When it comes to Audio Visual (AV) and videoconferencing installation CCOMM are one of the UK’s foremost specialists, having completed installations for some of the world’s leading companies (Shell, BP, Ford, 20th Centruy Fox and KPMG to name but a few) and for almost twenty years across the globe. However, if you haven’t thought about hiring AV and VC Installation specialists in the past then it is about time you started.

- The performance of the technology currently available is now of such a high standard that you will not be disappointed – and with bandwidth becoming less and less of an issue high definition video and audio quality is now a reality.
- Whilst performance levels of the products have improved greatly, the costs have gone down. There is a very competitive market with a wide range of products available – this has led to a reduction in costs and now any business, small or large, can afford it.
- Potential for Return On Investment (ROI) – especially with videoconferencing and digital signage all companies should see the products start to generate cost savings and start helping you to make a profit. A good digital signage solution can attractive visitors and inform them of special offers increasing revenue and videoconferencing can make huge budget savings by cutting out flights, expenses and saving time.
- Work place productivity should also increase greatly with the addition of new technology and a professional AV installation. Whether it be presentation screens, a videoconferencing system, improved microphones and speakers or simply a new smart whiteboard the collaborative working environment should greatly improve.
- Finally at CCOMM we only employee the best engineers – so when we undertake a project with you, you can rest assured that fully qualified technicians and engineers are providing you with a great installation.

Reduced Travel Costs
In a globalised business world and with the cost of travel getting more and more expensive and less and less glamorous there is now no longer the need to spend hours on a flight at a huge cost. Meetings can be made from the comfort of your own office and at high definition standard – it really is as if other participants are sat just across the table from you.

Corporate Social Responsibility
The carbon emissions saved by not travelling makes videoconferencing a near perfect “green technology.” With an emphasis on businesses to be responsible for their environmental actions an investment in VC can go a long way.

Gain A Competitive Advantage
With competition between companies at an all time high why not steal an advantage over your rivals by increasing productivity by creating a collaborative working environment. Also cost savings made through VC can be spent in other areas of the company.

More Efficient Hiring, Firing & Training!
The hiring process can be very lengthy and costly, especially when candidates are located in different cities. With video interviews time and money can be saved and also recorded and reviewed. Training sessions can also benefit through video as more people can join the session from the comfort of their own desk.

Increased Productivity
Use video technology to bring employees together wherever they are located. Research shows the participant involvement is 80% higher over video compared to audio.

When it comes to Return on Investment (RoI) it of course is dependent on the nature of the business and the adoption of videoconferencing and Telepresence equipment. If have have a look at vpod solutions model for RoI we can see that the argument is extremely compelling.

Figures

In order to calculate an accurate RoI (Return on Investment) for the purchase of a v3 unipod, usage data from the 8 pods was gathered over a typical month period, June 2008.
When reviewing the data, an assumption has been made that only 1 in 4 meetings has saved one person from travelling.

Data

Total calls for 8 v3 unipods
= 1204
Average calls per pod per month
= 150
Assuming 1 in 4 meetings saves 1 person from travel, total no. of travel savings
= 37
Example of an average cost for same day or overnight travel in Europe
= £800
Total travel cost saving
= £29,600

Results

Return on investment (ROI) per v3 unipod in months
= 1.7 months
CO2 reduction per v3 unipod
= 9 Tonnes
Travel time saved (calculated @ 8 hours per trip)
= 296 hours (37 working days)

On this very achievable model we can see that the pay back is under two months! Making the argument for installing a Telepresence or videoconferencing system even more attractive.

What does HD mean for business users video conferencing? They will see people clearly, in full-size, with no fuzzy image. They will be able to see facial expressions and body language clearly, hear everything and share multimedia presentations with ease. In essence, they will love it and the usage and return on investment will increase dramatically.

The video conferencing industry is undergoing an exciting transformation. High definition (HD) video codecs and flat panel display screens have made traditional videoconferencing virtually obsolete. Every form of video is moving to high definition, so arguably no longer should any video communication investment be made without the capability to use higher definition at low bandwidths.

The good news is that you can maintain existing SD investments and move to the next generation of HD video conferencing. With HD video conferencing you will see nearly 10 times the quality for the same cost as legacy videoconferencing systems. And, new generation HD video systems will work with SD capable systems because they are both standards-compatible.

Questions to better understand the need for HD Video Conferencing

1. How will we use video communications? What do our users want the most out of this experience?

The applications for videoconferencing are endless. A growing number of people no longer work at a corporate headquarters and are highly distributed. And, over 60% of communication is non-verbal; therefore meeting face to face over distance enhances understanding and meeting outcomes.

Users want the experience to be as close to a real, in-person meeting as possible. They also want it to be reliable and simple to use.

2. What type of information and content will be shared during the meetings? Will there be several people in the room?

People want to walk into rooms and easily connect a PC that everyone can see clearly and interact with naturally. At times there may be one or two people in the room and other times 15-20, consider size to help in selecting the right solution.

3. How much bandwidth will I need to run higher definition video communication? Is it too much, do I have it?

The new generation of videoconferencing products provide dramatically better resolution and motion handling at all bandwidths from 384K to over 1Mbps. Typically you will need between 1 and 2Mbps to run HD video conferencing. Most businesses and even home users have plenty of bandwidth for exceptional video.

5. How will my new high definition video conferencing system interoperate with my current installed base of systems?

Invest in only standards-compatible systems. HD systems are interoperable with SD systems and work well for users. This transition to HD will not happen overnight but it is happening.

6. Can you really run higher definition video over the public Internet?

Yes, do not let anyone tell you that you this is not possible. Organisations should work with a qualified network service provider to plan the right network and opt for certain service levels as the application permits – but it is hard to argue with the cost of the public Internet.

7. Is high definition video communication cost effective?

That depends on the vendor you partner with. New generation HD systems are available at a £6 – 10K price range with all options included. It does not have to cost tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of pounds per system or room.

8. Where does Telepresence fit relative to high definition video communication?

High definition is the most important enabler to a Telepresence experience, enabling people to be the full size onscreen and scalable on a 16:9 display(s) without losing resolution. Some boardrooms and applications will require a fully integrated Telepresence room and others will use high definition video systems and large displays to meet the need at a lower price point.

10. What should I do next?

If you feel that video conferencing will benefit your business then you we would advise that you see a demonstration. Compare market offerings and invest in a future-proof solution for the next 5-10 years.