In today's world, digitization plays an enormously important role. For several years now, video conferencing has established itself as a particularly important form of exchange for many companies. Recent events have also ensured that most employees in the home office have been confronted with new challenges. People now hold videoconferences (also called online meetings, video calls, video calls, etc.) almost as regularly as they write e-mails and talk to their colleagues on the phone.
And why not? After all, video conferences offer many advantages for companies, especially in an international context. However, there are still some dangers and pitfalls that are best avoided. We at SWISSTEACH will explain the relevance of video conferencing for companies and show you a few tips and tricks to make you look especially professional during an online meeting. With our help, you will also make a convincing and confident impression in front of the camera!
WHERE TO GO?
Table of contents
WHY VIDEOCONFERENCING IS SO IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESSES TODAY
There can be many different reasons why video conferencing is relevant for your company. We want to show you what advantages video conferencing has in store for you and your employees and why it is so important, even outside of times of a pandemic.
Create a sense of belonging.
Video conferencing creates an internal opportunity for your company to hold meetings with an entire team quickly and easily. This allows you to bring all of your employees together in a variety of locations, reinforcing a sense of connectedness. Suddenly, it doesn't matter so much how far away employees are - at that moment, everyone is in the same virtual space.
Video conferencing for a trusting interaction.
Compared to a telephone call, a video conference has the advantage that you can look your conversation partner in the face, see his smile and react to his body language. This has the advantage that you get to know your counterpart on a completely different level. The interaction is less stressful and you are less insecure because you see the other person's direct reaction. This creates trust and also commitment - especially in the context of customers and prospects.
Visuality as an important factor in video conferencing.
Humans store visual information much better than acoustic information. Video conferencing makes it possible to see non-verbal signals in the form of gestures, body language and facial expressions. This means that you absorb what is said much better during video conferences and more is retained afterwards. In this respect, the video conference is much more sustainable than a pure telephone conversation on the audio track.
Increase productivity with video conferencing.
People are confronted with far fewer distractions in a real conversation than in a telephone call, during which, for example, people like to read e-mails on the side. In a video conference, on the other hand, almost the same rules of conduct apply as in a face-to-face meeting. You maintain eye contact with your counterpart, which makes it easier to concentrate on the conversation and respond directly to the other person's needs.
Save time and travel costs with video conferencing for your company.
A face-to-face meeting with all employees involved in a project often leads to large expenses for the company because the participants have to travel and be fed. If you are also active internationally, flight costs and the like must also be taken into account. Therefore, it often happened in the past that employees got on the train or plane early in the morning, only to be on the road all day for a meeting of only two hours. The time that all participants need for the journey cannot be invested in the actual tasks and this is not always goal-oriented. This is where video conferencing offers your company the advantage that all employees can meet virtually, easily, quickly and as often as they like, and discuss everything that is important.
Take advantage of the additional functions of video conferencing.
Today's technology has already come so far that a video conference can offer your company even more functions. Presentations can be shared, surveys can be set up, and documents can be collaborated on. A conversation immediately becomes much more sustainable and all participants feel involved in the conversation.
Video conferencing convinces with spontaneity and effectiveness.
Once both participants have logged on to conferencing software, a face-to-face meeting is just a click away. The conversation is immediately directed to the important issues, saving everyone a lot of time that can then be invested in exchanging ideas and solving problems.
WHAT ARE THE CASES AND DANGERS TO EXPECT IN VIDEO CONFERENCES FOR COMPANIES?
However, when working in a home office and especially in videoconferences, there are also some traps lurking that each of us has surely encountered at some point. Here is an overview of the most important dangers that you can expect when working in video conferences in case of doubt:
You feel unobserved.
Especially during your first video conferences, it's quite a change from telephone calls to virtual meetings with sound and images. It can quickly happen that you feel unobserved and do things that the other person shouldn't notice, such as picking your nose.
Don't forget to turn on the microphone.
As with the danger with the camera, a microphone that is turned on can also become a trap if you forget to set it to "mute." Without you being aware of it, the other participants in the video conference will hear things that are also not meant for them. In the worst case, this can be embarrassing or even make your company look unprofessional. Especially in a videoconference with a customer or prospect, this can have negative effects that could easily be avoided...
Family members appear in the background.
In an external video conference, it can be very disturbing for you and your counterpart if your half-naked partner or romping children suddenly run through the picture. Depending on the situation, this can be uncomfortable for you, distract from the current conversation, and also look unprofessional.
Pets sneak through the picture.
But it's not just human family members that cause distractions during video conferences with images and sound. Imagine that just as you're about to bring the winning argument to the table in a video conference on behalf of your company, your cat suddenly runs across the keyboard and loudly demands your full attention. This can also seem unprofessional to your conversation partner and interrupt the conversation, or distract from the actual topic.
There are private pictures and objects on the wall in the background.
Not only our face is visible to the conversation partner during a video conference. Without us noticing, the background is also perceived by our counterpart. What you have on a shelf behind you or which pictures on the wall are visible to the other person can possibly influence your professional impression.
Your screen is cluttered or you share the wrong one.
If you share your screen with the other participants in the conversation, it can quickly happen that they get a view of a file that is not intended for their eyes. If your screen is also cluttered, it can create a disorganized impression on your part with the people you're talking to.
In order to represent your company well, it is also important to pay attention to a professional appearance in the home office and to avoid these pitfalls. At Swissteach, we show you how to appear respectable even in virtual meetings and make a positive impression for your company in video conferences.
WITH SWISSTEACH´S E-LEARNING, VIDEO CONFERENCES WILL BE A SUCCESS FOR YOUR BUSNIESS
With our e-learning "Video Conferencing" you no longer have to worry about an unprofessional appearance in video conferences for your company. Here you will find all the dangers and, above all, solutions in a nutshell. And best of all, with only a little effort you can efficiently train your employees and adequately prepare them for the next important videoconference for your company. Learn how to present yourself professionally, avoid lurking pitfalls and come across convincingly, so that video conferences are a success for your company. The e-learning is part of our Swissteach KNOWLEDGE PACKAGE, to which you have unlimited access thanks to our flat rate. You will also learn how to strengthen your company's IT security, how to work effectively in a home office and much more.
KNOW WITH US WHAT IT TAKES TO VIDEO CONFERENCES FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Thanks to digitalization, video conferencing already plays an important role for companies and is likely to become a major part of everyday working life in the future. With our many years of experience, we know exactly how to convey the right knowledge with online training so that it is sustainably anchored in your employees. With our expertise, every video conference will soon be a complete success for your company. Would you also like to use our knowledge package and benefit from short, sustainable e-learnings? Would you like to receive advice or do you have any other questions? Then contact us today and send us an INQUIRY. We will be happy to help you with video conferencing for companies and many other topics!
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