Video Conferencing will be deployed by three-quarters of companies within two years, according to a research by CDW.
CDW LLC, a provider of technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare, in its Video Conferencing Straw Poll Report said that half of companies use some form of video conferencing today and another quarter plan to implement the technology within the next two years.
Video conferencing adoption, primarily driven by reduced operating costs, improved decision making and improved communication, will branch out beyond simple peer-to-peer devices into more cutting-edge collaborative video conferencing systems, such as immersive telepresence.
The report is based on two surveys and includes a total of 631 information technology (IT) and telecom managers at U.S. companies, with the goal of understanding drivers behind the three major categories of video conferencing: desktop, multisite meeting rooms and immersive telepresence.
While desktop and multisite meeting rooms are the main video conferencing tools for companies now, IT managers show increasing interest in immersive telepresence. Within the next two years, almost half of those surveyed indicate that they plan to implement immersive telepresence, which uses high-definition, life size images to simulate an in-person meeting, from the experience of entering a conference room to the sensation of being at the same table with users spread across multiple locations.
Companies see video conferencing as a great tool to collaborate remotely while cutting travel costs. Without video conferencing, you had to plan travel and pay all of the associated costs to get quality face-to-face time with a client. Now, at a moment’s notice, you can have the same benefits of that meeting, without any of the travel planning and at a reduced cost over time,” said Christine Holloway, vice president of converged infrastructure solutions at CDW. However, IT managers must still take a few key steps to prepare for a successful implementation.”
According to the survey, 69 percent completed a network assessment for implementing video conferencing, while 66 percent changed or upgraded their IT networks to handle video conferencing. Around 54 percent purchased managed conferencing services, while 44 percent built and manage their own conferencing infrastructures and 32 percent use free conferencing software.
More than half of the respondents who implemented video conferencing track return on investments. Of the companies that track ROI, 62 percent are charting costs saved from trips avoided. In addition to travel costs, there are other aspects of ROI that some companies track including dollars saved from reduced meeting time, dollars saved from reduced downtime, dollars saved from faster time to market and dollars saved from reduced employee turnover, employee productivity, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and supplier relationships.
By TelecomLead.com
