No one wants to spend the day sitting in traffic on the way to and from a meeting. But sometimes you need that personal touch that phones and emails simply fail to deliver. Fortunately, there is a third option. Improving productivity at work by using virtual conferencing gives you the personal touch you want for doing business—without requiring your physical presence.

To use this option, there are a few basic items that each location involved will need—a computer with a camera and a mic included or attached, a high-speed Internet connection, and a video conferencing service. How sophisticated this equipment has to be depends on your needs. An office may require a bigger screen and a better camera, whereas a small, remote contractor might have to make do without video because the Internet will not support it. Make sure your equipment is up to handling your needs before your first meeting to ensure that you don’t spend everyone’s precious time troubleshooting.

Next, you’ll want to choose your video-conferencing software. There are plenty of free options as well as those that have a cost attached. Choose your software carefully. Since you are aiming to improve productivity at work by using virtual conferencing, you can afford to put some money into the system without increasing your expenses. For free options, you can work with Skype, Google Hangouts, or Apple’s FaceTime. The most-popular paid option is GoToMeeting. Keep in mind that everyone involved will need an account, so check with your partners before scheduling a meeting over something OS-locked like FaceTime.

This is a great opportunity not only to give your clients and partners a chance to meet with you without a trip but also to give some of your employees an opportunity to telecommute. Flex-time and allowing employees to work from home full or part time is a powerful draw for your company. Work-from-home employees are often more productive than those working at the office. By using virtual conferencing, you can allow employees to earn this privilege without having them miss a single meeting.

Finally, schedule your meeting and bask in your newfound freedom. Improving productivity at work using virtual conferencing is such a simple way to use your existing equipment to decrease your expenses that you’ll wish you had thought of it sooner. Using this technique, you can work with clients and contractors all over the world without leaving your office, or for that matter, your living room. Just remember to look your business and professional best—you’ll be on camera!