"Development via videoconference doesn't work."
April 27th, 2020
Videoconference is now part of the daily landscape of Quebec Inc. It is possible to make the most of it and that it plays a strategic role in your development.
Whether we like it or not, we must adapt, but some limiting beliefs may be surfacing. These are repetitive thoughts over time that paralyze and even cause to back down. For example, a salesperson who advocates development in person exclusively will remain in the status quo, which will damage his or her pipeline of opportunities.
New social norms, new business models
First of all, we have no choice but to promote exchanges via virtual technologies and the telephone. 1- Because we are currently confined. 2- Because when the recovery comes, regulations will be put in place and companies will adopt strict policies. Among others :
- social distancing (2 meters);
- clear procedures for meetings in person;
- regulations concerning any visitor within the organization;
- other specific standards, depending on the sector, clientele, products, etc.
By believing that we can only develop face-to-face, the competition will position itself by taking advantage of the opportunities for the coming months. It will exploit the new modes of communication that impose themselves to develop; and it is already well underway.
The telephone, this timeless tool
Used strategically, the telephone (slash videoconference) is extremely effective. It promotes outreach, exponentially feeds the pipeline of opportunities and, undeniably, accelerates the development of organizations. Some benefits
- Covering a larger territory (VS meetings in person). It's a numbers game;
- Expanding market potential and reaching more people;
- Mobilizing more people more quickly (simpler coordination of agendas).
What about human contact in all this?
Right now, people have a great need for human contact, collaboration and solidarity. Videoconference promotes this and provides an effect comparable to "face-to-face". It is not just a new technological medium; its benefits go far beyond Internet bandwidth.
- People greatly appreciate being able to interact with potential partners/suppliers, seeing a face;
- Being in your own home makes you more comfortable;
- Entering into each other's intimacy, in a way, creates a close relationship;
- Having the children running in front of the screen relaxes the atmosphere;
- The relationship created now is often stronger due to the exceptional situation we are experiencing and will remain so after the pandemic;
- Professionalism is being redefined, based on values that are more similar to our own socially.
Before the crisis, telework was becoming more and more established. The business world and individuals were beginning to adapt to this new reality. The current situation in Quebec is such that it is accelerating this professional transformation. Suddenly, many organizations, consultants and employees have had to review their ways of doing things. Working at home alone in front of a computer is one thing, but collaborating and developing is another. To be favorable and increase productivity, it takes good technologies, yes, but also good practices.
Telework tends to transform us into beings:
- receptive to change;
- open to reviewing our strategies;
- in support mode;
- more human and less transactional.
The future is uncertain, but what is certain is that the companies that will remain will be those that have adapted; to the human being pushed around, to the new technologies that are needed... Perhaps a hybrid mode will eventually be considered (virtual and face-to-face development), but we are not there yet. The strategic choices that organizations make today will be their lifeline.
Next time: the proper preparation for a videoconference. Slippers, decor, ambient sound... What are the standards, what are the right tools?
