Basic video conferencing will only go but so far in the business world – especially if you need a large-scale option. Many business owners that strive to cut corners and reduce overhead expenses will strive to maximize their use of video conferencing even when it is no longer the most feasible option. To make sure that you are matching the appropriate services and applications to your expanding business needs, you should consider investing in a webcasting option designed for large-scale usage.
Expanding Your Range Requires a Broader Reach
Thanks to advanced technology and the exponential popularity of the Internet, it is now easier than ever to expand your business to a global scale. Years ago, turning a brick-and-mortar business into an internationally-operated company called for major investments, real estate deals, etc. Nowadays, creating a virtual workplace or online webcasting environment along with a quality online presence is all that is needed. More than 60 percent of small businesses maintain or increase their spending on digital marketing, per AT&T.
Along with that convenience, though, comes the responsibility of connecting with a global base of clients, customers, employees, vendors and any other person or company that play an integral role in your company’s operation. As mentioned, remote conferencing with videos works very well and can be an efficient communication and training tool for a small-scale business. If you are interested in widening the scope of your business, though, you need to broaden the reach of your communication as well.
Ensure Consistency in Company Training Plans
Consistent training is always a major obstacle when it comes to employee instruction and education overall. The same exact training curriculum can be taught 1,000 different ways by 1,000 different people. That type of diversity can create a flexible learning environment that allows trainers to add their personality and preferred teaching style to the lesson plans. The problem is that this type of flexibility can quickly lead to a lot of core information and vital points being lost in translation.
Using a large-scale webcasting platform to host live training sessions allows you to make sure that the same information is presented the same way across the board. Consistent training will lead to consistent operations; consistent operation leads to consistent results. Achieving that goal makes any investment towards implementing this type of platform worth every penny.
Reduce Travel and Other Overhead Expenses
While focusing on boosting profits and revenue for your bottom line, expanding businesses strive to cut costs and save money as well. Travel expenses can eat away a large amount of your annual budget – especially if you are coordinating overseas travel plans, annual conferences and conventions or just standard business meetings.
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) reports that over 488 million business trips are taken each year in the U.S. alone. That sis an average of 1.3 million trips every day! Webcasting can drastically reduce this aspect of your expenses, because it minimizes the need for travel overall. Livestreaming conferences and other meetings held throughout the year allows people around the world to log in, tune in and get all the necessary information without being inconvenienced. Think about the substantial amount of money that you will be able to reinvest into your business by not having to spend it on airfare, hotel accommodations and other related overhead expenses.
The best part is that you will still be able to increase productivity and boost your company’s efficiency without risking a loss of quality in your communication and training strategies.
Adding Interactive Features to Your Events
The limitations associated with standard video conferencing go far beyond the lack of a broad reach. There are also quite a few advanced functions and features – such as Q&A sessions, interactive chats, polls and surveys – that a lot of basic conferencing platforms simply do not offer. However, these features can do wonders for your webcasting sessions primarily because it is all about engagement.
Chances are that you have sat through at least one video conference or virtual training session that did not grab or keep your attention at all. You may have logged in and your name may have appeared on the attendance list, but you were more than likely not “present.” Implementing interactive features into your larger-scale events will make it much easier for attendees to stay engaged throughout the entire session, allowing them to gain value and understanding of the information being presented.
Use Web Conferencing as a Supplement
Investing in a larger scale webcasting medium does not mean you must get rid of your video conferencing entirely. Small-scale conferencing through VoIP and online webcams can still help your business to flow smoothly and save a considerable amount of time and money for your business each year. When you take into consideration the private meetings, feedback sessions and small group trainings, these are all events that can be managed through standard video conferencing platforms. The goal is to implement a plan that allows larger scale webcasting to be the primary resource for larger scale events. On the other hand, you can use video conferencing as a supplementary resource to complete the puzzle.
