Will Travel Costs Open Up Virtual Meeting Rooms?

Videoconferencing looks set to increase rapidly as a way to conduct long distance business.

The technology has been around in one form or another for sometime, but it has failed to really take hold in perhaps the way that could have been expected.

Major companies are now having to deal with carbon footprint goals and flying is not very helpful in that area.

In addition the cost of land and air travel has made a very large jump over the last eighteen months.

The World Travel & Tourism Council says Japanese companies spend $64 billion on travel, while in the US it is far higher at $179 billion and rising.

The solution for much of this expense would be to stay at the home office and talk using a videoconferencing system.

The latest push for adoption of such facilities comes from NetStairs.com, who have joined forces with HEXA-2 in what they believe is the ultimate in stay at home business travel, Virtual Board Room Live (VBRL)

Clients can meet in “public” or in private rooms, and the video conversations are available anywhere.

It is very practical to conduct board meetings or sales conferences or other kinds of multi person meetings without everyone having to gather at one location.

HEXA-2 has many options, with a “lobby” area where everyone can meet and different individuals can be invited to join a meeting.

Some may have full access, while others may be able to see and hear but not join in. They could be asked to join in later, making the system ideal for a gathering such as an annual general meeting.

It is yet to be seen if the costs of travel will be enough to prompt companies to move more vigorously into the virtual meeting room.