Video conferencing: How to make the most of video conferencing

Concerns about the safety of air travel, combined with the reduction of travel and expense budgets and an increase in teleworking and virtual teams, has sparked a wave of interest in remote conference technologies and services.

The meeting-intensive environment of HR, video conferencing - using real-time and video links - offers enormous time and cost-saving benefits if used effectively. Some companies are using video conferencing to conduct preliminary recruitment interviews with potential candidates in far-flung locations, while it is also making inroads into training activities.

The next generation of mobile phones and PDAs with built-in cameras means that video images will become as much a part of our lives as the internet, so career-minded HR professionals will need to be as at ease on video as they are on the telephone.

Starting out

While the technology has been made easier to use, managing a video conference and turning in an impressive performance is a skill that still needs to be learned along with a whole new set of ground rules and etiquette, so training beforehand is critical. Plenty of companies provide user training as part of the installation service.

A traditional complaint of video conferencing was the difficulty of reaching a decision during the meeting, but there is no reason why goals cannot be clarified, strategies discussed or deals sealed so long as all parties are receptive to it and have a clear outcome in mind.

What about the technology?

The cost of ownership has been massively reduced, with entry level systems retailing at £4,000 and offering levels of functionality that once would have cost five times that amount. High-end systems can easily run to six figures, with the most sophisticated set-ups delivering a solution where the images appear life-sized and are configured in a way that it appears everyone is sitting round the same table.

If it is necessary to share information between remote locations, you will also need collaboration tools, such as interactive whiteboards, and be able to send graphics files. Equipment such as this will commonly form part of a boardroom set-up and will need careful choosing.

An increasingly popular, quick and inexpensive route is to conduct the video conference from your desk using the internet, a web cam and the appropriate software. You will need a fast computer and help from IT, as the remote location will need the same set up, and transmitting video and sound data will require firewall compatibility as well as placing extra demand on the corporate network.

Fit for purpose

Make sure the equipment is in working order beforehand and, if you are holding a large-scale event in a room other than your office, access the room a couple of hours before to prepare and test it.

Ready for interaction

The key is to be more prepared than for a normal face-to-face meeting. You cannot exit a video conference to fetch something, leaving the other side staring at a blank screen.

E-mail an agenda along with a list of those attending, their job titles, location and contact details beforehand. As it is impossible to exchange business cards via a video link, appoint a chairperson who will introduce everyone at the start of the conference.

If the conference involves people from different nationalities, choose someone who has the ability to sensitively filter and clarify individual contributions, says Janet Howd, founding director of The Voice Practice. Keep a cap on numbers if possible - it is easier to keep control.

Remember that communicating in a video conference is more drawn out than face-to-face.

Etiquette checklist

There are a list of ground rules if your video conference is to be a success. You can add a code of conduct onto the agenda document, explaining that it is in everyone's interest to adhere to it

- Wear plain clothes - checks or herringbone patterns cause strobing

- Don't interrupt or talk in the background

- Speak clearly and more slowly if you have a strong dialect

- Refrain from irritating habits, such as finger drumming or pen-clicking

- Don't slouch or fidget as you will appear disinterested and unprofessional

- Assume that everyone can see what you are doing at all times.

Where can I get more info?

Books

Smart Video Conferencing: New Habits for Virtual Meetings, Janelle Barlow, Peta Peter and Lewis Barlow, Berrett-Koehler, £10.34, ISBN 1576751929

Breath of Life or Kiss of Death: Your Voice and Your Presentation, Janet Howd, Capriccio Press, £8.99, ISBN 0951483528

If you only do five things...

1 Receive adequate training

2 Have clear goals

3 Check the equipment beforehand

4 Appoint a strong chairman

5 Have a clear agenda and stick to it

Expert's view: Janet Howd on making the most of video conferencing

Janet Howd is the founding director of The Voice Practice and author of Breath of Life or Kiss of Death: Your Voice and Your Presentation.

What is the best way to practice for a video conference?

Make a screen-sized frame out of cardboard and tape it to a mirror at head and shoulder height. Speak into that frame leaning away from it and towards it to get an idea of how you will appear to others. Do this for both sitting and standing positions. If it is the middle of the night, make sure you are up at least an hour before the meeting begins otherwise you will take too long to warm to your topic.

How do you appear and stay attentive?

Switch yourself 'on' as you switch on the camera, and stay on until the conference ends. Consciously breathe evenly and sigh out breath fully from time to time. Listen energetically with a lively face or sit upright on the edge of your seat. Try this: video yourself and speak for 10 minutes. Keep in mind that pronunciation is key to listener comprehension. Speak clearly, deliberately and tone down your accent if necessary. Concentrate on the meaning of what you are saying. Stay alert. The moment your attention wanders, check the time (if you couldn't stay interested in yourself for 10 minutes, how will anyone else?)

How can you gauge the reactions of your audience?

If you can see everyone, there should be few problems. Other-wise, listen for clues. Listen keenly to what you hear. If you are responding to a Q&A session for conference delegates halfway around the world, you may only be able to see those asking the questions. A much larger unseen audience will be attending to your every word and facial expression in close-up and on a very large screen.

How should you manage scheduling when participants are in different time zones?

Ideally, suit the majority. However, schedules are usually planned to fit the comfort zone of the most important participant or participating organisation. Others just have to fit in. A keynote address and other self-contained contributions can be pre-recorded.