How video conferencing can open new markets

Videoconferencing is going away from point to point. “It’s now more video streaming. It’s a content-based product, so you can archive the video call,” he says.

“It’s ideal for education, training and public announcements. Managers can make an announcement, or let staff know what’s happening. They can record a message and put it on the website. It can be a public or private (distribution/viewing),” Morgan says.

Recruitment is another industry where there is interest. “Recruitment is expensive. Candidates can come in for two, three interviews. A candidate may be in Perth, and recruiters in Sydney can see a photo and talk on the phone, but that’s not good enough – they can’t see the body language,” Morgan says.

eVideo Communications also offers its clients tips on branding, such as using logos in the background, how to light the space, and how to speak for a videoconference call.

In the past, videoconferencing was mainly about saving travel costs, agrees Michael Chetner, Polycom country manager in Australia and New Zealand. “It’s now about being more productive, doing better than the competition, and bringing a product to market in less time. The whole supply customer relationship communication will grow.”

Chetner says the mining and manufacturing industries are areas of growth for videoconferencing sales. The technology is useful for managing international operations in remote, difficult to reach or dangerous locations.

“The manufacturing industry needs to be much smarter in bringing products to market,” Chetner says. “Most suppliers are based in Asia. Sourcing material from Asia using videoconferencing means there is no timeline to send product for people to inspect – they can share it on high definition video, which cuts time to market.”

The mining and manufacturing industries want to speak to suppliers and customers in the Asia Pacific region, especially India, China and Japan, he says.

One manufacturing customer, Exego, a reseller and supplier of automotive parts and accessories, uses Polycom HDX 8000 units, Polycom HDX 4000 personal telepresence units and Polycom soft clients for employees ranging from directors to front-line staff. Videoconferencing is used for executive meetings to training sessions, product demonstrations and customer interviews, and the system has expanded from five users to over 300 today.

Remote diagnosis over video is another important application. “A doctor taking a case can have a conference call with a specialist. Before, a patient could drive six hours to a hospital and wait another four to see someone. Videoconferencing prevents a lot of unnecessary mucking around,” says Ashlee Ball, sales manager at Fast Track Communications.