Relevance of Online Meetings for Singapore Firms

Nowadays, business organisations around the world are working towards reducing operational and overhead costs in a bid to remain profitable despite the current economic downturn. Focus on cost cutting had always been a crucial part of the business plans, especially during recession. The prolonged crisis prompted business firms to opt for efficient utilisation of resources. Online meeting is an example of such cost cutting measure. This mode of communication is used by the business organisations to promote intra-organisational and inter-organisational information exchange. Major business firms in Singapore have successfully reduced cost because of online collaboration. Web meetings became possible due to the recent growth in technologies, especially Internet, as it is easier to communicate despite geographical boundaries. Companies in Singapore often interact with their business associates based in other countries through web meetings. It is not possible for all high level executives to travel to a central location for making key decisions. Rather, they can congregate in virtual space and maintain productivity while keeping their operational costs to a minimum. Maintaining business relationships with associates needs a professional environment that can be easily set up by online meetings. Users can access a virtual collaborative environment with a login ID and password, which can be used on any web browser. Users working on different operating systems, such as Windows, Linux and iOS, can share information seamlessly using sophisticated conferencing solutions available in Singapore today. Dedicated apps have been introduced by conferencing service providers for tablets, computers and Smartphones. Through these apps, Singapore based professionals can participate in web meetings even while they are commuting or simply not present at their desk. With the introduction of virtual meetings, expenses from meeting facilities such as travel and hotel accommodation are largely eliminated. Sending data packets, including video and data files via Internet, enables companies to reduce the associated telephone charges. rnThe inclusion of webcam during the online meetings allows business members to gain access to real-time view of the speaker. PowerPoint files can be directly uploaded for presentations, thus giving a feeling that the speaker is present in the room itself. Sharing desktop applications allows companies to train personnel remotely and review documents in the presence of multiple participants. Instant messaging is another feature of the web meetings, moderators can also conduct surveys and polls, share website and organise Q&A sessions, amongst others. Online collaborations are of great use in the field of architecture because professionals can visualise the design of houses before commencing construction. This allows the clients to make the changes in regards to colour, space distribution and material selection. Healthcare issues can also solve via web meetings by training the hospital staff remotely. If any firm wishes to expand its business overseas, then it is important for them to opt for virtual meetings in order to save time as well as cost.