By Ian Ferguson
As we continue to explore avenues for increasing productivity and efficiency, The Chamber Voice shifts its focus to how technology can aid this process. We live in a highly technological age where businesses rely heavily on their ability to communicate globally in an instant. E-mail and text message communication, online meetings and training have become the order of the day in most Fortune 100 companies.
Our Bahamian business community is perhaps somewhat challenged in being able to keep pace with shifting trends and technological advances but, as many are discovering, it is impossible to compete globally without a strong Internet presence.
Before the arrival of broadband Internet access, business trips were the norm. Employees all over the world travelled in order to meet with colleagues and clients, losing enormous amounts of time at airports in the process. Today, while business trips are still common, many companies are choosing to meet online instead, as there are numerous advanced web conferencing tools that help make employees feel like they are all together in the conference room, regardless of how far away they might be from each other.
Today, we hope to encourage you to consider one powerful tool that will enhance productivity, improve communication and ultimately strengthen your brand. Here are a few reasons to implement a web conferencing programme for your company:
It saves time - Without having to travel or drive to another location, employees can spend their working hours being productive, meaning that more work will get done in less time than before.
Technology makes it possible for workers to get in touch with people all over the world almost instantly, automatically improving worker efficiency.
It saves money - The price of travelling and fuel continues to increase, and an employee’s constant movement can become quite costly for the struggling business. Add to that the cost of meals and accommodation, and companies are left with a hefty bill for a single employee to attend a meeting or training experience. On the other hand, web conferencing services are often offered as free.
This is especially important when the economy is struggling and companies need to save every penny in order to keep their employees.
It enables employees to meet at any time - Even though workers might not be face-to-face in an online meeting, they still help with team building, since web conferences can happen more often.
In fact, web and video conferencing is so flexible that it can happen at any time and from anywhere, as long as those involved have the technical provisions. This ability to speak to anyone from the company at any time helps dispersed employees feel like they’re part of a tight knit group, improving team morale and results.
Companies can also use web conferencing to communicate with their employees on a regular basis, creating a sense of transparency within the organisation. In an archipelagic nation, this can prove quite useful for government agencies and other companies with business interests in the Family Islands.
It helps improve client relationships - Web conferencing helps companies keep in touch with clients on a more regular basis. Online meetings can also be more interactive and interesting than phone calls, as it’s possible to share slides, videos and even desktop screens.
This means that employees can not only explain the progress of a project, but they can demonstrate it as well. This helps client relationships become closer and more transparent.
NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having worked in both the public and private sector locally and regionally providing interventions and solutions for promoting business and service excellence. He was educated at the College of the Bahamas, the University of the West Indies, St. Johns University and holds a Masters of Science Degree from the University of Miami.
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