What are the pros and cons of video conferencing?
Video conferencing is a great communication tool that has experienced a real boom during lockdown. Used by the general public as well as by professionals, this tool makes it possible to see and communicate with remote people using a telecommunications system. You can organize professional meetings with colleagues from home as well as family reunions with family members living abroad.
Today, there are countless applications specialized in videoconferencing such as Skype, Google Hangouts or Zoom, not to mention collaborative platforms and other project management software that offer their own videoconferencing tool such as Wimi.
In the professional world, videoconferencing is very popular with large international groups, offshore teams and companies that practice teleworking. Find out what are the pros and cons of this very practical means of communication.
The advantages
Save money on travel
One of the main advantages of videoconferencing is the savings made in terms of travel. If your company has offices all over France and/or internationally, organizing weekly or monthly meetings with the managers of each regional subsidiary can quickly be a major expense item.
Thanks to video conferencing, it is no longer necessary to travel. Not only do you save on transport costs, but in addition, organizing a videoconference costs (almost) nothing. Indeed, dedicated applications are often free and you are generally already equipped with the necessary hardware (computer, webcam and microphone).
This way, you can organize your weekly meeting at a lower cost because each participant can attend it without leaving the comfort of their office. This doesn't stop you from continuing to bring your teams together in person to maintain team cohesion and a sense of belonging, but you can do it less frequently (once a quarter or a semester instead of once a week or a month).
Becoming more eco-responsible
Since, as we saw in the previous point, videoconferencing makes it possible to no longer systematically travel to attend a meeting, this has a favorable impact on the environment. In fact, you thus reduce CO emissions2 and greenhouse gases generated by travel. In this way, you reduce your carbon footprint and you are doing something for the planet.
Easy organization
While you always need to find a time slot that works for everyone, it's easier to organize a meeting when participants don't need to travel. You thus eliminate delays and absences caused by transport hazards (strikes, traffic jams, accidents, etc.).
Participants are also ready more quickly. Simply launch the app and the meeting can start instantly.
Improving collaboration and communication
Video conferencing eliminates geographic barriers. This communication system is therefore a real asset for remote employees as well as for teams that are scattered around the world.
Communication and collaboration between employees are facilitated because not only can you video chat, but you can also exchange documents, jot down your ideas on a whiteboard, share your screen, record the meeting to facilitate Writing the report, etc. In short, the options are unlimited and some tools, especially collaborative platforms, combine several functionalities to simplify your task. What more could you ask for?
The disadvantages
The lack of personal interaction
This is one of the main disadvantages of video conferencing: the lack of human contact. Rather than meeting your employees around a table, you stay alone, in front of your computer screen. No coffee breaks before, during or after, no glances or smiles exchanged following a colleague's slip of the tongue, and it's hard to analyze participants' body language to know what they really think of this new idea.
Technical problems
As with all digital tools, a video conference is not immune to technical problems. Between network failures, a poor Internet connection, a pixelated image, terrible sound quality, or technical problems caused by the software, it can be difficult to organize a meeting in the right conditions.
If you work with international collaborators, the quality of the connection will depend on the speed of the country with which you are exchanging. And if you don't have an IT or technical department to help you out, this can quickly prove to be a problem.
The confidentiality of exchanges
During some videoconferences, it is not uncommon for sensitive and confidential information to be exchanged. In order to guarantee the protection and confidentiality of discussions, it is essential to use an efficient and reliable solution.
Read the terms and conditions of use carefully and make sure that your conversations are not recorded and stored without your knowledge because if the application is the victim of a cyberattack, your information could be vulnerable.
The cost of the installations
For small businesses, setting up a video conference room can be a significant cost. You will need to equip yourself with a sufficiently large TV screen, a powerful audio system (microphone and speakers) and adapted software. If you only use the basic features, the video conferencing app may be free or have a reduced cost. However, if you want to benefit from more advanced features, the subscription amount can quickly increase.
Conclusion
Video conferencing is a very practical communication tool that is becoming more and more popular and is tending to be standardized in a growing number of businesses. Even though it has some disadvantages, its advantages far outweigh them because it allows remote people to be able to communicate easily together. However, be careful not to abuse them, and to continue to organize real meetings as soon as possible.
