 email-one may traverse the initial reluctance to add more technology. Most senior managers would agree that telephone systems, computers, and fax machines are necessary. Video communication is becoming another must-have communications tool. Seventy-two percent of companies with 1000 or more employees already use room-based systems; sixty percent of all companies use personal video systems. Video communication has moved to the mainstream, and it is important to note this when proposing a video communication system. TIPS FOR COLLECTING DATA Bell Labs, the former research arm of AT&T, conducted early studies to determine how video communication can improve communication and, by extension, work. Although the findings were not conclusive, the Association of Computing Machinery published them in 1994, and they serve as a pioneering resource. Although web-based travel planning is prevalent, corporations still deploy travel agents or departments. Travel professionals are people-oriented service providers who know not only who travels most frequently (individuals and departments), but also why they travel and can, therefore, serve as valuable resources in creating a video communication proposal. They can prepare data on frequently traveled city-pairs and impart the average per-trip cost of air travel, lodging, car rental, and incidentals. In- house travel departments usually know the size of the entire travel budget, and can usually attribute it by department. Travel professionals, especially those who work on a commission-basis, may view video communication as competition, SO soliciting help from travel professionals may require diplomacy. In-house travel departments may be more cooperative. One can calculate direct savings if one knows the total amount the organization spends on travel. The savings that will typically result can be crucial to the business case. Often, such savings will cover system depreciation and operating costs. Travel savings can offset video communication costs or make various secondary benefits e