Forum Topic

Meeting the challenge ...

HTC didn't cancel their international conference, they just used their virtual reality system instead ...https://www.forbes.com/sites/charliefink/2020/03/11/vr-takes-the-stage-as-conferences-cancel/I'm sure once this is all over we'll still want the opportunity to network over a glass of wine, beer, coffee, orange juice etc from time to time but I'm sure once the investment has been made in technology and organisations see the potential savings in time as well as money I doubt business travel will be the same again ... could be good for the climate?

Michael Ixer ● 2263d3 Comments

David. I suppose that may depend of how many airlines are still in business but I was thinking mainly of business travel. I didn't mention commuting, either. Some city companies were already looking to cut expensive office space and locatre some support staff at home (for example, software  technicians); this will surely accelerate that trend? Apart from office cost savings it widens their recruitment catchment area. The large "c!oud" service providers already have global, follow the sun, support facilities and Brexit no longer becomes a barrier to using EU technical staff 🙂 

Michael Ixer ● 2263d

Conversely, I feel that it is very likely that, once this period of house arrest is over, then grumpy, fearful-of-flying, anti-travellers, like me, are going to "Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood," and hightail off to the travel agents.

David Ainsworth ● 2263d

You're right, Michael, there were gradual, tentative moves away from so much frankly unnecessary travel to meetings and conferences. So maybe one of the better things to come out of this whole crisis will be the realisation that so much of this travel really isn't necessary, along with the parallel realisation that the technology can provide a perfectly adequate substitute. I hope so, anyway.

Richard Carter ● 2263d