April Bridgeman, Managing Director, Advito
The use of “virtual collaboration” technology, tools
allowing people to work together digitally instead of in person, will accelerate
in 2016. After struggling for many years to win over businesses, virtual
collaboration is now widely accepted as a viable option for working with others
remotely. The market for virtual collaboration services will double by 2020.
Travel managers should embrace the shift and show that they’re best positioned
to manage professional collaboration, whether in person or virtually or
somewhere in between.
A number of factors have contributed to the acceptance of
virtual collaboration among business consumers. For one, prices have fallen
rapidly, and some entry-level products are available for free. Organizations
can choose among a spectrum of tools to satisfy all virtual collaboration needs
and price points. These include much wider availability of multipurpose
conference systems, which are portable and much cheaper than immersive systems
but deliver much better experiences than yesterday’s videoconferencing systems.
Meeting by video has also become the norm, thanks to cameras
featured on most digital devices and apps like FaceTime, Skype and Google
Hangouts. The convergence of analogous consumer tools and improved
collaboration technology in the workplace has created a broader comfort zone
and a better user experience. Employees can operate equipment without relying
on technicians, and cloud-based bridging technology lets a variety of products
connect easily.
The proliferation of remote employees is another critical
factor. With more people working across locations, whether at home or in other
countries, virtual collaboration makes it easier for them to work together.
Virtual Collaboration Means Strategic Opportunity for
Travel Managers
Today, operationally focused technology
departments “own” virtual collaboration tools at most organizations. As
organizations become more familiar with the costs and benefits of all types of
professional collaboration, deciding what collaboration type is most productive
for a given situation will become more strategic. With their depth of
experience in helping employees make the right booking choices, travel managers
will play a growing role in managing virtual options. This includes integration
with travel—helping employees decide “Do I stay or do I go?”—and most
important, making it easier to stay. Effectively leveraging virtual
collaboration assets will let travel managers drive travel savings or shift
travel spend to higher-value trips. Prepare to add a new phrase to your lexicon
this year: “total collaboration management.”