We have managed to cut our sales team's road travel by seven days each month by
using the online collaboration services of web conferencing technology firm WebEx. The service has allowed staff to hold up
to five "virtual" meetings in one day, compared with two face-to face meetings
previously. And they can stage global, online sales events for up to 90 people.
Video conferencing has been around since the 1990s and was hailed by many as the
answer to needless business travel but some people believe that staff always
want to meet face-to-face.
Web-Ex disputes this. Of 2,240 adults surveyed for its
research this year, it said one-third felt face-to-face business meetings were
both unnecessary and counter-productive. What was less clear, however, was
whether they wanted to do away with the meetings altogether or use video
conferencing.