Mobile video chat: the next big thing?
It’s time to think outside the box: Edmonton businesses, could you use mobile video chat to connect with clients?
According to Matthew Latkiewicz @mattlatmatt of Zendesk.com, video chats on the go could be the next big thing (http://mashable.com/2010/10/
The beauty of this feature – take Apple’s iPhone FaceTime as an example – is that it allows a new level of communication with clients beyond a computer desktop, argues Latkiewicz.
A business, or client, can be in two places at once.
For example, say an Edmonton-based business has a client located in Calgary that is actively searching for a venue in Edmonton, however, this client cannot make the trip to see the location in person.
The business could, with the use of FaceTime, video call the client from on-location of the venue in Edmonton. This feature can then both provide a live visual of the location for the client and allow the business to see the client’s live reaction.
According to Eric Rice @LWIPro, CEO of LWI (http://blog.lwipro.com) video chat saves his company up to 25 hours monthly in email writing and around $13,000 every 60 days in plane trips, he told Latkiewicz.
So which Edmonton businesses would benefit from adopting the mobile video chat?
Those with highly personal customer relationships are best suited for this mobile face-to-face video method.
“Video chat is intimate, and businesses built on a more anonymous customer relationship may not find much value from putting a face on every interaction,” writes Latkiewicz.
Businesses with a highly mobile workforce can also benefit from the mobile video chats – those who live off their phones can continue doing business without being tied to a desk.
But as Latkiewicz also points out, mobile video chats are not being marketed to the business world, but rather, geared toward personal relationships and scenarios such as a girlfriend showing her boyfriend a new haircut.
Though companies, such as Apple, have a long way to go in engaging mobile video chat to the business world, Edmonton customer-focused businesses could become game-changers if adopting the mobile video chat strategy.
Do you think your company could benefit from the use of mobile video chats? Is it a strategy you’re willing to try out?
Jasmine Franklin @JasFranklin09
