Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has seen increased adoption of video calls in nearly every area of life. A Uniphore survey identified a disconnect between the benefits of video conversations and the unintended challenges it creates.
When considering the rise of video calls throughout the past 18+ months, local consumers revealed a mix of both frustration and appreciation for what video conversations have to offer.
More effective and meaningful connections
Respondents noted some clear benefits of having conversations on video including better engagement rates. When using video, a majority (72%) of respondents indicated they felt the participants ranged from somewhat, very or extremely engaged with them.
Further, 69% of participants said video calls provide them with a more meaningful connection with others. This is especially important for conversations that require empathy or trust.
The dark side of video calls
Sixty-seven per cent of Singaporean consumers reported they spent significantly more time on video last year than in prior years. Participants admitted to doing a wide range of nonprofessional multitasking, personal tasks, and other projects during video calls, including web surfing, online shopping and social media scanning.
Other activities done during video calls
- Watching YouTube + Streaming (50%)
- Read social media/online news (43%)
- Bathroom visits (37%)
- Ordered a meal (28%)
- Faking bad internet connection to leave early (19%)
When asked about factors they dislike about conducting a video call, respondents cited video calls to be more exhausting than audio calls (34%).
Being ‘camera-ready’ was also identified as a key issue: 33% of respondents don’t like seeing themselves on camera and 32% cited boredom, leading them to multi-task during calls.
Lastly, respondents noted distractions were a challenge with video calls – 40% of respondents claimed it’s very difficult to tell if others on the call were engaged. Respondents also noted that they felt it was hard to feel energized and motivated (38%) and 30% felt they couldn’t get their points across during meetings.
Uniphore CEO and co-founder Umesh Sachdev acknowledged that there is still work to do to make virtual interactions as seamless and effective as in-person conversations.
“There is a clear need for additional tools and capabilities to enhance higher degrees of people-to-people understanding. Through AI and automation technology, companies and business leaders can create better experiences for customers, pick up on nonverbal cues that they may have missed, and provide insights using data that is decipherable and actionable,” he added.
Ready to embrace AI and improve the meeting experience
While video is being used today for many purposes, it’s clear that technology can make these video conversations more effective and enjoyable. 77% of Singaporean respondents said they would be open to using automation or AI tools to improve video conversations.
Respondents noted they would like AI to provide engagement tips based on emotions (43%), help them build deeper connections with others on calls (42%) and act on items being discussed (34%).
