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A recent Frost & Sullivan study conducted among over 100 European business users of information and communications technologies (ICT) solutions sought to investigate European business users' preferences regarding information and communications products and vendors, as well as services and service providers. Despite the solution’s many benefits, nearly half of the surveyed companies spend less than five per cent of their ICT budget on visual collaboration.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (conferencing.frost.com) Users' Experiences with Visual Collaboration Products and Services in the Business Context, measured the awareness as well as frequency and level of usage of ICT products and services in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
"All of the meeting methods tested were used for a variety of purposes," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Karolina Olszewska. "Visual collaboration is most widely used for internal staff communication, product development as well as product training and demonstration. In comparison, for situations that require diplomacy and confidentiality, such as contract negotiations, customer presentations, or for HR purposes, standard face-to-face meetings are most commonly preferred."
Since human face-to-face interaction is the most effective form of communication, face-to-face meetings are also rated as most beneficial in most business situations. Yet, visual collaboration are generally rated just behind face-to-face meetings and ahead of other, more traditional, meeting types, such as audio and web conferencing. Regarding the actual usage however, visual collaboration is not frequently applied, especially in comparison to more traditional meeting methods.
Frost & Sullivan's survey revealed, for instance, that 58 per cent of standard face-to-face meetings occur daily, while 27 per cent of meetings that utilise visual collaboration take place less than once a month," explains Olszewska. "Nevertheless, 10 per cent of respondents are already deploying visual collaboration on a daily basis."
Yet the usage of visual collaboration is gradually increasing. As much as 78 per cent of respondents expect the usage of visual collaboration in their organisations to increase during 2012.
"Overall, the greatest value that visual collaboration offers organisations is ease of use, the value received for the money spent, and the reach it extends, as it can be used by a large number of people throughout the organisation," adds Olszewska.
While primary benefits focus on savings via reductions in time spent and travel costs, secondary benefits include relationship building/linking of workforces and/or clients, especially for international organisations.
"Meetings via visual collaboration also bring an additional element to a meeting, namely, the ‘cool factor' of using a more innovative meeting tool," concludes Olszewska. "Thus, within international organisations, visual collaboration is and will continue to be a tool that enables close business relationships to be maintained, while containing costs."
If you are interested in more information on this study, please send an email with your contact details to Joanna Lewandowska, Corporate Communications, at joanna.lewandowska[.]frost.com.
Users' Experiences with Visual Collaboration Products and Services in the Business Context is part of the Conferencing & Collaboration Growth Partnership Services Programme, which also includes research in the following markets: videoconferencing, equipment and software, audio/document conferencing, web conferencing and, visual collaboration. All research included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.
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Users' Experiences with Visual Collaboration Products and Services in the Business Context / M7A6-64
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joanna.lewandowska[.]frost.com 
