5 Reasons Fast Video File Transfers are Critical to Your Business

Accelerated file transfer software is not new. It’s been around for many years, embedded within the vast on-premises infrastructures of the largest media brands. For those teams of content producers, it’s been a critical piece of their workflow architecture and their business success. But, over the past few years, the introduction of SaaS accelerated file transfer solutions have changed how that core technology is delivered, managed and priced — opening up new possibilities for every media company.

It goes without saying that the process of producing and delivering content is ever-evolving, and new challenges and new solutions arise at every step. In particular, supporting today’s globally distributed teams and the demand for higher resolution content makes managing the cost of production increasingly difficult.

These challenges have many components. But one aspect that is often overlooked is how organizations are moving their precious video content around as part of the pre-production, post and distribution phases of the workflow. Solutions that were once “good enough” to get the job done — like FTP or shipping physical media — are rapidly being replaced with purpose-built file transfer tools. Here are five reasons why.

Distributed Teams Require a New Approach

Bringing final content to market very rarely happens under one roof or in one location anymore. More and more teams of media professionals are working around the globe. Obviously, production teams work remotely when they’re filming on location. And now, with the help of technology, media organizations can build distributed teams and get access to the talent they need regardless of where they’re located, giving them a competitive advantage. In order to make this work well, organizations need to consider implementing a fast file transfer solution that is not only accessible globally, but moves large files fast, especially when bandwidth speeds are less than optimal.

File Sizes are Growing

The demand for higher resolution content is driving innovation of production technology like cameras, audio equipment and software. While HD has been the norm for some time, Ultra HD (UHD) content is now becoming mainstream — especially with media acquisition — and media professionals have to think about how their entire toolset is helping them meet those demands. High-resolution content means exponentially larger files sizes. Moving large files around within the pre and post workflows or distributing final content to clients can be especially difficult when you don’t have the right tools. If your team is delivering HD, UHD or even higher, implementing a fast file transfer solution that will help you send content of any size is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s business critical.

You Can’t Afford Delays

When it comes to getting your files where they need to be, hope is not a strategy. The reality is that production will often finish up later than you expected. Deadlines are hard and you still need to get your content out the door. Any number of factors can cause you to miss deadlines, but transferring content files shouldn’t be one. You can’t afford slow transfer times, or even worse, interruptions that force you to start the transfer all over again. Implementing a solution that gives you reliable, fast file transfers and accurate predictability around when your files will arrive is a strategy. Not only will it enable your employees and partners to focus on producing the content, it will help you to create a positive experience for your customers whether they are reviewing pre-release content or receiving the final cut.

Customer Experience Matters

Any time your customers are interacting with your brand they are forming an opinion of you. In today’s highly competitive world, it’s imperative that you delight your customers with the content you’re producing and their experience working with you. Your file transfer solution is part of building that positive experience. The solution needs to be reliable and fast, and not leave your customers disappointed because the file didn’t arrive when they expected; or make them feel frustrated because it was too painful to use. They should be able to focus on your content, not on how you’re delivering it to them — your solution should just work. It’s a necessary part of today’s media business to have a cost-efficient, low-maintenance way to send and share content that ensures a delightful customer experience.

Your Business is Growing

Moving digital video content has been part of the media business for over a decade, and there have been solutions that have worked well enough for many organizations. But when considering the rapid growth in file sizes, increased distribution of teams and the importance of customer experience, you’ll find that those solutions are not built to scale as your business grows. Planning for the future means finding a solution that has flexibility of deployment, is easy to manage and maintain, and the cost of expansion is proportional to your size. Growth is hard, but managing your file transfer tools doesn’t have to be.

Managing cost and keeping profit margins healthy is as imperative as always. Fortunately the days where every technology purchase requires significant capital investment are waning. The good news is that the availability of cloud-hosted solutions and other advancements have given rise to powerful solutions that are accessible to every size company, everywhere in the world. As a result, media professionals have affordable access to the technology they need to stay competitive without breaking the bank, which includes fast file transfer software. Investing today in the right solution will make a big impact on your business now and into the future.