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Virtual Meetings - An Overview
Face-to-Face? Virtual Meeting? Or Both?
We all know that a meeting or event is more effective and rewarding when conducted “face-to-face” with people interacting spontaneously during a discussion that is enhanced with non-verbal language delivered through body language, expressions, and gestures. Better business relationships are developed when face-to-face, making it more likely that better decisions will be made quicker. The results of a virtual meeting, although efficient and cost-effective, are just not as productive.
That said it is also undeniable that improvement in virtual meeting technology and the necessity to cut travel costs have moved virtual conferences and webinars into the mainstream. They are here to stay. The real advantage of this trend occurs when the hybrid approach is used? Videotaping or live webcasting of face-to-face conferences for real-time or on-demand viewing by individuals and groups unable to personally attend increases the size of the overall audience, which is a huge benefit.
What exactly is a virtual meeting or event?
The on-line Encarata Dictionary defines virtual as “being something in practice even if not in reality or not conforming to the generally accepted definition of the term.” In other words, a virtual meeting is one that occurs when two or more people or groups of people are connected remotely for a meeting or event rather than personally attending at one meeting site. The connection of different groups in different locations at the same time is made possible by using high-speed cable, phone lines, satellite or the Internet to transfer images, content and audio beyond the geographic location where the actual event is occurring.
Explanations about the different types of virtual meetings or events can be very confusing because terms describing them are often used interchangeably and inconsistently by event planners as well as those who provide the technical services necessary to produce them. Additionally, the advancement in audio visual and communications technology changes with the “speed of light” so it is extremely difficult for anyone who does not specialize in this field to stay current.
Real-time or on-demand viewing -
All types of virtual meetings can be transmitted in real time (same time that it is being produced live) or recorded for later, on-demand viewing after the program concludes. The type of services you select, however, will determine the cost, the quality of the transmission, and whether the participants will be limited to one-way communication from speakers or performers to the audience or if there will be the capability of two-way interactivity.