It has been suggested that video (rather a lack of video/television appearance) costed Nixon the election back in 1960. At the time, people didn’t realize or understand the visual impact of the new medium: television. The visuals that video provide help establish a “connection” between between people. And it doesn’t just impact politicians and their campaigns, it also impacts business professionals and productive meetings; especially when it comes to first-time introductions.
Video conferencing is a frequently used tool for making initial introductions between two businesses or two parties that are not in geographical proximity. It “connects” multiple parties from anywhere in the world, allows them to share information and knowledge, and gives them the ability to “meet” regardless of their physical location. But this also means that in many cases, first impressions are developed over video conferencing.
We all know that first impressions matter…this cannot be denied. Therefore, the goal of any business professional is to give a good first impression. When things go wrong with video conferencing (which they frequently do), this negatively impacts first impressions. Distortions and delays that are caused by technology glitches are far too often perceived as flaws in the person, or business, rather than flaws in the technology.
Additionally, these video conferencing glitches can be frustrating for the viewers. One of the most frustrating glitches during video conferencing occurs when the audio does not visually match the speaker’s lips. This is not something that goes unnoticed; it becomes the elephant in the room, and everyone deals with the frustration internally and silently…until it becomes so bad and so frustrating that it can no longer be ignored. At this point, everyone begins to scramble, trying to troubleshoot the dilemma, and not giving their undivided attention to the others on the screen.
At this point, it is both parties of the meeting that are negatively affected by call. Research, presented in The Media Equation: How People Treat Computers, Television and New Media Like Real People and Places, shows that out-of-sync lips makes people come across as being less trustworthy and less believable. Again, this is not an impression one wants to give when conducting business.
If poor impressions aren’t enough as it is, problems with video conferencing can result in delayed meetings and unproductive collaboration. So much time and energy is put towards solving technical problems, that an hour-long meeting turns into 40 minutes.
Despite all of these problems with video conferencing, we cannot simply do away with it. Doing this, would be just like Nixon not making his appearance on TV. Instead, businesses should explore new and more productive alternatives.
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It is estimated that a whopping 11 million official business meetings take place in the United States on a daily basis. That translates to 2.6 billion meetings per year. Therefore it is not surprising that almost all companies – from new fledgling start-ups to gigantic conglomerates – run on meetings. And meetings run on presentations!
Presentations determine the way we work, the way we understand our business, the way we analyze the business, the outcome, the planning, and so much more. Presentations are the centerpiece of meetings. A tedious, uninformative presentation can ruin your day; a great one can make your week. However, statistics also reveal that on average, out of the 62 monthly meetings that are attended by an employee, the employee spends 31 meeting hours unproductively. That means the economy loses $37 billion to unproductive meeting hours.
On average, employees spend 15% of their time attending meetings. For mid-level managers, the figure rises to 35%.
Yet statistics reveal that these meetings are not as efficient as they should be nor are they as productive or cost-efficient. This clearly goes to show that while plenty of meetings are taking place, they are not smart meetings
Here are some of the reasons that make meetings unproductive:
Cables on the Table
Conventional meeting rooms use cables to connect computers, laptops, and other devices for presentations. However, ensuring that all meeting attendees can view the same material becomes increasingly cumbersome, especially, for remote attendees attending meetings from other locations. Finding cables for HDMI / HDMI Mini / USB / Micro outputs, and getting them to work also proves to be a difficult task.
BYOD – Bring your own device
The concept of BYOD was first coined by Intel. With more and more employees getting their own devices, the problem of supporting different systems, different hardware, connectivity ports, etc. emerges. This slows down meetings, makes them ineffective, and pose a threat to the company’s security too.
Inefficient meeting rooms
Conventional meeting rooms make the job of the presenter tough. As it is, not everyone is good at presentations, and then to ensure that the connectivity cables work, connected devices work properly, that every member present can view the material properly, displays are uniform, the software is compatible, etc. prove to be additional hindrances.
Changing conference room technology and cost-effectiveness.
Conventional meeting room systems do not adapt to changing technology, rendering them ineffective and eventually increasing costs to make them adaptable to newer and constantly changing technology.
The antidote for these shortcomings is simple: wireless presentation systems.
Wireless presentation systems enable better meetings. Here’s how:
• Wireless presentation systems and meeting room software enable hassle free connectivity. All devices in the meeting room can connect to the main display, allowing wireless transmission of data, eliminating the need for printing copies, moving laptops and phones around the room so that all attendees can get a look, or send heavy presentation files via e-mail.
• With the advent of smartphones, wireless presentation systems make it easy to use different platforms like Windows, MAC, Android and iOS.
• Anyone can connect to the wireless system from anywhere, making meetings and presentations seamless and multi-user collaborative. Your meetings become more interactive, enabling a seamless presentation, as other participants can simultaneously share and present data from their devices.
• Training becomes easier, more interactive, and covers a wider range as users can log into the system from anywhere.
• Organizations and their meeting rooms are able to keep up with changing technology, as the wireless presentation system can adapt to newer AV technology.
In short, wireless presentation systems are more cost-effective, more productive and efficient. Wireless presentation systems make meeting a success!
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Over the years, advancement in technology has made virtual meetings more engaging and personal than ever before, however, this does not mean we no longer need face-to-face meetings. They are still a key ingredient in establishing relationships and a crucial part of being efficient. Even as workers are becoming more comfortable using video conferencing technology, and businesses and organizations are increasingly recognizing the benefits of online meetings such as efficiency, greater reach, affordability, among others, in-person meetings have their own charm and benefits, and are here to stay.
There is research to prove that in-person meetings still offer great value in this wired world. In 2009, a global survey of 2,211 Harvard Business Review subscribers was conducted by HBR Analytic Services, and it was observed that a whopping 95 percent of respondents considered in-person meetings as a key to success when it comes to building long term relationships. The research showed that in-person meetings were considered most effective for negotiating important contracts, interviewing candidates for key positions, and listening to and understanding important customers.
Also, a new study by Oxford Economics, an international research firm, shows that business travel directly leads to an increase in corporate revenue as well as profits. The study provides evidence that each dollar invested in business travel adds $12.5 in revenues and $3.80 in profits.
There are various reasons why in-person meetings still matter. Here are some of them.
Body language: In a survey of 760 business executives, Forbes found that 84 percent of the respondents preferred in-person communication. Of these, 85 percent said that it was because in-person communication helped build strong and meaningful relationships. Human communication consists of 93 percent body language and paralinguistic cues, and only 7 percent consists of words. Your mouth, brows, eyes and other facial features reveal much more than what you say, and there are many more types of body language that you may not be able to notice through a webcam. In case of high stake meetings such as interviews for senior positions or when closing major sales deals, this becomes extremely important. When sitting face to face, you can easily notice where a person places his/her hands, or nervously taps their foot. These clues give you a better control over the meeting, and provides a better understanding of the persons.
Uninterrupted attention: In an online meeting, you are not in the same physical environment as the other person/s, and it is likely that there are certain distractions in the other person’s environment that you cannot see. Technical snags or continuously adjusting audio or video can also divide attention, taking focus off the dialogue. When in a face-to-face meeting, people can completely focus on the task at hand.
Personal touch and trust: The personal small talk and pleasantries that you exchange before and after the meetings, and by travelling to the meeting location, you make investment in the relationship. Face to face meetings offer a rich sensory experience that helps build trust. A firm handshake can go a long way in cultivating trust.
You are off the record: If you want a private meeting with someone, an online meeting might not be a great idea, especially if the other person works in a cube and does not have a private office or meeting room. If you do not want someone to hear the information you share, the best idea is to visit someplace private with the other person and hold the meeting. You can share a lot more in person than you can do in a virtual meeting.
In the nutshell, organizations need to understand the importance of diversity and balance when it comes to meetings. For example, it may be a good idea to hold the first sales meeting in person to establish trust and congeniality, and then move ongoing meetings online. Companies can use online meetings to nurture a large set of leads, and then use in-person meeting when it’s time to close the sale. So, the idea is to use a combination of online and in-person meetings to support long term relationship building and collaboration.
Also, with continuous technological progress, the limitations in virtual meetings will continue to diminish, and eventually online meetings will become as interactive and immersive as in-person meetings. Simply using better meeting equipment can improve the experience substantially. However, in-person meetings have a place of their own and are here to stay.
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Benefits of Business-IT Alignment
Posted on“True alignment changes the way team members view their actions; they embrace team decisions and organization actions as if they were their own.”
This quote was taken from a SlideShare for an audience of business leaders. A successful leader in a company is able to align disparate silos within the organization to create one, unified team. Yet this remains one of the biggest challenges for most companies. Even under one roof, it is us versus them; the IT guys versus the business guys. And this is a company killer.
So what is business-IT alignment? And what benefits does achieving it have for your business?
Business-IT alignment is achieved when the two separate “silos” come together as one, and share and move toward the same strategic goals, as one. Assuming that the optimal outcome for any business is to make a profit and improve ROI, then both the business side and the IT side should share this overarching goal, and work towards it.
What many business leaders and executives seem to forget about is the important and direct role that IT plays in increasing ROI. But without IT, we don’t have the necessary tools and technology to achieve this goal. IT enables business and simultaneously, business drives IT.
Not only does an IT business alignment result in added business value, but it also makes many challenges and problems that are commonly associated with IT completely disappear, as if by magic. It also allows for IT to stay modern, and keep your business up-to-date. So if you are a CIO, or any other executive, what 3 steps can be followed to promote a business-IT alignment?
Start By Addressing Your Business Processes:
With experience working in a business process consulting and engineering firm, I have found that an invisible problem is the most common: businesses frequently attempt to implement a solution or software, in efforts to automate a process that was broken to begin with. The company then turns to IT, expecting them to tune and customize it to the company, to fix that automated process. There are two problems here: 1) The process is broken to begin with, so automating it only makes matters worse, and 2) IT cannot properly customize software if they are not 100% sure of what the goals of the business are, and the particular hopes for the solution itself.
This is why it is imperative that you asses your business processes first. Identify if your processes are optimal for your company. Conducting a gap analysis will also help you uncover some other problems you may be having, not just within your processes, but among your tools and your people too. Upon conducting the gap analysis, IT can help business leaders better understand some of these problems.
Communicate to Create a Plan:
Gap analysis of business processes will help with devising a realistic strategy that will migrate the business toward their goals. However, it is imperative that the findings and insights are shared in order to coordinate a plan to achieving a business goal. This planning stage will help close the gap between what business managers need and what IT delivers.
But keep in mind that just because business executives created a plan doesn’t mean that it is a good plan. Both IT and business should be involved in the creation in order to create an optimal plan. The first step to doing this is to talk to each other.
Communication between IT and business can be difficult. There is tech lingo, and there is business lingo; and the two do not mix well. When I think of an apple, I think of a green fruit with a stem and leaf, but you may think of a red fruit with no stem. It is the same concept here.
One way of avoiding barriers to communication is to provide additional resources for both IT and business executives. This can be visuals in a presentation, or even links to articles or case studies that describe a similar goal or outcome.
There should also be an ongoing dialogue to clarify business needs, in business terms for all members of IT. IT executives and their colleagues need to understand exactly what it is that the business expects from their tools, and business executives need to understand exactly what it is that IT can feasibly provide them with.
Implementation and Training:
During this phase, it is again critical to communicate. IT understands exactly how the tools work, but other employees may not understand. So whenever a new solution is implemented, it is imperative to conduct proper training on how to use the tool, and why it is useful.
I think of software or tools like sewing kits. The sewing kit is a great tool that can be used to fix a problem- to repair a torn seam. But if you give that sewing kit to someone who has never used it before, it probably will not get fixed- or at least not well. But if your mom taught you exactly how to tie the needle to the thread, and pull the needle through, and use the thimble to protect yourself, then you can fix the problem, seamlessly.
The same concept can be applied to software solutions. You need to ensure that every user (not just the executives, or just the front line employees) are able to effectively use the tool. This will ultimately optimize the results.
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The debate of Mac versus PC will continue. You hear this conversation at the Thanksgiving dinner table, in the office and even on commercials. Yet regardless of which you consider to be better, it is important that your office equipment accommodate for both. The fact is that despite the prevalence of PC computers in business, there are a lot of Mac users and all of these Mac users face problems with AV connection.
In a land of PCs, all die-hard Mac users in most offices are easily identifiable. Part of why they are so easily identifiable is because they are always asking if anyone has a Lightening Cable, so they can connect to the projector. Because businesses primarily run on PCs, traditional office equipment does not cater to Macs. This is a problem for two major reasons. 1) There are many Mac users that are unable to present from their devices, and 2) It is undeniable that Apple programs are better for some things than others.
To connect an Apple to office equipment, such as a desktop or projector, you need a specific adapter that many offices simply do not have; they are expensive and seen as an unnecessary expense. But trust me, this gets frustrating for your die-hard Apple fans. Furthermore, you just never know when you will invite a guest to your office or event who is planning to present from his or her own laptop; which just may happen to be a Macbook.
It is actually becoming more and more likely that people will be Apple users, as the number of Mac users continues to steadily grow. Back in 2012, Apple announced that it had 66 million users. This is not a number that can be ignored.
There are also some things that can be created on a Mac, that cannot be done on a PC. Many of these actually have to do with visual creations, such as presentations. If you were to look up “better alternatives to PowerPoint” on Google, you will find many blogs talking about an array of new presentation options. You’ll consistently find that many of these are only compatible with Macs. Additionally, many find that using Keynote (Apple’s version of PowerPoint) is a more seamless experience, and the program has more capabilities. For example, you can create interactive, 3D charts, cinematic-like transitions and objects, and reflections on images. And creating these elaborate presentations on Keynote isn’t rocket science; they include over 30 design templates and the creation process, itself is very intuitive.
So you might think, “Ok, well then create a keynote presentation and then just send it to someone with a PC to present it.” But, this is not the case. Although it is very easy for Macs to send this to another Mac, it gets far more complicated (and actually is pretty much impossible) to “send” it to a PC. The PC programs are unable to open and run these documents, and often times if a presentation or document includes one of these elaborate features, it will not convert to a PC-friendly version.
So thus far, creations completed on a Mac have not been easily transferable and viewed by others from the organization. As time goes on, we must begin to update our IT, and allow for an array of programs to be used in the office. By updating your AV system to wireless presentation, you enable both Mac and PC users to display the best of their work to the entire organization, at any time.
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It’s the digital age, and it seems like everyone is online…on “the network.” Since it’s become the norm, many of us forget what attracted us to it in the first place. What we love about the network is its ability to connect…connect people, connect devices, connect information, and connect all of our systems. More conveniently, it allows us to connect from anywhere.
This move to the network has not left AV systems untouched. Now we also expect to view whatever we want, from any device, from anywhere. It was once a luxury, but has recently transitioned into being the norm; it’s what people expect. Yet, even as we transition to the network, we still expect our IT team to manage, monitor, and maintain everything we need seamlessly — including AV.
In the past, there were 3 entirely different systems: the IT network, the AV control, and the AV switching system. But as we all switched to the network (online), the AV control system moved to the IT Network (for many companies). The master AV controller is able to connect to the network through DHCP. Meanwhile, the automation system controls the switching system. All of this can be managed by a server on the IT Network side, and all devices can be connected through IP addresses.
But is AV/IT integration really this simple? Or has the collision of these two worlds created some complications and challenges?
Many companies’ AV departments and systems have essentially turned into IT. However, some companies’ IT departments will not allow AV systems to be on their network, due to security risks and network complications. These separate AV and IT teams are prevalent in healthcare and education organizations.
The argument of separation versus the consolidation of AV and IT will continue to be debated in the near future. However, this debate may not last long, as the largest barrier to AV/IT integration are security and network issues; which are being acknowledged and looked at. And based on our previous levels of innovation in the industry, we can assume that this will not remain an issue for too long.
This year Europe’s, ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) conference discussed the topic of AV integration and its future. You can watch this video for a review of the conference. It is evident that this community understands what dilemmas need to be addressed, what solutions they need to find, and most importantly that education on this topic is paramount. Once solutions are discovered, education and training will be vital to the success of the future of AV.
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Digital signage is much more than just the flashing billboards that light up Times Square. Although Times Square is a prime example of digital signage in action, with success stories from brands like Coca-Cola, Google and Netflix, there are other forms and examples of success.
In fact, digital signage is the second fastest growing medium in the world. According to a recent report from Markets and Markets, it is expected to reach $23.76 billion by 2020, an increase of over 8 percent from 2015. Why are so many businesses and organizations utilizing the medium? There are several reasons, but first, let’s take a look at what it is and how organizations are using it successfully.
What is digital signage?
Many associate digital signage with large advertisements and billboards. But, it can include many different types of media that is projected on LED, LCD and other screens. It can be used with wireless presentation software, cloud tools and many more programs.
Unlike traditional print advertising, digital signage uses technology to allow businesses to easily update information as frequently as they need to with little cost or time. Digital displays allow companies to interact with clients, create interactive media and publish content at the touch of a button. The flexibility and lowering cost to manage the medium have made it easier for even small to mid-sized companies to utilize it in their marketing and business strategies.
How is digital signage used?
Because of its flexibility and ease-of-use, digital signage can be used for a number of purposes. For example, restaurants are increasingly using displays to post menus, promote new dishes and advertise special deals. Retailers are providing customers with in-store product information and personalized shopping experiences.
How can you use it to engage with clients?
Grabbing audience attention is harder than ever with competition from multiple sources of media constantly surrounding individuals. In order to connect with clients, organizations need to use media that grabs the attention of their audiences and keeps it. One-way advertising is more and more unsuccessful for connecting with today’s audiences. Instead, interactive messages that engage audiences are becoming the most effective ways to talk with customers.
Over 63 percent of individuals say that digital signage gets their attention. When used strategically, it is perfect for engaging clients. For instance, companies can promote events and promotions, personalize customer experiences and cut down wait time by using it. They can also incorporate it in the office, with clients and employees. Digital signage can be used in office meeting rooms to interact with clients. With employees, it can help promote teamwork and improve communication when used in conjunction with collaboration tools.
Digital signage is a versatile resource for companies of all sizes. Now that the cost to create and manage digital signage is minimal and the benefits are growing, more organizations are taking advantage of the tool. Companies can attract clients, improve the customer experience, enhance office meetings and much more by using the technology effectively.
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According to a recent study, many companies are losing customers and revenue to their competitors for one major reason━failure to embrace modern IT and digital initiatives. The study conducted by the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network interviewed over 200 IT professionals from around the world. The study found that there is a significant performance gap between organizations that have embraced the digital business age and those that haven’t.
The problem isn’t that companies do not agree that they need technology. In fact, in the study, over 93 percent of respondents said that technology has become more important in the last five years. Another 45 percent admitted that their competitors had more to offer in terms of options, flexibility and accessibility because of their use of digital tech like wireless presentation software, collaboration tools and wearable devices. If organizations know that they are falling behind their competition by failing to modernize their IT, then why haven’t they upgraded yet?
According to an article by CIO.com, one of the major reasons is that organizations realize that they need to upgrade, but they don’t have the foundation to manage it successfully. What else do organizations need to launch successful IT modernization initiatives?
Strong Leadership from CIOs
As the tech leader of organizations, CIOs have the power to influence other executive leaders by helping them realize the advantages that modern IT can bring to each department. CIOs can make recruitment, retention and employee engagement efforts more efficient and effective for HR leaders. They can appeal to CEOs by highlighting how IT can improve overall business performance, competitiveness and generate new revenue streams.
If there isn’t already a strong interest in updating an organization’s tech, CIOs can build interest by stressing the benefits with evidence of the success that other businesses have experienced. However, one C-suite member leading the initiative usually isn’t sufficient to drive it to successful completion.
Support from the C-suite Team
When other executive members are involved in projects, they are more likely to be effective. In addition to the CIO, the CEO and the rest of the C-suite play important roles. According to an IBM study, the majority of CEOs recognize technology as one of the top external influences impacting their organization.
Company leaders like the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief Finance Officer (CFO) could greatly benefit by partnering with the IT department and using the latest tech. In order for initiatives to work, however, the silos that once separated departments need to be broken down. Executives need to collaborate and discuss tech projects and planning.
Clear Vision, Goals and Planning
A strong team is crucial to IT success, but ultimately, it needs to be paired with a plan of action. Organizations need to identify their technology needs and opportunities to improve efficiency, employee engagement and other performance factors. Then, they can start building a step-by-step plan that is designed to meet those goals.
Each day that a company puts off upgrading their technology and infrastructure, they are losing revenue and time. On average, it takes one to two years to update IT, so organizations can’t afford to wait. Failure to do so soon could put your business too far behind competitors to catch up.
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The CIOs of today and tomorrow are looking very different than the ones from ten, five or even two years ago. The role of the Chief Information Officer could be considered the most evolving executive position right now. In fact, 56 percent of CIOs identify their roles as transformational.
This year, the role will continue to change and develop, but there are significant characteristics that stand out. Expect the most successful, modern CIOs of 2016 to be:
Communicators
Organizational silos are being knocked down to create more open and collaborative exchanges between executive structures. Being able to easily communicate with other departments, customers and constituents of an organization is crucial for today’s CIOs. Therefore, the stereotype of a socially awkward, computer geek as an IT leader is even more unrepresentative now.
Modern CIOs are more accustomed to speaking to small and large-sized audiences through wireless presentation software and other means. Because they are interacting with several different professionals, there is a higher level of expectation to be able to express complex ideas in ways that anyone can understand.
Innovators
Instead of simply being the person that makes sure the technology is operating and the go-to person when something is broken, CIOs are being given much more influence. More than half of CIOs in a survey by CIO.com responded that they see themselves as “drivers of innovation” in the workplace.
The executive team is increasingly looking to tech leaders for insights into the latest business trends and tools that can give them a competitive edge. On the other hand, modern CIOs are searching out opportunities to improve business processes and performance through tech.
Risk Takers
In the past, CIOs may have had less influence in overall business decision-making. Now, their role is one that permeates almost every aspect of an organization. Several different departments like marketing, human resources and many more━as well as CEOs━are beginning to consult them for advice on business investments and other decisions. Forward-thinking CIOs are embracing this new trust by being less restricted in their investments. For example, instead of simply budgeting to upgrade old hardware, they are exploring new tech options like cloud, Bring-Your-Own-Devices (BYOD), and wearable devices.
This doesn’t mean that modern CIOs are more likely to jump blindly into business deals and other negotiations. Instead, it means that they are more willing to invest in newer technologies and consider strategies that may have never been considered before.
Collaborators
CIOs have become an unlikely driver of collaboration in the workplace. This is because of the vast amount collaboration tools and technology available. Technology like Google Drive, Salesforce, Ubiq, Dropbox, and dozens more have made it easier than ever for people to work together from anywhere. Since technology is helping to bring workplaces together, CIOs are one of the primary resources that executives seek out when forming and launching company collaboration initiatives.
The role of CIO is one that will continue to change and evolve every year. In 2016, modern IT leaders will be more collaborative and innovative. They will be more open to new ideas and communicate their own ideas better than those before them. Lastly, the CIOs that take note of the changing environment and adapt are the ones that will be the most effective tech leaders.