Videoconferencing vs. Telephone Conferencing: Which Is the Best Way to Work with a Remote Team?

Geographically dispersed employees are increasingly common in today’s workplaces. Perhaps you have offices in multiple locations or you have a group of telecommuters that you manage. There are many different challenges that come with supervising employees in multiple locations and time zones, one of the most prominent of them being communication.

At one point in time, telephone conferencing was the preferred method of communication for people in two or more locations. By pressing just a few buttons, team members could connect and converse across multiple locations. While audio conferencing is convenient and cost-effective, it also has some flaws—namely a lack of visual aids that make it easier to focus on the conversation. Then came videoconferencing, which utilizes not only audioconferencing but also a video component that allows people to connect visually. This helps to eliminate confusion and ensure that the nuances of communication don’t get missed.

Videoconferencing provides two-way audio and video communication in real-time between two or more locations. Videoconferencing requires that users at each end of the conversation have specialized equipment. Web conferencing also provides live audio and video communication between two or more locations. It just requires users to connect to the conference via the Internet and/or telephone. Below are some of the benefits of using videoconferencing and web conferencing.

Improve Communication 

Videoconferencing makes it feel like everyone is together in the same room. It provides visual cues that improve long distance communication. This is important since non-verbal communication represents about two thirds of all communication. Video sessions help to decrease issues with miscommunication because they allow for the unspoken elements of communication.

Enhance Productivity

Meetings conducted via videoconferencing are often shorter and more efficient. Because videoconferencing allows you to share documents and collaborate more effectively as a group, it helps to increase productivity.

Use Visual Aids 

Visual aids make it easier for meeting attendees to stay focused on the subject of the meeting. Slideshows and whiteboards can be used to keep people’s interest and create a more engaging presentation during a videoconference.

Why Videoconferencing is Beneficial for Working with Remote Teams 

Remote teams frequently find that videoconferencing helps them better connect with one another because it is the closest thing to being face to face. Doing regular videoconferences with your remote employees can help to make them feel like a part of the team.

In their early days, videoconferences were plagued by poor audio and video quality, but nowadays, state-of-the-art videoconferencing technology allows you to have high video quality and clear audio. Resource booking systems like Resource Central allow you to book videoconferences in your Outlook^® calendar and order any additional equipment or services that you need. Users also have the ability to get a quick overview of available meeting rooms and determine which equipment the meeting rooms already have.

Want to learn more about how Resource Central can help you plan and book videoconferences and meetings with ease? Sign up for a free trial or free online demo today!