Video conferencing solutions such as the German GDPR-compliant alfaview® software allow personal exchange in times of social distancing
What people in Germany miss most during the Coronavirus crisis is seeing their families and friends – this is the conclusion of a recent study by the Stiftung für Zukunftsfragen (Foundation for Future Issues) in Hamburg. Especially during the upcoming holiday season, the need for personal contacts grows.
Closer contacts thanks to video technology
In the meantime, however, various digital communication channels allow a carefree get-together without any risk of infection. By using the German GDPR-compliant alfaview® video conferencing software people can see and talk to each other without restrictions in a virtual space. Prof. Ulrich Reinhardt, head of the Hamburg study, points out that the older generation in particular has more contact with their children and grandchildren than before the pandemic due to the increased use of technical devices and apps.
Personal relationships are particularly important right now
Prof. Katarina Stengler, Chief Physician of the Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy in Leipzig, emphasises the importance of social contacts in the current situation. She believes that it is important to rise to the challenge and “switch to a different way of communicating.” With its clear design and user-friendly features, the alfaview® video conferencing software is self-explanatory and intuitive to use. Even the less tech-savvy quickly learn how to use the software.
The importance of social interaction is not limited to friends and family but equally affects work, schools and universities. alfaview® provides virtual rooms that are accessible around the clock. Therefore, participants can casually exchange ideas with each other even before or after meetings, lessons or lectures. This ensures that the personal relationships and informal conversations that are a crucial part of everyday professional, school and student life are not neglected, even in times of social distancing.
Good connection and intuitive usability are crucial
By now, over 40 per cent of the German population use video conferences as a means of communication at least once per month, 22 per cent even once per week. In order to experience a personal face-to-face meeting in the virtual room, a stable connection in real-time is particularly important. alfaview® ensures this experience with lip-synchronous transmission of video and sound, even with a low bandwidth. Otherwise, due to human perception habits that have been shaped over thousands of years, there is a risk that even minimal delays in the transmission of verbal and non-verbal signals will cause irritation among the other participants in the conversation.
More than 70 percent of the population still expect considerable restrictions due to the pandemic in 2021 – all the more reason to have access to reliable alternative means of communication in order not to neglect social contacts. alfaview® has already been used successfully for more than ten years by the 700 employees and monthly 3,000 course participants of the education company alfatraining. This positive experience shows how digital communication can facilitate everyday life and social life even in challenging times.