How Effective Is Video Conferencing When In Coalition With Cloud

Video conferencing is a great tool for many businesses. It allows employees and customers of the business to interact effectively no matter where they are. Businesses are taking advantage of all of the ways that video conferencing can help them. They have learned about the cost savings and the improved communication that is a result of video conferencing.

Like any other technology, video conferencing is always changing. There are new tools that are available and one of the new tools that is being used for video conferencing is the cloud. The cloud utilizes the power of the internet to help anyone that is connected to it. That power is now being used to improve video conferencing.

Benefits of video conferencing

The first thing that a business needs to understand is how web conferencing and video conferencing can benefit them. The ability to communicate effectively is enhanced through this technology. Video conferencing offers several benefits that include:

• Reduced costs – Video conferencing means that there is no money spent on travel, no expenses for additional offices and many other cost savings. It allows employees to meet with each other and with clients without having the expense of physically going to meet them.
• Time – Video conferencing can save time. People do not have to spend time traveling to a meeting and waiting for the other person to arrive. Instead, they can attend the video conference when it is scheduled and return to work right after the conference is done.
• Increased productivity – When time is saved and when employees are able to communicate effectively, they are also going to be able to become more productive. The time and money savings allow employees to produce more at a lower cost which is a goal of most businesses.
• Better collaboration – Because more meetings can be held between employees and because more information can be shared through video conferencing, the ability for employees to work together is improved.

These are only some of the benefits. Other areas such as a company can advertise itself as being green and that it gives a business a competitive edge are other things that companies are enjoying with this tool. While the benefits are helpful, a technology that improves this tool should generate even more businesses.

Combining the cloud with Video Conferencing

The tool that is being added to video conferencing is the cloud. The cloud utilizes the vast power and reach of the internet to make this tool more widely available. When video conferencing was first introduced, it required the people involved to have the equipment that captured their images and transmitted the images and audio over a phone line. The results were not always very good.

The video and audio over phone lines was not very good. It could be difficult to follow along with the individual. It also limited the number of people that could be involved in a meeting. Often that meant having a group of people gather in a conference room so they could meet with another group in another conference room. This need to gather groups of people together took away many of the advantages of video conferencing.

Web conferencing allows everyone to use their own device to enter into a meeting. The meeting room for everyone involved is the cloud. As long as the individual or the group can connect to the cloud, they are able to attend the meeting. All they needed was a device such as a smartphone, laptop or tablet that allowed them to join in the conversation through the cloud.

Turning to this form of video conferencing enhances the benefits that were found from video conferencing in its infancy.

• Lower costs – Instead of investing in large systems that allowed groups of people to meet, all that is needed is a computer device and a service such as Uberconference to allow for the collaboration in the cloud.
• More mobility – people can access the meetings anywhere they have an internet connection.
• Higher quality – The images and the audio through the cloud make it an even better form of communication. When the ability to share documents is included, the tool is even more powerful.

Video conferencing through the cloud is going to continue to grow. More businesses are going to take advantage of this technology to create virtual office spaces. They are going to rely on this technology to help their employees work in a much more effective way. They are going to realize that the success of their business will increase thanks to using the best technology that is available. If you have any suggestions, tips or ideas about this area, please feel free to share them with us and with others.

Photo Courtesy of Julie Solomon at flickr.com