ssentially cost-free. It is risky, however, to promise more than 15% travel reduction without flawless historical data and a senior-level manager who is committed to using it whenever possible. To build upon travel savings, one can engage with functional managers to formulate assumptions about the value of productive time recovered, and how the organization can reinvest salvaged time. If employees could meet more often via electronically The Business Case mediated meetings, one should quantify that benefit in dollars and include it in the proposal. If the organization could complete projects more quickly, one should quantify that benefit in dollars and include it in the proposal. The proposal should also create assumptions to quantify the cost of not meeting. If there is a high concentration of employees with key skills that are in demand in remote locations (e.g., trainers, sales support, engineers, project managers), the monetary value of increasing their reach can be invaluable in proposing video communication. Other questions to consider might include: How could the organization invest reclaimed travel time to increase revenue? Could employees spend more time with customers? What is the return on responding more quickly to problems and opportunities? In constructing a business case, one can start planning for the procurement of video communication. Contacting prospective suppliers early is useful as most actively gather and disseminate genuine applications information. Nearly all track the success of their customers' projects, and some sponsor Best Practices contests in which customers submit detailed information on projects and results. Some vendors offer innovative tools and white papers that address the value of video communication. They can provide information for proving-in video communication. Vendors want such efforts to succeed and are usually great allies. An applications statement is a crucial component of any structured procurement document (e.g., request for proposal or request for information). T