Managers need not travel for Business
In this world of advancement in technology we have reached a stage where we can communicate instantly. Advancements in communication technology with the developments in IT sector have led to a tremendous growth in virtual reality.
As a matter of fact most of the IT systems are replacing traditional practices like maintaining large documents in offices. Everything is computerized
But even today a lot of companies expect their managers to travel for Business meetings. Some of these meeting have an agenda of review of work which actually could be done through video conferences.
Let us first understand why Business travels are being made. * Enjoyment - Many people love to travel and given enough time and resources, they would travel more. Enjoyment and the experience of being in another place are enough. * Keeping up with the trend - Behind the serious motive and purpose of business travel is the need to upgrade and keep up with the latest trends. And sometimes, by vacationing at a tourist spot can achieve just that. * Update information - Business meetings wherever it may be conducted also implies the exchange of information and business trends. When surrounded by contemporaries and colleagues, a businessperson can assess other possible ventures. * Achieving goals - Business is business. And as the saying goes, there is always a purpose for everything. And the fundamental purpose of a business meeting is either to impress a client or close a deal. These are goals that will prosper the company once achieved.
The disadvantages of business travel
There are many advantages to business travel – which is essentially seeking new business, winning new business and maintaining business relationships. However there are disadvantages to consider: * Business travel costs money - Roundtrip tickets, hotel accommodation, meals and reservations; these are the common expenditures of executives out on a business trip. While these expenses do not come cheap, business travel also lasts for a couple of days. * Business travel means unproductive time - Instead of interacting with colleagues, supervising his staff or taking a day off, a businessperson is instead either driving a few miles to meet a client or on board a plane. * Face to face meetings delay schedules - To see each other at a common and agreeable time is one reason why people are forced to set off and meet somebody in person (wherever they are). And that costs precious time. One has to reconcile his schedule or go off his way just to be on time in the meeting. * Business travel can be stressful- Research for Microsoft shows two-thirds of 600 survey respondents would rather spend time in a dentist's chair than take their next business trip. 40% said that "the stress of business travel has a negative impact on my family". * Business travel increases workload - Any worker knows that time off from the office desk even for a day or two would leave them with piles and stacks of paperwork to return to. A business trip also means a lot of work to catch up on upon your return. * Long-distance air travel isn't good for you-BUPA's fact sheet on jet lag confirms that it causes fatigue, memory loss and irritability * It takes time to recover from long-distance air travel-A study of frequent US air travellers found that after a business trip, half needed up to two days to catch up on work, recover physically and get their personal lives back in order (Reference: Kensington Technology Group. "New study finds business travellers less productive long after return to the office". 17 September 2003). * Business travel isn't good for the environment- A lot of fuel is burnt and it results in air pollution thus affecting every other aspect of environment. * You may have to report your business travel perhaps your business travel record isn't exemplary. Perhaps it has gone up. However if you are a large organization you are now rather compelled to report the extent of your business travel in your Corporate Social Responsibility Report
The meeting can be conducted face to face or perhaps ‘Teleconferencing’ would be more convenient and practical while relieving one of the stresses of long travel.
Some features are:
1. Significant Travel Savings
The constant climb of air travel prices barely seems like news anymore, and smart organizations are finding alternatives. Not only is video conferencing a direct replacement for many in-person business trips, but because there is virtually no cost to add additional key employees to a virtual meeting, you can easily bring the right team together.
2. Improved Communication
Video conferencing restores many visual cues necessary in long distance communication. Social psychologist Ray Birdwhistell demonstrated years ago that non-verbal communication constitutes about two-thirds of the communication between people. For example, eye contact enables us to ‘get’ a message from a speaker that voice communication alone may not successfully convey, creating essential social bonds and shared understandings. Audio conferencing and e-mail lose these non-verbal cues.
3. Increased Productivity
Everyone has experienced the classic never ending “conference call from hell,” and video conferencing all but eliminates those problems, even from large group calls. Important meetings are shorter and more effective. Video conferencing users report saving a minimum of two hours a week with the technology. The interactivity of group collaboration and document sharing greatly increases productivity.
4. Conferencing Quality
All of the pros and cons of video conferencing hinge on quality. Early versions of video conferencing quality had uneven clarity of the audio and video broadcast. Today, these problem still remain for low-end and consumer systems. However, state-of-the-art technology now delivers excellent, reliable audio and video quality, making this one-time disadvantage one of perception, not reality.
Disadvantages
1.Technical Problems
The major disadvantages are the technical difficulties associated with smooth transmissions that could result from software, hardware or network failure. Remote connections are sometimes known to be hampered by environmental changes. On some occasions, the absence of technical support personnel creates difficulty for participants who are unfamiliar with the videoconferencing technological concepts.
2. High Cost of Setup
Setting up video conferencing in an office can be a bit expensive for small-sized companies. Simple features can fit into the budget, but if advanced features are required, then a substantial amount of expenditure must be done.
3. Lack of Personal Interaction
Another major drawback is the lack of personal interaction, that sets the tone for many business meetings in highly cultural societies. A handshake and an eye contact are essential aspects of many business meetings. Some meetings require a personal touch to be successful |
Some cost benefits that we can achieve:
A trip from Mumbai to Delhi
1) Air Fare(to and fro)=8000 2) Hotel Rent=4000/day 3) Car Rent=2000/day
Total expenses=14000 for 1 round trip
In flight time= 2+2=4hrs
Reporting time for flights=1+1=2hrs
Miscellaneous time=3 hrs
In contrary:
1 hour teleconference meeting will take a preparation time of maximum 2 hours.
Therefore total time spent=3 hours
Thus by video conferencing we can cut on costs which is very important for any firm.
Thus business and travel has a long-standing relationship and it all goes down to the person's preference. Thanks to technology, anyone can now conduct meetings without having to leave the workplace. Through a dependable office product interactive presentation using powerful and convenient receiver kits, one can now conduct business meetings wherever they may be around the globe. Now, businessmen will no longer have to put on business suits or book air travel in order to hold a meeting. 