What Is Video Conferencing?
Let me explain video conferencing to you—it's an online technology that lets users in different locations hold real-time, face-to-face meetings without needing to travel to the same place. This is especially useful for business people spread across cities or countries, as it cuts down on the time, money, and hassle of traveling. You can use it for things like regular meetings, sealing business deals, or interviewing potential employees.
When you're using it for casual stuff, we just call it a video call or video chat.
Key Takeaways
Here's what you need to know: video conferencing lets users in separate spots have live face-to-face meetings, and it's often free or low-cost. You can apply it in many ways, like company meetings, training workers, or talking to board members. It really took off during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Remember, the smoothness and quality can vary based on your internet speed and reliability. And you have options for how to do it—through smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers.
How Video Conferencing Works
The big edge video conferencing has over phone conference calls is that you can actually see each other, which helps build better relationships. You can set it up in different ways. For instance, individuals might use webcams on laptops, tablets, or desktops. Smartphones and other mobile devices with cameras work too, usually through software that sends the communication over the internet.
Businesses sometimes set up dedicated rooms with top-notch cameras and screens to keep things clear and minimize glitches. Often, third-party companies handle installing and setting up that hardware. Just keep in mind that the stability and quality hinge on how good your internet connection is.
Uses of Video Conferencing
If your company has offices in multiple places, you can set up direct video links between them to help teams collaborate better. It's also great for training— an instructor can teach a class remotely from pretty much anywhere. This works in business for upskilling employees, and in education to connect classrooms with distant students.
You can hold regular staff meetings via video, or discuss company updates with shareholders. It's useful for announcing big changes, like a new CEO, or sharing info interactively so everyone can discuss what's on screen. Even hotels and conference centers offer these services in equipped suites or rooms for guests who need them.
Video Conferencing During the 2020-21 COVID-19 Pandemic
Platforms like Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams exploded in use during the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdowns pushed people worldwide to work from home and take classes online. It let professionals meet clients one-on-one, from financial advisors to therapists, tutors, and lawyers. Some court cases and legal proceedings went fully virtual. Doctors and medical pros ramped up telehealth way more than before the pandemic.
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