Has Videoconferencing Replaced The Need For Real-Life Meetings?

Fewer people are travelling to business meetings – videocommunication software like Skype and BlueJeans has made it possible to hold conferences without either party having to travel outside their office. Not only is this a cheaper way to conduct meetings, it’s also time-efficient and you don’t have to spend hours travelling back and forth.

New technology is moving video conferencing forwards to make it even more efficient. Internet connections is continuously improving and fewer people now have to deal with the lagginess and connection cutouts that early videoconferences suffered from. The likes of this Webex sound detection upgrade in 2017 meanwhile has made it possible to cancel out background noises so that conversations are clearer than real life conversations.

Other applications have been found for videocommunication too. When conducting job interviews, it can benefit the company and the applicant – the applicant doesn’t need to spend money travelling and the company can more easily hire remote workers. Webinars meanwhile are web-based seminars that can be used to teach people skills via this medium whether it’s learning guitar or accountancy skills. Estate agents such as Bulgarian Properties are even using videocommunication on their smartphone to give people virtual guided tours of properties without the buyers even having to visit these properties.

As videoconferencing becomes more popular it begs the question – is there still a need for real life business meetings? Are meetings in conference halls and lecture theatres a thing of the past? Is there any need for people to even travel on business terms?

Whilst videoconferencing has it’s uses, it’s unlikely it will ever fully replace in-person meetings and that’s because you can never make a virtual conference fully interactive.

Whilst apps can now allow you to sign contracts remotely and edit documents, it doesn’t give you the opportunity to test out physical products or give someone an experience.

This is why many people are still eager to travel to meetings – the experience. When it comes to trying to make a high-value sale with an important client, being able to offer them a memorable experience can help to make your company more memorable. The opportunity to travel may even give some potential clients an incentive to attend your conference.

Many hotels such as Courtyard Montreal Airport have conference rooms for this reason – because they’re still popular for business meetings. They get people out of the four walls of the office and offer the sense of adventure that many people want in their working lives.

You can use an impressive setting to make an impression, use incentives such as food and drink and give away physical reminders such as business cards or branded items at real-life conferences. All of this can have more of a lasting impact than a virtual meeting and is likely to keep real-life meetings alive.