It can be argued that one of the driving factors of an individual or a group’s success in any competitive environment is their ability and willingness to go the extra mile. Implementing tools that enhance your advertisement, involvement, and productivity will boost your overall power and give you a leg up on others. Now, video conferencing is being used as one of those tools in a variety of different ways. Whether it’s being used in a retail environment to boost sales, in political struggles to garner attention and votes, or in corporate environments as an aid for interviews and meetings, video conferencing has the potential to change the tides in any situation.
One prominent example in recent news is an announcement that United States president Barack Obama will be appearing at Iowa caucuses through a video conferencing setup (Quad-City Times). This move, which reporter Ed Tibbetts suggests will attempt to “steal a little bit of the Republicans’ thunder on caucus night”, stands out as a bold decision for a number of reasons. First, it shows a largely unprecedented means of communication between the president and the public. The article notes that in the 2004 caucuses, President George W. Bush sent surrogates to stand in his place. New technology allows the current president to appear himself and make a bigger impact without being impeded by the troubles related to travel and so forth.
It’s also important because it’s a big statement about how technology and smart moves can affect political competition. Showing up at one of the pivotal caucuses of the primaries is a big move no matter how you do it, but utilizing video conferencing technology to make it happen no matter where you are shows dedication and efficiency. It may not give the public the same intimate feel as it would if he were there in person, but in all likelihood, that’s not a possible scenario – the president is a busy man, after all! Being able to address the public through VC is a step beyond a televised address because it opens up the doors for interaction and questions. No matter what your opinion of the president and his politics may be, it’s undeniable that this decision to embrace video conferencing for political gain is a smart move.
But video conferencing isn’t only helping out on the political front. In a somewhat surprising story out of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, video conferencing is being used to bridge the gap between online shopping and in-store browsing. TelepresenceOptions reports that Friction Surf & Skate is using video conferencing software such as FaceTime to connect remote buyers with a more intimate shopping experience. A sales representative can travel around the store with an operating video conference and advertise various products in-house. It allows for more thorough interaction between retailer and customer and it means that remote buyers can get the full view of the product they’re interested in before making a decision.
Retail locations are always in stiff competition, and when it comes to clothing and similar accessories, it’s especially important that your store provide some sort of good or service that proves you to be the most desirable location. With this innovative new setup, Friction Surf & Skate shows both their dedication to the customers and their awareness of the importance of the online market.
Stories like these further show how the video conferencing industry continues to bloom. Innovations in the application of VC setups continue to benefit the lives of people all over the world.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
http://www.whygo.net/wordpress/video-conferencing-as-the-extra-step-in-competitive-environments/video-conferencing/12/21/2011/
No comments:
Post a Comment