic unexpectedly became a long time away from the desk and home.
And this is costing trade dearly. Many cannot put off such meetings and there must be delegates stuck on the wrong sides of the Atlantic who ought to get home to continue their work. Their employers have sent them there and cannot now get them back to a productive environment.
So for loads of, remote working is starting to replace an office. But with a difference! Rather than remotely working from their home office or whilst in a motorway services, they are instead finding a desk the wrong side of the Atlantic and signing on to their office computer to read emails and continue working.
But, what around those that have not made it to the meetings? Well, even the cost of a trans-Atlantic phone call does not match the cost of the flights, accommodation and lost work time. So suddenly people are discovering video conferencing as a replacement.
And what round all of these companies that are desperately trying to make price cuttings to keep afloat during this global economic downturn? Those that were spending hundreds flying workers across the Atlantic and to the Far east? Possibly even thousands when teams of personnel were sent half way about the world?
Well, this is where abruptly companies will start to see the light. What was once seen as a advantage of the job - air miles - can now be seen as a risk of being stranded.
corporations have the opportunity now to install video conferencing facilities and start to use them whilst there is the chance of flight disruption and get their workers into the habit of taking only the 2 hours to make the call, rather then half the week, a huge flight bill, hotel costs and taxi fares.
Ultimately, corporations will be the winner. Some employees will miss the joys of worldwide travel as part of their job, but by embracing technology, they will save their employers a fortune and prevent themselves risking being stranded!
Author Resource:
Written by Keith Lunt, owner of Formby Online and Phone Phone Buyer web sites.
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