As swine flu spreads, more companies are exploring the option of reducing exposure by holding meetings in their offices without having to send their top executives on a plane. That’s all thanks to telepresence and video conferencing solutions.
Companies such as BrightCom, Inc., a provider of integrated video conferencing and telepresence solutions, are giving firms the tools they need to conduct face-to-face meetings from afar as an alternative to travel. The technology has become especially attractive in wake of the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus, officials said.
Organizations faced with this problem seem to be echoing a similar question: How do I leverage the global work force and not have to travel?
For example, one of BrightCom’s clients was banned from flying back and forth to Japan for meetings due to swine flu travel restrictions. So, the circuit board manufacturer contacted BrightCom for a solution. What did it entail? The company used two dual-screen mobile conferencing carts for HD video and data collaboration, eliminating travel difficulties and improving communication between American and Japanese teams.
BrightCom’s telepresence and video conference technology blends audio, high-definition video, and interactivity, offering what officials at the Huntington Beach, Calif.-based company call a unique in-person experience. What normally would have been an impossible undertaking because of the geography became a simple reality.
“The customer saw the benefit in how we can help them share data, share files and maintain communication,” Bob McCandless, chief executive officer of BrightCom, told TMCnet in an interview. “Making audio conference calls was not a great choice. There’s a greater benefit when you can see things visually.”
“Anytime there is a need for a discussion, you are going to get better results with telepresence than traditional audio,” McCandless added.
Engaging through a telepresence system such as BrightCom’s – where video, audio and data services are readily available – prevents the physical and mental stress of traveling, and increases overall productivity, BrightCom said. In addition, the solution also prevents employees from using sick days when they return from travel, the company said.
As of mid-June, the H1N1 flu virus had been confirmed in nearly 30,000 people in 74 nations, killing more than 130 people, according to the World Health Organization.
“The virus is contagious, spreading easily from one person to another and from one country to another,” Dr. Margaret Chan, Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, said in a statement.
And as a result, Brightcom has reported a growing number of company inquiries about its services.
“We have definitely seen an uptick,” McCandless said. “There are many nations that have announced travel restrictions. When you don’t have to travel, telepresence is a great [solution].”
The swine flu has dealt some harsh blows on an already unstable economy. Service and travel industries, in particular, are taking some hard hits.
Delta Air Lines Inc., for example, said the travel demand diminished by the H1N1 virus will likely cause a $250 million hit to the carrier’s revenue this year, the Associated Press reported. The airline reduced travel into Mexico and Latin America because of the outbreak, the report said.
Even though WHO said it was not recommending travel restrictions, the Indian health minister government urged citizens to avoid international travel “until this disease is controlled globally,” Expacta.com reported.
In some cases, airlines are being extremely cautious when it comes to reducing the risk of the swine flu. In Asia, carriers have increased cabin cleaning and installed state-of-the-art air filters. In-flight staff members wear face masks, Reuters (News - Alert) reported. Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines flight attendants must wear disposable facial masks, gloves and hats and disposable overcoats during flights to select destinations, the report said.
Some officials have gone a step further, quarantining people who do not have the disease. In Singapore, a student who flew from New York City to her homeland caught the virus, the first reported case there. So, the government quarantined the passenger and about 60 other people on the same flight who were sitting within three rows, Reuters said.
The health scare aside, the telepresence market is projected to grow to $1.7 billion by 2012, according to a March 2008 report from IDC (News - Alert).
What’s driving it? For one, broadband infrastructure is far more advanced to support high quality transmissions at a lower cost. What’s more, more organizations are supporting “green” initiatives to cut reduce carbon emissions from airplane travel by offering the stay-at-home solution.
Whether workers have the actual virus, or are just confined at home under such a quarantine, BrightCom’s solutions let people continue to be part of a meeting, McCandless said.
“We are helping businesses be more productive,” McCandless said.
Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.
Amy Tierney is a Web editor for TMCnet, covering unified communications, telepresence, IP communications industry trends and mobile technologies. To read more of Amy's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Amy Tierney
Internet Telephony Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
CUSTOMER 
Cloud Computing Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
IoT EVOLUTION MAGAZINE
