Cutting costs with web conferencing for the Public Sector
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Cut costs with web conferencing – but take care to manage the cultural transition well
With public sector spending high on the political agenda, Adobe Systems' Will Cawthorne argues that web conferencing is one of the best ways of cutting costs - and offers advice on the practical and cultural issues that need to be managed to encourage take-up.
He said: “In this new age of public sector austerity - and indeed openness - one area of expenditure that is coming under increasing scrutiny is travel. Only recently the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles published details of all his department's spending over £500. He revealed that last year alone the department spent more than £1.5m spent on hotels and transport - including £635,000 on taxis and cars.”
And he continued: “At Adobe we are firm believers that web and video conferencing can make a real dent in these kinds of costs. Indeed, Adobe has been proactive in integrating its own online conferencing solutions to ensure that colleagues can collaborate remotely, hold meetings and facilitate 'anywhere' learning.”
BUT, let me tell you, you DO NOT need to use Adobe. There are far better and cheaper service available from other sources.
I to anyone, and especially the public sector, which is in dire financial straights at present, to look for alternatives in video conferencing and to look especially, as with other software too, at Open Source software and at web based services, some of which are free to use even.
Many conferences can be held online, either via video conferencing software or via web based service and even entire exhibitions could be held virtually. While it is not entirely the same as visiting an exhibition on terra firma it could save a lot of money and reduce the environmental footprint of an organization tremendously. So, it is good for your finance and for the Planet.
© 2010
