• by Nick Balletta , January 3, 2012

As technology continues to evolve and the number of communication channels increases, there are countless ways to reach your customers. However, more emphasis is being placed on online video communication to drive customer interaction, increase sales and maximize efficiency.

Although businesses are more receptive to the use of video and streaming media, there can be hesitation associated with implementation. Will online video communication be comparable enough to face-to-face meetings? Will a virtual event be as engaging to my clients? How can I ensure that my corporate training program will be successfully completed?

If you are contemplating online video communication to help enhance customer engagement, here are a few benefits to consider:

Broader audience reach

Online video provides an increased flexibility of viewing that traditional meetings, conferences and training do not. Video communication can be held live or on-demand so attendees can participate at their convenience, from any location around the globe. This helps ensure you have a great attendance rate without the scheduling hassle.

Maximize efficiency

Since business video allows viewers to access meetings from any location, at any given time, employees do not have to disrupt their office schedule to travel for face-to-face communication. This saves time and helps accelerate decision-making, while maintaining the collaborative aspects of in-person meetings that traditional conference calls often prohibit.

In addition, video communication helps prevent, or at least reduce, the number of misunderstandings that can occur with simple voice communication. This can be especially helpful when conducting business with companies/clients abroad where cultural inferences are highly important.

Reduce costs

Business travel doesn’t simply consist of a plane/train ticket or cost of gas. When you include hotel stays, car rentals and meal expenses, a travel budget can be quickly exceeded. Plus, time on the road is time and money that could be spent developing new products, meeting with more clients and tending to more urgent client requests in the office. Online video communication helps businesses save money without sacrificing face-to-face engagement with their customers.

Client experience

By offering video as a communication forum for your clients, you are providing them another means to conduct business. This shows that you respect their busy schedules, but that you want to sustain the interactivity that comes with face-to-face meetings and/or bring an engaging, cooperative experience to the “virtual” table. Online video communication also transcends traditional phone customer service offerings and demonstrates to your clients that maintaining clear, consistent interaction is of the utmost importance to you and your organization.

While no communication method can solely replace face-to-face interaction, online video provides a great alternative. Video communication offers an additional opportunity to better serve clients, which provides more chances to gain customer feedback, enhance product innovation, maintain loyal customer relationships, and in turn, increase sales.