The development of meetings technology means that businesses can opt out of face to face meetings and choose to use video conferencing instead.
As more hotels invest in video conferencing technology, Harriet Sinclair questions whether face to face meetings will become a footnote in history
Business technology has come a long way. From the launch of the first Macintosh in 1984, to the development and global use of Microsoft Windows; technology now dominates the way businesses communicate. Letter writing and faxing are a thing of the past, and as social networking increases, even email is in danger of becoming obsolete.
This is just as true in the hotel industry, where provision for meetings was once as simple as deciding which tea and biscuits to provide; it now refers to wireless, video conferencing, LCD projectors and mini sound systems.
And as more hotels are gaining business from the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions market (MICE), the meetings technology that hotels provide for businesses is more important than ever.
With this in mind, hotels are aiming to keep up to date with the latest trends in meetings technology. From providing wireless internet access to installing LCD projectors in meeting rooms, hotels are anxious to remain attractive to business customers.
According to Rosewood Corniche director of sales and marketing, Shamel Droubi, the latest trend in the area of meetings technology is video conferencing.
“The main technology innovation for meetings, which has been introduced to the market only a few years ago and has been upgraded several times since, is video conference. The ‘noughties’ have been all about improving communication and connecting people around the world. For the business community, the introduction and development of video conference facilities have been a real revolution which allowed them to save both time and money by reducing travel commitments,” Droubi explains.
It is the potential for businesses to save money that many hotels will capitalise on during the financial downturn and it is the high demand from business customers which will keep hotels interested in meetings tools developments.
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Droubi believes that hotels investing in such technology will pave the way for further developments in video conferencing.
“I believe that future innovations will be about improving the existing technologies and optimising the use of video conference facilities. 3D projections may soon be introduced,” Droubi adds.
Video conferencing seems to be the meetings technology product of the moment, with several hotels citing it as the current most popular development in the MICE market.
Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain director of catering and conference services, Eman Abela, says: “Video conferencing is becoming more and more popular with businesses, and we are now hosting these kind of events at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain.”
The cost of saving
Yet he raises a point which hotels must not ignore; that video conferencing may provide a cheaper alternative to holding international meetings, but it cannot provide the same networking opportunities as that of an in-person meeting.
“A face to face meeting and engaging with your business partners directly will always play an important role in strengthening relationships and ensuring successful communication”, Abela argues.
The opinion that video conferencing will not altogether replace face to face meetings is one which is supported by Droubi.
“These technologies might have reduced personal meetings, especially in companies’ internal communication, but when it comes to establishing first contact and new business relationships, a personal approach and face to face meetings are important. Business deals and relationships are based on mutual trust, and personal contact is required especially in international and multicultural deals. Until it is possible to shake hands through a screen, face to face meetings will still be on the agenda,” Droubi maintains.
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