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Making video collaboration ubiquitous

Joanne Carew
By Joanne Carew, ITWeb Cape-based contributor.
Johannesburg, 17 Jul 2013

Kathea VISCOM Event 2013

Kathea, a distributor of video communications solutions, will be hosting its VISCOM 2013 event on 16 July 2013 at Summer Place, Johannesburg. Keep an eye out for the latest news and technology updates released by Kathea. To register for this event, click here.

Only once making a video call is as simple as making a phone call will more people adopt this technology.

"It shouldn't matter what device or network you are using; it should not be complicated to make a video call," said Gary Rider, president of Polycom EMEA, during the keynote address at VISCOM 2013 yesterday.

Video collaboration has become the new standard of collaboration, and those who do not embrace this trend run the risk of being left behind. "While the cost benefits of implementing a video conferencing (VC) solution are obvious, VC and unified communications (UC) have brought about productivity gains, and the effectiveness of conference calls have become more and more important as companies strive to make quick decisions."

During his address, Rider also noted the importance of interoperability when it comes to video collaboration solutions, stressing that this is high on the agenda of companies striving to avoid video conferencing pitfalls.

According to Rider, there are several drivers of visual communication collaboration in the market. He described the proliferation of mobile devices as a key differentiator today, adding that network readiness, a rise in cloud services and an increasingly socially connected workforce are also encouraging the movement towards VC and UC. "Younger generations moving into the workforce want to be connected, and they want video connections."

According to a study by Polycom and Wainhouse Research, the top benefits of video collaboration are increased efficiency and productivity. "As workforces become more mobile, video helps remote workers feel more connected to their colleagues."

Seventy-one percent of the surveyed individuals said they want to use video collaboration to meet with customers and partners, and 87% said it reduced costs.

A consistent experience across a variety of devices is essential, Rider concluded. "The key to realising these benefits is for video collaboration to be easy, and only when we achieve this simplicity will it be adopted on a far greater level."

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