Audio conferences, video conferences and web conferencing
By using audio conferences, video conferences, and web conferencing, individuals and companies can keep in touch with business associates, work colleagues, friends and family members without the need to meet in person. Here, we assess the benefits and key differences between these three means of communication.
Audio conferences
Stay connected on a 24/7 basis with a multitude of different people through a conference call.
Benefits:
- The cheapest, easiest and most convenient way to talk to many different people at the same time.
- Avoids expensive travel costs and removes transit times altogether.
- Multiple people can be involved.
- No need to buy any new technology to get up and running.
- Can connect via computer or telephone.
- Participants may only need to pay for the cost of their own calls.
- Join calls on the go as some companies offer customers a mobile application.
- Record calls and listen again.
- Relevant to firms across all industries.
Video conferences
Interact visually with customers or colleagues anywhere in the world at any time of day or night.
Benefits:
- All the advantages of a face-to-face meeting, only without travel expenses and with improved productivity as no need to leave the office.
- Forge stronger links with clients or other company employees as everyone feels more involved with each other.
- Projects a professional image onto your company.
- Easy to set up and use.
- And easy-to-use and effective method of communication.
- Directly see who you’re talking to and see their body language, emotions and facial expressions.
- Can be used to host presentations or as part of an internal training programme.
- People living abroad or in a remote part of the world can interact visually with friends, family and work colleagues and business acquaintances back home.
- Relevant to firms across all industries.
Web conferencing
Bring people together in an interactive online environment from various locations and deliver a webinar.
Benefits:
- Share audio, video and other files in real time.
- Communicate and develop ideas through virtual whiteboards.
- Easy to set up and integrate into companies of all sizes.
- No specialist equipment is needed other than an Internet connection and even then a low bandwidth can do the job.
- No software download is needed in many cases.
- With the use of Voice over IP (or VoIP) technology, some systems can combine the benefits of an audio conference with those of web conferencing.
- Some systems include features such as texting and full-motion video.
- Relevant to firms across all industries.
