Action! The new applications of video-conferencing in manufacturing

By Amr Ibrahim, founder & CEO at ULTATEL

According to Fortune Business Insights, the video-conferencing market will be worth an estimated $10.92 billion by 2027. Telecommuting is the new reality and with the accessibility of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, these video conferencing platforms equip workforces to stay connected anytime, anywhere and on any device. As more industrial organizations embrace a hybrid workforce, they will rely on video conferencing for employees to collaborate seamlessly without complicating business workflows.

With plenty of video-collaboration solutions on the market, businesses in the industrial and manufacturing sector need to invest in the right video-conferencing tool to boost collaboration and ongoing communication.

The evolution of VoIP technology allows today’s modern workforce to engage in virtual face-to-face meetings from laptops and on mobile devices. And while much has been written about the office workforce’s use of video conferencing, various other professionals such as fitness instructors, educators, therapists and accountants also rely on the web and video conferencing tools to engage and connect with clients, students and patients, it’s the industrial sector that is often forgotten by many telecommunications providers, as many don’t understand the benefits of video conferencing for factory workers.

However, video conferencing acts as a critical lifeline for manufacturers, offering their employees benefits such as: 

●      Increased engagement and amplified collaboration—Communication and collaboration are essential factors to ensuring a manufacturing operation can scale efficiently. Video-conferencing builds stronger relationships between employees through productive conversations and shared virtual experiences, paving the way for teams to grow and flourish regardless of location.

●      Reduced travel expenditure—According to the US Travel Association, organizations spent a staggering $334.2 billion on business travel in 2019 alone. Historically, employees have needed to travel to conduct training, provide technical updates and perform product demonstrations. Video-conferencing has allowed all of these tasks to now be performed synchronously from various locations. Reducing travel costs, accommodation, meals and transportation for even a single employee is enough to warrant investing in business video-conferencing technology.

●      Ensure business continuity and resiliency—The COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruption for manufacturing firms. Many companies were forced to close temporarily due to government restrictions. Unfortunately, a number of them were unable to reopen as their revenue was eradicated seemingly overnight. Synchronous digital communication allows teams to convene from any location and develop dynamic action plans to address business challenges that may arise.

As video-conferencing providers innovate, the future of video-conferencing platforms will continue to evolve and improve, benefiting the industrial workforce. For example, providers are committed to enhancing video and sound quality, establishing best practices, expanding productivity tools, as well as minimizing technical hiccups enabling manufacturers to improve and scale their operations with a successful hybrid in-factory/virtual model.

Looking into 2021 and beyond, manufacturers must embrace the current digital era. Operating virtually equips staff to innovate from anywhere and deploying video-conferencing platforms elevates the quality of collaboration so that factory workers can be more efficient and productive.