Tools help you get the job done, so finding the right one is crucial for your business. With all the talk that surrounds video conferencing these day, it’s hard not to be curious. With plenty of entrepreneurs and companies across a range of industries—from education and advertising to healthcare—giving it a shot, that’s all the more reason for you not to get left behind. Here are a few factors to consider when you shop around for the one that’s right for you:
Simplicity
If you want to improve your communication infrastructure, then better to opt for something simple. The simpler a system is, the more people will use it. After all, user adaptation is a major issue. If your system is well-designed, offers a load of features and packs a punch, it still won’t get anywhere if user adaptation is low. That said, your promising new system wouldn’t be implemented if it were too hard to use. For a project to get traction, you need support, and that means swaying people to your way of thinking. That’s going to be easier to do with a conferencing tool that’s simple and easy to use.
Support
Even the best software and apps have a few glitches now and then. When you pick a solution, go for one that comes from a credible and reliable company. Experience counts in these matters. A business that’s just a few months old can hardly have the resources of a company that’s been in the business for years. If you want to ensure smooth, hassle-free troubleshooting sessions in the future, go with trusted names and brands in the industry. If you don’t, you could be taking on a huge risk and exposing your company to a great deal of trouble and expense later on. Nip that problem in the bud.
Video Clarity
One of the challenges faced by companies that employ remote teams is the distance. It can be hard to work through the revisions of a major campaign with the rest of your team if they’re halfway across the world. One chief reason for this is that most methods people use to communicate are prone to misunderstandings. Small Business says about 65 percent to 75 percent of all the communication we render is non-verbal. That’s a lot of context and social cues missed through emails, chats, or calls. As a result, someone can seem curt or even unapproachable in an email, even when they’re not. Someone can appear rude, and the recipient could take a comment the wrong way. Before you know it, there’s bad blood and tension brewing. Face to face interaction, though, can resolve that easily enough. That’s where HD video functionality becomes important. If you want to feel like your team is just in the same room with you every time you have a meeting, go for a camera that delivers uncompromised clarity.
Multipoint
The best part of conferencing tools is that they’re multipoint. They allow multiple people on a single call, but all without the unwieldy amount of hardware. With companies like Blue Jeans offering video conference equipment that is easy to use and maintain, your business won’t have to sink money into a sprawling network of equipment anymore. That also means saying goodbye to costly upgrades in the future. It is because of systems like this that make it possible for your company to deploy cloud-based conferencing solutions for every level of the business.
Cost-Effective
Another factor to take into account is cost. It used to be that building a communication infrastructure from the ground up took a lot of time and money. These days, with video conferencing, you don’t have to count the cost. With plenty of affordable packages around, it’s easy to find one that suits the needs of your organization without draining your company’s funds as dry as the Sahara. Also, because there’s no longer any need for upgrades that cost an arm and a leg, companies can well afford to maintain these systems in the future, at least until better ones come along.
Collaborative Features
You also have to look at available features. Some online meeting tools offer the barest essentials. If you want to go for a no-frills medium, that’s easy enough to do. However, if you’re using this for business, it makes sense to choose a system capable of helping you enhance your business operations. Take a good look at systems designed with collaborative features, Techradar suggests. They improve the way your teams work together and enhance their productivity. If you have onsite and offsite groups, letting them collaborate and develop better skills in teamwork can be worth it in the long run, especially if you want your business to stay competitive. What could be more competitive than employees who work hard, play well with others, and deliver the best possible outcome for the team?
If you’re looking for a video conferencing system, factor these in first before you pick a final one. Your company—and your wallet—will be glad that you did.