Video conferencing is similar to the popular video phones where you can call anyone around the world and not only talk to them but also see them on your computer or TV screen during the conversation. The difference is that video conferencing is designed to work for larger conferences rather than meet the needs of individual consumers, often using CCTV.

While many companies have embraced this technology as a useful tool, there are advantages and disadvantages to video conferencing that need to be considered before deciding whether or not it will work for your meeting needs.

Advantage

1. Contact anyone you need to contact immediately, no matter what time of day it is for anyone involved. Time differences between states and countries can be ignored without anyone traveling long distances to attend the conference.

2. While a phone call may be enough for two people who need to have a brief conversation, web-based conferencing allows large rooms of people in different locations to interact with each other effectively. Ten business executives in Amsterdam can easily interact with five others in New York and two in Tokyo to create a complete conference that everyone can see and hear perfectly.

3. PowerPoint and other visual presentations can be shared with all conference attendees at the same time, giving the feeling that everyone is in one room and keeping everyone focused and focused.

4. Virtual whiteboards allow people from different places to add their own thoughts or ideas in a collaborative space. This allows everyone to form an action plan or collaborate on a design or slogan instantly.

5. It is possible, with some services, for everyone to access another computer and see what is on that computer’s screen. With more advanced services, a document can even be edited and written directly from other computers connected to the conference. Businesses that require active collaboration in a project form can be greatly improved by this possibility.

Disadvantages

1. The price may be the biggest drawback for some people, but there are very cheap options if you don’t need the most advanced features. Typically, a business that can make good use of the more advanced features often finds that the money it saves by flying customers or employees across the country or world more than makes up for the cost of the service provider. As fuel becomes more of an issue around the world, price becomes less of a disadvantage and more of an advantage.

2. There are some human ways of communicating that don’t translate very well over distance, like eye contact. When you sit in the same room with someone and listen to a speech or presentation, you will make eye contact and they will judge who is paying attention by looking around the room. Much of this contact is not easily delivered via a webcam.

The advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing must be weighed against its purpose and whether you will lose out on anything valuable through this technology that you don’t want to give up.