High and Low Cost of Video Conferencing
Your organization’s continued success relies on good communication, both internally and externally. Good communication has always been a foundation for success, and the digital revolution has given us even more, and more advanced, tools to accomplish it. From VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to video conferencing to enterprise level social collaboration tools, organizations have more ways to build strong connections than ever before. Of course, with more varied options come more complex decision-making in regards to which of these tools to use.
Once, video conferencing was seen as an impressively futuristic means of communication—but it was also one which was plagued by usability problems, bugs, and high costs. Today, however, video conferencing is a cost effective, efficient, and helpful way to communicate face to face, especially over long distances. The need for business trips and even cross-town meetings has been dramatically reduced thanks to this impressive technology. It’s important for organizations to choose the video conferencing services and vendors that suit their needs, in order to improve communication and cooperation to support future success.
Low Cost Video Conferencing
There are many low cost video conferencing services today—in fact, many are even free. Video conferencing is no longer out of the reach of small businesses and even self-employed contractors. Cloud-based systems are often very cost effective, eliminating the need for expensive equipment investments and intensive in-house monitoring and maintenance.
Furthermore, there are so many different providers and options available that the small business owner, or the organization with very simple or limited video conferencing needs, can easily tailor their system to get exactly the features they want. That means paying for only the features they want. If the only necessary tool aside from voice, video, and text chat is a simple file sharing system, that can be easily arranged.
High Cost Video Conferencing
As an organization grows, its needs become more complex. There are more moving parts, a greater need for agility and flexibility in collaboration, and an increased need for reliability and the ability to integrate with other systems. All of these needs can lead larger enterprises to opt for a higher cost video conferencing option. These higher cost options come with other benefits as well.
Many offer HD video conferencing, which may not be necessary for some organizations, but which can be instrumental in providing users with vital information in certain situations. An organization that deals with medical or technical specifications, for example, may find HD video conferencing an ideal way to quickly share information during meetings and discussions, without having to switch to static images mid-conversation. HD video conferencing is still considerably pricier than standard resolution video conferencing, but the quality has continued to improve and prices are continuing to become more affordable.
Higher cost systems also provide more flexibility in the platforms they are compatible with (and more reliability in connecting between different platforms). For example, certain providers will offer not only a desktop solution, but also one that is compatible with iOS and Android as well. This allows users in the office, those working remotely, and collaborators in the field to connect easily and efficiently.
Conclusion
We are very lucky to be living in a time when communication needs can be met by such a variety of consistently high quality solutions. Dependability and performance are held to high standards by reputable providers of low cost and high cost video conferencing services alike today. Choosing the right system is simply a matter of understanding the needs of your organization and the options and features available from different providers.
This can be a little overwhelming due to the explosion of vendors, but the process of making the right choice for your organization can be simplified by referencing unbiased, third party consultants and guides that help you compare costs and features in an organized manner. That’s why we offer a video conferencing guide that helps you gather information on dozens of different providers.
