We at Virtual Sapiens, are in the firm camp of highlighting the many benefits of developing powerful virtual presence and communication skills across an organization.
As the world opens up and we start to plan for hybrid work realities, keeping in mind the new skills which need to be developed, and the new benefits in need of being realized, will be a core strategy for companies who want to lead us into the future.
Outlined below are some of our favorite benefits that can be unlocked by a team of skilled, virtual presence ninjas.
SAVE TIME AND MONEY
The narrative of saving time on both ends of our typical commute is significant with remote work. In a recent poll on Twitter, 100% of the respondents enjoyed the added flexibility that comes with remote work.
From a business travel perspective, video conferencing reduces the need to travel to every client meeting in person. While the time savings for employees and serious financial savings for employers may be obvious, when you factor in the weighted stress of air travel and delays, we open up a higher quality of life for traditionally on-the-road professionals.
We know in-person client meetings will resume to an extent. We also now know that high level video calls are much more personal than phone calls and emails. With increased video communication skills and aptitudes, we can use video to effectively connect with both colleagues and clients to GREAT effect.
EXTEND YOUR REACH AND INFLUENCE
In line with the opportunity of saving time due to the reduction in travel, you increase your chances of finding a convenient time to connect with that important client or colleague oversees.
Consider the client who lives across the country or perhaps the globe. Because you no longer have to deal with the opportunity cost of traveling internationally to meet a new client, you can leverage video meetings and refined video skills to create impact much more effectively. Fun fact, Eric Juan, founder of Zoom, never travels for business meetings – and that was pre-pandemic!
GROW RAPPORT THROUGH VIRTUAL PRESENCE
While many associate the nature of video conferencing as an impersonal experience, this is mostly caused by the users’ lack of experience and skill when it comes to creating a powerful and personal virtual connection. In video settings, more so than in person, we can control what our audience sees. We have a distinct frame of reference – the lens – to which we can orient our gestures, our posture and our background.
In those cases where you are video conferencing in to someone’s home, what cues are you able to pick up on that might help you build an even deeper rapport than if you had met in a stale office or at a coffee shop?
There is real potential waiting for those who invest in real video conferencing know-how. Virtual Sapiens is being built as an empire to empower a hybrid workforce. Reach out with questions or to get an early quote for your team!