Zoom, Go To Meeting, Facetime, even social media apps that allow video calls… All of these platforms have become the ‘new norm’ for socializing post COVID-19.
The sanitation industry was built on in-person, face to face (F2F) communication. Now, with mandatory social distancing guidelines in place, that seems nearly impossible. What can you do to keep that personal touch your business relies on, while still fitting into the new regulations?
Video conference calls may be the thing for you. In this blog, we’ll be discussing the rise of video callings, various platforms you can use, and the positive benefits it can have on your company.
Zoom – How Did it Grow so Fast?
We’re sure you know about Zoom by now. The videoconferencing software company that went public last year is having a moment during the pandemic. Why? Well, there are 2 main reasons. 1 – it’s free to use. 2 – people need human interaction, even if they hate video chatting.
To understand the full scope of how quickly this trend has caught on, take a look at this research from The Washington Post:
Connecting with one another via webcam has become our new ritual now that about 90 percent of Americans are social distancing. Since we can’t physically be together, our early-morning meetings, our happy hour gatherings, our dates, movie nights and even our dance parties now occur on our screens. Sure, video conferencing has been around a long time, but it’s never been so ubiquitous. Zoom was downloaded 600,000 times in one week, and we’re also using Skype, Google Hangouts and many others.
The key is human-powered online communication.
What are Some the Key Benefits of Video Conferencing with Your Customers?
- Communication and Culture – This point goes for employees and customers alike. Today’s workforce prioritizes mobility, flexibility, and modern forms of communication over private offices and seclusion. Bringing remote workers face-to-face with in-office employees can boost productivity on both ends and lower travel costs at the same time. For customers, the effect is the same. Perhaps the customer is used to “seeing” the salesperson or employee – either in the office or on-site. Maybe the customer feels more comfortable buying a product or service if they can see it. Video conferencing can help.
- Increase Communication Reliability – Video conferencing provides a fast and secure way to communicate with your teams and customers. As video continues to evolve into a business-critical function, it’s important to prioritize enterprise-class service reliability and support reliability in your solution.
- Offering a Personalized Experience – Video calling enables customers to receive real-time, personalized customer service on any device, at a time and place of their choice. As customers’ expectations for the quality of their brand interactions increases, businesses that offer support across multiple platforms will have a significant advantage over their competitors.
Does Video Conferencing Help Your Marketing?
Yes. Managing multiple communication channels can be tricky since customers expect to receive the same quality of service, whether they choose to contact you via Facebook Messenger, live webchat, or email. This is where an omnichannel communication strategy can be more beneficial. It enables businesses to streamline the customer experience across both digital and physical channels, which will create a unified view of your brand in the customer’s eyes.
By implementing solutions such as video calling and live web chat, customers can move seamlessly from one contact channel to another without interruption. Being able to escalate an interaction from chat to voice and video can greatly improve the customer experience.
Will Video Replace Human Interaction?
Of course not. Nothing will. That said, always keeping an eye out for solutions that will help your business is vital to your success. As you can see, there are many reasons why video conferencing can be an effective part of your marketing and communications strategy.
Not only is it a great way to communicate with those who work remotely and make sure everyone’s on the same page, but it can also boost morale and help keep your team members engaged during meetings. What more could you want?