Videoconferencing interest soars after Iceland volcano

By Don Sadler

Travel and business disruptions caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption last month had at least one unanticipated impact: a notable rise in the interest in videoconferencing.

Eyenetwork, a videoconferencing services provider, received a 300 percent boost in videoconference inquiries in the days following the eruption that caused thousands of international flight cancellations. Today, Eyenetwork’s bookings remain 30 percent higher than normal, which the company attributes to customers “sticking with the videoconferencing option, which is considerably cheaper than worldwide air travel and also reduces carbon footprints.”

Ashanti Pretlow has found videoconferencing useful for meetings she schedules for international groups. “Rising costs are making travel from international locations to the U.S. less practical for one- or two-day meetings,” says Pretlow, an account manager with Prime Management Services in Birmingham, Ala. The main benefit of videoconferencing is clearly cost-savings, since no airfare, lodging, car rental, taxi or meal is required to participate.

“The financial cost of business travel is massive. It’s the third-largest budget item for many companies,” says Lisa Honan, Eyenetwork’s managing director. “Videoconferencing may offer a high-quality and reliable alternative.” In the wake of the volcano, nearly two-thirds of Eyenetwork’s videoconferencing inquiries were from first-time users, says Honan. “It’s a shame that flights had to be grounded for companies to realize the value of videoconferencing,” says Honan, adding that 65 percent of first-time users said they are considering using videoconferencing again.

Another big benefit of videoconferencing is the impact it has on the environment, or a lack thereof. Business travel accounts for roughly 20 percent of all global air travel emissions, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. “Reducing business travel by a third would reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 120 million tons,” says Honan, “which is roughly equal to the total amount of CO2 emitted by France, Greece and Denmark combined.”

Videoconferencing is becoming increasingly popular for staff and board meetings, brainstorming sessions and job interviews. “These kinds of meetings are usually all about business,” says Pretlow. “Unlike a teleconference, videoconferencing allows participants to feel more like they are part of the discussion, rather than just a voice on the telephone.”

Of course, the big tradeoff with videoconferencing for large events and conferences is that participants are not physically present. “People attend conferences to experience the social as well as the business aspects of the meetings,” says Pretlow. “Videoconferencing cannot provide the social aspects of a live meeting or conference.” However, it’s becoming an option for budget-strapped members to participate in association conferences without incurring travel expenses. “So I see videoconferencing as a supplement to face-to-face conferences and meetings, rather than an eventual replacement.”

Katrina Custer, assistant to the CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers in Washington, D.C., recently helped organize an association event in which some individuals chose to register at the last minute and some international groups couldn’t attend. “By using videoconferencing, we were able to open the event to them even though registration had closed. And it enabled the international people to attend a half-day event here in the U.S. without incurring overseas travel costs,” says Custer.

The association used a videoconferencing service called Instant Presenter, which allowed remote meeting participants to view a slide presentation alongside the live video feed of the session. “During the Q&A, they typed their questions into their screen and I asked them verbally,” Custer says. “And after the meeting was over, we were able to send them a recording of the session.” Like Pretlow, Custer also sees videoconferencing as more of a supplement to face-to-face than a replacement. “A roundtable discussion with 150 people would be hard to do via videoconference, but it might work with 10 people,” she adds.

The size of a meeting or event and the technology requirements often dictate the feasibility and cost of videoconferencing. “Videoconferencing has gotten a lot simpler over the past few years,” says Scott Reagles, production manager and video director for IPG (Initial Production Group). “Most computers today come equipped with a webcam, and low-cost or free videoconferencing software is available online, so a bare-bones videoconference can be conducted for little or no cost.”

Videoconferencing for a large event or conference may require a videoconference service provider, sometimes provided by facilities and venues either in-house or by contract. High-end videoconferences featuring curved screens, a high-quality picture and no voice delays can cost between $10,000 and $20,000, which includes equipment, labor and bandwidth.